“Taroc, it's done,” I said. “And I was the one who—”
Vex cut me off with, “You're right. I shouldn't have taken him there. It was selfish and foolish. But I'm glad I did because it made Ember a part of my clan. We celebrated with them and that was important to me. Then we celebrated alone, which waseven more important. So, yes, you're right. But I don't care. I'd do it again.”
Taroc growled, bared his teeth, and started to stand.
Rath set a hand on Taroc's shoulder and pushed him back down. “Easy, brother. He may not be bonded with us yet, but he will be soon. He's bonded to Ember. Fighting with him will only weaken us. And that isn't smart either.”
Taroc's expression twitched into a grimace, but he remained sitting. Only then did I notice that the Tiger Ladrin had gone tense, no doubt ready to leap to Vexen's defense. Shit. That could have gone badly.
“You'd better get your men in line, Ember,” Gray said, waving a fork at me. “You guys are supposed to save the world.”
“I handled it, Graysen,” Rath snapped. “We do not need your input.”
Gray held up his hands in surrender, one of them still holding his fork. “So sorry, Lord Ratharin. But it doesn't seem as if you've handled it.” He waved at Taroc, who may have been seated but was still stewing. “I think you guys better get to fucking.” Then he went back to shoveling food in his mouth.
Before Rath could speak and doubtless slice Graysen to ribbons with his words, I said, “He's right. We should get together after breakfast.”
Keltyr groaned. “I hate fucking with a full belly. It can get uncomfortable.”
Graysen made a sound of sympathy. “True. You can get a cramp too.”
I snickered. “Gray, choose a side.”
“Or better yet, shut the fuck up,” Xae said.
“I didn't mean to be aggressive with you, Lord Taroc,” Vexen said. “Just honest. I took a day with Ember to start our relationship right, and I don't regret it. I tried to protect him, but he didn't need me. Even when Ember hobbles himself, he has forces on his side that ensure his safety. The Goddess herself guides him. As frightened as I was for him, I don't believe he was ever in danger.” He held out his hand to Taroc. “Can we put this behind us and start our relationship right as well?”
Taroc stared at Vexen's hand while the rest of us stared at Taroc. At last, he sighed, grunted, and shook Vexen's hand.
The entire table released a sigh of relief.
“Why don't we bathe and relax for a bit while we digest?” Rath asked. “We can meet in our suite in an hour. That should be enough time to get comfortable.”
Vex nodded. “Very well. In an hour then.”
“Can I watch?” Graysen asked.
Xae started to get up, but Gray was already rising. He dashed out of the hall, laughing as he went.
“I like that kid,” Keltyr said.
Chapter Thirty-Five
I showered alone. I couldn't risk getting sexy with Rath and Xae. Not when we were preparing to add Vexen to our group through sex. I paused under the hot spray, eyes closed and heartbeat picking up speed. Vex. After this was over, he would be forever bound to me. To all of us. If only I had been smart enough to bond Ara with everyone, then maybe he would have been strong enough to expel Death. But then again, maybe Death would have used that bond to kill my lovers. I don't know what would have happened. I couldn't let myself get weighed down by what I didn't do.
After I dried off, I dressed in some undershorts and a tunic, that was all. I didn't see the sense in wearing much else when it was all going to come off soon anyway. I made myself a drink and went to sip it in a chair by the bedroom window. Rath kissed my cheek on his way into the bathroom while Xae stripped down to his shorts and climbed on the bed. He laid back, crossed his thick arms behind his head, and stared at the bed canopy.
I slid my gaze over to him, focused on our link, and felt a trickle of unease. That had me sitting up straighter as I asked, “Xae? What's wrong?”
“It's coming,” Xae said.
A shiver ran down my spine. Ladrin had been known to experience random bouts of psychic vision. Something about how psychic abilities are kin to instinct—which Ladrin have a natural abundance of.
“What is?” I asked.
“The final battle.” He looked over at me. “I can feel it. It will be soon.”
My breath caught. “I hope so. Isn't that what you want too?”
