Melanos laughed.
“You’re afraid the Liodari will kill her?” he asked in amusement. “They are Spartans. Sworn to Ares. If there’s anyone besides you she should trust, boy, it’s these men.”
Daris’s face was thunderous, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he stared back at Croak.
“What?” Daris asked, his brow furrowed as he looked between Rydon and Melanos.
Melanos sighed. “She is the daughter of your god. She’s a child of Ares.”
Croak’s hands drifted to his hips, his lips twitching at the look on the commander’s face. Daris went three shades of white, his mouth dropping open like a dead fish. His men were no better. Michael blinked rapidly, gaping at the others, and Jason had his hands on his head as he tipped it back, eyes closed.
“What?” Daris whispered. “That’s impossible.”
Melanos was genuinely amused. “You’ve been traveling with her for how long and you’ve seen her do the things she’s done, and yet you doubt? You were the one insisting the other Eudaemon tell you?—”
“Why do you keep calling him that?” Daris snapped.
Melanosblinked. “Huh?”
“You keep calling this man,” Daris stabbed a finger toward Rydon, “Eudaemon. Why?”
Melanos’s face scrunched. “He is.”
“I am her guardian,” Rydon said quietly, his eyes narrowed on Daris.
“Eudaemons are myth,” Jason grumbled.
Melanos laughed. When he caught sight of their expressions, he laughed longer, his head thrown back with his hands at his belly.
At last, he looked over at the Liodari, his smile softening as his laughter died down. Then he turned to Rydon with a raised eyebrow. “After all they’ve seen, they still… unbelievable.” He shook his head and waved a hand at them dismissively.
“If she’s who you say she is,” Daris asked after an awkward pause, “how is she hurt? Why does she even need a Eudaemon?”
This time, Melanos’s face shuttered. “She is not yet twenty-two. Which means she’s still mortal and doesn’t have control of her powers.”
“She had a dream about you killing her, ” Croak snarled at Daris.
At this, Rydon swore and glared at Croak. Croak didn’t care. He was savoring the look of horror on the commander’s face.
“What?”
Melanos’s eyes shot to Daris and to Croak’s satisfaction, he looked like he might hurt the commander.
“Was I wrong, Liodari?” Melanos asked in a low, soft tone.
Daris gaped at the god. “I wouldneverhurt her! I—” He swore and hung his head. “She is… it was only a dream. I would never kill her. That’s absurd.”
“Her dreams are memories,” Rydon said, his face grim as he stared at Daris.
Croak felt the first stirrings of sympathy toward the commander. He pushed them back, reminding himself this man allowed his sister to come to harm while in his care. So far, the commander wasn’t living up to his legendary reputation.
Daris rubbed his forehead, his lips thinned. His eyes darkened as they rose to stare at Rydon. “I don’t even know how that’s possible.But if you continue to doubt my word, I won’t give you a chance to regret it.”
“Croak.”
Terena’s soft voice cut through their argument and Croak leaned forward, his face splitting in a shaky smile as he knelt at her side.
“Hey, you,” he whispered, squeezing her knee. She frowned, then flicked her eyes over to Daris and Rydon.
