When The Last Ember Falls

Twenty-Six

Eris:

After the crowning ceremony, I didn't stick around to mingle or eat. I had proven myself enough for one night. Cindra insisted she help me with the bandages, I had to ask Mikayl to take her away so she would stop worrying so much. Gods, it was like having a second mother around.

Winnowing to what I thought was my bathing room, I collapsed on the dented metal tub. Grunting as I pulled my leg up for inspection. At this rate, if I keep damaging my knee, I will not have one.

"And I thought my brother was bad," Ronan appeared from the dark corner. The black shadows singing in his ear.

I wonder what they sang, what they said. If the shadows were a being, where was its head? Did it have a name?

Gently releasing my leg, I asked, "why does tonight keep getting worse?"

Ronan drew closer, cracking his knuckles as he replied, "I'm not here to lecture you as I have been. Obviously, you're not listening." He flashed a quick, irritated smile.

"What do you want then?" I asked, feeling a surge of bile rise in my throat. The pain started to make me sway. Not just in my leg, but face and chest. I took on more damage than I originally thought.

"Nothing," he shrugged, his iron crown forming from the shadows.

I rolled my eyes, immediately regretting the action, "I find that hard to believe."

Ronan sat beside me, his two-colored eyes shifting to mine, "I want to heal you. That is all."

"Nothing in return?" I demanded, not able to understand why the god of death would bother with me.

"Nesta was threatened and you would have killed your brother for her."

"He is not the first."

"Exactly," Ronan's hands lit up, he covered my knee, letting the rays of sapphire sink into my body. He then moved his palms to my chest then face. "You should be healed by morning," he stated, the blue light retreating.

I scoffed, not feeling a thing, "no instant healing from you?"

"I'm the god of death, Eris. Not of healing." Ronan stood up, walking back towards the darkness. His voice reverberating against the stone walls, "and I wasn't talking about your knee."

Before he faded back in the shadows, I felt my eyelids grow heavy.

I felt myself sink.

"Sleep well, Eris."

"Eris," her honeyed voice called to me in the darkness.

"Nesta?" I asked, not sure where she called me from. Was she in the library again? Or...?

Her lips neared my ear, almost brushing my freckled skin. "Wake up," she whispered, "wake up, my love."

I blinked several times, unsure of how I ended up in Nesta's bed. The magnolia trees were raining soft petals down on us. A wonder in itself.

Doing a double take, I asked again, "Nesta?"

She was laying beside me, her wavy hair pinned back by her pointed ears. Nesta's skin faintly glowed as she chuckled at my surprised expression. My eyes wandered down, the thin fabric of her nightgown unable to conceal her breasts.

I felt my stomach flutter as I forced myself to look away. Drowning in her beauty, the faint blush on her cheeks, I questioned, "what are you doing here?" Not that I minded. I never wished to part from her again.