I fight my own urge to touch him. “Thank you.”
He nods, then leaves.
I sit with Anya in silence for a long while. Finally, she looks up and turns toward me. “How long have you been in love with him?”
“Brevan? No. It’s not like that. I’m attracted to him, sure…” I begin.
She gives me a look that only a best friend can give. “You know it’s going to end badly.”
“I know.” I set my hand on top of hers.
After another stretch of silence, she says, “I’m sorry I’m broken.”
“You’re not broken,” I tell her.
“I am. And it almost got us both killed tonight.”
“Don’t do that to yourself. You defeated your fear tonight. You fought yourself, and you won.” I squeeze her hand. “Then you even saved my life. Someone who is broken couldn’t do that.”
“I shouldn’t be like this,” she says. “I shouldn’t have panicked. I never used to do that. Not before….”
“Shhh. Don’t you worry about that.” I know she doesn’t want to tell me what happened, even if I wished she would share. “You’ll be back to the way you were when you’re ready. It won’t last forever.”
She takes a deep breath, then looks around the room. The bodies are still on the ground, crimson puddles surrounding them. “I guess we’ll move to my room.”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea.” I stand up. “Brevan?” I call.
“Yes, Princess?”
“Can you please check on my ladies?” I ask. “See if anyone is hurt. Let them know I’ll be in Anya’s room and to not come to mine.”
“Let me escort you to your new room, and then I’ll check on them. You shouldn’t be in there with the dead.”
I step over the bodies on my way out, leading Anya by our clasped hands. I don’t even bother to say a prayer for the dead. I don’t need Brevan’s gift to know their intentions were bad.
They might have been working for the rebellion, but I have to wonder about their motives for choosing that path. Some men just seem to like to fight and would join whichever group allowed them that pleasure. I’ve seen it in the Night Legion for years. I never thought I’d see it with the rebels.
Thirty-Six
When I openthe door to let my ladies in the next morning, Brevan isn’t outside. Six legionnaires are standing there, and each of them inclines their head at me as the ladies hurry into Anya’s room.
My ladies are dressed in their usual finery, but they all look tired. I’m guessing nobody slept last night. Even though none of them were harmed, I know how frightening it must have been.
Anya’s room is smaller than mine, but we all sit around the fireplace together. Genevieve stares into space, a cooling cup of tea between her palms. Antonia and Charlotte both sit with books in their laps, but they rarely turn the pages. Anya sips tea on the couch next to me.
I hate that I can’t do anything to break the gloom. At least it has continued to snow, and most of the tracks and blood are buried under the fresh powder.
I check for Brevan several times, but he’s still away by lunch. My ladies are more talkative by now, and we even get a lively game of hearts going. None of us brings up last night, though.
Finally, sometime in the late afternoon, there’s a knock on my door.
“I’ll get it,” Charlotte calls.
“No, you sit, I’ll get it,” I say.
Anya gives me a warning look, but I ignore it. I know what kind of trouble I’m asking for, but I can’t stop myself. My heart leaps when I see Brevan at my doorway. “No training today?” I ask playfully.
When his expression remains steely, my smile fades.
