"Their King will be here in two cycles," she continued. "It may seem like a long time, but it isn't. Nadir already has us rationing here. Bala's people are also rationing. Dorian, are you going back to the mountains?"
Dorian took his thumb from his mouth where he'd been biting his nail. "I am," he said. "Hagen said he had more work for me."
“Then we use this cycle to get stronger," she told them. "By the time the summer Eyes rise, we need to be ready to start going to the villages because when Man’s King gets here, he will take everything if we are not prepared." She paused and looked around the room, meeting the eyes of the Venari and the Honest there, and then her gaze landed on Gail.
"You can either be with us or against us," she said to him. "With us means you follow Bala. You kneel to her. If you refuse, your entire company can stand here and watch as my Second performs her first public execution."
Gail moved the cloth from his nose. "Fuck of a choice, little Sun."
"It's the only one I'm giving you," she glared. "Make it."
The once over he gave her made her glare harder, and her eagle screeched, wings flapping wide. Gail sat back. "Fine," he agreed. "But know I am doing this only because you asked me to."
"Why would we follow a daughter of Arbina?" one of his people asked him.
"That's no longer a daughter of Arbina," Gail countered. "She is a queen of her own design. I've watched her put herself in situations she should never have. Treat Infi as actual beings. Kill when threatened. I'll follow her because I trust her. And if the rest of you have any issue with it, you're welcome to move north past the mountains and cower in fear."
The Venari didn't speak, but Nadir leaned forward in his chair.
"If you know what's good for you, Venari, you'll keep your eyes on her face when you speak to her," he growled.
Gail smiled smugly in Nadir's direction, then glanced back to Nyssa. "I await your orders, shadow Queen.”
"I want you on one knee before your King.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
THE MEETING WRAPPED up after Gail took the oath.
While they hadn't much decided on everything, at least they were all on the same page and knowing as far as what had happened in the last cycle. Dorian had apologized to Bala for his snapping at her, but Bala had shrugged him off, telling him she was used to his challenging her, and if he wasn't, there was something wrong.
Having talked to his sister about what he was going through, Dorian felt a little more confident than he had in the days before. He kept clenching and unclenching his fist from the bruises where he'd hit Nadir and Gail.
The meeting had been draining. He wanted to take a nap. It had been the longest day he'd had in a long time, and his wounds were getting to him.
The bed looked inviting, but he forced himself to the tub. He'd intentions of shaving the stubble grown on his face in the last few weeks. As he shaved, he replayed the events of the day. From seeing his sister again to their talk. To the meeting. To helping Nyssa with her fire and her meeting Reverie.
His entire world had stood on that beach at that moment. His sister. Reverie. Corbin. Lex. Bala. He supposed he would include Nadir in that list as it seemed he would be stuck with him through Nyssa.
He was grateful Nyssa had not completely embarrassed him in front of Reverie, and the memory of their meeting made his stomach knot. Despite all that was going on with the war, his mind still returned to her and Corbin. Perhaps it was the talk he'd had with Nyssa about it. Perhaps it was that they were all together, and he could be free, if only for a few days. Not worry about the training and allow himself to just...Be.
A moment of freedom in a world of chaos.
Dorian wiped his face with the towel a while later, the wind brushing over his now cleanly shaven face feeling like velvet against his fingers. He'd had to be careful shaving with the straight edge around the scar cutting through his neck and jaw.
Every time he looked in the mirror, the scar seemed to be getting darker. Almost black in the crack. He swore the red nerves at the very edge of his eyeball were black and that the bright blue iris on that eye had darkened, but every time he went to inspect it closer, it seemed to go back to normal.
He draped another towel around his waist, leaving his toned torso exposed to the world. He pushed the small towel through his damp hair again to rid himself of the excess water as he moved his bag to the bed and looked through it for new clothes.
“Hey, Prince—”
Reverie’s voice sounded through the still air. He gave his neck one last push of the towel just as she rounded and came through the bedroom door.
“Hey, we’re—” She paused in the threshold, her brows raising upon her eyes landing on him. He’d never seen her without words, and as such, it made his brows narrow, his head tilting just so at her faltering facade, even it was only for the briefest of seconds.
“Speechless, Rev…” he mocked, feeling the smirk rise on his lips. “It’s a good look on you.”
Reverie shifted on her feet, her jaw tightening as her eyes traveled over his face. “Sorry, I’ve just… It's been a while since I've seen your face so—”
