Page 32 of Hell's Storm

“Ten bucks!” Inarian claps his hands together, ruining our moment. I roll my eyes, letting them dry up before I move away.

Ryker finally leaves the dining room with a file. He moves to me and holds it out.

“What is this?” I ask.

“Everything on Evara. My father keeps tabs on all his citizens.”

My lips part as I reach out and take the folder. “I… Thank you.”

He nods. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a few other things to take care of since I’m finally here.”

I nod.

Ryker hesitates but moves forward, kissing my forehead. “Bye.”

After a moment of watching him move somewhere deep in the castle with his father, I look down at the file. I almost don’t want to look at it. The whole file on my father’s and brother’s murderer is in my hands.

“Open it,” Ozias encourages.

I move to one of the benches in the hall and sit while Ledger, Khazon, Inarian, and Ozias surround me. Opening the file, I see an older picture of the elf girl I have seen twice. Her ears are stretched, but besides that, she’s so different, looking happier and less like a murderer.

“Name: Evara Mass,” I start to read. “Birthday: unknown. Parents: unknown. Grew up in Holdendale of Faeland. Delinquency thief, arson and battery.”

“She seems amazing,” Ozias mutters.

There are a few pictures of her with Ryker, and both look happy. They hold hands and look at each other... with love. I have to look away as my body heats up. Inarian takes the file before I burn it. He looks through the file. “It just talks about her time in and out of trouble in school. The last page says ``deceased.”

“Clearly, she’s alive,” Khazon says, running a hand through his hair.

“Obviously,” I mutter. “Ryker said his little girlfriend disappeared and was presumed dead.”

“Are you jealous?”

I roll my eyes. “No. His reaction to her was annoying.He’sannoying.”

“Ledger had girlfriends before you,” Inarian states, earning a punch in the arm from Ozias. “Ouch. I’m just saying. You aren’t jealous about that.”

“I don’t know. Ryker and I… just… it’s different.” I don’t want to admit that Ryker and I had a moment and fell for him too quickly. He painted this picture of who he was, and it is crashing down. Ledger was way more upfront about it.

“Well, a certain shitty hound couldn’t protect her, so Asura has no competition.” Ledger starts before winking at me and saying, “Not that she would.”

“Asshole,” Inarian mutters.

“How am I the fucking asshole? You’re a shitty hellhound!”The screams are so much better coming from someone else now.

Ryker skipped lunch and dinner, so it’s a shocker to see him standing in the middle of the bedroom as I leave the bathroom in a towel. His hands are in the pockets of his slacks, and his pink eyes scan my body.

“Where have you been?” I ask, ignoring the lust that enters his eyes.

“Dealing with king shit, really.”

“Did you even eat or drink water?” I snap.

His brows raise as a smirk runs on his lips. “Yeah, I did. Don’t worry.”

I pick up Evara’s file from the nightstand. “I have questions.”

The smile is gone as he sighs. “That’s why I’m here. I figured you would have some questions about her.” He moves and sits on the edge of the bed.

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