Oh right! That.
“I don’t know. I certainly feel differently now than I did then,” I said. “Let me try.”
Through our joined hands I reached into him and felt for my binding. I didn’t so much try to break it as I did study it. My knowledge of bindings was progressing quickly, mostly through my own trial and error. When I poked at this one, it still felt… unresolved. There was something keeping me from breaking it.
I took an extra bit of time to see if I could examine the binding to figure out what was needed. The best I could determine was that it required an advanced level of trust. Having fought beside Bayn, I trusted him with my life, but perhaps I still didn’t fully trust him with my heart. That was what this felt like.
I withdrew and opened my eyes to look at Bayn.
“No, not yet. Soon.”
He grimaced.
I needed to give him something. “Until then, let me say this.” I stood a bit taller, my gaze intent on his, my tone not quite demanding, but firm. “Bayn, you are free to act as you wish, to fight for what you need to fight for, to protect what you wish to protect, to be who you need to be. Let these words supersede anything else I might say to you, any command I might give you whether inadvertently or otherwise.” I drew a long breath. “How’s that sound?”
He nodded.
“Thank you, I know you didn’t want this.” He chuckled. “I’vealmostgotten used to it.” He grew serious again. “But I don’t think I can trust you all the way till you release me from it.”
“Makes sense,” I said. “But you trust me enough to follow me into battle?”
That secret smile returned as he nodded. “Battle is easy, the rest is hard, remember?”
I smiled too. “Right. Now come down here so I can kiss you.”
He cocked his head. “Huh… it worked,” he murmured. I’d commanded him and the binding hadn’t enforced it.
Good.
He knelt and I took that soft-cheeked face in both hands and kissed him.
When we separated, he raised his brow. “Ruin our marriage bed, huh?”
“Yup.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” He rose, and I followed him back to the others.
This time, Bayn did join us on the bed as we allcollapsed into sleep. He laid across the foot of the bed, and it said something about how huge the bed was, that he fit without falling off the end, and that none of our feet were anywhere near him.
I hugged Myel close, let his soothing comfort relax me, and tried not to dream of death and destruction.
IZZY
Bayn had been smart.When some of the titans had fled to Valnea, he’d send a small group with them who were loyal to us. They had one job… let us know the instant the attack was to commence.
As we’d suspected she would, Valnea came early, just after midnight. In the wee hours of the morning her force began to flood over Veilblood campus.
And we were ready for them, or at least as ready as we could be. With the titans on our side, we outnumbered them, but they still had more battle-hardened warriors than we did. Far too many of our number had been servants or administrators not that long ago.
Still, we put up one hell of a fight.
Reports came in from all over campus to our secret underground bunker, a new one, not the one Lhorine had created off campus.
That’s where I waited with my guys. A troop of elite warriors waited nearby as well. We needed to know where Valnea herself appeared and that’s where I’d strike. Finally, one of the pixie runners sprinted in, out of breath, gaspingthat Valnea — along with a significant entourage to protect her — was at the north end of campus.
“Do what you must,” Lhorine said to me, by way of farewell.
“Slay that bitch!” were Grandma Oli’s parting words, as my guys and I ran to join our little force, then we fast-marched up to meet Valnea.
