"I'm not sure. It was as if it redirected my magic, and my brain felt like it was melting. It affected Vada through our bond aswell, and in her fury, she roasted them all on the spot — sending me back to square one."
I can relate to that fury.I want to say, but don't, choosing to continue my pacing in front of her. "Why?"
"Why what?"
My feet stop, and I turn back around. The exhaustion has deepened in her features, and she looks ready to fall over. "Why are you even attempting something like this? Do you have that much of a death wish? Is your life so unbearable that you feel the need to constantly throw yourself on the knife?"
She flinches at my words and straightens her spine, "I am doing what is necessary to end the war Baelor started. The waryoudragged me into."
"What purpose does experimenting on something like this serve?"
"We will never be outnumbered again." She replies simply, her lips pursing.
My hands slap down at my sides, the wound in my shoulder twinging, while I try to come up with something else that might get through to her. Before I can, however, I watch her face light with an idea. “Eveer–”
Quickly, she turns, releasing her Wield at the weighty doors. Her tendrils wrap around the handles, flinging them open and startling the guards standing outside. Breezing past the two alarmed soldiers, Eveera grabs hold of the velvet rope hanging to the right of the entrance and pulls.
RRRRIIIINNNGGGG! RRRRIIIINNNGGGG! RRRRIIIINNNGGGG!
"Eveera!" I hiss, and she tosses me a withered stare over her shoulder. "You're going to wake up the whole bleeding castle!"
Her eyes roll backwards, "that's the point,princeling." She whirls on the large guard in front of her next, "collect Felix and the others — tell them to meet me in the council room." Henods and swiftly disappears down the hallway. Dusting off her hands, she starts stalking her way to the room in question, only stopping when she notices that haven't fallen in line beside her yet. Her head tilts, calling out to me, "well are you coming?"
My head drops back until I’m looking at the ceiling, begging whatever is out there for the strength to survive her. When I bring my chin back down, I see her staring at me with a smug grin before continuing.
Damn woman.
It didn't take long for the masses to file into the room clad in their sleepwear or disheveled day clothes.
Shockingly, the meeting itself didn't include any actual council members, but it did include her two remaining men, Felix, General Matthis, my men, and Millie.
Max rubs his eyes groggily while leaning up against the stone wall, and Millie walks over to him, the two of them speaking in hushed tones before Eveera claps her hands together to grab everyone's attention.
"Good. You're all awake." A chorus of grumbling disagreement rings out through the room, but she chooses to ignore it, motioning for everyone to gather around the table.
"Eveera, would you mind elaborating onwhyyou've called this meeting in the middle of the night?" Felix's voice rises over the complaints, his accent exaggerated by his fatigue.
"Well, since you asked so nicely…" She draws out, her fingers drumming atop the table. "Rorin here—" I freeze at my name, my eyes snapping to look down at her, a whisper of a smirk gracing her lips before she continues, "thinks it would be a good idea if I let everyone know exactly what I've been up to while you all sleep."
The man’s head falls backwards, fingers coming up to press against his brow. None of her men look surprised that she's been disappearing at night, other than maybe General Matthis, whose face shows some shock. When he opens his mouth to speak, Felix raises a hand to him. "Do not ask, Kander. You'll regret it the minute you do."
"Kander?"I ask tentatively down the seal.
She flinches at the intrusion before rolling her shoulders back and lifting her head higher,"you didn't think his first name was General, did you?"She quips.
Eveera tilts her chin and smiles tightly at everyone, "no one wants to know? Pity. Well, then, all of you are dismissed." Bennett and Will exchange brief looks with each other, then me, before shrugging and making their exits. Millie, however, looks over at Eveera, who gives her a small nod, the two of them having a silent conversation. Her eye contact with me is brief, her mouth tilting down before she turns and follows after my men.
The rest of them dismiss themselves, leaving the two of us yet again alone. Haughtily, she dusts off her hands and tilts her head up at me, "you see? You're the only one who seems to feel the need to corner me and question my activities."
I hum, placing my hand on top of hers so that she can’t move, then lean down to place my mouth at her ear, "that's because, despite their familial affection for you, Eveera, you are still their queen and they are still your subjects." She guffaws, attempting to spin out of my grip, but I don’t let go. Grazing the sensitive skin, along the shell of her ear, I whisper, “and I…Nightmare,am your husband. So I suspect that I might have just a bit more care for your nightly whereabouts. Especially when they do not include you asleep next to or — due to your unfortunate decision-making skills —nearme." Her body fights hard againstthe shiver that I feel roll through it, eliciting a quiet groan from my lips.
My right arm, though sore from her stabbing me, finds its way to her waist and pulls her body flush to mine. She gasps out at the touch, and I withhold the laugh threatening to burst through my chest.
"Rorin."She warns through the seal, and I shush her, nipping at her earlobe, before pressing my cheek against her hair.
I count each shaky breath she takes, pulling back only to find her staring up at me already, both pupils dilated. I mimic the smug look she had just moments ago,"don't tell me it's the council room that does it for you?"
Her jaw drops, and she slaps at the good side of my chest, but— "a-hem."
