Page 132 of Between Soul and Vessel
The room fell silent, so silent I could hear the rapid drumming of Kaleb’s heart. Perhaps it was mine—the whole situation had the rest of us on edge, wishing we were anywhere else.
“Alright, fine,” Fallon stated, her chin raising in superiority as she looked down her nose atmybrother. “It’s just soyouto pick the easier option, because that’s what youdo, isn’t it, Kaleb? When things get tough, instead of fixing them, you fuck off.”
The skin over my knuckles groaned as I clenched my fists.
Sage,Von warned, sending the words down the private river that connected our minds.
I didn’t answer.
Still, Fallon went on. “Leave it up to you to take the easy way out. You are such a damn coward, and everyone in this room knows it.”
That’s it.
I flew off the bed, leaving a spray of sheets in my wake as I leapt at her, my fist sailing through the air. She charged for me too, but right before we collided, Von’s arm wrapped around my torso and pulled me back while Folkoln grabbed her.
“Youdo notget to speak of my brother that way,” I roared, pushing against Von’s hands.Let me go! I snarled through our bond.
“What sort of man needs his sister to stand up for him?” she snipped back as she tried to free herself from Folkoln. “And besides, who areyoutojudge me? You had sex with someone else too, you fucking hypocrite.”
Red bled into my vision.
I was going to kill her.
But Artemesia beat me to it.
Faster than a bolt of lightning, she swung, cracking her fist against the side of Fallon’s face, sending her head careening to the side in a spray of blood, misting the wall.
The blow was so hard it made the whole room wince.
Folkoln released Fallon.
“Don’t you ever speak to my sister like that again,” Artemesia warned, her voice deceptively calm, the kind of calm that took place right before a devastating storm.
Kaleb and Harper shot up from the bed, Lyra following after them.
Then, Ryker was there, placing himself in front of Artemesia and Fallon. “Enough,” he said, his voice firm. “Fallon is hurting right now, and the last thing she needs is everyone to pile up on her.”
Folkoln maneuvered protectively behind Artemesia, his dark eyes fixed on Ryker, like a snake in the grass, ready to strike if given reason.
Fallon winced as she wiped at her bloodied cheek.
I glared at Ryker. “Just because she is hurting doesn’t give her the right to treat Kaleb like shit or speak to me like that.”
“No, it doesn’t,” he agreed, his voice soft, understanding. He took a breath.
I did the same. I think we all did.
“I merely spoke the truth,” Fallon muttered under her breath.
I bristled at her words.
Von’s iron arms loosened from my torso, the one swirling from my front to my back as he moved to my side. He towered over everyone else in the room, his head nearly reaching the ceiling above. “Move aside, Ryker,” he commanded, his voice dripping with authority—a kingspeaking to a soldier. It was absolute, drenched with raw, unfathomable power.
The whole room fell silent.
Ryker studied him for a moment before he complied.
Fallon looked up, her wide eyes locked on Von, watching closely.
