Rosalind waited for the judgement to come, but instead the warrior whistled and leaned back on her elbows, staring up at the sky. “That fucking sucks. I’m sorry.”
Rosalind let out a slow breath and nodded.
“I assume that’s where the soul part of your proposalcame from?”
“You heard my proposal?”
“The numbers bored me, but even Ozzy perked up listening to you speak about that.”
Rosalind noted the nickname, one she’d heard Kaly say before, but not in that tone. So she risked her wrath. “Do you believe in their concept of soulbonds?”
“Sure.” The answer came quickly. Confidently. “I think I’m a bit better at it than love sometimes.”
Rose’s lips twisted, and she refrained from asking after her sister Kat. “Are you and Ozirax…”
She left it dangling.
So did Kalypso. “So this male?” Rosalind nodded. “You think he’s your soulbonded?”
Her chin dipped.
“And the fe—the other male. He’s also your soulbonded?”
“Yes.”
“And the two of them?—”
“Yes.”
Kalypso nodded with that information, breathing in deep as she looked back up to the stars. Her top lifted, and Rosalind noted a new tattoo that she was fairly certain hadn’t been there before. One that looked an awful lot like the runes on their silver bracelets keeping them safe in Heck.
“One thing I’ve noticed about souls…” Kalypso ran her tongue over her teeth. “That connection is pretty unbreakable.”
Rosalind felt pain prick at her eyes at the thought of Dav walking away so easily.
“But even through rifts,” the woman continued, “they always seem to find one another again.” Kalypso pushed off the wall, her swords clicking against the stone. “Sounds to me like two souls calling back might be impossible to resist for long.”
Rosalind felt something distant in her chest spark, so as Kalypso turned to walk away, she called out, “That’s really good advice for someone who doesn’t believe in emotions.”
Kalypso smirked over her shoulder. “Practicing.”
“For what?”
“Being a better big sister.”
Rosalind smiled as Kalypso continued down the steps, waiting until she took the path toward the barracks before glancing back at the council building. She considered all the new work lined up for her with her proposal accepted.
Then Rose turned and walked to Lovable Loaf instead, where she threw her arms around Laz’s shoulders and celebrated her success. And while there was still a somber piece of her wishing this time could be spent with Dav, too, the darkness wasn’t so pressing as she sat at Laz’s window that night.
“I worry about him,” Laz said, handing her a warm cup of tea.
Rose’s forehead pressed against the cool glass as she looked out at the empty street below. “Me too, but we’re not giving up, okay? He’s ours, Laz. When he figures it out,we’ll be here.”
Lazerath pressed his forehead to the glass, horn scraping as he watched the street alongside her. “Ours.”
26
CUSTARDS
