Page 24 of Empress of Ruin
That’s another problem to consider. Lyra having a support system outside of me… I dislike that on principle. It gives her a place to hide from me.
Maybe itisfor the best that I unleashed Carter on Annalise. Perhaps I should even encourage him to act sooner. Lyra should have nowhere to run but into my arms;that’swhen I’ll truly be confident in our relationship.
“I’m sorry,” Lyra says softly, and those words ring with truth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just… had to get away.”
“You still haven’t answered why you’re withhim.” Anna gestures in my general direction. I allow a smile to overtake my thinned lips.
“I’m… staying with him for a while.” Lyra demurely tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear.
Anna frowns. “But… you were—”
“He’s helped me,” Lyra interrupts, a little too quickly. There’s a story behind that almost-exchange that I’ll get out of her later. Probably safe to assume that she spoke poorly of me during our time together. So long as that pattern doesn’t repeat itself, I’llaccept it. “Anna, can we talk later? I haven’t gotten a phone yet, but as soon as I do, I’ll call you. I promise.”
Anna seems profoundly uncomfortable with leaving Lyra alone with me. Good instincts. I settle back in my seat, enjoying the show.
Anna finally turns to me, as if I haven’t been listening in on the entire situation. “I don’t know what’s going on here. But if you hurt her—”
“You’ll kill me?” my smile widens. “I appreciate the heads up. But, rumor has it you have bigger fish to fry.”
Anna’s cheeks heat. Looks like shehashad some sort of contact with Carter.Interesting.
I’ve pegged Carter for a lot of bad things over the years, but someone who obsesses over a woman was never one of them. Anna might’ve just turned herself into leverage. That is, if he isn’t planning on killing her—which my gut tells me he isn’t.
But, if he doesn’t smarten up and take me up on my offer, I might end up having to threaten as much. And I try not to make threats I’m not prepared to carry out.
“I love you,” Lyra tells Anna. Jealousy tenses my shoulders, and my jaw ticks.
She shouldn’t love anyone but me, and our future children. Her affection should belong only to our family.
The two women hug. Anna reluctantly slinks away. Lyra angles her head away from Anna, inadvertently giving me a view of her eyes glimmering with tears, and the stricken expression on her face.
Another emotion winds through my chest. An unfamiliar one that I can’t quite put a name on. My Little Bird’s obviously hurting because of whatIjust made her do, and I don’t like that nearly as much as I thought I might.
“The two of you should get dinner sometime soon,” I suggest impulsively, then almost slap myself. I shouldn’t be affordingher such freedom; she isn’t ready yet. She might not be ready for a good long while, if ever. Before giving her privileges, I need to be sure of her loyalty—forbothof our sakes.
Lyra’s eyes squeeze shut, and she shakes her head. A single tear trails down her cheek, but she’s quick to dash it away, and no more follow.
I really,reallydislike that. Yes, she should suffer for abandoning me, but this agony… it doesn’t suit her. It doesn’t suitme.Perhaps I was a bit harsh, but Anna being here left me with little choice.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I tell her, my voice gentler than I thought I was capable of.
“Don’t say that to me.” Her words aren’t harsh; they’re pleading. “Don’t fucking lie to me.”
Except, it isn’t a lie. Everythingwillbe okay. I won’t allow anything else. Lyra will acclimate—she’ll get nothing but princess treatment from me, unless she’s being a brat. I’ll take care of the threat from The Eyes. I’ll find a way to wrangle Carter on my side. And I will start building the family that I never knew I wanted until her.
In the meantime, I should think of at leastsomethingto cheer Lyra up. It’s difficult, considering she isn’t susceptible to traditional methods—flowers, chocolate, and jewelry would mean jack shit to her. I could take her on a trip somewhere, get her away from the states, but I can’t currently afford to leave. There’s too much going on.
Something to think on.
Two servers arrive to set our food in front of us. I barely taste the food as I eat, my eyes stuck on Lyra, and my mind somewhere very far away.
When we return after breakfast, Lyra once again hides herself in a spare bedroom. She doesn’t bother locking the door this time, but I don’t disturb her. She can have some time to process whatever it is that’s going through that little head of hers.
I expect her to come out around lunch, so I wait for her in the dining room. She doesn’t show, so I go back to work.
She misses dinner, as well. I’m tempted to check on her, but whatever conscience I have prompts me to give her space. She just had to lie to her closest friend onmyaccount and entirely reframe what occurred five months ago. Even I can understand that would push any rational person to their limits.
At around midnight, I’ve taken just about all I can. I knock on the guest bedroom door before opening it.
