Status Updates From The Jasad Heir (The Scorche...

"Sylvia?” Arin called. His low voice was the best sound I had ever heard. (...) The last of my magic dissipated, and I sagged into Arin’s chest. The Nizahl Heir’s arms went around me (...) He was warm and strong, and he smelled like the rain that never fell in Ayume.
I breathed Arin in, my head slumping over the crook of his arm as Ayume’s air finally put me to sleep."

He's always there for her man 😩

“Sylvia.” There was a strange note in the way he said my name. “You helped me in the Pass. The magic might have driven me from my mind if you had not stopped it.” “Arin.” I said his name the same. “You are more miserly with your gratitude than with your praise. Just say thank you.” Arin gifted me one of his rare smiles. (...) “Thank you,” he said softly."

FOOLS THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE

"His heart raced beneath my wrist. “One, two,” I counted. “You’re alive.” I tightened my hold as his shallow breaths came faster. “Three, four. You’re safe.”
I didn’t know if he could hear me. (...) A gloved hand slid over mine. I startled, rushing to withdraw my arms. Arin’s grip tightened. “Don’t.”
After a few minutes, I relaxed. I rested my cheek against his coat."

🙂‍↕️

“He went back,” Wes murmured, so quietly I almost missed it. (...) “He made a calculation in that moment between the time it would take to capture the girl and the time you had left. He made his choice.” (...) I choose her. (...) “Why would he go back for me? He’s a practical man. He’s been after her for years.” (...) “It wasn’t a choice based on practicality,”

Fuck me

"Arin slept soundly, an arm’s length away from my makeshift cot. He hadn’t woken. Crescent shadows circled his eyes, deep enough to bruise. (...) “You’re awake,” he said. The blade fell to the ground. (...) “I suppose I owe you my gratitude. Thank you.”
“Don’t—” Arin cut himself short, more agitated than I’d ever seen him. “Keep your gratitude. Fortune alone saved you.”

😩

At last, Arin shoved past them. Relief washed over me. (...) At the sight of me, Arin went ashen and rounded on the crowd. “Get a medic!” he roared (...) He dropped to his knees next to me. “Stay with me, Sylvia. Help is coming.” (...) Arin pushed my hair from my face, bending closer. I turned my face into his hand, temporarily trading thought for comfort.+

"Arin’s breath brushed the top of my head. If I turned around, I had a notion we’d be no more than a hairsbreadth apart. “Are we agreed?”
I tore my gaze from the glittering kingdom.
“We are.”

"And you are telling me this with full knowledge I cannot stop you from acting on Vaida’s offer" (...) Arin’s eyes gleamed with approval. “Impressive.” (...) I fluttered my hand in an imitation bow. “I have acquired quite the array of skills under your tutelage." (...) At this, Arin broke out into a grin."

🤧🤧🤧

“It took Arin a second too long to respond. He seemed to be noticing my dress for the first time. His gaze trailed over me, a leisurely perusal that made my mouth dry. Arin’s attention was usually as efficient as him—he didn’t linger, and he certainly never perused. “Nizahl’s colors suit you.”

STFUUU

“I know what you’re going to say.”
“Oh?”
“I shouldn’t have glared at her.”
“You did well, Sylvia.”

Like a poor stray doing appreciating crumbs of bread I tell you

“Don’t fret, Your Highness. My life is not lacking in fulfillment.” Beside me, Arin was rigid and doing a fantastic job of concealing it. (...) “Who fulfills it?” she asked, her voice husky. She slid her gaze meaningfully to Arin, and we both straightened as though struck.
“That’s enough,” Arin growled."

HHEHE

"I hadn’t considered the enormous amount of trust Arin had shown by allowing me access to his wounds."

You foolish foolish girl

“This is the fourth time you’ve mentioned my virtue,” Arin said, and I would swear to Sirauk he sounded amused. “Perhaps preoccupy yourself with a different matter.”
“I don’t—I have not—” Since I would rather have stuck my head under the carriage’s wheels than continued this conversation, I shut my mouth.”

"How bad must the attack on Arin have been to still haunt his guards a decade later?"

IS HE TWENTY SIX

“Are you aware you have five freckles under your jaw?” He offered this information to me with complete seriousness, as though it had escaped from a vault of secrets.

THAT ONE STICKER OF A WOMAN BITING HER LAPTOP

“I made the mistake of glancing up and found my face inches from Arin’s. Curiosity hooded the gaze fixed on mine, entirely too attentive for someone in his condition.
“Stop looking at me,” I demanded. “I am not going to make a mistake.”
A soft laugh escaped Arin. The sound reverberated beneath the palm I’d placed on his chest. It was the first time I’d heard him really laugh.”

“Arin,” I gasped. The first time his name had ever passed my lips. “Please stop.”
It worked. He tensed, tilting his head. His eyes went wide.
The creature blasted toward us, leaping directly for Arin.

This whole scene had me at the edge of my sick bed

"You feel guilty.” I burst into laughter, which promptly devolved into hacking coughs. “The famed Commander feels guilty for nearly killing a village girl. Don’t worry, I don’t think Sefa is upset with you.” (...) “I don’t give a damn about the girl!” Arin shouted, shocking me into silence.

You fool

“I took one of his gloved hands in mine, turning his palm up. (...) I folded his hand over his heart and stepped away. “I am not a coward any more than you are a savior.” (...) Arin tipped my chin up, waiting until I stopped glaring at his forehead to speak. “You said you revolt me. You do, but not for the reasons you think.”

SCREAMING WTH

"The eerie mask had dropped in favor of something I never thought I’d see: bewilderment.
“You chose to stay. Here, in this stone prison, training for a tournament that has a roughly two in three chances of killing you,” he said slowly, disbelieving.

PLS

“This was your doing, wasn’t it?” Wes asked. I dropped into my seat, pulling a bowl of oats soaked in lavender and honey toward me.
“His Highness ordered a patrol to follow one of Raya’s wards around the market and bring back items typically found at an Omalian table,” Jeru added. “He’s never shown any extracurricular interest in food.”

What if we all just—

"He shrugged off his coat and held it toward me. I stared, uncomprehending.
“It’s cold, and you are shivering.” A touch of defensiveness crept into his tone. “Illness eats more time than I have to spare.”
I rolled my eyes. His precious time. I accepted the coat"

STFUUU

“Your kindness would be better spent on someone else.”
“Impossible,” Marek said. “I’ve never met someone who needs it more.”
This was far worse than I could have imagined. I had not earned this. Loyalty could be broken. These destructive fools loved me."

🥹🤍

"The pair crouching in front of me were not Wes and Jeru.
“Rovial’s horned heifer,” I groaned. “Are you two determined to die?”
Marek grinned. “We missed you, too.” (...) If the guards find you—”
“They won’t,” Sefa reassured."

🥹

“Wes, what does suraira mean?” (...) “Suraira is said to be a demon of mishap protecting Sirauk,” he said. “Some Nizahlans believe Suraira dwells beneath the bridge and emerges during a crossing to compel humans to their death. (...) She lures them into willingly leaping off the bridge and into the abyss. How did you hear the name?”
Apparently, by being likened to a devious demon of mishap by his Heir."

“I—I do not have an accent. I misspoke. You make me nervous.”
Arin tilted his head. “A sliver of truth in a stream of lies. But which is which?”
“I am not lying. I was nobody in Jasad.” (...) He was my discovery. He was certain death.