“The tavern is still open?” she asked woodenly.
“Yes. One of the only places today.”
Dahlia swallowed hard. “Okay. I need to bathe, and then I will go in.”
“I’ll prepare the dye for you. Your skin is a little faded after I cleaned your wounds.” Lo squeezed her hand and stood, her attention moving to Cosmos. “I swear, if you’ve crushed any of my herbs, boy, I will have your hide.”
Lia watched her brother grin at the giantess and mischievously nudge his toe at a drying flower to which Loshika playfully hissed.
The moment should have been silly and light.
But all Dahlia could think was . . .
When will it all end?
Chapter Nineteen
Neve
Two weeksof bloodbaths and they finally had gained ground.
They managed to destroy the trebuchets.
Neve thought the humans would have turned tail when their war machines had been destroyed, but they kept fighting, attempting to press forward. He stared at the map in his tent like it would provide him with the answers he needed.
Olwen scratched the left side of his shaved head. He leaned over the table, pushing the braids from the crown of his head away from his face. “Something isn’t right,” he muttered underneath his breath.
“What is it?” Neve asked, crossing his arms. Flyka stood to his right, moving through a flow of stretches, her ears perked, the only thing that gave away that she was listening to the conversation.
His friend pointed to the mountain range that ran behind the town for Mizar. “Why are they attacking along this border? They could have gone for the orchards, and yet, they haven’t made asingle move east.” Olwen pushed away from the table and wiped a hand down his face. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Perhaps they thought to corner us against the mountains with their overwhelming numbers,” he offered.
Olwen teetered his head back and forth. “Perhaps, but I still think there’s something larger at play.”
Neve glanced at Flyka. “Have yoursaloesspies given you any information?”
Olwen scoffed. “Spies are not trustworthy. They play with lies and information.”
Flyka arched a brow. “You weren’t complaining when myvallesstarted the fires that led to the destruction of the trebuchets. Don’t be so judgmental.”
“She only complied because you held her family as ransom. She will betray you the moment your leverage is gone.”
“I don’t need loyalty, just obedience.” Flyka finished her last stretch and looked toward the entrance of the tent.
The flap lifted, and a stunning halfling stepped inside, a sway to her hips. Neve schooled his expression as the halfling sauntered inside, wearing nothing but a translucent gown that hugged her body in all the right places. She was petite, her ears not quite as pointed as his, and had lovely periwinkle skin.
His Haunt cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. “I’ll come back later.” Flyka practically ran from the tent.
The halfling padded over the fur rug bare-footed and bowed low before him. Neve gazed impassively at thevallesdespite how her bosom just about fell out of her dress. She planned on something more than food, it seemed.
“Rise,” he said in resignation.
She straightened with a small smile and held out a steaming goblet of wine to him. “For you,lae reillov,” she all but purred, batting her lashes.
“Set it on the table.”
The halfling did as she was told, once again bending slowly to show off the graceful line of her bare back. Neve glanced away, locking eyes with Olwen, whose attention was on him, not thevalles.
