Page 19 of Fractured
“He got in her head,” Merenith whispered, shaking her head. “That man had no business mingling with Hessa, but I believe she will come around.”
A moment of silence.
“I want to see this place, see how well it’s protected,” Rune then said.
“You will.” Merenith lookedhappynot to have to sit there a second longer, and it was obvious when she jumped to her feet. “Follow me.”
Rune turned to me, “Let’s go.”
But I shook my head. “Actually, I’m just going to wait for you here.” I still needed that break to last a little longer, and a moment of silence to clear my thoughts.
And another few moments to pet those dogs, too. I was really hoping they’d stay with me.
Rune leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Then I’ll be right back.”
six
The dog stayed with me—theshewho’d come to me first. The other three followed Rune’s every step, trying to push each other back so they could get closer to his feet as they went toward the back of the cave with Merenith and the others.
But she stayed with me, sat there near my feet and put her chin over my knee, and let me scratch her head and touch her soft fur to my heart’s desire. It calmed me down better than I ever thought possible even when Rune disappeared in the darkness deep inside the cave to where I couldn’t see.
The golden flames didn’t fade away at all. They remained just as bright, dancing as if their purpose was to seduce me, to make me comfortable sitting there on a piece of rock. How absurd was it that it actually worked, even when nothing at all was for certain, and I wasn’t even close to answering the most important questions of my life?
Who am I?
Whatam I?
Then Hessa came back from wherever she’d stormed offto, and she looked calm when she sat on the rock across from me. She didn’t even meet my eyes for a moment, just sat there with her elbows on her knees and looked at the flames like she was hoping all her answers would be hidden in those colors.
“Are you okay?” I asked even though I knew she wasn’t.
“Not even close,” Hessa said without hesitation and finally looked up at me. “Areyou?”
The question surprised me but not as much as the answer. “Yes.” For the moment, I was okay.
The dog leaning on my legs came closer, rested half her weight on my lap, and she was heavy, but she was also so warm. So soft.
“What he said to you…”
My stomach twisted instantly. She meant Helid because she’d been there, too. She’d heard.
“We will figure it out,” I said in half a voice. “Rune and I will figure this whole thing out.”
She smiled bitterly. “Except that won’t be enough, will it? Justfiguring it outwill not do shit to stop Lyall.”
“No, but it will be a step in the right direction. It willgive usdirection.” Otherwise, how in the world were we to even try to stop this madness the Seelie Prince had apparently started?
To rule all four courts—what madness. All that power in the hands ofoneperson—a person like Lyall?
Fuck, just to think about it made me nauseous.
“We’re too weak. Too few. We’ll never stop him,” Hessa said, then closed her eyes as if the words had slipped from her involuntarily.
“We’re not weak,” I said. “Rune isn’t weak.Youare not weak.” I’d seen her fighting with my owneyes.
“Yet I let her kill him.” Her hands were pulled up in fists so tight her knuckles had turned white.
“You foughtthe Seelie Queen. I’m no expert in how any of this works, Hessa, but I do have eyes and I’ve seen the difference in power.” In Lyall. In the Seelie Queen.
