Shadowburn (2)

Chapter 32

Andreas strode into the dining room and the moment he spotted Kalen, he pinned the other sorcerer against the wall, his elbow at his throat. Kalen stared at him with large, bewildered eyes. "Did you know?" Andreas demanded. He didn't care that every single eye in the room stared at him.

He heard Sin telling them all to get out in her Queenly tone. Andreas didn't care.

He glared at Kalen.

"I didn't, I swear! I knew Casian was in love with her, but everyone except the two of you knew that. But that's all." Andreas stared at him for a moment and then let him go. He turned to Sin. "Ask your elf to find out if he's telling the truth."

Kalen gaped at him.

Sin looked at Andreas for a moment before saying, "He already did. There's a rune set on him that will flare if he lies to you."

Andreas nodded and walked out of the room. Wordlessly. There was too much going on in his head. Too much noise.

He needed to blow of steam. And he needed to do it somewhere where no one would get hurt.

I'll be back in a couple of hours. Do not follow me. He told Sin as he strode from the room.

Stay safe. I love you, she said, and Andreas softened, nearly stayed. But he couldn't. There was too much pent up rage. And if someone even so much as looked at him wrong, he would explode. So he left after sending Sin a feeling of warmth, just to let her know that he wasn't mad at her.

*****

Hours later, and a couple of thousand dead trees, Andreas walked up the steps of the front porch. The moon hung low in the sky, bathing the world in a soft glow. Everyone would be gathering for dinner. Andreas knew he had to eat something, but didn't want to go into the dining room if Casian was there. As he walked into his mansion, he sent Sin a quick message.

Is Casian there?

No, she replied instantly. He left too, and isn't back yet. She wrapped him in a mental hug. Andreas sighed and flashed himself into the dining room, not bothering with the few feet it was to walk. He was standing right behind Sin, and he noticed that all the others were in their seats, their eyes on him.

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss in her hair before moving to his seat, sinking down into it. Sin smiled at him a little and pushed a plate filled with food toward him. He grinned at her gratefully, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Sin resumed eating, her head quiet -- too quiet. Andreas frowned before he started eating his own food.

After a while she took a deep breath. We don't have to talk about it. But you should know that I heard everything.

I assumed as much when I saw the elf.

She nodded mentally. Thank you for that, by the way. He's too proud to say it--but we're both grateful.

You're welcome, though I do not require gratitude. It was my fault he looked like that in the first place.

She sent him a wry smile. That's exactly what he said when I told him to say thank you.

He was right.

Thank you, that's what I said, Thorn muttered.

Andreas removed himself from Sin's mind. He wasn't in the mood for the elf, not now. Instead, he continued eating in silence. His thoughts kept going back to what Casian had said. Skylar had been pregnant. That had been eleven years ago.