Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,102

thickly. “I was mostly afraid of losing her.”

“She loves you, Bolt,” Night says.

“Did she say that?” I ask, hope surging.

Tri shakes his head. “She didn’t have to, you could see it from a mile away. She’s really hurting. She wouldn’t be so upset if she didn’t care. She’s trying to process all of this.”

“You need a few more hours to heal up, and you should probably give her some space anyway,” Night says, his expression solemn.

“I have to talk to her.”

“Text her.” Tri hands me my phone. The screen is cracked. “Oh! It happened when you shifted…I think. I found it about fifteen feet up the sidewalk from where you were lying when we found you.”

I have a burning question inside of me. It’s eating at me. I have to know. “Did she ask about Gabby?”

Tri rubs the back of his head and looks at the floor. Night gets this ‘deer in the headlights’ look. “She wanted to know what a harpy was. She said that the cyclopes mistakenly thought that she was someone else. The guy who had her kept talking to her like they had met before. He kept telling her to give him his power back. Poor bastard. About that…” he narrows his eyes in thought, “I assumed everyone got their power back when she died. Can’t be the case, though.”

“That is a good point,” Tri chimes in. “Maybe it was because Lyre was there when she died. Maybe she chose to give his power back. Maybe—”

“Who gives a fuck!” I boom. “We’ll never know. What did you tell Ashley? About the harpy that is? About our connection.”

“I just said that she was someone from your past,” Night says. “She asked if you two had been together.”

“What did you say?” I finally ask when he doesn’t go on.

“I said, not exactly.” He winces. “She tried to push me to say more, but I told her it wasn’t my place.”

“Not exactly,” I groan. “That sounds bad. It’s a fucking mess.”

“She wasn’t impressed at all,” Tri throws in.

“What did she say?” I ask.

“She didn’t say anything,” Night says, sounding frustrated. “She didn’t have to. Text her. Get some rest and then go and fix it. I’m sure she’ll understand. This is not the kind of thing you spring on a person.”

“I’ve known her for weeks. We got serious nearly two weeks ago already. I should have told her. I was going to.”

“You can do it now. Tell her how you really feel about her,” Trident says. “Ashley loves you. She’ll forgive you. I know she will.”

I nod.

“Try to sleep first. You’re going to need your strength. Women can be—”

“What’s that, hon’?” Shannon says as she walks through the door. She’s carrying a tray.

“Nothing, babe. Just saying how women are godsends.” He kisses her on the cheek and takes the tray.

“I made you some chicken soup.” Shannon smiles at me. “How’s your throat feeling?”

The sound of thunder cracks above us and the first drops of rain start to fall. “I don’t think it’s his throat that’s the problem anymore,” Tri remarks.

Another clap of thunder sounds and the heavens open.

“Not again!” Night groans.

What have I done? Fuck! I was about to tell her. I was starting that conversation when I was tackled. It’s probably why they were able to sneak up on me in the first place. I was so busy trying to formulate what I was about to say to her, I didn’t hear those fuckers. I know Ashley’s feelings on honesty. I know that she was afraid to start a relationship with me. That she took a real chance. I know even more acutely than ever that I let her down. I hope she’ll give me a chance to fix it. I know deep down that it probably won’t happen. I’m such a fucking asshole!

31

Ashley

A storm has been raging for hours. Funny how the weather is a perfect reflection of how I’m feeling inside. I’m a war of emotions. Anger – plenty of anger – and then there’s pain. I’m hurt. Seriously and deeply hurt.

Maybe I’m silly to feel this way. Bolt and I haven’t been together for very long. I’m certain he was going to tell me. At least I think he was. I hope he was. I can’t be sure of that. I’m not sure of anything anymore. That’s the heart of the problem. The reason I’m so broken up over this.

I really thought we had something special. Something deep and meaningful. He should have told me.