A King and a Monster: Shades of the City Book III by Danielle K Roux

Author:Danielle K Roux [Roux, Danielle K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Parliament House Press

CHAPTER 16

THE ONE WHERE RAITH IS BORED

(Saturday, Noon)

“Waiting like this is seriously the worst, right?” Raith tried to make conversation with the stoic shade beside him.

While James Sydis stood stock still, a blank-faced sentry, Raith could not stay in one place for more than an instant. He restlessly glided back and forth along the edge of the barrier, testing the tether that anchored him to the site that Rin had left him. It was a shorter leash than before—he could only go about five paces before feeling the pull of the invisible binding.

“I’m getting bored,” Raith complained. “Are you sure we can’t go through the barrier? I want to see what’s going on. How long do you think they’re going to be?”

“Listen,” James spoke in a low voice, glancing around them for hidden foes as he drew in closer to Raith, “they’re not coming back. Not without our help.”

“What do you mean, our help?” Raith lowered his own voice in response, rising up to meet James’s intense, dark eyes. “Do you know who I am? I’m not exactly the ride in on the white horse and save the day kind of guy. You want me to help save my ex-boyfriend, his boyfriend, and my murderer?”

“Surely she’s more to you than that,” James retorted. “But yes. That’s what I want you to do. Will that be a problem for you?”

Raith didn’t even pause long enough to consider his reply, just shook his head.

“Good,” James said. “Now, I don’t really have time to explain everything, so…would you mind if I just restore your memories? It will cause some distress, maybe an unbearable amount, depending on what you’ve been through that’s been repressed.”

“That sounds terrible…but necessary,” Raith agreed, a nervous edge sharpening his tone. After waiting around for hours, so much was happening all at once. “I think I would be willing to try it.”

“I need a clear yes, or I won’t do this. I don’t want to hurt you, but it will hurt,” James warned, holding up his palm as though he intended to slap Raith across the face.

“Yes,” Raith answered with a clear fortitude. Remembering what happened was worth more than any discomfort the memories would cause.

He knew that now, from his time spent with the residents of the Field and their treasured collections of memories. He recalled the spirit named Jutta, who collected memories of love. She had said that she valued all kinds of love the same: tragic love, small fleeting moments of love, and epic love stories spanning decades and centuries. Jutta had given him a memory of a sweet spring day with her first love—a beautiful woman named Hilde who had magical talents that she used to see and feel things beyond her mundane life at a convent. He, in turn, gave a memory of his night with Alan, where they’d fought and Alan had nearly ended up dead. It was a terrible memory, but important, and Jutta had valued it the same as her spring day in love.

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