The Crystal Mines

43 Nik

After Taury let go of my arm I walked out of the library, needing space from the truth Alden spoke. He must have wanted to make the promise the night I had caught him with Dath, arguing in the alleyway. I was confused and hurt. Things could have gone so differently. I wasn't sure where to go, or what to do. By the time I got halfway up the main staircase, I decided on just going to my rooms. Maybe I would take another bath. I could still feel the ghosts of the grime of the prison.

I rounded the corner and walked straight into someone, caught up in my thoughts.

"Sorry," I began before looking up. Ameer was there hands out, as if ready to catch me.

His face was calm, and I could see the tattoo he shared with Callion poking through the top of his shirt. I knew it was wings with the face of a lion in the middle. Callion's displayed wings with a panther. He caught me staring and grinned wildly. I couldn't move. My feelings were incredibly conflicted, and I wasn't sure how to sort through so much. Not even mentioning that I lived my days in the mine on repeat every second of every day. Ameer must have noticed because he asked, "What's wrong, angel?"

At the mention of his nickname for me, I broke. Tears pooling to the surface. He reached out but didn't touch as he once would have. Instead, I threw myself forward, hugging him tight. Needing the comfort desperately. His large arms came around me without hesitation. A hand to the back of my head. Warm lips on my forehead. We stayed that way until my breathing had slowed and the calming strokes of his hand down my hair met the beating of my heart.

He pulled away slightly, concern riddling his face. "Want to talk about it?"

I nodded, not even bothering to wipe my face. He led me to his rooms and Sorin was sitting at a table, eating. Upon seeing us, he grabbed a couple items off the plate and made himself scarce. I reached out to him, regretful for intruding on his meal. He shook his head kindly, his locks swaying with the motion. With a small smile, he shut the door behind him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to–"

"Nik, please stop apologizing." Ameer sat next to me on a couch by their terrace. His hand was holding something out for me. A macaroon. I leaned my head on his shoulder and took it, tears returning.

The flavor of the desert was divine. A rich chocolate with a hint of coconut. While I ate, Ameer tentatively placed and arm around the back of the couch. His fingers drew circles on my back. And I was relieved that I did not flinch at the tender touch. I closed my eyes at the feeling of his strong chest breathing in and out against my arm and couldn't help but snuggle into his shoulder further. His locks brushed my cheek as he leaned down to look at me. He sighed and brought his arm fully around my shoulders.

"What's wrong, Nik?" He whispered against the top of my head.

"There is just too much." I tried to start to explain. I rattled on about the shock of meeting Callion in the mines. I recalled as much of I could of mining each day, showering publicly, barley eating. I spoke of the whippings and the time Callion, and I were punished together. How my shirt had finally broken apart and I was left topless in front of hundreds of men, bleeding. He took in a sharp breath at that, but I continued on, his hand never leaving my shoulder. When I told him of our time in solitary, when he visited the both of us in our mind space, he was shaken at how badly we had had it. I told him how Trife saved my life and fed the both of us, baffling Viorica, as we should have died. By the time I got around to our time in the labs and The Pit, he had to reach up and wipe his face of the silent tears. He clearly didn't want to disturb my tale and I couldn't stop now that I had already begun.