Page 67 of Winds of Ruin
Elsedora
Much to my discomfort, I’d told Sybilla about our revelation.
“You truly think this can wake him?” Sybilla seared me with skepticism.
“The story lines up. I believe it is worthtrying.”
I wouldn’t let my heart get set on this working.
Even so, my skin prickled, and my tongue felt too big. To have him back... to have him awake. I shook the thought away.
No hoping.
We stood in her and Krait’s bedchamber in Umber House. I’d Egressed to the Sahlms after speaking to Lark and Dritan. Krait was off with Hurley, settling some matters with the reconstruction efforts in Sahlmkar; with more rain, the region had become more inhabitable.
“Then, we must try,” she said and ran her hand over the golden stone that lay on top of the storybook still. “Where did you find this?”
I swallowed hard. “I went back to the tomb.”
She tsk-tsked.“I know you are lying. Your guilt rolls off you like a downpour.”
I raised my mental wards. While unable to place a finger on why, I felt compelled to protect the boy. I shrugged. “If a secret harms no one, does it really need to be spoken?”
She quirked a brow. “I suppose not, but we both know that secrets are rarely harmless to everyone involved.” She lifted the stone and ran her thumb over it. “For him, I hope this works.”
“Not for you, too?” I asked, and my friend smiled weakly.
“I would love to see him awake. But I fear I’ve changed so much that we may no longer hold any common ground,” she admitted. “My life is different from twenty years ago. He might not recognize this version of me.”
“Well, that is just a pile of horseshit. Shared memories are enough to rekindle any friendship, no matter your time apart. Plus you haven’t changed at all.”
She scoffed, and I squeezed her shoulder.
“Shall we go try to wake our King?”
Her lips turned up at the sides. “Fuck it—what do we have to lose?”
“Want me to go find Krait?”
At that, Sybilla laughed. “Tell my ill-tempered husband I plan to kiss a former flame for the sake of a hunch? Have at it.”
I squinted and scrunched up my nose. “Maybe some secrets are worth keeping to not harm anyone’s ego.”
“If it works, we’ll tell him. If not, then there’s little reason to make him grind his teeth to dust over it,” she said as she started for the door.
“If it would ease your guilt,Ican kiss Krait too, to even things out.”
I’d earned myself a mock look of disgust and disbelief. “You really need to cut that out,” she chided.
“Fair enough.” I chuckled as we left the bedchamber and made our way to the Egress.
The lightness in my step betrayed me.
I’d failed to quell the hope that would ruin me if we were wrong.
Propped up on a pile of white pillows and snugly tucked beneath a burgundy quilt, Em didn’t stir at our presence. His bedchamber smelled of cedar and rosemary—it had become a comforting aroma to me.Hisscent.
His face was relaxed in serenity; without Caym’s influence, he lacked the wrinkle in his brow where a curl of black hair spilled. The steady rise and fall of his broad chest beckoned me closer to him.
