Page 108 of The Freedom You Seek

Drawing a deep breath and thinking of everything that had happened today, I stared into the fire once more. I’d already decided I wouldn’t join my old friends as they continued on their way to Ivreiana, although it would be the safer option. I was already taking more risks than I’d ever done before. Because what had caution ever done forme? What had overthinking given me apart from massive anxiety? So, at this very moment, I judged that I indeed had to talk to Dion. Not tonight when I was tipsy, but soon when we’d be on the road again and both of us had time to digest the events of today. A fortnight wasn’t long, but it had to be enough.

Smiling at Antas, I picked up my bottle and drank a last sip. “Thank you, Antas. You’ve helped me to see some things a lot clearer.”

“Anytime, Nayana. Anytime.”

Luckily, Antas made sure I found my way back to my room, otherwise, I would have just passed out in some random field. I tried to find Bryon as I’d promised him, but either he was hiding from me, or he’d already left the celebrations. My silent protector had been patient while I’d investigated, but I could tell Antas had been relieved when he’d finally delivered me to my doorstep.

What I saw inside the chamber was hard for me to believe. Rewi lounged cross-legged on the bed while Dion was sprawled on a chair near the window, and both simply talked. Not shouting at each other, not throwing sarcasm around—no, just a casual conversation.

A cloud of something hot and angry churned in my insides. Why was he able to chat like that with a friend ofmine he’d just met—and who he’d previously hated—but not with me? Without saying a word, I closed the bedroom door and swayed toward the washroom.

“Are you drunk, Nayana?” Dion’s voice sounded a lot more amused than he had any right to be.

“Stop making fun of me.” I clearly wasn’t in the mood for his difficult personality, so I disappeared into the washroom as fast as I possibly could without falling flat on my face.

Instead of cleaning up, however, I lingered by the closed passageway and tore a page out of Dion’s Big Book of Eavesdropping. The room behind the door stayed silent for a moment, and I braced myself for someone making comments about me or the state I was in. Instead, Rewi was grilling Dion about magic.

I felt absolutely stupid and got ready to sleep without further hesitation, trying to concentrate on the fact that I’d finally rest in a proper bed again tonight, not on a bedroll on the ground. I was sick of these things and of the stupid sky—the men refused to carry tents with us, no matter how often I’d gotten drenched in the night by surprise rain. ‘Tents just slow us down, Jama.’Even the mocking voice in my head sounded like Dion—and used his stupid nickname.

When I’d finished washing myself—as I imitated Dion’s sneering expression and showed it to myself in the mirror—and changed into my nightgown, I returned to the chamber and slipped into the bed without saying a single word. Rewi had already climbed under the covers and was half asleep.

As the door closed behind him, I noticed Dion had prowled into the washroom, and Rewi turned to me, mumbling something almost inaudible. “Your life’s crazy now. You’d be insane not to dive in and enjoy it to the fullest.”

I replied with a small snort that could have meant anything. But I rolled on my side and smiled at her. Most likely, it looked more deranged than friendly, thanks to my state of inebriation, but I was at least halfway sure that it’d made a valiant attempt. And it better be because it wasn’t my friend’s fault that I’d had a shitty day. “Why don’t you come with us to Amalach?”

“You know I’d love to, and nothing could stop me from joining you if I had doubts that the company you keep wouldn’t be enough to protect you. But I’ve talked to your men today, and I think they’re all decent and capable people. I trust them to take good care of you.”

“They are trustworthy, I agree.”

“Also, we can surely agree that Bryon won’t be able to travel with you for obvious six-foot-something reasons, can’t we? Still, someone has to keep an eye on him. So I’ll make him my task. That’s the least I can do for you.”

“Did he talk to you?”

“Yes. He had a lot of choice words about your sexy protector, yet he still believes, given more time, you’ll come around and pick him over his competition.Rewi, she’s just confused.” Her imitation of Bryon’s voice was surprisingly spot-on.

“It has nothing to do with Dion that I’m not choosing Bryon.”

“We both know that, and I’ll make sure Bryon understands that too—and he will. He’s the one who’ll need more time to come to terms with the fact that he missed his chance with you. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye on him. I know you care for him nonetheless.”

“I do, but not in the sense he wants me to.”

Rewi nodded, and there was nothing more to add.

“Believe me, I’d love nothing more than to join you on your adventures, but—”

Rewi stopped speaking in mid-sentence. At the same moment, the mattress dipped, and I was pulled from my position into something firm. Petrichor and evergreen scents enveloped me as Dion hauled me around like a rag doll until I was completely tucked into his warm chest, his arms circling my waist, and if I wasn’t mistaken, the tendril from earlier was back, wrapped itself around my calf, vibrating—or did itpurr?—in a comforting way.

“Dion. What in the gods’ good names are you doing?” Not that it felt terrible to be cradled against his stupidly perfect body, but after all that had happened today, it really was uncalled for. My rapid heartbeat agreed as the ghost of a smoky taste returned with a vengeance.

“Going to sleep. The bed is too small if we don’t huddle together.”

“Sleep on the floor.”

“No.”

I wanted to slap him every time he used one-word answers, and I bucked to show my displeasure. “I mean it.”

“I mean it too. Since I haven’t slept in a bed in ages, don’t expect me to turn into an honorableperson today.”