Page 36 of Once the Skies Fade (Immortal Reveries #2)

Chapter 36

Calla

I slumped in the large armchair in my sitting room, staring into the fire, when the door creaked open and someone poked their head in.

“May I come in, Your Majesty?” Asher asked.

Keeping my gaze on the flames, I nodded. “Of course, and you can drop the title.”

He groaned as he settled onto the sofa and stretched out his back. “He will be fine, if you’re wondering,” he finally said.

I slowly turned my head to face him. “Who will?”

Asher let out a single breathy laugh. “You don’t need to play dumb with me, Calla.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, shrugging as I looked away.

“The fuck you don’t,” he said, his smile evident in every syllable.

“What happened in there anyway?”

“I chased him, managed to almost snag him—losing his bloody pendant in the process—and then your forest did its job and roped us both up. Two of your suitors came by, took my finger”—I gasped as he lifted his hand to show the new finger that was already growing—“stole Prince Charming’s medallion?—”

“He’s no prince,” I muttered, but he ignored my interruption.

“Then they stabbed him. He seemed fine at first, but when he lost consciousness soon after, I knew something was amiss. I shifted back, got out of the bonds, found your blood, and got him loose. Unfortunately, despite waking up, he was in piss-poor shape by then and fading quickly. Before he passed out again, he said something about poison.”

Poison.

How had one of them gotten poison?

It hadn’t killed him—yet anyway—so it didn’t seem to be like the rebel’s poison Emeryn had faced years ago. But then again, Brennan had mentioned something about the rebels creating different versions of it to have varying potencies. Is that what had been used on Matthias?

Asher’s voice was low and solemn when he said, “Should speak to Isa about it. I don’t know if all the daggers were poisoned or just the one, but either way, someone’s fucking with your tournament.”

I could only nod, my mind a whirl of questions that had no obvious answers. Asher leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees, and cleared his throat as if he wanted to say something, but he remained silent.

“You’re leaving,” I said, not bothering to form it as a question.

Regret twisted my friend’s features. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“It’s fine,” I said, waving a hand in the air as I sat up. “I know how your line of work goes. But before you go, there is one thing I’m curious about.”

He hummed quietly, an invitation to continue.

“Why did you help Matthias? He pissed you off enough to get you to shift and chase him into my forest with no protection. You could have just left him there.”

Asher laughed lightly and shook his head. Settling back into his seat, he scratched his jaw as if buying himself time to formulate his answer. Finally, he shrugged and flashed an amused smirk.

“He’s a right pain in the ass, sure, but he’s got a good heart,” he said.

“And you’re an excellent judge of character.”

“I think I am.”

“Isa wonders about the possibility he was sent by…” My throat tightened as I tried to say Brennan’s name. Why couldn’t I get over this already? I was stronger than this, wasn’t I? Why did it still hurt so fucking much?

“Brennan’s family?” Asher asked, and I pressed my tongue hard to the roof of my mouth to hide my reaction. “You think they believe the rumors?”

“Fucking rumors,” I muttered, and grief’s grip on my throat shifted, falling into my chest where it ignited into rage. I gritted my teeth, as if actual flames might burst out of me if I opened my mouth.

“No offense, Calla,” he said, smirking. “But you look like you want to burn a whole kingdom down.”

“Not the whole kingdom,” I seethed. “Just those forcing me into this mess. They all think I killed him. I can see it on their pathetic faces.”

Asher shrugged and leaned forward onto his legs one more time. “Well, did you?”

I opened my mouth to deny it, but no sound came out.

My tongue grew heavy, my mouth going dry.

My breath stalled. My chest splintered under the weight of the words I couldn’t utter.

Tears stung my eyes. I dropped my face to hide them, staring down at my empty hands.

I was about to summon my shadows—which had at least remained leashed despite the emotional surge—but Asher was now kneeling in front of me, his hands closing around mine.

“If anyone understands this guilt, Calla, it’s me.”

I shook my head. We may have shared this grief of losing someone, but his circumstance was different. He had been responsible for his loss, and he beat himself up over it—guarded himself because of it—despite it being an honest accident. But I couldn’t explain any of this to him.

I never should have made that deal with Minerva. What good was knowing who had killed Brennan, when I couldn’t do anything about it? Sure, I’d paid the mage to curse them, but how could I trust that she had done it adequately?

“Calla,” Asher said, squeezing my hand once more. “Whatever you need, you can always call on me. Want me to burn the Assembly to a crisp?”

This time when I shook my head, I at least managed a slight chuckle.

“Tempting,” I said.

“I mean it.”

“I know you do, but you’ve got your next job.”

“True. And it may be a long one from the sound of it, but if this all goes to shit—more than it already has—send the word.”

“I wish I didn’t have to do this,” I whispered.

Asher scratched his chin again and stared into the fire. “Understandable. But it’s not completely hopeless. Matthias could be a good choice. If he can survive without my help, that is.”

“And assuming he’s not here to kill me,” I said, smiling weakly.

“Just a small detail,” he said. “Let’s hope that’s not the case.”