I only stopped once I saw her and Ryker in the hallway. His back was to me. She kept on hitting his chest with her closed fists, face crumpled with rage, tears falling from her eyes.
“You were supposed to protect him!” Nadya sobbed, hitting his chest harder. “You said he’d be safe!”
Ryker didn’t say anything.
He just let her hit him again and again and again, taking each blow as if he deserved them. I doubted any of them truly hurt, but seeing Nadya so unleashed felt wrong.
“What’s going on here?” Mrs. Thornbrew’s skirts swished into view like she was on a mission to chastise. She froze the second she saw Ryker, the pinched expression on her face melting. “Gods above.”
My lower lip began to tremble as my body accepted what my mind still refused to.
Nadya sobbed, hard enough for the entire fortress to hear. “How could you?”
She hit his chest once more, leaning against him like she would crumble if he didn’t keep her upright.
“I’m sorry, Nadya,” he said, voice worn and raspy, like he’d roared for a thousand lifetimes.
With another soul-crushing cry, Nadya pushed herself away from him without a second glance and launched herself into Mrs. Thornbrew’s arms.
The woman held her upright even as her eyes reddened, tears flooding her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Ry,” she muttered, chin quivering.
“His loss?” Nadya bellowed. “It’s his fault! He promised!”
She ripped herself from Mrs. Thornbrew’s arms and raced down the hallway. The woman looked torn between staying with him and rushing after her, as if she didn’t know how to spread her motherly warmth best.
“Go with her,” Ryker said gruffly.
“She doesn’t mean what she says,” Mrs. Thornbrew muttered. “She’s just hurting. Don’t take it to heart.”
Ryker nodded, but remained silent as she swished away, leaving us alone.
Only then did I speak.
“Ryker?” I said, voice so small, I barely recognized it.
No.
Please, gods, no.
It was impossible, he hadn’t even been there–
He turned, face cast down and shameful. In his hands, he carried a familiar shield, now caked with blood. He gripped its edges so tightly, as if afraid to ever let it go.
“No,” I said, stronger this time, as if I could fight reality itself.
Finally, Ryker’s eyes met mine. In them, I saw the truth I didn’t want to believe. That one that cut me open right where I stood.
Geryll was gone.
My heart trembled with pain, each breath yanked out of me like it was the last one I’d ever get to release.
I didn’t ask how.
I didn’t ask why.
I rushed into Ryker’s arms and he rushed into mine. We collided in the middle of the corridor, two fierce warriors brought together by grief.
