Page 89 of Shadows Lost
It took me a week to pull him out of it and then another week to recover from the punishment my father had delivered upon me when he found us emerging safe onto the mountain's summit. It was the first time I had ever seen pure fear in my father’s eyes.
I never uttered a single word that Tyr had been the reason I was gone for so long. And when each lash hit myhide, Tyr's eyes never left mine and in them I saw my pain…the slight flinch in his body, the way his breath held tight with each punishing blow, the tears pooling in his amethyst eyes. All a reflection of me.
That was when I knew…Tyr was an empath, an incredibly strong one.
From that day forward he never left my side. A constant and loyal friend in this fucked up world we lived in and his exterior demeanor, at times most unsavory, was his form of protection from the world's emotions that plagued him everyday. Tyr felteverything…and in turn taught himself to feelnothing.
And today, there was too much tension in the room for him to handle, he was cutting it down the only way he knew how.
I ran my hand through my hair with aggravation. “Yes.”
My friend leaned in excitedly. “And?”
“Growers…hidden beneath their scales.” I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly with heat pooling across my face.
Penina snickered and Quinn gave a quiet chuckle. Eshe and Jarquinn rolled their eyes in annoyance.
It was made worse when Remnant added dryly. “Your king also had the enjoyment of experiencing saidgrowingafter the fool drank water fae ambrosia.”
There was stunned silence and then…Tyr’s roaring laughter rattled the walls. Penina giggled next to us, and suddenly…the air in the room lightened.
I playfully scowled down at Remnant, locking my body in my chair to keep from kissing her with pure gratitude. There was no doubt that she was one of us already…she belonged here.
“And I’m still feeling the effects of your remedy to that, General.”
Remnant shrugged. “Like I told you, it was necessary.”
“There had to be another way.” I retorted.
She shrugged again. “Perhaps but it wouldn’t have been as satisfying.”
I snorted at that.
Tyr pounded the table, rattling the polished wood with his raucous laughter. “I was fucking right! You know what that means.”
I did. It had been a boyhood wager…one that was coming back to bite me in the ass.
Tyr winked. “You can pay up later.”
“How kind of you.” I growled low.
He shook his head, the heavy bar piercings on his tapered ears clinking. “Still can’t believe you were in The Under though.”
“Afraid of water, shifter. Let me guess—” Remnant tapped her finger to her lips, “you’re a wee little kitty cat.”
I scrubbed at my face with a groan. These two were going to be a problem.
“Nothing about me is wee, beauty. And I’m not afraid of being wet, I just prefer my females that way.”
“For Faerie’s sake!” Jar exclaimed and smacked Tyr upside the head again. This time it was hard enough to almost faceplant him into the hard wooden table.
Penina covered for him. “I do believe we have…got off…topic.” And then winked at Tyr who’s head popped up with a grin, his hand extended in an air high five.
Jar rubbed his temples. “Goddess help us all.” He muttered.
I snorted and Remnant grinned, shooting me a comical look.
“My question still remains unanswered.” Penina continued, propping her bare feet back up on the table, relaxed once again. Jar glared at the tiny gold adorned toes. “How were the blood crystals not destroyed when Atlantis fell?”
