“I didn’t know you could smile, General,” I teased Rohak. His grin fell once more as he grunted a greeting at me.
“Mention it again and see what happens,” Rohak warned as he clasped my shoulder good-naturedly, striding into the room as if he owned the building. I closed the door with a slight shake of my head, following Rohak to the bed that was now occupied by Ellowyn and Faylinn as they whispered together.
“What are they whispering about?” I asked.
Rohak shook his head as he crossed his arms, another grin twitching at the edges of his mouth.
“About a thousand different things at once. They keep switching topics in the middle of discussion, and it’s making my brain hurt,” Torin grumbled, shuffling to stand by Rohak and me.
Fay’s expression was lighter than I’d seen in months as she gestured manically to an enraptured Ellowyn. My sister gasped and laughed at the right points in Fay’s story before placing her pale hand on Fay’s light-brown arm, leaning towardthe other woman to whisper something conspiratorially that had the Rune Master throwing her curly head back in a soul-lightening laugh.
“It’s good to see them happy like this,” Rohak muttered to Torin. The latter hummed in agreement, adopting Rohak’s posture to watch their women talk.
“We need to make adjustments to our plan,” Torin said, rubbing a hand down his face tiredly.
Rohak grunted, and I hummed in agreement.
“The loss of Solace’s immortality is not a small thing. It’s going to either send her into a frenzy or force her into hiding. Either way, we need to prepare for when she finally decides to launch her attack,” Rohak intoned quietly.
“It’ll be sooner rather than later,” I interjected, forcing both commanders’ eyes to me. I sweated under their intense scrutiny. “The Bondsmith left to retrieve Itanya. The loss of that asset, in addition to losing her immortality?” I shook my head, curls brushing the top of my tunic. “There’s no tellingwhatshe’ll do, but I would be willing to stake my life on the fact she won’t let those two combined slights rest without retaliation.”
“I agree,” Torin said.
“So, what do we do about it?” Fay asked, her conversation with Ellowyn dying without the three of us noticing.
“Youwill do nothing,” Rohak grumbled, and fire flashed in Faylinn’s eyes.
“Want to try again?” Venom soaked her words. Even Ellowyn’s face flashed with anger.
Great. An angry demi-goddess and an even angrier goddess.
“Careful, friend,” Torin muttered out of the side of his mouth, quiet enough only we could hear it.
Rohak blew out an audible breath.
“All I’m saying is that you are no longer immortal. Protecting you is my top priority. Even if that means keeping you locked in a room somewhere while the rest of us?—”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that, no matter how well-intentioned it is,” Faylinn bit with her hand raised in the air, halting Rohak’s words. “We’ll discuss mypersonalinvolvement later in private.”
“Good luck,” I muttered, much to Torin’s amusement. Rohak’s emerald eyes flashed for a moment before he shook his head.
“Yes, Faylinn,” he acquiesced, his words relaxing the Rune Master incrementally.
“I think you should leave for Vespera soon,” Ellowyn said quietly, rubbing her sternum where the Tethering Rune sat.
“Why is that?” Torin asked, concern drawing his eyebrows together.
Ellowyn shook her head, bright blonde waves rustling with the movement. “Just a . . . feeling.”
Torin hummed in understanding as Rohak nodded.
“I was thinking the same thing. We need to prepare our forces in Vespera and reinforce our protections surrounding the city.”
“Before you leave, make sure to grab a communication stone from Talamh,” Torin said, eyes still glued to Ellowyn as she embraced Faylinn, clutching her tightly.
Rohak grunted in agreement, exchanging his own farewells as Faylinn extracted herself from Ellowyn’s hold.
Once the door closed behind them, Ellowyn fixed Torin with a look that was equal parts adoration and exasperation but underscored with the most intense display of love I’d ever seen.
