He opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, but no words came out.
I sat down first, settling by the guardrail as the sky deepened to shades of violet and gold, the sun sliding toward the horizon. The air was warm, humming softly with the last trace of
day. A moment later, he joined me, sitting close enough that I could feel his presence, though a careful breath of space still lingered between us.
“The horizon looks calm,” he said.
“It does,” I answered.
“It’s probably an illusion. The Auroric Veil hides more than it shows. You can’t see what’s actually happening beyond it.”
He opened his mouth again as if he wanted to say something, but didn’t, so I did it for him. “Come on, Thalen, I know you well; you came to apologize. Just do it.”
“I’m sorry for being overprotective,” he said quietly. “You don’t need me hovering over you like that. That poor miner didn’t deserve what I did either. But I’ll do anything to earn your forgiveness.” His voice wavered slightly, softening. He added,“Eventually, we’ll have to marry. When that day comes, I want you to know I tried to win you back the right way.”
His fingers brushed mine, tentative at first, as if waiting for me to pull away. I didn’t, though part of me wanted to. Then his hand settled over mine, warm and steady, a weight that felt both familiar and distant at once.
“And… no one else means more to me than you,” Thalen said, his voice lower now. “Marla Yung means nothing. That was… a lapse of judgment. The first-year pressure….”
I met his gaze, letting him see that it was enough, that I didn’t want to hear another word about Marla. His eyes, bright and gold in the fading light, held nothing but regret and sincerity. I knew he was sorry. I knew he meant it. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze, a quiet apology that said more than words ever could.
I turned my gaze back to the sky, where streaks of violet deepened into night. He still held my hand. I could have pulled away. I should have, but I didn’t. Instead, I let it stay, watching the quiet space between our fingers, studying their shape as though they belonged to strangers who hadn’t already hurt each other.
Once, that touch had been an anchor. A silent “I’ve got you” in the middle of chaos.
Now, it was something else; an echo of that anchor, blurred and waterlogged. My pulse stayed steady. My chest stayed still. The connection wasn’t gone, but it had been rewired, stripped of the pull that used to draw me toward him without my permission.
And still, I didn’t move. Maybe it was a habit. Maybe defiance, proof I could let him close without letting him in.
His thumb skimmed the edge of my knuckles, slow and absent, and I wondered if he felt it too, that whatever we held between us had already slipped through our fingers.
Heavy footsteps broke the stillness again. I turned and there they were.
Lorik entered first, Ugo at his side, both stopping just inside the archway to the open terrace, mats spread across the floor.
“The terrace is for Dragontail training,” Lorik said, his gaze dropping to our joined hands, “not romantic sunset views.”
His voice carried sass and irritation. I let go of Thalen’s hand and stood up without hesitation. Thalen followed.
Thalen’s voice snapped like a whip. “Always hovering around her, like you’re stalking prey you want to hurt and intimidate.”
Lorik’s reply was almost lazy. “First, we train here after dark every day. Second, she’s a big girl. I’m sure she can fight her own battles without you speaking for her.”
For once, he was right.
And for one dangerous moment, I got lost in those silver eyes, forgot that he and his girlfriend had nearly killed me.
“We were done with sunset watch anyway, Lorik Draventh,” I said, my voice edged with sarcasm “And no, I don’t need anyone’s protection or someone else to handle my fights. Unlike you. You had your girlfriend jump me to settle your score.”
“Girlfriend?” Ugo cut in, but I didn’t pause.
“You and Rory hate me. Fine. Message received. But I’m done playing the nice one. She almost killed me. And here’ssomething you both keep forgetting: Thea Solenhart is not weak.”
Ugo’s gaze swept over me. “That pride’s cute, Solenhart, but none of this would’ve gone that far if you’d tapped out and known your limits.”
I didn’t respond. He wasn’t wrong.
Instead, as I walked out, I stepped past Lorik, deliberately brushing his arm with my shoulder.