It took me longer than it should to realize that stopping hadn’t been of his own volition. No, there was a barrier in place.
Dragging my gaze upward as high as I could without moving myhead, I realized that my magic had encased me in a glittering dome of safety. Exhaustion took over again, and I closed my eyes to follow its summons only to be brought back by muffled sounds that wouldn’t relent.
When I cracked open my tired eyes, it was clear Artton had to yell for me to hear him at all. Blinking sleepily at him, his eyes shifted from deep concern to something else, as if they were begging me to stay with him.
“My hand” he mouthed, looking down to emphasize his simple words, and I followed his gaze.
Understanding he wanted me to reach for his hand, I tried, but the most I could muster was pointing my index finger in his direction.
He glanced over his shoulder and spoke to someone. Plastered on that fake smile of his when he returned his focus to me, he propped his head on his hand and mouthed, “Sleep. I’ll stay.”
With that, I slipped back into the Realm of Dreams.
Time was a lost construct and gave no indication as to how much of it had slipped me by before a softtaptaptappulled me awake.
Artton still mirrored my position on the floor, his finger continually tapping against the dome. I found it soothing, as it anchored me back to reality.
Over time, I began reaching for his fingers, wanting to join in the rhythmic sound he continued to make. Inch by inch, I crept closer until our fingers finally met.
The instant they did, my ears popped as the barrier slid away, leaving Artton and me in silence, pointer finger to pointer finger. He didn’t move or make a sound as his eyes searched for something in mine.
“Hi,” I croaked, and the simple word cracking something in him before a genuine smile lit his features.
“Hey, Spark,” he said, softer than I thought him capable.
A half-chuckle escaped me. “Spark? A little on the nose, no?” I said, every gravelly word bringing me back to myself.
“Well,” he started as he took my outstretched hand and held it in his, his thumb gently caressing the back of my hand, “no one said I was a literary genius.”
That pulled a full smile from me, and I let his comforting touch ground me some more. “So what, we’re friends now?” I asked, brow raised; a part of me wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me.
“If you’ll accept my apology and my truce, then yes,” he said, stifling the fragile levity between us.
Pulling my hand back, I braced myself on the warm marble tile and winced as I tried to push myself into a seated position.
“Careful,” Artton prompted, offering me a hand. Taking it, I managed to sit up, though it took a few breaths for the vertigo to dissipate. “Water?” he asked, handing me a glass before I could answer.
Kneeling beside me, the commander watched over me as I greedily drank it. The glass made a tinyclinkagainst the hard ground as I placed it down. Shaking the rest of the fog from my mind, I noted that I was in the same spot I’d been in when we’d entered the shared memory; Artton was the only one left. Narrowing my eyes a fraction, I said, “What changed, Artton? Why offer me an apology now?”
He sagged out of his kneeling position to sit on the floor, one leg bent like anLin front of him, his other foot planted on the ground, knee up, forearm resting on it with ease. “There’s a saying in the ancient tongue that roughly translates to,only a fool would offer to trade their problems for another’s.It means?—”
“Better the devil you know than the one you don’t,” I finished for him.
He nodded as his expression darkened. “I understand now why Endymion trusts you implicitly. I don’t think there’s a soul out there that could witness what you went through and not be on your side;or in my case, realize how much of an ass I’ve been. I am sorry, Nyleeria.”
Eyes burning, I sat on my heels so we were closer to eye level. Giving him the best smirk I could muster, I said, “I’ll accept your apology, under two conditions.”
He rolled his eyes, then smiled as he said, “Because the last time you had conditions, it went so well, hum?”
I raised a brow, sidestepping the bait. “First, you have to show me how to use the daggers Endymion gave me.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “And the second condition?”
“You can’t call meSpark.”
He laughed in earnest. “No can do, Spark,” he said with a wink, “but I will agree to teach you how to imbue.”
Holding my features as best I could from the victory I’d just won, I rolled my eyes and said, “You’re ridiculous.”
