Page 82 of A God of Death & Rest

“Shit—sorry, Marley. Why don’t you head out to the market for a bit and get some vegetables for tonight?” Wren pats the Moss Sparrow’s head and sends him out the front door quickly. I feel like such an asshole for saying that in front of him, but I didn’t start it.

Wren waits until the door clicks shut and then gives me a horrified look. “Really? In front of the kid?”

Rune smiles and Kastian catches the end of our conversation as he arrives, drying his hair with a small towel. “Who said what in front of Marley?”

Wren rubs his face, looking tired, but I know he’s just trying to make me feel bad. “Who else can talk besides you and me?”

Kastian narrows his eyes at him and throws the towel at the Cypress. “Fuck you.” The Eostrix pushes past him and wraps an arm around me, his ebony wings tightly tucked to his body to keep from knocking things over.

“He was saying how you’re going to kill Arulius…” I deadpan. Wren covers his face and groans like it was a secret and I wasn’t supposed to tell. Has he lost brain cells this last year?Gods.

“Well… We aren’t sure yet, but if he tries to stop us…” Kastian squeezes me tighter but I throw his arm off me and defensively move to stand by Rune. “Elodie, we can’t let this continue. You know that,” he finally grits out.

I laugh. “I don’t care. I’m out, aren’t I? Look.” I spread my arms open. “I’m out of Nesbrim, and you know who it’s thanks to?Arulius.I got myself out and it was fucking easy because he taught me to fly.” I glare down at the table. “So why are we discussing killing him?”

Wren lets out a sigh, as if I’m soooo difficult to deal with. “It’s not as simple as that and you know it. You’re still bonded and Arulius isn’t going to let you go. You’ll never be able to save the Realms as you are. They know this—you know this. Why don’t you start thinking with your head and not your emotions, Elodie,” he scolds me like I’m a freshly-born Eostrix and it pisses me off.

“I know!” I snap at him. “We’ve been figuring out how to break the blood bond. It’s been getting weaker every time I…” I pause, because I don’t want to say it out loud in front of the three of them.

Wren narrows his eyes on me. “Every time you what?”

I glance nervously at Rune and he gives me a curt nod. I’ll never forget the warmth in his eyes the night we learned that love is the undoing of the bond.

I swallow and close my eyes. “When I have feelings for males who aren’t Arulius.” Wren’s eyes widen but he doesn’t say anything, so I go on. “I can feel the bond weakening. It’s barely there anymore. I can’t even tell what he’s feeling anymore. Since being here it’s been silent.” I clutch my chest. The thought of losing my close connection with Arulius hurts… but I’ll survive.

“When you havefeelings?” Wren pushes me to say it.

I look at Rune as I mumble, “Love.”

Wren and Kastian both glance at Rune with surprise. The Dreadius gives me the biggest smile I’ve ever seen from him, all his fucking perfect white teeth shining, the smug asshole. My heart bursts with the glorious sight of him.

Kastian smirks at him and flicks his eyes back to me. “Love, huh? Of course it’s love.” His blue eyes settle on me and I sip in a breath as he pulls me in for a tight hug.

We wrap up our discussion. I can’t stand a single second more of talk of Arulius’s death and love. We plan on heading out to Moro’s at sundown. It’s safer to travel at night since Violet no doubt has Eostrixes in the sky searching for me. I know they’re probably already heading my way because I think Wren’s cottage is an obvious location I’d run to.

Moro’s place probably isn’t much safer, but we need to all reunite and figure out where we go from here. My heart beats faster at the thought of us all being together again. Maybe I can convince Arulius that he can come back with us… that he doesn’t have to follow Violet’s orders anymore.

Together we can find a way to break this vicious cycle. We can all be together again.

Even Violet. I want peace for her too—for everyone.

Marley returns with a bundle of veggies and meats. He’s overly excited to see Brevik lying on the front lawn. For a moment I see the flash of pain in his eyes when he realizes it isn’t Murph, but he gives love to the Hollow all the same.

We eat a hearty meal that will hopefully keep us full until we reach the Pine Hollow Keeper, but it’s at least a day’s worth of travel from here, which makes me wonder what the arrangement will be. I look at Wren and Rune—they seem to be thinking the same thing.

One Pine Hollow. Four of us.

Marley walks out with a backpack slung over his shoulder, looking proud that he is apparently coming along.

Scratch that—five of us. At least two of us can fly.

I quirk a brow and smile. “Sooo. I guess I can carry Marley and you two can ride together?” Wren narrows his eyes at my snide grin and Rune scowls at me.

“Sounds great to me!” Marley chirps as he locks the cottage door. His shirt is buttoned up right for once and it’s hard to not notice how much he’s grown since I saw him last. He’ll be a great warrior someday.

Rune groans but follows Wren’s lead, mounting Brevik. I send out a silent thanks that he picked the largest Hollow that can actually carry two full-grown males.

Traveling at night isn’t ideal, but I’m definitely taken with how beautiful the world is at night. The snow lights the realm from below rather than the sky. The four moons reflect magically off the gems of frozen water, and from up here, it’s like flying through an ocean of stars.

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