wouldn’t solve anything, either. I wanted a cure for the heartbreak of living without him, but the bitter pill of reality was tough to swallow, and we both had a long way left to heal.
He shook his head, gaze fixated on my lap. “I’m fine.”
Heat tingled up the base of my neck as images of his face buried where his gaze lingered scorched my mind. That was one way we wouldn’t be relieving pressure on his back and wings.
He would be sore on arrival, I could see that now, but I would make sure he had time and privacy to work out the kinks destined for his spine so the return trip proved less painful for him.
To avoid returning his stare, I rested my head against the seatback and shut my eyes.
Rihos lay a comfortable four hours to the north. Close enough if my position as consul required I make the trip, I could with ease. Yet far enough away, I slept easy at night. Well, easy enough. Sometimes the nightmares still came. My pulse spiked at the gnawing ache I dreamt of.
I cracked my eyelids so Harper filled my vision. He’s well, safe, whole . Already I relaxed and let metallic blades sing in a white-noise melody that silenced the buzzing of my thoughts.
“Emma?” Harper’s voice parted the fog of my dreams. “We’re here.”
Groaning, I shifted on the seat until I sat upright. Parched, my throat scratched. “Thanks.” When he swiped a thumb across my lip, I had the uneasy suspicion I’d drooled in my sleep.
He smiled at me, a real one, then cleaned his finger on his pants. “Come on.” He stepped out and offered me his hand. When I reached for him, he grabbed my hips and lifted me to the ground beside him. The imprint of his gentle grip lingered long after he’d turned to guide Dillon onto the narrow step. His leg had cramped at the halfway mark, and fever sweat dotted his brow.
“Let go of me.” Dillon jerked his arm free. “It’s a leg cramp, I’ll get over it.” Harper released him, and Dillon staggered out of reach. He glowered at me. “What’s wrong with you?”
I had stopped breathing, stopped thinking. My palms sweated and heart bled. I was home.
Hot air cooked my lungs. Sand blown against my pant leg stung. My eyes burned. I tried, but couldn’t blink. The summer castle rose from the desert as if it were a sandstone extension.
“Are you okay?” Harper interrupted my line of sight. I almost shoved him aside.
Even with his body blocking out the present, I saw the past clearly. Maddie dancing through the garden as her bejeweled gown sparkled under the rabid sun. I followed, gaze darting to every darkened corner, scared. I was always so afraid pale hands would reach out and snatch her away. The only person I loved who loved me back. Except that wasn’t true. Harper was there too. Maddie’s miniature guardian worked on his stoic expression. Only, I made him laugh.
He tickled my ribs and inhaled me. “One day, you’ll be mine, all mine, my Emmaline.” Then he lifted Maddie and spun her around so she was never left out of our fun.
I crushed the ghosts of our youth. Those poor children never saw their future coming until it snapped them in two and left them broken. “I’m good.” My teeth chattered from shaking.
Harper pulled me against him. He trembled through that contact, and I hugged him close.
“Shh.” He spoke against my hair. “This place holds no power over us now.”
But it did. It held the key to the hot mesh of our lives, his lost five years, everything .
“Harper Delaney?” a clipped voice rang from the small courtyard. Our coach slid into the sand without a word from the coachman. I couldn’t remember whether I’d rebooked our passage.
We turned as one toward the sound. Three Askarans passed beneath the arched entrance to the castle and met us on the hard-packed road. They wore the blank expressions and immaculate clothing typical of household staff. Brass glinted at one male’s hip. I stared at him.
“Yes.” Harper nudged me a fraction behind
He shook his head, gaze fixated on my lap. “I’m fine.”
Heat tingled up the base of my neck as images of his face buried where his gaze lingered scorched my mind. That was one way we wouldn’t be relieving pressure on his back and wings.
He would be sore on arrival, I could see that now, but I would make sure he had time and privacy to work out the kinks destined for his spine so the return trip proved less painful for him.
To avoid returning his stare, I rested my head against the seatback and shut my eyes.
Rihos lay a comfortable four hours to the north. Close enough if my position as consul required I make the trip, I could with ease. Yet far enough away, I slept easy at night. Well, easy enough. Sometimes the nightmares still came. My pulse spiked at the gnawing ache I dreamt of.
I cracked my eyelids so Harper filled my vision. He’s well, safe, whole . Already I relaxed and let metallic blades sing in a white-noise melody that silenced the buzzing of my thoughts.
“Emma?” Harper’s voice parted the fog of my dreams. “We’re here.”
Groaning, I shifted on the seat until I sat upright. Parched, my throat scratched. “Thanks.” When he swiped a thumb across my lip, I had the uneasy suspicion I’d drooled in my sleep.
He smiled at me, a real one, then cleaned his finger on his pants. “Come on.” He stepped out and offered me his hand. When I reached for him, he grabbed my hips and lifted me to the ground beside him. The imprint of his gentle grip lingered long after he’d turned to guide Dillon onto the narrow step. His leg had cramped at the halfway mark, and fever sweat dotted his brow.
“Let go of me.” Dillon jerked his arm free. “It’s a leg cramp, I’ll get over it.” Harper released him, and Dillon staggered out of reach. He glowered at me. “What’s wrong with you?”
I had stopped breathing, stopped thinking. My palms sweated and heart bled. I was home.
Hot air cooked my lungs. Sand blown against my pant leg stung. My eyes burned. I tried, but couldn’t blink. The summer castle rose from the desert as if it were a sandstone extension.
“Are you okay?” Harper interrupted my line of sight. I almost shoved him aside.
Even with his body blocking out the present, I saw the past clearly. Maddie dancing through the garden as her bejeweled gown sparkled under the rabid sun. I followed, gaze darting to every darkened corner, scared. I was always so afraid pale hands would reach out and snatch her away. The only person I loved who loved me back. Except that wasn’t true. Harper was there too. Maddie’s miniature guardian worked on his stoic expression. Only, I made him laugh.
He tickled my ribs and inhaled me. “One day, you’ll be mine, all mine, my Emmaline.” Then he lifted Maddie and spun her around so she was never left out of our fun.
I crushed the ghosts of our youth. Those poor children never saw their future coming until it snapped them in two and left them broken. “I’m good.” My teeth chattered from shaking.
Harper pulled me against him. He trembled through that contact, and I hugged him close.
“Shh.” He spoke against my hair. “This place holds no power over us now.”
But it did. It held the key to the hot mesh of our lives, his lost five years, everything .
“Harper Delaney?” a clipped voice rang from the small courtyard. Our coach slid into the sand without a word from the coachman. I couldn’t remember whether I’d rebooked our passage.
We turned as one toward the sound. Three Askarans passed beneath the arched entrance to the castle and met us on the hard-packed road. They wore the blank expressions and immaculate clothing typical of household staff. Brass glinted at one male’s hip. I stared at him.
“Yes.” Harper nudged me a fraction behind
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