Page 92 of Rage of Her Ravens

I heaved a sigh of resignation. I had no strength left in me to discipline them, and if Draevyn didn’t like it, too bad.

Draevyn pulled back the tablecloth and peered under the table. “Too bad you don’t seem hungry. Cook made tarts for good girls who finish their breakfast.”

Dolls forgotten, they both clamored back into their seats and ate their breakfast with amazing enthusiasm.

I shot Draevyn a look, surprised to see no censure reflecting back at me. He shot me a wink while taking a long sip of tea.

I shifted in my seat, an uncomfortable ache squeezing my chest. I wasn’t used to this Draevyn. I didn’t know how to respond when he wasn’t being a dragon’s ass. His flirtations while his brother was unconscious felt like a betrayal. I didn’t want to be sitting here with him. I didn’t want to go into the gardens. All I wanted was to crawl into Nikkos’s arms and beg him to wake.

* * *

Draevyn

Inever loathed myselfmore than in this moment as I paced in front of Shirina’s bedchamber, listening to her scold the girls while trying to get them to stand still for their hair brushing. She didn’t want to go to the garden with me, and I didn’t blame her. She wanted to stay with Nikkos, and I was wedging myself between them.

But what else was I to do? His nurses had told me Shirina had prevented them from treating his wound. I wouldn’t dare scold my fated mate when we were already on shaky ground. My only option was to distract her with a garden tour while the nurses did their job. I knew how critical it was that they kept the wound clear of infection. Shirina probably thought I was a selfish ass for pulling her away from him.

Besides, maybe part of my motive was a selfish one. I had thought I could use this time to demonstrate that I knew how to be kind, that I cared about her and the children, and maybe apologize again if she’d let me. But I’d been a fool to think Shirina would feel anything but resentment and anger toward me. I’d lost my chance to mate with her, perhaps even severed the bond for good. I hadn’t realized then this widening chasm in my chest would multiply tenfold at the thought of not only losing her, but at losing my baby brother. Still, I would plaster on a smile and force myself to appear strong. I couldn’t succumb to the darkness, at least, not in front of them. I could tell Shirina was already a fraction away from falling apart. I wouldn’t add to her misery.

* * *

Shirina

Icaught my reflectionin the mirror just before we prepared to leave the bedchamber. The servants had found me a pretty gown of deep green that brought out the moss coloring in my eyes. Green wasn’t my color, though. My sister had always preferred green to match her magic. I’d always felt more like a crimson witch. The color of flame like the fire in my veins that burned for my mates. Ember and Aurora wore pale blue and yellow dresses with lots of lace and ruffles to match the gowns on their dolls. They paraded and twirled so much in their new clothes they were starting to make my head spin. But they were happy that they had pretty dresses that didn’t itch their legs, and that’s all that mattered.

The girls had it in their heads that the garden would have lots of sweet berries, so after the servants had found them matching baskets, we were ready to go. I checked on Nikkos one last time, his watchful nurses standing behind me. I sensed they wanted me to go so they could squeeze out more puss and apply more stinky medicine without me driving them away.

Fighting back tears, I pressed a gentle kiss to his lips as he laid as still as a corpse upon the bed.Please wake, my love,I projected to him through thought, my heart sinking like a stone when he did not answer. It felt as if my voice was echoing in a canyon whenever I tried to send him a mental message.

After heaving a heart-sick sigh, I grabbed my nieces’ hands, and we followed Draevyn down two flights of stairs and out a set of double doors onto what appeared to have been a hill pressed up against the castle, or maybe the castle had been built into the hill. Shielding my eyes, I squinted into the morning sunlight, feeling like a ghoul who’d just awakened from a crypt. Why was it so bright?

A mild breeze blew my hair off my shoulders and tickled the nape of my neck. The morning was warm enough that the girls didn’t need cloaks and cool enough that I was glad they wore thick stockings. I immediately retreated beneath the shade of a tree with low, flowering branches, my nieces following me like my little shadows. It was then I caught the smell of fragrant flowers. So sweet, like mint, lavender, and honey. Why hadn’t I noticed the strong scents before? Maybe because I’d been so absorbed in my depressing thoughts about Nikkos. His head smelled so much worse this morning, and I was starting to fear it wasn’t the medicine at all, but the smell of infection and decay. Even outside in this fragrant garden I could still smell it clinging to my skin and clothes and deep inside my nostrils. I feared that stench would haunt me for eternity.

Aurora picked up a white flower petal off the ground, pressing it to her nose. “Mm! The flowers smell so sweet!”

“They do,” Draevyn said, smiling widely, his wings tucked behind him. “This was my mother’s prized garden.”

I stole a sideways glance at my mates’ brother. He looked very much the Lord of the Manor, or perhaps a courtier at the queen’s court, wearing a deep blue tunic with silver trim, matching leggings, and black shoes that reminded me of the ink in his wings or in his dark hair that was tied neatly back in a queue. I couldn’t deny he was a handsome Fae with those piercing eyes and broad shoulders, and I was certain ladies and lords would fall at his feet at court, if they hadn’t already. The thought was like a rush of venom in my blood, though I shouldn’t have cared who loved him when I certainly never would.

“Ohh! Look at all the pretty flowers on the ground!” Aurora said eagerly as she and her sister began collecting petals and putting them in their baskets.

I could feel the weight of Draevyn’s stare on me while I followed the girls, so rather than acknowledge him, I looked out into the garden. I wondered how long it would take the girls to accidentally fall into the small pond in the center of the garden with the colorful fish. Or how long before they tried to climb into one of the three stone fountains shooting water into the air.

Luckily, they were focused on the flowers—for now. Aurora handed me a limp white flower, and I inhaled its honey-sweet fragrance, a welcome change to that putrid medicine.

“The Sortis are the most fragrant,” Draevyn said as he sidled up to me, that cautious look in his eyes as if he was cornering a wild animal. “They are known to have amorous effects when brewed.”

Turning my back on him, I decided it best not to respond to his flirtations as I discarded the flower. My nieces had already found the swing hanging from a thick oak branch and were fighting over who got to sit on it first.

I reached them in a few long strides. “Girls, you must share or no swing at all,” I scolded.

“Fine,” Aurora relented, letting her sister take the swing.

“Will you push us, Auntie?” Ember asked, her little legs dangling in the air.

I tensed, turning at the sound of Draevyn’s wings ruffling behind me.

“Why don’t you girls take turns pushing each other while your auntie and I rest in the shade?” He motioned toward a nearby tree. A blanket was spread out beneath it with a tray of drinks, fruit, and cheese.