Page 84 of Shadow Wings

I shifted on the rock, tucking a few of the wispy dress panels under my butt and legs while I digested Dyter’s wisdom. I felt I wasn’t fully understanding his words. They made sense on a surface level. He was saying that when you were in love, you wanted the other person to be happy. “You think I owe Tyrrik anapology?”

Like that wouldhappen.

Dyter grinned. “I think you owemeanapology.”

“You’re still hanging onto the burned soup incident, aren’t you?” I asked. Then seriously, I said, “I’m so grateful you’re in my life, Dyter, and I’m sorry for all of the times I might’ve been abrat.”

Dyter wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to him. He planted a loud kiss on top of my head and then rested his cheek on my hair. “Thank you, my girl. And I apologize if I’m grumpysometimes.”

“Just sometimes?” I asked. At his scowl, I mumbled a hasty, “Thank you. Apologyaccepted.”

He patted my knee. “When you’re done having a think, you might also consider having a talk with Tyrrik. You don’t lose the power to choose whether or not you want to be with him and whether or not to love him if you’re justtalking.”

The sun had dipped below the mountains during our chat, and soon after, the sky darkened. The sister moons were continuing their monthly merging, and I pointed at the double-circle shape while still nestled by Dyter’s side. “I’ll always remember how I got the best relationship advice ever while sitting underneath a moon that looked like abutt.”

Dyter chuckled. “How does that look like a butt to you? It looks like a fat peanut tome.”

I tilted my head. “I guess it could be thattoo.”

“You’re twisted. Let’s go to sleep, my girl. I’m too tired to stay up and share any morewisdom.”

He stood and extended his arm, but I waved himoff.

“I’ll be there in a minute. I’m going to have that think youencouraged.”

He leaned over and kissed my hair again. “Don’t stay up too late.” He looked up at the sky and then smiled his scar-pulling grin. “You know, as kids we used to say if you slept under a butt-moon, you were destined to get crappedon.”

I quirked a brow, waiting for the goodpart.

Dyter’s grin widened. “Right then. Goodnight.”

I glared at his retreating back and then peered suspiciously at the butt-moon and stars above. I muttered up at the sky, “Do not crap onme.”

In my opinion, I’d been crapped on more than enoughalready.

* * *

The scentof searing meat awoke me, but the pleasant low murmur of voices kept me in sleep’s embrace. I had no idea how long Tyrrik and Dyter had been awake, but it was long enough for the space next to me, where Tyrrik should have been, to have grown cold. Dyter’s cloak was draped over me, but my super-amazing Drae senses failed to alert me then. When I had some spare time, I needed to work on activating each of my senses. Not having them when I wanted was a serious pain. Tyrrik had said I’d be able to control a partial shift; that had to mean my eyes and ears,right?

“She was not raised Drae; you can’t expect her to accept your customs and culture without guidance and time,” Dyter whispered. “And even then, you need to be open to accepting some of hers. A little patience would go a longway—”

“It is not in my nature to be patient,” Tyrrik said. “It’s not in the nature ofanymaleDrae.”

I mentally rolled my eyes.Maleschmale.

“To be so close without bonding with her is nearlyunbearable—,”

Ifroze.

“—She wants me to court her, I know, and if our mating meantless, I could. But my soul knows her, and my Drae craves her. My control is not infinite. I fear harming her or you if I continue to deny my instincts. I’m fighting the very nature of ourspecies.”

Dyter said nothing at first, and in my mind, I could see the furrow he would wear while contemplating hisanswer.

“I’m surprised to hear that,” he said slowly. Small pieces of rock scrabbled to the ground as he got to his feet. “I don’t know much about Drae instincts or nature, but I would think a century of waiting would’ve taught youpatience.”

Ouch. Harsh. I knew Dyter was taking my side, but I couldn’t help the smolder of injustice for Tyrrik churning underneath my ribs. I couldn’t imagine waiting a hundred years foranything. And just how hard was it for Tyrrik to deny theseinstincts?When he’d said he didn’t want to know me better, I’d thought he meant I was annoying or something, not that he was in physical pain aroundme.

“Are you up, Ryn?” Dyter called as he crossed from the clearing into the small thicket of trees. “We should start our descent soon so we can be up the other side before it getsdark.”

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