Page 168 of Lady of the Drowned Empire

He stroked my nape, and gently pulled my head up to meet his gaze. “Stay with me. No sleeping. Not yet. Okay?”

“Okay,” I said weakly.

“You killed another akadim,” he said. “You know that? You killed it. You’re a powerful soturion, even without magic. Do you know how many soturi don’t have even one kill under their belts?”

“How many?” I asked.

His lips quirked. “I actually don’t have the numbers. But I can promise you, it’s a lot.”

“When we get back to civilization, will you figure out that number for me?”

“I’ll make it my mission. And don’t forget, you’re a nahashim slayer, too,” he said, moving us through the water, keeping the warmth from stagnating. “You’re so fucking strong, Lyr,” he said. “You’re the strongest warrior I know.”

I shook my head. Or I tried to. I wasn’t sure I was moving much yet. “That’s you,” I said.

“Right now, it’s you. And you know what that means?”

“That Mercurial was right?” I croaked. The Afeyan messenger had once promised I could be the strongest soturion in Lumeria.

Rhyan pressed his nose against mine, and the feeling of warmth he brought with him made me sigh in relief. With his magic intact, he was definitely recovering faster, his body warming against mine. “No. It means you’re going to be fine. You’re going to get through this. You’re so brave.”

My eyelids felt heavy, and my head dropped forward again.

Rhyan lifted my chin. “I know, partner,” he continued. “I know you’re tired. But you’ve got to stay with me.”

“I’m trying,” I said. “Keep talking.”

There was an uncertainness in his face, before he said, “Did Jules ever tell you we were friends?”

At this, my eyes widened. “No.”

“That summer.” He smiled. “She knew how I felt about you. But she also knew I was protecting you by staying away. Or trying to, at least.”

“I can’t believe I never knew that.” Of course, I had known they’d talked, that they were friendly, but I’d had no idea they’d considered themselves friends rather than noble acquaintances. My heart warmed at the thought. I could almost see it—Jules being her fun-lovingly dramatic, over-the-top self, while Rhyan, quietly amused by her antics, tried desperately to maintain a serious face. She’d known all about my crush on him, and I’d bet anything she’d been secretly working to bring us together that whole summer.

“I didn’t want you to know,” he said seriously. “I thought it was for the best. I thought it would keep you safe—safe from my father. The last time I saw her, I told her that leaving you and pretending that kiss had meant nothing to me, had broken my heart.”

“I didn’t know.”

“You weren’t supposed to. I wanted to make it easier for you. But leaving crushed me.” He rubbed his nose against mine. “Because I already knew. Knew I loved you from that first kiss.”

“What did Jules say when you told her?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Well, she finally stopped yelling and cursing at me for breaking your heart. I believe she called me a gryphon-shit asshole.”

Tears filled my eyes, and I laughed. “That sounds like Jules.”

“And she also said…she was rooting for us.”

The tears were falling now, even as I smiled. “She never told me that.”

My heart started to warm, and I’d never been more grateful to Rhyan in my life. He knew exactly how to keep me distracted, knew the one topic that would keep me from succumbing to the cold and falling asleep.

“Jules kept her promises,” he said. “She was a really good friend.”

“Do you think…?” I started to ask, but a sob cut me short.

“Don’t do that,” Rhyan said quietly. “Don’t start overthinking or worrying—not until we have more information. Not until we know something real.”