Mirror of Embers (Book 1)

t h i r t e e n

☾ Ember ☾

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME." I sigh, two rooms and one double bed each. They clearly have it out for us. We finally arrive in Lodashine, find a somewhat decent Inn and they can't even give us the right amount of beds? Cheap pieces of-

"I call sharing with Clem!" Shann yells, I whirl around. She stands between us confused. Royal on the other side of Shann is trying his best to hide his horror. I lunge for her, but Shann swoops her up and runs down the hall to their room. I chase after them. Clem and Shann are giggling the entire time. He throws them both in and slams the door right in my face. I jerk the knob; locked. Asshole. Forcing Royal and I to share a room. I've avoided him since that night on Logon's ship. He keeps trying to talk to me. I'm too afraid. Too afraid to get even more hurt. I don't think I can go through that again.

I've been petty ignoring him, but it's the only thing I can do to protect my heart. My small withered heart. Gods-damn you Shann. He knew we weren't talking. He knew that something happened, and he forced us to share a room. I wouldn't be surprised if he told the Innkeeper for one bed each.

Oh, I am so going to kill him.

I am going to fillet him like a fish then feed him to the seagulls.

I kick his door with my boot and stomp back down to where Royal is. He's standing by the door, his hands are shoved in his pockets, and he's staring at his boots. He kicks the air. This should be fun.

I don't look at him as I enter our room. It's nice enough, nice double bed with ivy green covers and little white flowers sewn in. The walls are white, nothing exciting to them. There's a bathroom that leads out of the room. Thank the gods it's an actual room, instead of just a tub and bucket. I have, unfortunately, had the pleasure of staying in rooms just like that. I walk over to our bed and shuck my cloak off and throw it on the floor. Not caring to put it away somewhere clean. I'll buy a new one.

I flop on the bed and bury my face in the sheets. I let out a groan.

Royal comes in, he shuts the door. I hear him walk over to me. I suck in my breath. Now he's got me alone. He can force me to listen to him now. It's not like I can sneak off anywhere, we're hunted throughout Lodashine. Sneaking out would be stupid, and reckless. If I was smart I'd stay in.

Being smart is overrated.

I'll sneak out and find a tavern. Get drunk and have inebriated Ember deal with the sleeping arrangements. Yes, I like that idea.

The bed groans as his humongous body sits on the bed. I don't get up, I keep my face buried in the green sheets with little white flowers.

Royal sighs, "Avoiding me was petty." He says. I groan again.

"Yes well, you know me. Petty just so happens to be my middle name, named after my great-grandmother, Petty the third-"

"This isn't a joke," he snaps, I remain silent, waiting for him to continue. Because he's Royal O'Dea, he never stops talking. "You never let me talk to you. There was more to be said-"

"What more could be said, Royal?" I say very tiredly into the blanket. "I kissed you, you didn't want me to, you were clearly repulsed by it, and you told me we could never 'happen', or whatever that means."

"I was not repulsed-"

"Your face told another story."

Suddenly I feel Royal's hands on my waist, I whip my head up. He's pulling me off the bed. Forcing me to meet his eyes. Oh gods, help me.