Page 45 of Spirit Rites
You don’t have to come,I tell Veyra. She doesn’t respond, and I have a feeling she’s still coming. I stand up and try to focus on anything but the pain in my chest, but it’s all-consuming. It intensifies, and it feels like I’m going to throw up. I pace the room and try to take deep breaths. Harper leans against the wall, eyeing me warily; but she leaves me alone.
I’m here.
My eyes tear up at the sight of her, and I slide to the ground against the wall. She comes and lays on the floor next to me, her body pushed up against mine.You didn’t have to come,I tell her even as I run my hand through her fur.
Yes, I did.
The ache in my chest is still there, but it’s not as intense. It at least feels like I can breathe again. I lean my head against the wall and keep my hand on her back.How are you feeling?
Strong and healthy.
I smile, despite myself.Good. And the pups?
Everything is as expected.
Good.I don’t say anything more; I feel depleted. My arm starts to hurt again, but I feel like that’s the least of my worries. This bone-deep ache and sadness seems to be taking the front seat.Where’s Jespar?
He’s with his bonded.She doesn’t say anything after that, and I don’t either. I’m just content to sit next to her.
“Do you think they eat in this kingdom?” Harper asks suddenly.
“I’m sure they eat,” I respond but don’t get up. “Did you check the kitchen?”
“Yeah, it’s like empty. There’s literally no food in there.”
I frown and stand up, wincing when the pain in my arm flares again. I walk over to the cooking area and take a look. Harper’s right; there’s no food in sight. “Maybe they hunt for everything and eat fresh meat?” I suggest.
“Maybe,” Harper says skeptically.
“Knock, knock.”
We both turn at the sound of the voice. “It’s just me,” Maelin says as she comes in through the open door. “I brought food.”
“Oh good. We were just deciding which of us to kill first, so we could eat.”
“Harper!” I shake my head at her antics.
Thankfully, Maelin doesn’t seem to scare easily. “Funny. Anyway, I brought food. Heaven knows if you’re living with my cousin; you won’t eat.”
I frown. “He ate with me in the Rites.”
“Oh, hewilleat,” she says with a wave of her hand. “But not until he’s absolutely starving. I’ve been nagging him for years, but he just doesn’t eat. He always says he’s too busy. Like, how are you going to survive if you can’t even eat food, am I right? But what do you do? That’s just how he is, and goodness knows I’m not going to change him. But maybe you can,” she says brightly as her eyes fall on me.
“You think I can get Kaldar to change?” I question.
“Oh, no. I don’t think anybody can do that. I just meant maybe you can get him to at least eat. I bet you can get my cousin to loosen up in a lot of areas. Just a few nights with him—”
“When is he coming back?” I interrupt, not wanting to hear where in the world she was going with that. It was going to make it awkward for all of us.
“I’m not sure. He should have been back by now. The assembly ended about an hour ago, but his advisors probably demanded his time. They’re always wanting his time, always unhappy about one thing or another that my cousin’s doing wrong. But what do you get when you have advisors as old as they are?” She looks at me, and I shrug. “You get a lot of attitude problems, anger, and stupid ideas.” I don’t really know what to say to that, so I stay quiet. “Look at me running my mouth. Just ignore all that.” She puts her hand on my arm, and I can’t help my flinch. She jerks back. “I’m so sorry. Is that your bad arm? Is it hurting again?”
“It’s okay,” I say, once I catch my breath.
“I’ll get Sryena to come back and give you more of the salve. I’m so sorry you’re in pain. Let me go get her now, and I’ll be back soon.”
“It’s okay; I can wait,” I tell her.
“There’s no need to wait. I’ll go get her now.”
