Page 77 of Shadow Wings
My brief flash of good humor disappeared. “It’s Tyrrik’s fault. He’ssulking.”
“I’m not sulking,” the one-hundred-and-nine-year oldsaid.
“Mmm-hmm,sure.”
Dyter exploded. “Enough!” He whirled on us, stomping back to wave a finger in my face. “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t speak atall.”
“That’s what we were doing before,” I huffed. “You said it made you cranky.” By this point, I was needling the old man, but I craved an outlet for my frustration, and he’d offeredone.
“Not cranky . . . irritable.” He sighed, his anger draining away as he looked atme.
“So you’re not cranky, and Tyrrik’s not sulking,” I said, nodding as I doubled down on my ownstupidity.
“Ryn?” Dyter offered me a weary half-smile.
“Yes?”
“I love you. But shut up.” He marched ahead to lead the wayagain.
28
Ipushed aside a branch,smiling as I let it fling back. It probably wasn’t high enough to hit Tyrrik’s face, but I grinned at his grunt when the branch thwacked against him. A quick peek told me he still found my rear end far too interesting. I wonder how many branches I could catch him with between now andGemond.
Which reminded me. “Why are we going to Gemond? The king lets his people eat eachother.”
“Did you listen to nothing I told you about King Zakai?” the old mangroaned.
I pushed aside another branch and then let it go. The thin tree limb flicked back, and I smirked as Tyrrik gruntedagain.
“Yeah, I listened,” I answered, jumping a small creek, my wispy skirt bouncing around my thighs. “But I didn’t believeyou.”
“You don’t believe a man you’ve known most of your life?” Tyrrik asked, speaking for the first time in awhile.
Dyter laughed derisively. “Rynnie didn’t believe plants came from seeds until we put a pot in her room and made her check it every day for threemonths.”
“I thought it was a scheme to give the people of Veraldhope.”
“You didn’t know what a scheme was atfive.”
I might not have had the words to express how I felt at five, but I did think seeds were a hustle. Most people in Veraldcouldn’tget them to grow and bear fruit, so it wasn’t really a stretch for my childhoodmind.
“Wait,” Tyrrik said. “She didn’t believe plants came from seeds untilfive?”
I scowled at the grin in hisvoice.
“No one was more surprised than I to find out she was Phaetyn,” Dyterquipped.
The conversation was feeling like a man alliance, and Dyter was supposed to be firmly team Ryn. The next words passed from my lips without filtering. “I can’t believe Mum never told you, Dyter. She told youeverything.”
The old man was silent, and I had time to wonder if I could’ve phrased my comment better. Definitely couldhave.
He turned back, his features darkening. “She loved you more than life itself, my girl. When you love someone that much, you don’t take risks that could lead to hurt. I was your mother’s best friend, and she was mine, truly. There were very few who were in the confidence of Ryhl, and I consider myself honored to have been one ofthem.”
I stared at the blurry ground in front of me, stepping in a puddle. The muddy water splashed up on my calves as I was still bare footed. I didn’t want to bawl again, so I focused on the only other thing in my head: I neededshoes.
It is normal to be sad,Khosana.
Even now, months later, I missed my mother terribly. For the most part, I seemed to get by without thinking of her, and then in moments like these, the sadness, theregret,hit me with the force of a brick wall. Shoes fled my mind as my emotions echoed throughTyrrik.