"Not sure how much I like that look," Dorian muttered.
Hagen's smirk widened. "This might be more fun than watching your Dreamer dance in that snow. Let's go Prince. Your audience awaits."
Dorian followed behind Hagen all the way down, his gaze landing on the people who had begun to gather. Reverie and Corbin met him at the bottom of the steps.
"People are beginning to talk," Reverie muttered.
"Yeah? What are they saying?" Dorian asked.
"They're talking about putting you in stockades to starve and then beheading you."
Dorian forced a smile to disguise his nerves. "I think you'd miss me too much to let that happen."
"I think you underestimate my loyalty," she countered.
"Hey—“ Corbin nudged Dorian's side, and he realized the four Elders were gathered talking by their chairs, and Hagen was summoning him.
Dorian removed his belt and handed his weapons to Corbin. "If they decide to take my head, you're to go back to the Forest."
"Stop," Corbin argued.
"Tell my sister I love her," Dorian continued. "You are to help Bala and the Commander with anything they need. Do not stay here or seek any sort of revenge—“
"Prince—“
“—And when my sister marches back to Magnice to take our home, you make sure you're with her."
Corbin clapped Dorian's face harshly, almost as a slap. "Your older didn't die for you to be killed by our allies."
"I'd like to have my affairs in order anyway," Dorian affirmed. His gaze moved back to Reverie, who was glaring around the room, arms strapped over her chest as though she wanted to murder them all.
"If they kill me, I expectyouto go full ravenger on the town for taking me from you before we had a chance together," he said with a wink.
"If they kill you, I'll take your head back and say I did it myself,” she replied.
"That's cold," Dorian said. "Bin, you would let her take my head?"
"What happens to your head is not in my instructions."
To this, Dorian finally felt a genuine smile. He glanced between the two once more before turning on his heel and heading up the steps to meet Hagen. Hagen had settled on the arm of his chair, arms crossed. His chin rose as Dorian approached.
"Did you say your goodbyes?" Hagen mocked.
"Thought it would be stupid not to," Dorian replied.
"No goodbye kiss for the dying Prince?" Hagen grinned.
Dorian almost laughed. "Haven't earned it yet."
The grand double doors opened wide, and in strode a woman whom Dorian had to pause to stare at.
Nearly as tall as Aydra had been, this woman commanded a room just as she had. She was wiping the blood off her hands and pulling the leather braces off her wrists as she crossed the room. Her long brown hair was pulled back off her face, small braids on the left side of her head above her ear. The rest of her hair was crimped and pulled back into a ponytail. She pulled the ribbon out of it and shook her head to fluff the waves as they cascaded down her back and over her shoulder.
"Here we go," Hagen muttered at Dorian’s back.
The woman's dark eyes ran deliberately over Corbin when she passed him and made her way up the steps.
"Is there a reason we've a Belwark in this Temple still alive—“ she was saying, not looking up yet to where the others stood “—or should I have one of my men behead him now?"
