“Get the fuck off me!” Jathalion shoved me away.
“Lord Jathalion!” General Rontor snapped.
Jathalion went still.
“You have just proven the accusations made against you.” Rontor stalked over to Jathalion. “If I hear about you harassing Ember one more time, I'll assign you to the fortress . . . for three months.”
The fortress General Rontor referred to was located just outside the Corrupter's lands. The Emperor had a battalion of his soldiers stationed there, but ever since I'd been captured by the Corrupter, Wraith Lords had joined the watch duty. Usually, their rotations only lasted a few hours. A few months out there would be hell on a Wraith Lord. All watching, no action. Maybe Taroc would be all right, but no one else.
“I am not harassing Ember,” Jathalion said.
“He just tried to help you up, and you snapped at him for it.”
“Just because I don't like him, it doesn't mean I'm harassing him.”
“And why don't you like him?” Rontor asked. “What exactly has the Goddess' chosen Wraith Lord done to earn your dislike?”
Everyone went quiet.
“Must I remind you of his use of Death Magic?” Jathalion sneered.
“We've already discussed this. Your opinion was heard but found to be too critical in light of what compelled Lord Ember into using the magic and how he employed it to free captured children and save Lord Keltyr's life,” General Rontor said. “And he hasn't used it since.”
“You don't know that.”
“Enough!” Rontor roared, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
Jathalion went still.
“You've been warned, Lord Jathalion,” Rontor said, his chest heaving. “Now, get the fuck out of my sight before I change my mind and send you to the fortress this instant.”
Jathalion bowed mockingly, glared at me as if this was yet another thing to add to the list of my transgressions against him, then faded away.
Chapter Fourteen
As soon as Jathalion was gone, the Wraith Lords converged on Taroc, slapping his shoulders and congratulating him on his victory. Their good humor wasn't just because Jathalion was being such an asshole lately. It was also because, until that point, Jathalion had been considered to be the best warrior we had. Now, everyone was rethinking his rank.
Taroc nodded and clasped hands with his fellow Wraith Lords, but his stare kept sliding my way. The guy had just fought for my honor. Sort of. He kind of fought for his honor too. I was about to go over and give him a dramatic kiss, but when I replayed the fight in my mind—the verbal portion of it—it seemed more about Taroc proving he was a better warrior than Jathalion's attack on me.
“Let's go eat,” I said to my men. “I'm hungry.”
“Hold on, are you all right?” Kel asked.
“Yeah, I'm good. Jathalion didn't really bother me. It was just the same shit, and I was better prepared for it this time. I just need some food.” I walked past them and into the dining hall.
They followed but veered off from me when we reached our usual table. They already had full plates waiting for them. So I went to the buffet alone. Perfect timing too. There was no line, what with most of the men in the entry hall. I made my plate and headed over to my table, then sat down next to Kel, across from Rath and Xae.
It took a few minutes for the rest of the Lords to come trickling back into the hall, starting with Nex.
“Damn! I didn't know Taroc had it in him. You didn't empower him already, did you, Ember?” Nex asked as he climbed onto the bench across the table from me.
“No. We just had our first date this afternoon,” I said.
“It must have gone well if Taroc's demolishing Jathalion for you.”
I cleared my throat. “It did.”
Nex snorted. Then he looked up at someone behind me. “Oh, look who it is. Why don't you join us, Taroc?”
