“Seren, yourlover? This is so exciting. I have always wanted a sister, and now I shall have one.” She laughed maniacally, tossing her braid over her shoulder as she looked between the two of us for our reactions.
“Dina!” Harkin groaned, dropping his head onto his arms where they rested on the table. He mumbled into his skin as he spoke, “I did not tell them that you were my… lover. In fact, I expressly told them that was not the case.”
He peered up at me; embarrassment had him flushing red all the way down his neck.
I smiled so widely, my eyes squinted and my nose crinkled. My cheeks ached at the sustained motion, but I could not stop. I shook my head laughing, still. “This might be the best day ever. Please continue to embarrass Harkin. I find it immensely entertaining.”
“No,” Harkin warned, lifting his fork in a mock threat. “Eat your supper, all.”
The four of us laughed again and then tucked into our meal.
When we had finished, I knew I could delay no longer. I needed to tell Harkin about Claudian’s accomplice and our plan to travel to the Sárkhona Draum to perform the ritual.
“Shall we?” I suggested.
“Perhaps, we should take a walk. The air is lovely this evening,” he supplied, rising from the table and delivering both of our dishes to the wash basin.
“Sure. Thank you, Yvett, for the meal. And thank you both for the show.” I shot them a wink, and they pealed with laughter.
“Anytime, Seren,” Yvett replied jovially.
“Seriously.Anytime.” Adina waggled her eyebrows.
I smiled at them gently, wondering what it might be like to have them both as my family—as Adina had implied. I thought it might be exceedingly lovely, and I had never missed my own family more.
Harkin’s hand caught mine, fingers twisting together as he led me from the house once more. He did not release his hold on me as we walked through the trees and toward the sound of rushing water.
I did not want him to.
We emerged from the treeline at the edge of a great riverbed. Large flat stones lined each side, limned in soft twilight. We settled down upon one of the rocks, facing the rushing water. They were still slightly sunwarmed from the clear day.
“Claudian was not working alone,” I began, preferring not to dance around the topic. “We do not yet know who this person is, besides the fact that they harness life mágik, but it seems exceedingly likely that they will come for Ayla and myself, to finish the job Claudian started.”
Harkin’s body tensed, but he did not interrupt.
“Théo has been studying the rituals and researching our options. As it turns out, the original ritual would have ended both of our lives, allowing the life wielder to absorb both of our powers.” I picked at the skin around my fingernails, trying to ignore the fear that still lingered deep within me. “Théo has found another way. A test of the Goddesses that will, hopefully, bolster our mágik so that we may defeat this new enemy.” I turned to Harkin. “We must travel to the Sárkhona Draum. It will be dangerous, and we will have little time to accomplish our task. Will you come?”
My chest ached suddenly, at the possibility that he might say no, and I looked away. He had clearly told his family about me—and that was not insignificant—but he had wanted time away from Acsilla. From me.
“Ren.” When I did not meet his gaze, he grasped my chin. His thumb grazed the bottom of my lip. “Of course, I will be with you.”
“I wasn’t sure that you would want to,” I admitted in a whisper.
Harkin pulled away in disbelief. “I told you I would be by your side. You need only ask.”
“You said that, and then you left.” The sting of burgeoning tears threatened to fall. “And I know you needed to speak with your family. It makes me so happy to see you here with them—to know they have accepted your past. But, when I last saw you, it felt like a goodbye.”
Harkin blew out a long breath, nodded. Clasped his hands together then released them. He looked at me, and his expression was pained. “I needed time away.”
“From me?”
“Yes.”
I pushed myself off the rock, standing and brushing my clammy hands against the front of my trousers. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have come.”
Harkin rose beside me. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” I asked, brushing the first tear from my cheek as it fell.
