Page 20 of A Flame of the Phoenix

“Not to be rude, but why are you here?” Faythe asked him.

His expression turned guarded, as though he regretted speaking at all and wanted to remain a lurking shadow. The smile Nerida cast him over her shoulder seemed to ease some of the tension squaring his defense.

“Olmstone has fallen too,” Nik said.

“It has notfallen,” Tarly objected.

“It’s not exactly in Wolverlon hands now, is it?”

That hadn’t changed. The stand-off between Nik and Tarly was the only familiar aura.

“Do you think I don’t know High Farrow was close to finding a new reigning name too?” Tarly bit back.

“Close to and being taken are not the same,prince.”

Tarly shifted until Nerida’s hand eased over his.

“You two have far more pressing battles to focus your attention on,” she said with an edge of vexation that told Faythe it wasn’t the first time she’d had to defuse their bickering.

Faythe shook her head, thrilled to see every person in Nik’s company, but one by one the ensemble became confusing. The unlikely group that had found her.

“How are you all together?” Faythe asked plainly.

“It’s quite a long story,” Nik said as he took a long drink and then set down his empty tankard. “We might need refills.”

Half-sister.

Faythe couldn’t stop stealing glances at Nerida with the stunning revelation. It seemed so glaringly obvious now. The resemblance Nerida shared with Tauria opened a new clarity, and most of all, Faythe felt it the healer’s eyes. The color and shape of them tugged on a string of yearning for Tauria.

Though that was all the explanation Nerida had shared, Faythe couldn’t settle knowing there was far more to her tale she was still keeping guarded. After parting from Faythe months ago, Nerida had crossed paths with the runaway prince beside her, and they’d kept each other company while Nerida sought out a particular book she suspected could hold answers about the Spirits.

The fall of Olmstone clashed with Faythe’s own memories of Ellium. On that level, she thought she could come to find common ground with Tarly Wolverlon despite his clear reluctance to open up to anyone as he held back most of the time.

Then there was Lycus. His presence was the least surprising considering the circumstances surrounding his queen. But hearing of the events leading to Tauria’s willing capture strained Faythe’s urgency in two opposite directions.

Her mate and her dear friend.

“How have you been sleeping?” Nik asked quietly, and she realized he was the only one who could relate to her type of unrest.

“I combatted the nightmares once, but maybe I’m not strong enough anymore.”

“Or you’re punishing yourself. Not accepting your failures since you haven’t fixed them yet. I know…because I can’t allow myself peace until Tauria is with me again either.”

Faythe’s eyes pricked with tears, and she nodded, leaning into his side-embrace as it opened.

“I miss him,” Faythe whispered.

He gave her a gentle squeeze. “I know. I wish there was something I could say to ease your torment, but there’s nothing anyone could do to soften mine.”

Faythe was so damn grateful to have him here. After all that had happened, his presence and those he’d come with was enough to tighten the straining seams on her grief, and she hoped it would be enough to hold her together until she found Reylan.

“Can you still reach Tauria through your bond as well?”

Nik dropped his gaze, and the others seemed to pause their idle chatter at overhearing her question. Dread sent a chill over her skin.

“Marvellas broke our bond,” Nik said, his tone hollow.

Tarly shifted closer to Nerida. Lycus tensed. Kyleer turned wide-eyed, and Faythe… It impacted her like something had slammed into her gut, and hands choked her throat at the same time.

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