A Dark and Starless Night

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Eve walked the streets with Rik and Fin, her arms wrapped around her.

"What kind of a man won't save a life when he can?" Rik asked. He'd stalked after Lee and had started an argument, until Fin had practically dragged him from the brothel.

"You can't expect someone to uproot their life," Fin said. "Don's life can't be put on the shoulders of one person."

"That's not what anyone was suggesting. But he could've helped."

"You literally said the words 'his life is in your hands' at one point," Fin said, crooking an eyebrow.

"Well," he said, cheeks flushing, "I wasn't being literal."

"Maybe you should add that as a disclaimer next time," he said, laughing.

"What were you even doing in that brothel?" he asked him.

"I knew you two would cock things up one way or another. What were you doing outside ringing your hands?"

Eve started. Rik had been outside? For how long? And why had he come back?

"How did you get in without me seeing?" Rik demanded, ignoring the question.

"I climbed in a window. In all honesty, I would've been downstairs sooner but I got distracted by the things a woman was doing to some lucky bastard. I've never seen a tongue used like that."

"Shut up," Rik said, slapping the back of Fin's head.

When they got back to the inn, Rik walked her to her room, hesitating at the door. He opened his mouth, but closed it again before pulling her into a hug.

"I was so scared," he murmured into her hair, his arms tight around her. "I didn't know what was happening. I still don't know, but..." He shuddered, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

She wrapped her arms around him, feeling gentle tears spill. "I'm sorry for what I said. You frustrate me at times. But I know you're a good man. I know."

"I'm sorry too," he said. "I was scared and angry."

"Scared?" she asked, pulling back despite knowing her face was red and damp. "Why were you scared?"

"That you'd finally realised I'm not a very worthy friend," he admitted, voice tight.

She shook her head and hugged him again, resting her cheek against his chest. "You're here. You came after me. You brought me across Zyrna on a fool's errand. You're the best friend I could have."

"Don't let Ali hear you," he said, laughing a little.

She closed her eyes and focused on the warmth of him for a heartbeat before she pulled back, wiping at her cheeks.

"Thank you," she said, looking down.

"For what?"

"For coming back. For me."

"No matter the fight," he said, his voice low, "no matter what's said between you and I. We will always be friends. I swear."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she said, laughing a little, although it wasn't entirely a joke.

"I mean it, Eve."

With that, he reached out and gave her arm a squeeze before turning and heading into his room. Eve quietly slipped in to her room, relieved to see Ali was asleep. She quickly changed and eased into her bed.

"How did it go?" Ali murmured, sleep heavy on her voice.

"It... he's not coming. But he's giving us a written testimony."