Page 37 of The Spark that Ignites (Shattered Soul #1)

V esper returned to the library hours later, his hair impossibly messy as if he tried to rip it from his scalp. With the promise of a tour, they stumbled into the entrance hall only to find two people, bags in hands.

Emmery froze. Had they been expecting visitors?

No surprise crossed Vesper’s face, only a grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes.

She had never seen him smile like that.

Caught in some argument, the mountainous man with warm tawny skin and grey-blue eyes like the ocean after a storm, towered over the woman.

He fussed with his blond, messy bun as she poked his chest. His brilliant bronze vestige practically glowed and he was strikingly handsome with a distinct regal quality.

The woman frowned at his teasing smile with an intense gaze that made Emmery almost forget she was a head shorter.

Dressed in a low-cut bodysuit accentuating her curves, navy hair, black vestige, and cavae proudly displayed, she didn’t appear to be someone to tolerate nonsense.

All until he lifted her off the ground and she giggled.

Her frown disappeared as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed their foreheads together.

The man’s hands cupped her backside and Emmery’s face burned, clearly intruding on a private moment.

Vesper cleared his throat, and the man spun, releasing the woman so hastily she toppled to the floor. Mumbling an apology, he steadied her with two broad hands though they stared at Vesper with a look bordering pain.

Vesper’s grin widened. “About time you got here.”

The woman barrelled for him and flung herself into his arms. He staggered backward but clutched her, smothering her cheek with a half dozen kisses.

“Hey Briar,” he said, his voice thick. “I missed you too, Little Shadow.”

She kicked her dangling feet, quietly sobbing into his neck.

“Bri is a bit excited. She wouldn’t stop talking the entire way here,” the man said in a low voice, his accent bleeding sophistication. He clapped a hand on Vesper’s shoulder as he lowered her to the ground.

She shot the man a scowl, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and clung to Vesper’s arm. “Give me a break, Callias. Reunions are supposed to be beautiful, not tragic.”

She beamed up at Vesper and playfully flicking her nose, he returned it.

Her upturned feline eyes—a startling scarlet—flicked to Emmery.

Briar was beyond stunning, but that wasn’t why she stared.

Down one side, from her hairline to her bodysuit, were shiny white aged burns, severe enough her hair no longer grew on that side of her profile.

The burns stood out against her beige complexion like a battle wound.

Only a horrific blaze could cause something like that.

Emmery swallowed hard and ripped her attention back to Vesper who embraced Callias, the two patting each other's backs in unison. “Been a long time, brother.”

The two men were obviously not related with Callias’s dark, tawny skin and golden hair in stark contrast to Vesper’s pale complexion, grey locks, and luminescent eyes.

Vesper socked him in the arm, shaking out his fist in mock pain. “Fuck, Cal—you broke my bloody hand. I swear these are twice the size since the last time I saw you. No need to upstage me so violently.”

Callias flexed his enormous bicep. “Well, it’s been only eighty years. Give me another five and you will really feel inadequate.”

Emmery felt their stares from where she stood in the doorway, but kept her head down, picking at her blunt nails as they exchanged a few quiet words.

It was only moments later Briar yanked her into a suffocating embrace.

Their cheeks squished together, and Emmery froze, her body taut as a bowstring.

What was it with these people and touching?

First Vesper, then Marlys, and now Briar. Gods help her.

Emmery’s gaze darted to Vesper, her eyes pleading for help.

“ Briar ,” Vesper scolded, grasping her shoulder to free Emmery but it only tightened her grip. “Don’t scare her off.”

“It’s nice to ... meet you too,” Emmery mumbled, patting Briars back awkwardly though she longed for freedom with every cell in her body.

Briar finally released her and hollered over her shoulder, “Cal, don’t be rude! Come say hello to Emmy!”

Callias waved curtly and returned to his conversation with Vesper.

“It’s, uh—it’s actually Emmery,” she said, clearing her throat.

“That’s what I said. Emmy.” Briar winked. “Don’t mind Cal, he’s a grumpy old man.” They both didn’t miss his responding glare from across the room. It spurred a giggle from Briar.

“How do you know Vesper?” Emmery asked, shrugging out of Briar’s hold. Callias had said ... eighty years.

“We’ve known each other since we were children. Cal and I practically grew up here.” She cupped her mouth, her voice a loud whisper, “I used to beat these two up all the time.”

Vesper sauntered over. “As if, Bri. You know Cal and I could take you any day.”

“Right.” Briar snorted. “In your dreams, boys.”

Callias’s gaze slid to Emmery, his expression anything but warm, making her want to vanish into the marble floor. He turned back to Vesper. “We’ve been awaiting word for days. What happened?”

“We were worried sick when we hadn’t heard, you ass ,” Briar added and harmlessly slapped Vesper’s arm. “You sent us that cryptic message and then nothing but silence until a few nights ago.”

Emmery’s stomach cinched. The silence they meant was likely her episode with the serpent venom. Or perhaps his entire trip over the gate. Was that a secret? Because if it was—well, she was here, so it couldn’t be.

Vesper waved them off. “We’ll discuss this later. Go get settled. Your rooms are ready.”

“We’ll chat later,” Briar promised—though Emmery couldn’t imagine what they had to discuss—before squeezing her arm once more and taking off up the stairs. Callias slung their bags over his shoulder and trailed her.

Emmery leaned in, whispering to Vesper, “Is she always like that?”

“Pretty well. She’s like a wolf pup on bone ash.”

Emmery blinked at him, her brows pinching. “I don’t know what that is, but I’ll take your word for it.”

“They’ll grow on you.” Vesper bumped her shoulder and strolled after them, leaving her standing alone in the foyer, her heart a tangle of knots.

She wondered what it would be like to have friends like that. After eighty years, it was like a beat hadn’t passed. But she would never be lucky enough to find out. Not with her plans. The sinking feeling in her stomach grew as she searched for Aera and retreated to her room.

“I DON’T LIKE IT,” brIAR hissed. “It’s ... wrong , Ves.”

Emmery squeezed her eyes shut. She knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop but the heated conversation on the other side of Vesper's door had frozen her legs.

Were they talking about bringing Izora back? Emmery had the same reservations and, frankly, she still wasn’t sure it was morally right. And she did realize that it made her a hypocrite with her own plans.

Vesper’s voice was vehement, yet unnervingly calm. “Bri, I’m sorry to put you in this situation, I really am, but I have to. Please, please, please do this for me.”

They were both quiet for a long moment and Emmery stood there, fidgeting in the hallway, her back pressed to the wall as if she could sink into it.

“Fine. But you owe me. And not like ‘buy me jewellery’ owe me. More like ‘do my laundry for a century and be my footstool’ owe me.”

“Footstool? Really, Bri? That’s a bit extreme.”

“Those are my terms. Take it or leave it.” From Vesper’s long exhale, Emmery assumed it was accompanied by a nod. Briar’s voice softened as she asked, “How are you, Ves? How are you dealing with ... all this?”

Another impossibly drawn-out sigh. “Honestly?”

“Yes. Lay it on me.”

“I—” A groan. “Fuck ... I miss her, Bri. So much it ... hurts to breathe sometimes. It’s hard to pretend. I’m trying to keep it together but—” His voice cracked, words severed. “It’s like she’s still there. I see her. Glimmers of her sometimes. Like she never left—” He let the sentence fall.

Emmery’s heart ached for Vesper as images of her childhood cottage invaded her mind. Being home must be a unique kind of torment. Seeing his sister everywhere and the memories the castle walls must hold.

“I know how much you love her.” Fabric rustled from their embrace and Briar’s voice muffled. “It’ll be alright. We’ll fix this.”

Emmery scurried to her room, her stomach twisting from the private conversation she had intruded upon. Vesper was always so ... composed, sloughing off everything with nonchalance, but deep down he was really hurting. Maybe as much as she was with Maela.

When she found him later that day, after taking a long walk to clear her head, he stood lakeside skipping rocks off the water.

Plink , plink , plink , they skidded off the glossy surface, his face withdrawn as he watched them like he wished he too could escape and sink into the water, never to emerge again.

Emmery leaned against a nearby tree as Vesper sent another flying with the flick of his wrist and didn’t acknowledge her presence.

“Maela and I used to skip rocks together,” she said softly.

The lake shimmered with each ripple as Vesper continued, only turning to look at her when she stood at his side.

He placed a smooth and flat stone into her palm, a generous offer for a long cast. “Izzy and I did too. I used to let her win every time.”

“Are you sure you let her win, Ves?” Emmery skipped the rock with ease, crouching to retrieve more. “Sounds like an excuse.”

“My pride is already fatally bruised, can you at least let me have this?” Vesper gave her a small smile, but his eyes were sad.

She looked up to find him studying her. “Can I ask you another question?” Partly out of curiosity and because it seemed like something a friend would do.

“As long as you’ll answer one for me.”

Emmery sighed. “I’m not ready to talk about—”