“Good.” I force myself to breathe before turning to my soldiers. “Now get this scumbag out of my sight before I come to my senses.”
42
DAHLIA
Tamryn refused to attend her mother’s funeral. The whole castle was there – even my sisters and Kasimir stayed to pay their respects. Black vines and small glowing lanterns filled the garden where her headstone had been placed, and not a single demon failed to stop by to dip their heads or leave a candle or a wreath of blushmoons for their lord’s fallen sister. All of them except for Tamryn.
Instead, she spent the past two days since we returned from Elheart’s palace painting in her bedchamber and visiting her father.
Tauren hasn’t complained, though. We all grieve in our own ways. Tamryn would’ve known about her mother’s death since it happened which, according to Elheart, happened just over a year ago. Perhaps she doesn’t wish to reopen old wounds. I know I wouldn’t.
So when I pass Maeve’s grave the following moonrise, I’m surprised to see Tamryn perched on a bench with a sketchpad in her lap – until I see the barn owl preening its feathers on top of Maeve’s headstone.
As I approach, I see she’s sketching the bird with a soft smile on her face. Owls seem to be a bit of a fascination for her. Most ofher art includes one in some form or another. Tauren said they were Maeve’s favourite animal. I wonder if it’s her way of still feeling connected to her mother.
“Tamryn?” I speak quietly to not startle her.
She turns, lowering her pencil to smile at me. It’s then I notice she’s not alone. Tauren and Claren are sitting on the grass by the grave, leaning against a tree.
I pause, not wanting to intrude, but Tauren notices me.
“Come,” he calls out in a smooth voice. “Sit with us.”
I pad towards him, trying my hardest not to spook the owl. The creature just watches me before going back to preening its dappled feathers.
“It’s been here since before we arrived,” Tauren explains. I try to sit beside him, but he pulls me into his lap, curling his arms around my waist. “It’s like it knows Maeve would’ve been happy to see it.”
I lean into him, stroking his chest. He’s been oddly calm since returning to the castle, Claren too. I suspect her death hasn’t hit them yet. She’s been gone for fifteen years already, after all.
“It’s like nothing’s changed,” Claren murmurs. “I keep thinking she’s still out there somewhere.”
Tauren pats his brother’s arm. “She’s still our sister. That will never change.” He kisses the top of my head, inhaling into my hair. “I wish you could have met her,” he says to me. “She would’ve loved you.”
“Even after I ruined our wedding?” I smile at him.
“She would’ve helped you make it worse for me,” he chuckles as Claren laughs with him.
I let the silence settle over us before I speak again. “Ami told me she interrogated Elheart some more with Kasimir. They managed to get the whole story out of him. The truth,” I say as Tauren tenses beneath me. “Would you like to hear it?”
Both he and Claren nod, watching me expectantly.
“Your sister and Elheart had a good marriage until he lost his soul. Even after he never hurt her physically until the night she… passed.” I choose my next words carefully. “He said he attacked her because she was planning on leaving him. She wanted to bring down the barrier, take Tamryn, and return home to you and Claren. But he intercepted her letter to you before she could leave. Then they argued and—” I stop myself. They don’t need to hear the rest. “I just thought you’d want to know that she was happy until Tamryn got sick. She didn’t suffer.”
Tauren nods, stroking my hair. “Thank you for telling us. That means a lot.”
Claren hugs his knees to his chest. “I never thought he’d be capable of that, but people change after losing their souls. It’s a fate worse than death.”
“That’s why it’s banned.” Tauren scowls. “Demons do not need the power eating souls gives us. Though I understand why my sister did it.” He looks at Tamryn sadly. “Sometimes the world is so cruel, the only way to survive it is to become worse.”
I glance at the drawing girl, my brows dipping. Then my gaze slides to the owl still perched on Maeve’s headstone. My brows draw together. “Hey… I’ve seen that owl before.”
“Owls are common around my court.” Tauren shrugs. “There are hundreds of them here. They’re creatures of the night like us.”
“No. I’ve seenthatowl before. I’m sure of it.” Sliding off his lap, I stand up, padding towards the animal. “You’re the owl I saw flying during the day at Elheart’s palace.”
The bird looks at me.
“Most owls are nocturnal,” Claren points out. “If you saw anything around his palace, it was probably a pigeon.”
