Nikhail had no idea what had happened, but he wasn’t concerned about the details right now. River was hurting, and that was all the information he needed. If she wanted to share the details later, he’d listen. If not, he’d still remain by her side.
“You had no right to keep this from me, Ryker,” River said softly. “None at all.”
“No, I…” The captain glanced between River and Nikhail pleadingly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“But you did.”
The air pulsed with tension as River slid her hand into Nikhail’s. She clung to him, as if he were the anchor she needed to withstand this storm.
Nikhail would gladly fill that role.
“I understand where you were coming from, Ryker, I do. But youliedto me. Maybe not outright, but you hid the truth from me.” Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “Youhurtme. Not only because of what I learned, but because I trusted you.”
Ryker’s face drained of all remaining color. “Youcantrust me, River. I swear.”
“Can I?” Her voice quivered.
“Yes. Always.” Ryker stepped towards River, raising a hand as though to touch her, but River moved away.
“I don’t know if I can,” she admitted.
A broken, anguished sound escaped the captain. “What?”
“I thought you were a safe space for me, Ryker,” she whispered. “In the face of the way we grew up, with the way Mom has always treated me, with my magic… But now, I don’t know. I feel like I don’t know anything at all.”
Ryker looked like he’d just been punched in the gut.
River inhaled, a shaky, broken sound. “I don’t think I can stay here right now.”
“Yes, you can. Brynleigh and I love having you here with us. You’re my sister,” the captain said pleadingly.
“And you’re my brother. You always will be—that hasn’t changed. But I need some space.”
“Please, don’t go. Don’t do this.”
River trembled and, gods. It was as if Nikhail could feel her pain resonating through him. Every part of him contorted.
“I have to,” she said. “I need to process this, and I can’t do it here.”
Nikhail had seen dying men who were in less agony than Ryker Waterborn. Sorrow and misery swam in the depths of the captain’s eyes. When Nikhail glanced at River, he saw the same pain reflected in hers.
Ryker slowly lowered his hand and shook his head. “Okay. You need time. That’s fair. I understand where you’re coming from.”
“Thank you.”
“Where will you go?” Torment laced his every word. “Back to Waterborn House?”
River sucked in a breath, and her fingers tightened around Nikhail’s, as if she hadn’t considered this yet. “I… I don’t…”
“She can come with me,” Nikhail offered. “I’m staying with Atlas, and he has an extra spare room.”
Not that Nikhail wouldn’t love sharing a bed with River, but this didn’t seem like the right moment to bring that up.
Ryker was dealing with enough.
River craned her head to look at him, and relief flashed through her lovely gaze. “You’re sure, Nik?”
If he had his way, she would remain by his side every moment of every day for the rest of their long lives. Something told him that might be a bit too much to say right now, so he settled on, “Of course, I’m sure.”