I thought they were supposed to be friends.
I take a deep breath and look up at Reid, who’s rubbing his brow again.
“So… has he?” I ask, hoping to lighten the mood. “Like, you and him?”
Reid’s hand freezes, then lowers. “Seems like I should ask you that.” He gestures toward the bedroom.
My mouth tightens. “That’s not your business.”
“You’re right. It’s not.” He yanks the door open and follows Emlyn. I flinch as it slams shut.
A groan rumbles out of me as I get to my feet. That couldn’t have gone worse. How did everything turn into such a mess?
I can fix this.Taran listened to me—I helped. And I can do it again.
I find him lying face down across the bed in the dark. “Are you sleeping?” I ask.
“No.” The mattress muffles his voice.
“Do you want to talk?”
“No.”
My stomach twisting, I sit next to his head. “Perhaps you should. You don’t have to carry it all by yourself.” I brush an unsure finger through his hair, hoping it’s the right choice.
Nothing.
I try again. “Why are you so against willbending? You’ve done it to me. Twice.”
Taran grunts, then rolls to his side. “And I hated doing it, but it was the only way. I can’t beat you in a fight when you’re incanting and I’m outside of my realm.”
Despite everything, part of me swells with pride. That’s not my life anymore, but I can be just as useful by helping him work through this.
“You could’ve tried talking.”
“There wasn’t time. In either scenario.”
“We don’t have much time now, either.” I tentatively take his hand.
Under the dim light, his eyes focus on our hands as he caresses my fingers.
“My father never loved my mother. He told me so, after she tried to kill me for being better at willbending than her. She made him love her. Every day.”
Time slows, the implication snapping into focus. My thoughts spiral, horror consuming me the deeper they delve.
“That’s…”
I swallow, my throat suddenly dry. ‘Awful’ isn’t enough. Nothing is. I squeeze his hand, hoping to convey what words can’t.
His fingers twitch in my grasp. “He knew what she was doing. She wasn’t strong enough to keep his mind twisted at all times, but it was enough that he couldn’t escape. Until I bent her and he broke free.” The corner of his mouth curls. “I don’t even remember what I said. It was just a tantrum.”
He pushes himself up, sitting on the bed beside me, half turned away.
“I’m not like my mother, Ellie. Icankeep someone trapped. Force anyone to do anything, with no fear they’d ever break free.Unless I let them. Could even kill them with a single word.” He sighs. “So Ican’tjust bend people. Not if there’s any other option. I don’t want to be like her.”
There it is. The burden he’s been carrying, all by himself. Holding back such power instead of using it to solve all his problems… No wonder he snapped.
I shift closer, wrapping my arms around him as I rest my head on the back of his shoulder. He relaxes, letting me share his weight.
