Beneath the Sunless Sky

Chapter Forty

—Rynbelle—

It was the best night's sleep she had in a long while. No interruptions of the Grave. No flitting between worlds. No nightmares. No Xaelan. Only restful, dreamless sleep that had overtaken her the moment she had collapsed into bed. The sparring had been a nice diversion, exactly what she had needed after everything, but, if she was honest, the physical exertion hadn't been what had ultimately allowed her mind to rest.

It was Adix.

Though it may have seemed a small thing to him, when he had opened The Broken Song, actually peering into its pages to discover the truth of the matter, whether she was a Savior or a fool, she had felt something that had eluded her since the day she left home behind.

Perfect, utter trust.

She was not ready to see those pages for herself, and Adix had known that. He hadn't tried to force her to look. He had given her the time she needed to sort through her thoughts herself. How he had known exactly what she needed in that moment, she couldn't be sure, but it had made her heart swell in ways it had never done so before.

Alistair had tempted her, had made her believe she could be worthy of love, but it wasn't until Adix had opened that book and offered her a night free from thought, from expectation, that she had known, without a doubt, that she wanted to truly fall in love. The affection she had felt for Alistair all those long months ago paled in comparison to the trust Adix had made her feel. They had kissed, a wonderful freeing moment, but she still didn't know if her affections were returned. Their tender moment had been broken by patrolling guards, and only then had they realized how late it truly was. Exhaustion had overtaken her, and she had only nodded as he led her back to her room. Did he feel the same? Ori didn't know, but the possibility set her heart aflutter for the first time since Alistair had looked at her as though she was a monster.

And now, it wasn't just thoughts of Adix setting her mind at ease. Her father had spoken to her through the dreamer flowers in their garden, his words able to reach her no matter where she was, though she had never told them that. The communication was only one way, and it was more for her peace of mind than anything else. She didn't know what had moved her father to speak to her directly through the flowers, but she was grateful all the same. It had been a long time since he had spoken through them. The sound of his voice was a comfort she had dearly missed.

So relaxed and content with thoughts of good things, it made what happened next so much more jarring. She had just finished dressing, turning to head toward the door when the world around her changed. For a moment, she didn't even notice. The transition had been so smooth that, at first, her thoughts were still consumed by Adix and her family. But then, with a sudden start, she realized her bedchamber had faded away for the same room she had seen the night before.

A lavish sitting room with plush white carpet, curtains billowing in a gentle breeze that floated in through the open terrace doors. The nighttime view of the city towering into a glittering sky was just as breathtaking as before. She stood there at the doors, staring out in wonder. Arms wrapped around her from behind, a warm chest pressed against her back as lips trailed soft kisses along her neck.

"How did you sleep, Aer'Avyn?" the King of Bones whispered in her ear.

Ori found herself smiling, twirling in his arms as she pressed a kiss to his lips. It was a strange feeling. It was as though she was both in charge of her actions and helpless against them at the same time. But, that familiar feeling of safety had returned, that contentment that he had made her feel. She leaned into his touch, moaning softly when his hands threaded into her hair.