Mrath looks at them, exasperated, but misses how Thorne bows his head in a soft smile.
“Fine. I will give you the time you ask for. Use it to train these underwater dwellers and forge on with the ogres, but I will not leave you unsupervised.” Then she turns to Thorne. “Would you stay and be my blade once more?”
My eyebrows rise, as do Ulla’s.
I see her eyes cut straight to him, but he doesn’t take his eyes off of Mrath.
“I will be your blade.”
The leader of the sisterhood nods, and then, calling Ayla, leaves the throne room without the silver haired-elf.
With them gone, the meeting goes quiet.
“How far along are you, My Queen?” Liana asks, her eyes unnaturally glassy.
I smile and place my hand on my belly. “Perhaps a month.”
She grins, then pulls a chunk of quartz out of her robes. The words pour out of her mouth, a chant at first, and then a melody when Ulla joins in.
Tears fall out of my eyes.
When it is over, the hugs start. First from Ulla, then Fira. Liana and Vann come right after each other.
Even Thorne. It’s a stiff embrace, but I am appreciative of his friendship, nonetheless.
“Thank you for staying,” I whisper. “I wouldn’t want any other elf slicing my throat.”
He pulls back, smiling. “I have a few crystals I haven’t had the pleasure of harvesting quite yet.”
“Now, if that’s enough celebration for the moment, I propose a feast this evening,” Teo says.
I grin at him, and every member of the council raises their hands in agreement.
“Done!” he says. “Now, a few things have been on my mind. First, any word from Ra’Sa or Melisa?”
Liana shakes her head. “No, but we won’t until they arrive. They used the last of their speaking stones to send us Rholker’s plans, and the crystal only shows me visions of snow and dirty feet. Have faith, my queen.”
A pit forms in my stomach, but I push it aside.
“Are there enough houses for all these new men?” Teo asks.
It’s Lothar who steps forward next. “Currently, no. But we have six months to build up this city. It once housed thousands of our people.”
Teo grins, stands, and claps the quiet diplomat on the back.
“Yes. And so it shall again!” Then he looks at everyone else,his eyes landing firmly on Vann. “That reminds me. Any new mates?”
Ulla nods excitedly. “Yes. Of the thirty-three human women who arrived with Estela a month ago, all have decided to stay. Eight of them have begun the mating song.”
My eyebrows lift, and the small sleeping boy on my chest takes an opportunity to start crying.
The sound shocks the rest of the sleepiness out of me. And then, I am scrambling while a flurry of people come over to help me situate the boy.
Eventually, he’s taken to Iryth to be fed, and I am pushed out of the room to go get ready for the feast.
When Teo comes up behind me, I find us pushed together in a way we haven’t been since before the battle. Our eyes meet, and heat spreads through my core.
In a second, he scoops me up and carries me back to the king’s suite.
