“Yes. I would imagine he was taking her back to the rebel camp. It was his plan from the beginning.”
“And you never felt fit to tell us this?” Rohak asked, his voice low and dangerous as he leaned forward in his chair.
Felix, either oblivious to the tension or in spite of it, smiled, the corners around his jovial brown eyes crinkling. “That was not part of my mission.”
His words, mixed with the inkling of a tattoo I saw, formed a clear picture in my mind. A wry laugh escaped my mouth at the realization.
“You work for Fate,” I said with a bit of scorn, happy that I didn’t slip and call him my grandfather.Thatwas a secret I wanted to keep close for a bit longer.
“Yourgrandfather?”Rohak’s incredulity echoed down the Bond.
Oops. Too late.
I shot him a disparaging look, urging him to keep that bit of information to himself, but I needn’t have worried. Rohak’s face was as impassive as ever, nothing betraying his emotion other than a slight tick in his eyebrows.
“I do,” Felix admitted as everyone tried to talk over each other.
“What does that mean?”
“So where does your allegianceactuallylie?”
“How are we supposed to trust you?”
“Enough,” Rohak barked, rising from his chair. Instantly, the four other Mages and Vessels fell silent. “That is a revelation we can deal with another day. For now, I brought you all here to update me on the state of Vespera and our people while helping me find solutions for what has happened. We have a city and Academy to rebuild, people to house and feed, an army to bolster, graves to dig, funerals to attend, and mothers and widows to comfort. If you cannot help me with that, then I suggest you leave.”
When no one moved or spoke, Rohak continued with a pleased nod. My eyes were drawn to his hands, tanned and calloused from work, as he straightened his tunic unnecessarily.
“Good. Now, first, I would like some advice from you both”—he gestured with his finger between Sol and Ben—“about how to settle a newly formed Bond.”
Ben choked as Asha’s ears burned as red as her hair. Sol’s light-brown skin flushed with a rosy hue, and even Thandi’s ebony complexion seemed to darken in response.
“What?” Rohak asked when no one responded. I covered a cough in my shoulder, content to let him receive the awkward advice that was sure to follow.
“Uhm, well, you know,” Ben started, his eyes focusing on anything but the General. “Have you, you know.”
Rohak’s dark eyebrows furrowed over confused eyes. “Have I what?”
“Youknow,” Ben said with a flippant gesture of his hand.
“He’s asking if you’ve had sex, General,” Sol said, discomfort lacing every word. Ben choked on air again as Rohak’s face burned bright red.
“That’s none of your business?—”
“That’s how we settled the Bond, General,” Asha spoke up, her light, kind voice assuaging some of Rohak’s embarrassment.
“Oh,” he simply said, his hard eyes finding mine.
I shrugged with a small laugh. “I tried to ask you about it earlier, but . . .”
Rohak cut me off with a grunt and sharp wave of his hand.
“Yes, General. Lots and lots of sex is how you settle the Bond,” Ben added, and I rolled my eyes at his sophomoric antics.
“That is not an option for us,” Rohak said, voice cold and eyes flashing with pain.
“Closeness helps,” Sol added, lacing her fingers with Thandi. “When you first healed me and unintentionally Bonded me to Thandi”—Sol’s eyes found mine—“we couldn’t consummate the Bond. Not until we approached his community in the south. No matter how much the Bond pushed us, we were not allowed to lie together until his matriarch gave ultimate approval.”
“So what did you do instead?” I asked, curious how they resisted the pull from the Bond for so long. My admiration grew for the fiery Air Mage and her silent Vessel.
