Rivers of Orion by Dana Kelly (a court of thorns and roses ebook free .TXT) 📕

to come out of hiding. They enjoyed the mansion’s comforts and spent many hours exploring their surroundings. Martin kept in touch with his team of denshi-tengu doppelgängers and provided daily updates to his guests…

Morning twilight cast shades of blue and purple upon jagged stones that loomed atop twisted, impossibly narrow bases. Monoliths stood high upon squat legs that vanished into the earthen floor. Far in the distance, Rhyon’s moon glimmered upon rosy salt flats, as winds tore west through the stone forest and crashed against a soaring wall of aspens. A canopy of yellow leaves danced wildly upon pale branches as a nearby river coursed along a narrow bed.

The river joined a colorful lake that surrounded a windswept isle of stone, pausing to surge as a roaring waterfall, before resuming her westward trek through the woodlands far below. Dozens of caverns yawned toward the rocky lakefront, and a landing tower rose alongside a certain eastern hollow. Within that hollow’s depths—painstakingly assembled amidst the outcroppings, stalagmites, and stalactites—Martin’s mansion estate softly glowed near a gently rippling lagoon. Sunlight cascaded over the horizon, brightening the cavern.

Eridani’s phone buzzed, drawing her from slumber. With a yawn, she pulled aside her covers, buttoned her pajama shirt, and got out of bed. She trudged to the dresser and picked up her phone, speaking as quietly as she could. “Hey, Orin. What’s up?”

“Sorry, I know it’s early,” he said. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“Yeah, but that’s okay.” She sat down at her desk and propped her head on her hands. “I can always go back to sleep. I do a lot of that these days.”

Orin laughed quietly. “You and me both.”

“Any word on Nimbus?” asked Eridani.

“Nimbus is doing great. A lot’s happened since the last time I called,” said Orin, and he told her about recent events. “…so, I guess we’ve got a lead, and Casey wants to follow it.”

Eridani stifled a yawn. “Do you know where you’re headed?”

“I’m not sure it’s safe to tell you yet,” said Orin. “As soon as it is, I’ll fill you in.”

“How long will you be in the nightmare?”

“About three weeks, according to Krané,” said Orin. “It’s somewhere near… Ugh, I wish I could tell you.”

Thuraya stirred and rolled onto her side, facing her back to Eridani. Lengthy, black, sleep-tangled hair obscured much of her dark skin. “No worries,” said Eridani. “Hey, I’d better go. Thanks for the call, Orin. Good luck with your investigation.”

“Thanks, and thanks for picking up,” he said. “Tell Mom and Dad I love them and give Torsha a big hug for me. Are you and Thuraya still together?”

“Yes, we are,” said Eridani. “If barely, some days,” she whispered.

“She loves you a lot,” said Orin. “I hope you guys make it.”

Eridani frowned sadly and leaned back in her chair. “Love isn’t the problem.”

“Well, that’s good, right?” asked Orin. “I mean, I hope it’s good.”

“Yeah. Well. We’ll see. Keep your fingers crossed,” said Eridani. “Love you, Orin.”

“Love you too, Eridani.”

She ended the call and placed her phone back on the dresser. Quietly, she approached Thuraya’s side of the bed and leaned over to gently kiss her forehead. “Sorry if I woke you up,” she whispered.

“I’ve been awake for the last hour,” said Thuraya. She stared at the wall. “Was that Orin?”

“Yes,” said Eridani.

Thuraya huffed. “Of course, it was.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re still the perfect big sister,” said Thuraya, and she rolled onto her back to stare irately at Eridani. “Even though he’s the reason we’re stuck here, and you’re not even a little bit angry at him.”

Eridani sat next to her, on the edge of the bed. “What happened to him isn’t his fault. We’ve talked about this. You’re mad about something else, I can tell. What’s upsetting you?”

Thuraya groaned. “I’m not! I mean, it’s nothing. Forget it.”

“Please talk to me,” said Eridani, and she ran her fingers through Thuraya’s hair.

Thuraya sighed heavily. “It’s just… It’s dumb, okay? Don’t worry about it. I’ll get over it.”

“Nothing you’re feeling is dumb,” said Eridani.

“It’s just,” said Thuraya, and her anger faded. “It’s just that in three hours, denshi-me is going to be playing my Rumrunner gig. I worked so hard to book that, and I’m not even playing it. Have you seen the comments on my live streams lately? She’s doing a better job of being me than I did! They love her. They love the fuck out of her! Why do I even bother?”

“Because you’ve been playing guitar your whole life,” said Eridani. She stole a kiss, climbed over, and lay down beside her. “You play and sing so beautifully, and even if we’re the only ones who get to hear you right now, it’s still worth it. We’re the lucky ones. Plus, I think I’d die inside if you stopped writing songs for me.”

“They’re not all about you,” said Thuraya. She smirked as she unbuttoned Eridani’s pajama shirt. “Some of them are about sex.”

“Oh, okay,” said Eridani. “Sounds like you need some inspiration.”

“Maybe a little,” said Thuraya, and they kissed.

◆◆◆

Still in her pajamas, Eridani walked downstairs to the kitchen table. “Hey Mom,” she said, and the chair squeaked slightly as she pulled it out enough to sit. “Orin called. He’s doing fine and sends his love. He’s in the nightmare for the next three weeks. They spun Nimbus back up, but she’s permanently bonded with a mortally wounded servant.”

“She?” asked Aurora. “I thought Nimbus identified male.” Tending three skillets, she pushed around a heap of scrambled eggs, turned the bacon, and flipped a pair of vegetarian sausage patties.

“I did too. Is there any coffee?”

Aurora glanced her way. “In the middle drawer under the pastry fridge, where it’s always been.”

Eridani exaggerated her disappointment. “All right…” She trudged over to start the kettle and assemble the coffee press. Hunching over the drawer for a moment, she retrieved the manual grinder and a bag of morning blend.

“Can I get some of that?” asked Gabriela as she entered the kitchen. With her hair