𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕎𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕙 (Book 2)

Seventy- Nine

A show blocked out the warm sun as a boot toed my calf, "What," said Rhysand, still clad in his black leathers, "are you two doing?"   

    I slowly opened my eyes, squinting at the broad daylight as Amren spoke, "Where the hell were you?"

    "You two set off every damned trigger in the place. I was hunting down each guard who went to sound the alarm." He growled, "I thought you had it covered," he said to her.

    Amren bared her teeth, hissing like a snake as she said, "That place, or that damned Book, nearly nullified my powers. We almost drowned."

    His gaze shot to me, "I didn't feel it through the bond—"

    I cut him off, "It probably nullified that two, asshole." I said, laying on the ground like a pathetic beached turtle as my entire body was now coated in a thick layer of sand.

Though his worry warmed my cold, dead heart, we almost died. And his pointing out the obvious wouldn't help my ravaged throat, hoarse from my screaming.

He rolled his eyes ever so slightly, his gaze flickering once my gaze found his again. "Did you get it?"

I reached my hand up to my jacket, feeling the heavy metal lump within as I pushed myself up onto my elbows.

"Good." Rhys said, and I looked behind solely based on the sudden alarm in his tone.

Just as I'd suspected, I found people sprinting out of the castle fast as the wind. Running toward us and the Book.

    "I missed some guards," He gritted out, his jaw clenching. Rhys reached out, grabbing both our arms and we vanished into a night wind.

    It was cold and roaring. I'd had barely enough strength to cling to his arm as we winnowed through the folds of the world.

    Everything in me gave out entirely once we'd arrived back in Velaris. Along with Amren. As we landed back in the townhouse foyer, we both collapsed to the floor like sad lumps of sand, spraying water on the carpet as we fell.

    I heard Cassian in the dining room behind us. His booming voice shouting, "What the hell?"

    I glared up at Rhysand. The prick. A warning would have been nice.

    He merely stepped toward the breakfast table, "I'm waiting for an explanation, too." Was all His Majesty of Entitlement said.

    "His Majesty of Entitlement, really?" Rhysand scolded, giving me a very annoyed look. I hadn't realized my shields were down.

I didn't really have the strength to snap them back up, I glared at him instead. "It suits you." I assured, melting back into the floor with Amren beside me.

I turned to the ancient one, her red-rimmed eyes already on me with a hint of wariness. "How?" she asked.

    My lips curled upward ever so slightly. "During the Tithe, I took pity on a water wraith and gave her all of my jewels. They had no food. They were starving. It didn't sit right." Every word from my mouth ached as I felt the essence of the water in my lungs. I thought I might vomit again. Rhys would deserve that, me barfing on his carpet for being all piss poor and broody when we were the ones that nearly died. "She swore that she and her sisters would never forget the kindness." I finished.

    "Can someone explain, please?" Mor called out.

    We remained on the floor, and I watched as Amren began quietly laughing, her small body shaking.

    "What?" I questioned, looking at her skeptically.

    "Only an immortal with a mortal heart would have given those horrible beasts the money. It's so..." She trailed off, laughing again as her dark hair clung to her face. "Whatever luck you live by, girl...thank the Cauldron for it."