“Because I give you my word as leader of this territory.” I placed my hand over my marks, over the patterns that burned for Cleo even now. “No harm will come to them. They are clan, which means they are under my protection as surely as if they had been born to it.”
The Destran male’s hand found Zara’s, squeezing gently. “We should go.”
“I’m not—”
“We’re going,” he said more firmly. “For now. We’ll regroup, contact the Destran city, arrange for proper rescue operations or negotiators. But we’re not starting a war today.”
Smart male. Patient. Tactical. The kind of person who’d make a good leader.
The kind of person Cleo would respect.
Zara looked at me one last time. “If anything happens to them. If they’re hurt, or scared, or if you’re lying about any of this—”
“Then you may have your war,” I said calmly. “But you will find I speak truth. Your people are exactly where they need to be.”
I watched them retreat, the convoy turning slowly, heading back through the tunnel. Vikkat met my eyes briefly before he left, his expression unreadable.
When they were gone, my guards converged on me.
“Should we pursue?” one asked.
“No. Let them go.”
Vax materialized from the tunnel entrance. His demotionto scout meant he’d been stationed here, and I’d forgotten he’d witness this confrontation. His eyes were gray with concern. “Lord Rezor. They’ll return. With greater numbers.”
“I know.”
“And you’llletthem?” He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “You’ll risk war for the sky people?”
“There will be no war,” I said, then turned to face him fully. “Did Vikkat look coerced to you? Did any of those warriors?”
“No,” Vax admitted. “But—”
“They’ll return. With proof of who they are. With resources that prove their intentions. And when they do…” I looked back toward the valley, where Cleo was probably still in the tech chambers, unaware that her “rescue” had been so close. “When they do, we’ll make the right decision.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t know yet.”
I left them there, my guards muttering among themselves about invasion preparations and defensive strategies. I walked back through the valley, my mind spinning with everything that had just happened.
Despite the fact that I needed assurances and proof, my gut told me that Zara was who she claimed to me. That Cleo’s crew had survived. That they’d come for her.
And I’d sent them away.
The guest quarters were empty when I arrived. Baleck and Mierva were probably at their usual afternoon activities. But one of the guards stationed outside looked nervous.
“Lord Rezor. Cleo is in your chambers. She…she said she needed to speak with you. Immediately.”
My stomach dropped. “How long ago?”
“About a quarterhur. Right after Spiek returned from the tunnel and mentioned the convoy.”
Of course. Word would have spread quickly through the guard network. And Cleo would have heard.
I returned to my quarters and climbed the stairs to my chambers with a growing sense of dread. When I opened the door, she was standing at the window, her back to me. Her posture was rigid with fury.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Her voice was cold. Controlled. More frightening than if she’d been screaming.
