Reflection: Harbinger of the Phoenix (Records of the Ohanzee Book 2) by Smith Rachel R

Author:Smith, Rachel R. [Smith, Rachel R.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2015-09-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

An Unsticky Situation

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, ushered in by a wind tinged with the threat of both rain and cold, as Nerissa and Raysel hurried back to the inn. Fallen leaves skittered across the pavement and swirled around Nerissa’s feet, adding their raspy scratching to the ever-present cacophony of the city. Funny how I never really noticed the constant background noise before, Nerissa mused. At some point, she had grown used to the comparative quiet of Darnal. Even here, in the relative stillness of the central gardens, the sounds and smells of the city filled her senses.

Nerissa matched pace with Raysel step for step, as naturally and as unthinkingly as breathing. Her mind was occupied with the memory of how beautiful these gardens had been when she passed through on her way to Tao’s the previous spring. The changing seasons had not taken away that beauty but transformed it instead. The seasons were not the only thing that had changed since that day. Nerissa glanced around at the towering statues that decorated the garden. At least Casimer had left those undisturbed. Her eyes fell on the statue of King Gared atop his horse, which stood just ahead in the very center of the gardens. There, leaning casually against the horse's massive hind leg, was Rian. His long black hair hung loose and streamed behind him in the wind. A wave of eerie recognition shuddered down Nerissa’s spine.

Distracted by the memory, Nerissa didn’t notice the crack in the pavement until it caught her toe, and the ground rushed up to meet her. Raysel lunged forward and hooked his arm around her waist, steadying her before she dropped Charis’ book. He didn’t seem to notice the shocked expression on her face, but Rian did.

“I know that I have stunningly good looks, but I’ve never seen them actually stun anyone before,” Rian teased with a lopsided grin.

“Actually, I tripped over a crack,” Nerissa retorted playfully. “But you’re right. I was stunned…by the resemblance between you and the backend of that horse.” That was the type of flippant response she had heard other Ohanzee men banter back and forth.

Rian’s jaw dropped, and his head swiveled toward Raysel in a silent plea for backup. Raysel rubbed his mouth to hide his suppressed laughter. “Don’t pick fights you can’t finish on your own,” he managed to say without chuckling.

When Rian turned back to her, Nerissa braced herself for a snarky remark. Instead, he looked…amused? “I’ve got no snappy comeback, Caeneus,” he admitted, shrugging in defeat. He patted her shoulder amicably. “Fair warning, though, I’ll have a good one ready next time.”

It was Nerissa’s turn to look at Raysel with a slack-jawed expression. She had made the remark in jest, but Rian’s attitude was usually so sullen that she had expected him to take it as an insult anyway. The fact that he hadn’t, and had even been pleased by it, was almost baffling. Could she have been judging him too harshly?

Raysel shook his head at them both.

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