Page 77 of Lady of Starfire
The queen grabbed Rayner’s hand and reached for Neve’s. Rayner reached out a hand for Cyrus, and then Cassius grabbed his other, fingers flexing tightly around Cyrus’s. Before Cyrus could do anything, they pulled him through the air.
They reappeared on one of the entrance islands off the coast of Avonleya. They were points that had been set up for those who knew how to enter the Wards. Scarlett pulled a vial from her pocket and dumped the contents into the black waters around them. Then they were Traveling once more.
This time when they reappeared, it was directly in the main room of her suite at the castle. The five of them stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, before Scarlett spoke, her voice thick with emotion.
“Hello, Darling.”
Cyrus tried to smile, tried to work up any emotion really, but there was nothing. Just the numbness he’d clung to since Gehenna had started playing with his demons. Scarlett was in front of him in the next breath, her arms wrapping tightly around him, and he was clutching her back. A lifeline. A tether to who he was.
At least until she learned what he’d done.
“Sorin is resting,” she whispered. “He wanted to be here when you returned. But something happened, and he—”
“It’s fine, Scarlett,” he murmured into her hair.
Another few moments passed before she said softly, “I’ll drown with you, Cyrus. Whatever he let her do to you… I’ll dive in and drown with you on the hard days.”
He swallowed thickly. He didn’t deserve a queen, a friend, like her. He didn’t deserve to serve in her Court, let alone call her family.
He gently eased back, swiping a tear away that trailed down her cheek. “I need to bathe. It’s been days. I smell like piss and vomit and nightmares.”
A half-sob, half-laugh came from her. “You idiot,” she muttered. “Food? I can see what I can make in the kitchens.”
Cyrus winced. “Please don’t.”
Her face fell a little. “You’re not hungry?”
“I’m fucking starving,” he replied. “But I’ve cooked with you before. That cake was not edible.”
“That was the middle of the night! We were both drunk after playing billiards,” she said in outrage.
“Mhmm.”
This felt…good. This was good. Some normalcy. At least for the moment.
“I won’t cook,” she promised. “Cold meats. Cheese. Warm bread.”
He gave her a fake smile that he knew she could see through, but she didn’t call him out on it. She worried her bottom lip for a moment, before giving him a weak smile of her own and heading for the doors. Cyrus moved to follow and go to his own rooms, but a hand gripped his arm.
Turning, he found the Ash Rider’s swirling eyes fixed on him. His other arm was around Neve in a comforting hold. She looked as exhausted and haunted as Cyrus felt. Then again, he probably looked that way too, and that’s why everyone was giving him these pitying comments and looks.
“We’re here,” Rayner said in a low tone. “You are not alone. Remember that.”
Cyrus nodded, so many emotions beginning to swirl in his gut that he averted his eyes. “Neve, I’ll walk you to your rooms.”
“I can do it,” Rayner said. “Go bathe. I’ll stop by in a bit.”
He nodded again and stepped from the room, heading down the long hall from the princess’s rooms to the guest suites. Cassius was silent beside him, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
When they came to their rooms, directly across from each other, Cassius hesitated when Cyrus reached for the handle of his door.
“Tell me what you need, Cyrus.”
“Nothing,” he answered, keeping his back to him and eyes fixed on the wood door. “I just want to bathe, eat, and sleep.”
He felt him step closer. Cassius leaned a shoulder against the wall. “I know what he does, Cyrus,” he said, voice low and rough. “I know how he breaks someone.”
Cyrus finally looked at him. “I was already broken. He just made sure I remembered how thoroughly.”