“Which is why we must follow the plan I’ve laid out.”
Zayde stopped in front of me and scratched the back of his neck. “Do you truly think this will work? It’s been so long. We don’t even know if they’re still alive any longer.”
“Things have changed.” I shared the latest.
“Wow.” His eyes widened, and he smiled for the first time in . . . I didn’t know how long. “Really?”
“Really.”
“That’s amazing.”
It was.
“This gives me hope,” he said.
“Don’t tell anyone.”
“Oh, I won’t.” He started pacing again, but his steps held a spring they’d lacked before. “I can’t imagine being free of all this. Bledmire Court is a nightmare.”
“Change will take time.” Was he truly up for it?
“I’ll do what I can.”
“I’ll stand with you.” With them both if things fell into place as they should.
When had “as they should” been part of the game? Winning took strategy, a cutthroat plan that took no prisoners and laid waste to everything and everyone in its path. I’d always had the nerve and the will to do what I must. If I didn’t, I risked losing what I treasured most. My life was on the line—something I hadn’t valued before I met Tempest. She’d brought color to my world.
And hope. Its sweetness came with a bitter taint I couldn’t get rid of.
“I’ll be there,” he said. “Waiting. Ready to act.”
Finally.
I braced his shoulders. I wanted to tell him not to fail me, but I’d asked him that before—beggedhim before—and we both knew how that had turned out.
“Thank you,” I said instead.
There was so much more riding on this than me, and that should make a difference. With a personal stake in the outcome, he would try harder.
By the fates, I sure hoped he did.
We rode back to the aerie, but while he flitted to his suite immediately after, I remained to groom Glim. I usually roused a stable hand to do this, but since working with Fury at the fortress, I’d discovered I found comfort in the task. It soothed me in a way few other things did.
It reminded me of her.
Finished, I left Glim’s stall and strode down the silent hall that echoed only with my thoughts. As I passed Madrood’s pen, a subtle sound inside made me pause. I released the latch and eased open the top of his gate to peer inside, finding the beast lying on his side, asleep. He didn’t look up and nothing appeared out of place.
Securing the latch again, I leaned against the wall and waited longer than I needed to before flitting to my suite.
I removed my clothing and slipped into bed beside Tempest, gathering her into my arms. It felt good to hold her, to kiss her brow.
Best of all, she murmured my name in her sleep.
30
TEMPEST
Iwoke up the next morning, finding the bed cold, though I was aware that Vexxion had slept beside me during the night.
