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She did. Lunara also knew Fern was maybe the one person who would be able to see through her falsehoods to the intentions beneath. Who’d know that none of her plans for this evening included laying in bed, or visiting the archives, or sparring on the practice field.
Lunara would be elsewhere.
Then again, someone needed to know that Brand and Magnus were safe in the tower. If for no other reason than to keep the whole of Bordoroth from losing their ever-living shite thinking two Imperial Sons had gone missing this time.
“I’ll find her,” she promised. “If he wakes up, tell him…tell him I’m sorry.”
With that, Lunara left, not waiting to hear his response.
“If you ever do that again, I will pin you down and tear every pretty hair out of your head one by one and feed them to you.”
Lunara stifled a yawn, tracking Fern’s tirade from her perch on their bed. “No, you won’t.”
“No? You don’t think so?”
“I know so.”
“Yeah, well, there’s only one way to know for sure, isn’t there? So don’t go fucking around!” Fern’s nostrils flared, one of her eyes twitching. “What were you thinking?”
“You’re not the first person to ask me that tonight, and I doubt you’ll be the last. There was little thought to it. All your lives were at risk and I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to a single one of you.”
Fern scoffed, throwing her arms up. “We’re pissed and asking because we care, you blimmin’ bum-blossom. As usual, your pixie-headed arse likes to conveniently leave itself out of the fucking equation. Your life was at risk. Something could have happened to you.”
Wait ’til she finds out you tricked her in order to go to another realm alone in the dead of night.
Lunara was…not looking forward to that.
“Fern, please. We’re all here. Brand is safe upstairs, Magnus is with him, and nothing did happen to me. What more do you want?”
“Are you fucking joking? Nothing happened to you? Lunara, half your body looks like a blazing tree took a shit on it and planted roots. Not to mention that feeding did nothing to heal it. Where’s your pissing head at?”
Lunara clenched her teeth until they were at risk of cracking apart. “I don’t need a lecture or the reminder. I made a choice, what’s done is done, on and on, et cetera. I can’t change it now, and I’m bleeding exhausted.”
Not a lie. Her bones were practically begging to be horizontal. At least Fern gifted her with a goblet of blood before the yelling. It may not have fixed the mess on her chest, but she wasn’t aching anymore. Just utterly spent.
“Fine.” Fern stomped over to the bed and jumped in, her verdant wings easing her down. “But we’re picking this back up in the morning. I have at least a dozen insults cooking that I think apply, and you have to sit through hearing every one of them for what you did.”
“Deal. Can we please go to bed now?”
Fern’s brown eyes narrowed on her. “Yes. We can. Sleep sweet, you fucking idiot.”
The Fae flopped onto her stomach, wrestling with her pillow. Lunara knew Fern’s hand was wrapped around her mace beneath its downy mass, ready for anything that might come along uninvited. It was a comfort, really—as long as the damned thing wasn’t turned in her direction.
Which might be the case when all was said and done.
A problem for tomorrow. She’ll forgive you, just like the rest of them will.
Lunara wasn’t sure she’d deserve it. Not if she didn’t find the answers she was looking for.
She put her hand to the flat, stone tabs beside the bed and pressed without thinking. When the lights dimmed to nothing, it felt like the beast had suddenly descended. Panic flared, tight and choking, as his words ricocheted through her mind.
“That glorious winking out of harsh light, little one.”
Her hand hovered there for far too long, trying to decide whether it was worth it to brighten the room again, just to erase the fear and find some peace.
It’s fine. You’re fine. He isn’t here.
He was though. A few turns and a winding staircase away. Slowly eating at what was left of her mate.
