Burning Key

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Hesitating outside the guest room door, Cleo raised her fist to the wood, pausing before finally softly knocking three times. She waited a few seconds before opening it a crack, peeking inside to see the room impeccably clean and the balcony doors open. Night had fallen and the moon was bright in the sky with stars twinkling all throughout the darkness.

Adeena stood on the balcony, her hands resting gently on the railing, head tilted back with her eyes closed. She was wearing a black version of her Lady in White attire, her blond hair braided back into one thick plait. There were no weapons on her, unlike Cleo who kept her dagger on her thigh.

When Cleo stepped up beside her, Adeena looked over with a smile.

She gave her an overall look, shaking her head. "You know, I think this is the most we've looked alike since we were toddlers."

Cleo looked down at all the black leather she was wearing, seeing it was almost identical to hers, right down to the braid. "You know I did this on purpose."

She snorted out a laugh. "Sure, you did."

They stood on the balcony in content silence, staring out toward the back palace gardens and all of Ayveri beyond. A few moments later, Adeena's hand reached over to cover Cleo's and she squeezed it tight.

"Do we know when Dessa and Elys should be back from dinner?" Adeena asked quietly then.

"Sometime soon, I would imagine. Jai's probably carrying Lenora back since it's past her bedtime, though she's been hyper since we got here. She's so much like Dessa was at her age, having everyone wrapped around her finger being the youngest."

"So we have a few more hours."

"And yet we're both already dressed and ready to go."

Adeena's smile edged on the side of it being a grimace.

This time, Cleo was the one to squeeze her hand. "What's going on? What are you thinking?"

"What if I can't do it, what Elys says I'm to do?" she whispered after a short stretch of silence. "I don't remember how I did it, bringing myself and Grandfather back. Or worse yet...what if he doesn't want to come back?"

In all honesty, Cleo didn't know what to say to ease Adeena's worries. "I'm not the one you need to try and convince."

"Everyone else?" she asked, raising a brow.

"No, because they know what you're capable of."

"Then who?"

"Yourself, obviously. You're overthinking it all, second guessing everything you think of. You know what you can do and you do it well. So well that it's probably scary to witness in person."

"What I can do is the exact opposite of what I'm supposed to do with Destan," Adeena said in a whisper.

"And while your work in taking lives involves those who deserve it, you're going to be giving life back to someone who deserves it even more. Someone whose family is going to get him back after over twenty years of having him gone. Someone who I know you love very much, even if you haven't had the normal experience in being together. Jai, Laurel, Eamon, and his parents shouldn't have lost him the way they did...but you shouldn't have had to lose your mate in that way either."

Adeena's eyes were shining as she smiled at Cleo, stepping closer to hug her tight, which she returned.

"I love you," she whispered to her. "Thank you."