I continuously fidget in my chair, unable to sit still from the anxiety and adrenaline flickering through me like the roaring fire.
“Rest,” Larkin mutters, keeping his eyes closed.
“I can’t stand knowing that she is with him.”
“Yara is tough and has been with him for years. She can handle herself for another night.” He lifts his head off the back of the couch. “Gods, you are so much like Barlowe.”
I snap my head toward him. "No, I’m not.”
“Oh, yes, you are.” He laughs. “You look like him when you’re mad, too.”
Maines sits up at that. “Oh, my Gods. She does.”
Larkin gives her a soft look. He knows how close she was to Barlowe, so Maines has now become someone he cares about as well.
She settles onto the couch, getting comfortable again. The fire continues to burn as the minutes go by, and a rising anxiety begins to consume me, and every snap of the wood makes me jolt. Maines sleeps quietly to my left, Larkin rests to my right, Oak snores in the chair across from us, and Silas stands at the window.
I stand up, unable to sit any longer, and move next to Silas, to the large bay window that overlooks the kingdom and the vast sea surrounding Andorwood.
“Something isn’t right,” I whisper.
He looks at me, and from his gaze, I can tell he feels the same. He opens his mouth to speak, and a soft knock on the door echoes.
The sound awakens the others, and we all jump to attention. The large door slowly creaks open, and I inhale sharply, waiting for Yara to enter.
Fenmore pokes her head through the doorway, and dread floods my body. It’s still not Yara. Fen enters the room and sits next to Larkin and Maines on the couch.
Silas cuts his eyes to me, knowing the devastation I feel, and he grabs my hand, pulling me from the window to join the others.
“It’s nearly 1 A.M.,” Fen informs us, and my stomach drops. “Did I miss the meeting?”
I look at Silas, and his gaze burns into me. He knows something is seriously wrong.
“She should be here,” I say to him.
Silas responds, “I know.”
“I’m heading to Malachi’s office,” I say, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Larkin jumps to his feet. "No, you’re not!"
“He’s right,” Silas adds. “No fucking way are you storming into his office right now.”
The others watch us, aware that an argument is about to erupt. She wouldn’t be late. Yara was too serious about helping when we spoke for this to have slipped her mind. She was scared, and she needs us.
“You can both try to stop me, but I won’t hold back against either of you.” My eyes darken. “You can come with me or watch me walk out of that door. Alone.”
Larkin crosses his arms and cuts his eyes toward Silas.
“I’m going to check on her, and I’ll deal with the consequences once I know she’s alright,” I add. “I’m not afraid of Malachi.”
“Well, you should be,” Fen whispers.
Silas rolls his eyes, placing both hands on his temples. He begins to pace in front of the fire. The dancing flames bounce off his large silhouette, and the room goes silent—waiting for what’s to come out of this mouth.
“Fine,” Silas grumbles. “I’ll go.”
My brows shoot up.
