She scoffs, tapping the flat side of the blade to her temple. “I've got eyes, don't I?”
Aurora shoves my shoulder, drawing my gaze to her. “Go apologize.”
“For what?” I ask, purposely obtuse.
Hovering behind Aurora – a little too close for my liking – Tristan folds his arms over his chest and arches a single brow. “For being a dick.”
Stepping forward, I slowly lower my head over Aurora’s shoulder, staring him dead in the eyes. “I wasn't a dick.”
Tristan’s eyes flash in response, a thunder roiling within as he meets my challenging stare with one of his own.
Try it, cocksucker.
Meeting Lena, dealing with Ajax, all the drama with Jareth, and now this? It's too much. My mind has been an unmanageable frenzy of chaos, darting from one heightened emotion to the next for too long without reprieve, and I'm a hair's breadth away from snapping. My desperation for control pleads for a release that'll level me out, but that can only be achieved in one of two ways: Fucking or fighting. Since the only person I want to fuck is Lena and that’s out of the question, a fight it is. Based on Tristan's expression, he's in need of one himself.
A shot of excitement shoots through my veins when I meet his hostile gaze that all but guarantees a dirty brawl. He’s human, and normally I wouldn't entertain the idea, but the volatility roiling within me makes me consider an exception.
I’ll just rein it in a bit.
But before I can lift so much as a finger, Aurora slaps her hands to my chest and shoves me back, expunging all thoughts of a fight in an instant. “You called her daft.”
“It was an honest mistake.”
Disliking my answer, Aurora plants her fists on her hips, skewering me with the same evil-eyed glare that forced me to confess all my deepest, darkest secrets as a child.
Born a half-breed, everyone assumed my human blood would dilute my immortal one, ignorantly believing my power would be weakened and therefore, I'd be an easy target. So, they challenged me and I answered. I fought, I bled, and I dominated every motherfucker who thought they could stand against me. Earning my rank through blood, sweat, and tears, my reputation of ruthless brutality was cemented with every victory, and whispers quickly spread of the merciless Gods Wrath. I took no part in fabricating the title, but I thrived under the potent moniker.
I was relentless and vicious, and as I aged, my power became more absolute, indomitable. For no one could stand against me. Anyone who dared is either dead or wishes they were. Which is why when I say there's not much in this world that scares me, it's the truth. But seeing my sister pissed off at me like she is at the moment? Well, she's a bit frightening, to say the least. Aurora may look small and meek, but beneath that mask of sweetness, she's a crazy bitch.
“Maybe, but you didn't need to insult her,” Aurora retorts, poking me in between my pecs. “Go. Apologize.”
There comes a time in every male's life when he realizes if he ever wants to keep his balls, he can’t fold to every demand brought to him by the females in his life. With how loathsome the idea of apologizing to Lena is, it seems that time for me is now.
I square my shoulders. “I'm not apologizing.”
Dropping her head back, Aurora meets my gaze with her narrowed one. “Yes. You. Are.”
Gods, she's terrifying. Hold strong!
Ducking my head until we're nose to nose, I say with steel in my voice, “No.”
Unused to my defiance, Aurora blinks several times in surprise before blowing out a defeated sigh, cupping my cheek.
Annnd that's how you put a female in her place!
Feeling pride as well as an embarrassing amount of relief, I don't hesitate in returning her now-saccharine grin as she brushes her fingers through my hair. Until her smile shrivels to puckered lips and she yanks on my ear.
“Fuck, Aurora!”
“That is not how you speak to ladies.” She clucks her tongue. “I raised you better than that!”
I try to pry her fingers away, but her hand is like a fucking vice. Crouched above the floor, I whip my arms up in defeat. “I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!”
“Darius Lesdanas, you’re going to march your ass out there right now and apologize to her, or so help me gods, little brother, I'll tell the entire court your dick is covered in sores!”
“Fine! Just let go!”
She twists my ear one last time and I yelp before she shoves me away. “Go. Now,” Aurora orders, pointing toward the front of the shop.
“I’m not leaving you alone with them,” I reply, my narrowed eyes darting between the two foreigners while rubbing my ear.
“Darius!”
Enraged but not stupid, I force myself to turn away. “Fuck it, I'm gone!”
Whipping back the curtains, my boot steps echo throughout the shop as I hurriedly tromp past the door to the loft upstairs, the display case to my left, the white stone walls decorated with swords and daggers, only to slow my steps once nearing the archway when I hear something odd, something out of place and unexpected in a blacksmith's shop.
Cocking my head to the side, I try to identify the source, but it's too quiet for me to be sure. It's almost as if someone’s playing an instrument or singing, but the melody is muffled somehow, almost imperceptible. Careful to quiet my steps, I peer around the archway and freeze midstep, struck dumb at the sight and sound of Lena humming to herself.
Her tone is rich but sweet, with a melodic rasp that's elegant yet slightly rough. Her song has no words, but it doesn't need any. I can feel the pain and sorrow, made more so in Lena’s husky, lyrical voice. I've never heard the song before, but it resonates with me on so many levels. So much so, it feels like I've heard it a thousand times before. Heartbreaking, yet hopeful, I soak up every note. Hardly a moment ago I had no control over the swirling chaos within my mind, but listening to her voice now, my rage is dampened and my emotions level out. Calm and peaceful, it's as if her voice is a balm to my soul.
At the sound of Lena’s voice, that strange, corded sensation stretches taut, startling me just as it did when it appeared only moments ago. It snapped into place the moment I stepped into Aurora's workshop, but at a loss for what it is, why it is, or even how it came to be, I smothered the damn thing. But being so close to Lena now, it bites back with a vengeance, refusing to be ignored. My anger is subdued, barely present within her proximity, but flowing within the mysterious tether, I detect a muted echo of sadness and hurt that's unfamiliar. It feels similar to my own, yes, but more feminine and tragic. Soul wrenching. A raw, deep darkness from an old, but mending laceration that something – or someone – has reopened, and it now bleeds anew.
Unaware that she’s being watched, Lena’s hips sway to the song as she sweeps her palm across a copper sword. It seems inconceivable, but seeing Lena’s somber expression, seeing that heart wrenching pain cloud her amethyst eyes, I know these foreign emotions belong not to me, but to her.
I chuckle to myself and shake my head.
Gods, I sound insane. Feeling someone else's emotions? It's ridiculous, not to mention impossible.
