Page 73 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

Riven

Riven knows she’s gone.

He feels it in his bones. Her absence is beyond something physical. Her scent, the memory of her silken skin like a brand tattooed on his mind.

He can’t think about the bruises on her body, not to mention the other things he picked up in her scent. Not without wanting to set the whole Fortress on fire.

He slowly wanders through the halls when he can’t stand the seclusion of his room any longer. He drifts through the empty spaces and, without noticing it, winds up in her room.

He looks up. Black wings are dancing in the wind that streams in through the open window. Caryan stands there in the dark, as if he was born out of it, his white skin the only contrast. He doesn’t look at Riven. His gaze rests on the wall opposite her bed, where Melody had painted him, with his golden eyes so realistic it takes Riven’s breath away.

Riven stands there for an age, not trusting his voice or his own body next to Caryan. Not after what Caryan did to her.

Finally, Caryan turns his head and looks at Riven for a very long time, his eyes black as his magic swathes around his wings and shoulders.

Eventually, Kyrith teleports into the room, his green eyes narrowed to slits. “The girl and the witch are gone. I can’t find them anywhere.”

But Caryan continues looking at Riven. He knows. Caryan knows already. But why isn’t he following her?

The angel turns and, without a word, vanishes through the window. Only then does the smell of angelic blood hit Riven like a solid blow. Drops of it shimmering like dark ink where Caryan stood.

The realization hits Riven like another blow, aimed at his ribs. Caryan can’t follow her, or he would have already. Because he is wounded .

Dread sluices through Riven then, raw and ugly. Whatever Melody did, she harmed him, with her magic. Badly enough that even Caryan’s runes and the curse can’t heal him instantly; her magic obviously weakening his.

The last time he saw Caryan bleed like this, the wound had been caused by Ciellara. Melody’s mother. By her light magic.

The only magic that could stop a creature like Caryan.