And then she’d walked away, not even giving him the chance to say anything back.
Tofi closed his mouth and sat there on his knees, waiting.
Rowan swallowed and said the only thing he could think of to say. “I’m sorry. I should have known. I should have seen. But I didn’t know how bad you were hurting. If I had… If you’d only come to me with the truth…”
Ieduin squeezed his hand, and he turned to him, too choked to continue. As if he understood, Ieduin nodded. “Ambra, tell us about the bandits at Dagh Cairn, if you can.”
Tofi’s lips drew back, and he let out a vicious snarl that left goosebumps on Rowan’s arms. His hand shot forward, grasping Ieduin’s chin. “Whore,” he spat, his voice no longer Ambra’s. “No matter how nice you dress, no matter how much money you’ve got, that’s all you’ll ever be. Once a filthy whore, always a filthy whore.”
Ieduin’s face paled, and he gripped Rowan’s hand so tight the bones groaned in protest. He started trembling and breathing fast.
Rowan shot out of his chair, rage boiling in his blood. “This demonstration is over!” He yanked his hand free of Rixxis’s.
The bowl immediately erupted in flames. Tofi screamed and reared back so violently he was thrown from the table and struck a bookshelf. Books tumbled from the shelves, landing in a pile on top of him.
Rixxis rushed to unbury him. When she did, he was groaning and bleeding from the eyes and nose. He tried to rise, only to fall back down.
Rowan didn’t care. It was one thing to channel Ambra and fuck with him, but when he reached for Ieduin, that had crossed a line. He turned to Ieduin, lifting his head by the chin. Terror still danced behind those honey brown eyes.
“Are you all right?” Rowan asked.
Ieduin blinked, and the look was gone. He pulled away and stood. “You broke the spell!” he retorted.
“Will he live?” Ewan asked of Tofi, rising.
Rixxis pulled Tofi up and slung the necromancer over her shoulder. “I think so. We should get him to a healer to be sure.” She eyed Rowan and Ieduin. “Will you two be okay?”
“Go,” Rowan ordered roughly. “We’re done here.”
“I’ll be by to check on you later,” Ewan promised, and left with Rixxis.
Suddenly, Rowan and Ieduin were alone in the library. Alone with their ghosts.
I should say something, Rowan thought, glancing over at the elf, but there were no words for what they’d just witnessed.
“Take your Crows to Dagh Cairn,” Rowan said. “Do as you must, and I will make my people accept it, but I won’t make them help you do it.”
He stormed out of that library as if he were angry, but he was more hurt than anything, and not just because he’d had to face Ambra. Whoever had spoken to Ieduin through Tofi, Rowan was glad they were dead. They needed to bemoredead. Was Ieduin haunted by someone, too?
Ten
Ieduinlingeredinthelibrary for a beat, unsure of what to do. After coming face to face with an unpleasant memory, he didn't want to be alone.
He cast a look back at the empty table and rubbed his chin as if he could wipe away the unwelcome touch of the dead.
I only had to endure a few seconds of that, he realized.Rowan was face-to-face with his guilt for almost ten minutes. Gods below, he must be beside himself. Fuck, he shouldn’t be alone, either.
Ieduin pushed through the library doors and paused in the darkened hallway, wondering which way to go. Where would Rowan go? It was late, but not so late that most people would be asleep. Rowan was a private man who valued his personal space. He’d feel safest in his room, and right now, that was exactly what he probably wanted, even if that wasn’t what he needed.
Ieduin jogged through the castle, dodging servants bringing plates to and from the great hall. The Crows and Rowan’s farmer army would rotate through for supper. He hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time. There were guards posted in the royal wing, but they knew him on sight. They looked up and greeted him with a nod, letting him pass.
The door to Rowan’s room was cracked open, and Ieduin took it as an invitation to enter. The sitting room was empty, but it sounded like the whole tempest from outside had made its way into his bedroom.
Ieduin shoved the door open and stopped in the doorway. The double doors to Rowan’s balcony were wide open. Wind tore at the curtains and scattered papers around the room while a torrent of rain flooded the area around the balcony. Rowan stood out on the balcony, his face turned up into the storm, eyes closed, hands out, letting the fury of the storm claw at him.
Fists clenched, Ieduin stomped through the half-flooded bedroom to grab Rowan by his collar. “You idiot!” he shouted, dragging him back into the bedroom. “You’ll catch your death in that! Are you trying to get killed?”
Ieduin let go of Rowan long enough to close and lock the doors, but it was too late. He was already soaked to the bone.