Page 75 of Of Realms and Chaos

“After a lifetime of being hated for all the wrong reasons, it is good to know she is finally loved for the right ones.”

We looked to one another for a moment, both of us acknowledging our utter devotion to Asher. When we simultaneously nodded, I broke away and walked towards the still crying pair in front of us.

“—need to bring them here. It is not safe, Ash.”

“It is not that simple, Fair. You should not even be here. If Mia realizes you are alive, she will be waiting for us.”

“Exactly. That is why we must help before she can harm them.” The conversation was still quiet, though it was shrouded with tension and fear. Farai reached up, cupping both sides of Asher’s face. She sighed, placing hers on top of his, her eyes closed. “Please, Ash, I cannot lose him.”

“Fair…”

It was clear that Asher did not want to tell him no, that she too wished to save their friends. How could we blame them? Not only were her best friend’s still in Betovere, under the thumb of wicked rulers who craved revenge, but Farai’s husband was still there. The danger was clear, and if it were Asher, I would not hesitate to slaughter an entire realm to save her.

“We will get them.” The words left my lips in a rush, born of not only my need to please Asher, but also my own fears of losing her. “Leave it to me.”

Farai nodded, separating from Asher and looking at me without animosity for the first time since I stole him from that battlefield. I patted his shoulder and winked before I pulled Asher into me. It seemed today was meant to be full of sad hellos and goodbyes.

Leaving her hurt worse and worse each time, like my heart was slowly being carved away. Every goodbye ended with her taking another piece of me, and I wished she knew that I would gladly give them all just to make her happy.

“I will write soon, but please, for the love of all things sacred, stay out of trouble. Okay? We will take the whisp with us, and if she chooses to not help, then we will find her a home that does not lead to the deaths of hundreds. Go to King Trint. Other than Maliha, Gandry has the largest mortal military force. He would be an excellent ally. Perhaps then we would have enough aid for you to come home to me.”

Before she could respond, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. This time, she did not resist me when I deepened it, my tongue slipping into her mouth. I tasted her—savored her—for longer than I should have, but the kiss was still over far sooner than I wished. Farai coughed, clearing his throat after. Of course, Asher pulled away, still so unused to public displays of affection.

I groaned, gripping the side of her neck and stealing one more kiss before she laughed and stepped back. My last desperate connection of our hands had her smiling, a genuine and full upturn of her mouth that made my heartbeat stutter.

“‘Enough’ would mean we have an army so large that the fae pause. If we cannot do that, then innocents will be lost. I cannot—will not—rule over a realm of graves.” Her voice was solemn, but that undercurrent of anger still wreaked havoc in the gray sea of her eyes. I wanted to ask, but I could feel that it was not the right time.

Farai smiled beside her, looking down with what could only be described as admiration in his eyes. It was interesting that he did not comment on our relationship, nor had he since I found him. Instead, he seemed to fall into Asher’s orbit in the same way I did—in the same way we all did.

Asher was the sun, and we were merely the planets that orbited her, relying on her pull to keep us safely moving. Farai was no exception to that rule, and neither was Wrath, who had found his place at her side—once more only barely reaching her knees in height.

Turning around, I made my way to Ranbir and Henry, ready to take the Healer and the whisp back to Pike. There was too much to do, and I needed to figure out exactly how to manage it all while knowing Asher would still be away.

“Well, you could always continue to roam, but know that you might not last long if Asher finds out you are wreaking havoc on innocents.” Henry was speaking to the female, who was now awake. She seemed dazed, like her mind was somewhere far away. Her long black hair was full of pine needles, streaks of dried blood covering her face. Henry had told us how badly Asher beat the whisp, so it was likely that even after being healed, she was not feeling well.

“Life is a series of joyless events and soul-breaking loss. I do not understand why you insist on prolonging it,” she said, the impressively bleak words melodic and high.

A startled laugh came from my back. I turned to find Farai holding his hand over his mouth and Asher elbowing him hard enough in his side to make him grunt in pain.

“What did you do to her to make her talk like that?” I asked, the corner of my lips lifting in amusement.

Asher’s eyes narrowed, her arms crossing over her chest as she jutted out her hip. “First of all, she was just as crazy when we first found her, so that is not my fault.” Farai laughed again, earning a shove from Asher before she continued, “Second of all, she was going to kill us.”

“Well, I am eager to hear about whatever heinous action you took that is making you so defensive.”

She let out a soft growl before marching past me, going to the whisp’s side. Henry looked back, twirling his finger in a circle near his head. Whether he was calling Asher or the whisp crazy was unclear.

“She stole my memories. Such a gift, to be free of the pain. Perhaps next you will rid me of my heart and allow me passage to The Above.”

Even Ranbir looked startled by the creature’s words, the entirety of our group awkwardly making eye contact with one another. What did one say to that?

“Well, you heard it, put the odd little thing out of her misery,” Wrath said, sitting back and licking a paw. When his tail swished and wrapped around my ankle slightly, I made a noise of disgust and moved farther from him. His laugh echoed off the trees, putting fear into even the whisp’s vacant eyes.

“Why do you wish to die so badly? Why not use that magic of yours for something good?” Asher’s question was naïve in all the best ways—all the ways that she should not still be after a lifetime of suffering.

The whisp tilted her head, openly staring at Asher as if she were a confusing new discovery. “I have heard stories about you. I have followed you and listened. Torment such as yours should break you, not remake you. Why do you use your magic to help when you can kill those who wronged you instead?”

“Is that what happened? Did a mortal harm you, and now you seek revenge?” Every gaze moved to me, curious looks flashing my way. The female looked as if she were pondering my question, weighing different answers.

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