“Later this year,” Ash said. “I have not been to one for a while now.”
I glanced at Blake, testing his reaction.
“I am sure Roslyn and Ash will take you,” he said.
I looked at Roslyn and noticed a similar expression to his.
“What’s wrong? Why can’t you go?” I asked.
“It has been a long time since I was welcome in Roran,” Blake said.
Ash glanced at me, indecision on his lips, before he faced Blake.
“It has been a long time since you showed any desire to come,” Ash said, his voice more tense than before.
“Perhaps if His Royal Highness did not blame me for things completely out of my control, I would show some desire,” Blake spat.
“I never did blame you,” Ash said.
The pleasant air of their childhood memory was gone. What were they arguing about?
“Prince Asher Rometheus Saint,” Blake sneered, standing up and beginning to pace. “Denier of responsibility and solver of no one’s problems, including his own.”
“You have never given me the chance to solve anything. You shut us out,” Ash snapped, standing up as well.
I felt Ash’s everi, a burning yet controlled fierceness. I couldn’t believe how powerful he was. How was he keeping that under control?
“That’s enough,” Roslyn said, her voice soft but firm.
His everi withdrew at Roslyn’s command, and the tension amongst the group was still palpable.
Blake shifted. “I am done here.”
“Blake,” Roslyn called, getting up from the sofa. Blake stopped, and Roslyn’s voice softened, “Please.”
Blake cast her a dark glare. “Sonya kai evanti ni.”
He spoke quickly and with such a thick accent that I couldn’t understand what he said. Roslyn’s expression faltered as she turned her attention to Ash whose demeanor had shifted into tension. It was as if it were only Blake and him in the room now. After several long moments of tense silence, Blake broke their gaze and threw the door open so hard it slammed against the wall as he left. I stared at the space, not recalling how I’d jumped up, stunned into silence.
“Why couldn’t you let it rest?” Roslyn snapped. “There was your chance! After years of complaining that he never tries, this is his fault—there it was! And what did you do with it? Nothing! Will this feud never end?”
Ash growled, his flaming hot everi flashing intensely as he disappeared up a stairwell.
“What happened?” I whispered.
Roslyn wiped tears from her eyes using the lower part of her palm and wiped her hand on her dress vigorously as if to hide the evidence of her distress.
“Nothing new,” she said bitterly. “We should probably get back.”
I followed her to the door when a thought struck me.
“I’m going to take a walk,” I said. “Try to process all this.”
Roslyn nodded as I followed her into the corridor.
“Roslyn,” I said. She glanced at me, her eyes red-rimmed. “Thanks for choosing me to come here. I needed it.”
She looked away, her expression never altering from the grim state of sadness that had come over her. “It wasn’t me. I mean, I was going to, but Caelan did first. He believes in you, Anna.”
