“Enough,mi’ajna.”
I can’t meet his eyes, can’t stand the mournful tone of his voice. Pulling my wrist from his hand I pluck a large, folded towel off a nearby table and dry myself. He follows me into the closet, exchanging his wet clothes for a dry pair of loose linen pants and waits patiently while I change into a sleeping gown.
I walk past him into the main room, pausing under the arch of the door, glancing at the white stone floor where I left the body. Not a trace of the man remains. The shattered remnants of the toppled vase have been cleared from the room. Aside from the crack in the marble wall and the splintered wooden door closed to the corridor beyond, there is no sign of a struggle.
The general comes up beside me when my eyes linger on the ground where I left the bloody corpse. I killed one of my own people. For him. For the male beside me. I can lie and say it was for my own honor. Given the circumstances, no one would believe otherwise, but I know the truth.
I could have used this to my benefit. I could have helped him kill the male, taken out the general of the king’s army, and all while maintaining the façade of my innocence. But I can’t bring myself to regret the decision. I meant what I said, even now, and I would do far worse to anyone that triedto harm him. Even when I am willing to do more harm to the male than a dagger to the heart. At least he will live. I will see to it that he does.
“He came here to kill you,” I say under my breath.
I brave a look at the general. His eyes are still soft and apprehensive as he nods.
“I couldn’t let him,” I admit.
The general nods again when he says, “I know.”
How can he know? I hadn’t known myself.
I stare at the vacant space on the floor, utterly unaware of the time that passes when the general takes my hand in his.
“Tell me what you need,mi’ajna.”
How can I tell him what I need when I don’t even know it myself. What do I need? The death of every assassin on that ship. The war ended. Peace between our kingdoms and a full belly for every starving soul on Terr. A safe home for the fea. How has everything gotten so complicated?
I don’t have the words to begin to explain all that I need, and even if I did, they are things he can’t give me. So, I lead him to bed and crawl beneath the covers. The general blows out the last of the flickering lights and crawls in beside me without a word.
I’m just getting settled in when his arm slides beneath me and he pulls me against him. He rests his chin on top of my head, and I press my nose into his chest, breathing him in. The tension leaks from my body the moment my lungs fill with the scent of citrus and cedar. I hadn’t asked for this, but maybe he knew what I didn’t. That this, this is what I need.
CHAPTER 27
THE A’KORI PALACE
Present Day
“Kiss me goodbye,mi’ajna.” He drops his lips to my temple as his fingers gently sweep along the length of my jaw.
I sit up straight, the covers falling from my chest, taking the thin strap off my shoulder when they do. He’s in a full set of leathers, two long, black-bladed swords strapped to his back and a thick cloak draped over his shoulders. My brow pinches in confusion and I ask, “Where are you going?”
“We received good intelligence this morning on where the rest of the La’tari crew might be hiding,” he explains.
I throw the covers off my legs and brush past him into the washroom as I say, “I’m coming with you.”
The male is going to get himself killed taking on two warships of Drakai. I don’t let myself think too much about who might be on those ships and the La’tari lives I’m likely to end before this is over.
“No. You are not,” he says, following after me.
I spit the last of the mint paste into the sink and rush for the closetto dress in my leathers.
“Shivaria, please. You have to stay here.”
My pants are tied and I’m securing my cuirass over a dark dress when he makes it into the room behind me. I reach for my boots, glaring at the male when he snatches them from my hand, throwing them on the floor behind him.
He cups my face, his breath hot on my cheek when he says, “Please, stay here.” My stomach twists at the plea in his voice. “For me, stay. I don’t want you anywhere near them.”
Iamthem.
I want to yell it. To make him understand just how horribly he has already underestimated the Drakai. There is every chance the information he received was leaked intentionally and he will be walking into a well-orchestrated trap.
