Page 17 of Andreas

News that the council was assembling reached Rymedur a few days after his wife had returned from Vennedove. She had spent most of the time since in her study or at the fighting ring, sparing only a few minutes to visit their children. Her behaviour did not surprise Rymedur; she typically threw herself into her work—especially if something was left unfinished.

What had surprised him, however, was the disarray of documents scattered around their room. Areanel had always been organised and prided herself on keeping sensitive information secure. What mission could cause her to be so careless? She seemed distracted. Something was bothering her, and Rymedur intended to find out why.

However, that would have to wait.

His arms strained with the weight of the tiny body as he threw the child up in the air. Giggles, like the tinkling of chimes, filled the room as he played with his daughter Aurora.

Rymedur felt a wave of happiness as the giggling girl flew in the air and back into his arms. A sense of nostalgia coated his skin, a thin layer of sweet honey, as he thought back to a little over a year ago. How had she grown so much in such a small amount of time?

A light, airy scent, sweet and fruity, permeated the space, and Rymedur’s playful grin softened. Taking a deep breath of what had become his favourite scent—pomegranates and verbena—Rymedur brought a giggling Aurora closer to him and whispered in her ear, ‘Looks like your ina is here.’

‘Mama!’ Aurora chortled with glee, reaching her small hands towards the doors behind him.

For a brief moment, as the light caught on the green of Aurora’s eyes, Rymedur was met with the heavy shadow of grief that weighed his shoulders. His youngest reminded him so much of the son he lost—Resmundur was in every playful action, every shared laugh and mischievous look. The reminder caused Rymedur to falter, his laughter momentarily halting as he reminisced on all the times he had played with Resmundur, and how Aurora would never know the kind, gentle brother that had been taken from her before she had the chance to meet him.

How long would he feel the weight of grief, and when would their son be avenged?

With a gentle kiss to the centre of her temple, Rymedur pushed thoughts of vengeance away and concentrated on the present. He tossed Aurora up into the air again. Shadows pulled themselves away from his skin, chasing the young girl as she sailed, whipping and curving around her playfully.

Wild, pure white hair flew in every direction as Aurora soared. The muscles in Rymedur’s arms flexed as he reached up to catch her. Bright, excited giggles sounded. Footsteps clicked against the marble floors, and that refreshing citrusy scent he had grown to love slowly seeped into the room, like smoke billowing beneath a closed door.

With a creak, the door swung open. The clicking of footsteps continued, and two shadows stood over him, long and domineering. The steps slowed, then came to a stop.

Looking up from where he was sprawled on the floor, Rymedur gave Areanel a bright smile. He could feel the way his cheeks stretched, no doubt emphasising his dimple and the scar marring the left side of his face.

Areanel peered down at him, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in question. But Rymedur could see how she subtly bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to stop her smile from spreading. He knew her too well.

Aurora’s giggles broke the trance, pulling his attention to where she was still encased in his shadows. The inky phantoms spiralled around the young girl and licked at her face like excited pups.

The colour of a fire recently extinguished—a mixture of grey and white fur—padded toward the young girl, head bowed and eyes filled with curiosity. Ash—another of Areanel’s bonded wolves and Winter’s brother—sniffed Aurora’s stark white hair.

Rymedur felt his shadows respond to Ash’s closeness. They paused their movements, as if examining him. Curious. Intrigued. Then, satisfied, a single whisper of a shadow peeled away from the others. Reaching out, the point wiggled against Ash’s nose.

A short, forceful burst of air suddenly escaped the wolf’s nose, and a splatter of (what Rymedur hoped was) water hit the back of his hand. The ash-coloured wolf snorted and shook his head, causing the rest of the droplets to hit Aurora’s face. The girl giggled, completely unfazed.

‘I thought you said you were putting her down for her nap?’ Areanel questioned.

The corner of his mouth tipped up in a small, lopsided smile. Rymedur knew she wouldn’t be able to resist Aurora’s innocent playfulness—he didn’t think anyone could. Especially him. Which is why he was in his current situation. ‘I was! But then she wanted to play. And what can a da do but oblige?’

Raven strands swished back and forth as Areanel shook her head. Her bright smile, almost identical to their daughter’s, filled him with a comforting warmth. Areanel reprimanded with a chuckle, ‘You spoil her.’

‘Of course I do. She’s adorable—and my baby girl, after all.’ Rymedur pushed himself off the floor and sat. Turning, he set Aurora on the ground and steadied her as she waddled towards her mother. She had grown so much.

Ash let out a yawn, stretching. Flopping down beside Rymedur, the wolf leaned his enormous head against Rymedur’s leg. Rymedur sent a few shadows his way, and they scratched behind the wolf’s ear as he merrily wagged his tail.

However, Rymedur’s focus was on Areanel. She crouched, poking their daughter’s plump cheeks and giving her a kiss. Aurora’s face squished against Areanel’s lips as she held the young girl close, but something about how she did so made Rymedur worry about his wife. She seemed sad. Anxious.

Aurora giggled, clinging to Areanel’s small pendant. Rymedur remembered the day King Aerileas had given her the necklace. It had been strange to see her father so… emotional with her. King Aerileas had been beside himself with worry, which was unlike him. Rymedur had seen the man cut down entire armies without batting an eye. He had never known him to be so tender—and with Areanel, at that. If anything, King Aerileas had always been more severe with her compared to her brothers, though Rymedur was unsure as to why.

He couldn’t understand why Areanel still loved her father after everything he’d had her do. How many times had she whispered of wanting to run away? There had been countless plans concocted in the dead of night, shared only when they were alone and hidden within his shadows—a cocoon of safety where they could share their worries and dreams.

Yet, for some reason, he had never seen her remove the necklace. She cherished it, often finding solace in the small object. It was like she physically could not bring herself to take it off. Rymedur hated how she clung to the only time her father had shown her such kindness.

Like a fiery beast in the depths of his soul, his hatred waited patiently, hoarding his rage. One of these days, Rymedur worried it would burst.

‘The council has called a meeting,’ Areanel informed him, though her full focus seemed to be on the little girl who was now trying to nibble on her necklace. Her cobalt eyes shone with glee as she tickled Aurora’s belly and nuzzled her neck, and the sound of joy that escaped her had Rymedur’s heart leaping. Gods, he was smitten! If his childhood friends could see him now, they would tease him to no end.

His face fell as he remembered them. It had been years since he last saw them… before the war.