“And you have, so you can return to your own chambers.”
“These are my chambers.”
“I believe Niara means upstairs,” Tybalt said, standing next to Razik with his arms crossed and watching on.
“No,” Cethin gritted out.
“You’ll heal faster if you rest. In a bed,” Niara said.
“I’m fine here.”
The Witch threw her hands up in exasperation. “Sometimes I wonder why you call on me at all.”
Cethin’s features softened a fraction. “I mean no disrespect, Niara. I simply wish to remain with her.”
“Then do so in the bed.”
Cethin hesitated, glancing at Kailia’s sleeping form before he said, “In a bit.”
Niara said nothing else, but she made her disapproval known as she left the room. She didn’t even do anything in particular. Witches just had that way about them.
“You’re being difficult for no reason, Cethin,” Tybalt said, and Razik bit his tongue knowing ifhe’dsaid something like that to the king, Tybalt would have shut him down immediately. “We can summon you as soon as she wakes.”
“I’m fine, Tybalt,” Cethin said.
“You need to rest.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“You’ll be more comfortable in your own chambers?—”
“I’m sitting in my chambers!” Cethin snapped, and Razik almost slipped and showed his surprise at the fierceness of those words.
Tybalt had gone quiet, clearly trying to work out the same thing Razik was. Eventually, he said, “Wren, can you give us a moment please?”
“Of course,” Wren replied, and Razik could hear the relief in her voice. She wasn’t much for conflict. She could hold her own,but she avoided it when possible. “I’ll bring up some food for everyone.”
“Thank you, Wren,” Cethin murmured.
She bowed her head before rushing from the room, pulling the door to the bedchamber closed behind her.
Tybalt wasted no time. “I think you should consider moving this union.”
Razik waited for Cethin to immediately shut that notion down, but he stayed silent, silver gaze fixed on Kailia.
Avonleyan unions took place under full moons, and Cethin had announced that he and Kailia would be married during next month’s full moon with the kingdom celebration happening a few days later.
“I know the advisory council is eager for this,” Tybalt went on, “but I think we need to consider Kailia. Give her time to adjust. If we move it to the autumnal season, that gives us all time to get proper precautions in place. Perhaps we can figure out a way to handle this new threat better, as well as investigate who attacked her and why it happened.”
Still staring at his betrothed, Cethin said, “I agree.”
Razik nearly fell over at the simple words.
“You do?” Tybalt said, not hiding his shock.
Cethin straightened with a slight grimace as he finally shifted to face them. “I agree we need to move the union. Not back, but up. It needs to happen sooner.”
“Sooner?” Tybalt repeated, sounding even more taken aback, but Razik wasn’t surprised in the least. His lack of reaction from moments ago now made sense. “Cethin, the only full moon that is sooner is in four days.”
