“Good,” he said. “Give her a few days to rest. To grieve.
“Then show her why the world is worth fighting for.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The Other Place was loud. And hot. And smelled like a wet dog.
And Cassandra didn’t want to fucking be here.
She’d protested during the entire walk, a blocks-long torture she could barely power her legs through. By block five, Mireille had stop responding to Cassandra’s whining. Had turned around and given Cassandra an icy stare that promised death if she didn’t shut up. So Cassandra just grumbled her protests in silence.
Ronin hadn’t been kidding about Mireille being even more terrifying than he was.
Cassandra didn’t want to be this person. She’dneverbeen this person. She hated the whiny, mewling, lazy brat she’d become since she’d seen that vision of Tristan and Ione kissing. Even just thinking their names in the same sentence tore a blazing hole through her chest.
She never thought she’d let any man—or male—affect her like this. She’d seen what had happened to her mother after her father’s death, how Mama had stopped living. In order to avoid the same fate, Cassandra had vowed to never get involved with anyone.
But then, like the fuckingfoolshe was, she’d let Tristan creep into her heart with his goodness and bravery. His compassion and intelligence. Not to mention his wicked smirks and playful ribbing. His addicting lips and tempting body. And those beautiful wings.
She’d been a goner since the night she’d stolen his memory at the Pagonis Manor. Back when she thought he was nothing more than a stupidly handsome Vestian Guard.
She should’ve known the minute she’d discovered he was Fae royalty that she could never hope to keep him.
Then maybe she wouldn’t be stuck here in this foul, backwards city with these useless wings on her back less than three weeks away from a literal fight for her life.
Ronin and Mireille had let Cassandra wallow for a few days. Long, endless hours crying in bed, barely getting up to drink tea or broth or to relieve herself. They hadn’t pushed, despite her appeal creeping closer.
But by this morning, their patience had run out. Ronin had barreled into Cassandra’s bedroom, torn her from her sweat-soaked sheets, and thrown her into the bathroom, growling at her to shower and get dressed. She’d barely finished washing her wings when Mireille had dragged her out of the apartment and marched her here to the tavern.
Mireille grabbed a table in a corner, then planted Cassandra in a creaky chair while she went to the counter. She came back with two mugs of beer and two bowls of some kind of creamy stew that made Cassandra’s mouth water.
Okay, fine, she could admit she was hungry.
She dug her spoon into the stew, surveying the patrons of The Other Place. Not even that silly name could make her chuckle today.
There were no Brethren present. Instead, the tavern was filled with a drowsy mixture of the city’s regular citizens wearing dull clothes and tired frowns.
Mireille sipped at her frothy mug, then licked the foam from her lip as Cassandra shoveled in mouthfuls of stew.
It tasted incredible. Though she thought she’d better slow down before she gave herself a stomachache. She’d barely eaten anything these past four days. Could Fae get stomachaches?
She set down her spoon. “Why did you bring me here?”
“So itcando something other than cry or whinge,” Mireille said, lip curling as she placed her mug down on the sticky table. Her silver eyes twinkled with amusement, and if Cassandra wasn’t mistaken, maybe even a hint of relief. “Because you’re on a deadline. And you’d been given the customary amount of bereavement time. Four days. No more, no less.”
Cassandra snorted. “Who made that rule?”
Mireille braced her forearms on the table, flames flashing through her narrowed silver eyes. “I did.”
Definitelymore terrifying than Ronin.
Mireille swirled her spoon through her own stew. “What happened the other night? When you touched me?”
Cassandra darted a wary glance toward the other patrons.
Mireille waved her off. “Don’t worry about them.”
“I…” Cassandra swallowed. “I’m not sure how I did it. It’s like I was able to see into your memories without pulling them. It happened once before. At the intake tower during sentencing. I saw one of the Vicereine’s memories when I touched her, but?—”
