“I don’t want to burden you,” she answered carefully, slowly. “I think your advice will make it easier for me on the team. But I’d still be glad to take on extra work. If you need me.”
Karvek didn’t answer right away. He studied her with that unreadable calm, then set his journal aside and leaned in, voice low.
“You don’t have to prove anything to them,” he said. “Not when you’ve already proven yourself to me.”
The words slid beneath her skin like a balm. She didn’t know how to respond. Her throat tightened.
“Let them struggle to understand you. Let them judge,” he continued. “You don’t need them. You never did.”
His hand brushed the back of the couch near her shoulder—not touching, but deliberately close.
“You’ve fought so hard to keep the world out. You could stop fighting, Iryana. Just… be what you are. And with me, you’d never have to apologize for it.”
It was tempting. Gods, it was tempting.
With him, she didn’t have to explain herself. Didn’t have to struggle to earn every scrap of trust. She could keep the walls up and call it armor. And Karvek was making her believe it could be enough.
She could picture it—staying at Karvek’s side after she’d done what she could for her family. Growing comfortable with all the parts of her that’d been shattered.
Karvek studied her a moment longer, then stood.
“I’ll give you some time,” he said, low and unhurried. “To settle in. Test your footing with the others. Let you see what they can offer you.”
Iryana’s breath caught.
His tone wasn’t cold. It was patient and indulgent. Like she was already his, and he was waiting for her to realize it. His gaze lingered on her face, and for one fractured second, she didn’t feel weak under it. She felt chosen.
Then he leaned closer, voice a whisper just for her: “Why keep clawing for a place in their world, when you already have one in mine?”
And then he left her there—surrounded by warmth, silence, and the echo of the door clicking softly shut.
Chapter Thirty-One
Iryana sat by herself at one of the tables in the hall, waiting for that night’s dinner to be ready. She’d been off missions for days now, only joining in for the team’s training sessions.
There was always plenty of work to be done during the Harvest Moon, so between her training and running the perimeter of the fort until the healing muscles in her chest ached, she volunteered her time. She couldn’t help with the grain harvest, not if she wanted to be ready to fight as soon as possible, but she worked with the groups drying meats and mushrooms, and salting venison and other game for winter. Anything to stay busy while she waited for Karvek’s fights on the night of the quarter moon.
The heat of summer fled quickly in Istri, and the nights were already growing colder. The hearths in the hall were lit every night now, although it wasn’t late enough in the day for that yet. There was still daylight streaming through the windows. Which was good, because that meant most of Karvek’s new soldiers weren’t there and she could have a bit of peace.
She felt restless. Especially after everything Karvek had given her to think about.
Then, a commotion behind her drew her gaze. Her team was back.
“You missed quite a tussle,” Vabihn chuckled. “Pack surprised the shit out of us. ‘Specially Shahn here.”
Shahn didn’t look remotely entertained as he plopped down.
The corner of Iryana’s lip tipped up.
“Only because you were bitchin’ so loud about being hungry,” Pepha teased. “I signaled they were coming!”
“I can confirm that,” Pyetar sighed as he walked past.
Iryana tracked him as he went over to some of the other captains and began talking quietly with them.
“We can’t all jump out of the trees and stab ‘em in the eye!” Vabihn argued, affronted.
“Youcan’t, you mean.” Pepha actually stuck her tongue out at Vabihn. “I think Iryana could manage it.”
