Onyx merely glanced at me. Said nothing.
Before I could choose a chair, Maddox encouraged me to sit in the one between him and Callum. Briar and Lake sat on Maddox’s other side. The knight trio chose to remain standing and took position against the wall at our back.
“Rowan isn’t with you?” Varys asked, surveying our group that was currently minus one. He stood on the step below the throne.
“Um.” I offered him a smile, this one peppered with a sudden spike of nerves. Rowan had vanished as soon as I told them the news about spies being detected outside the barrier. “I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.”
That “somewhere” being concealed in the shadows as he trailed Seraphina, Borus, and the two other warriors who’d left to bring the spies to the castle. It had been a long hour waiting for them to return.
“I admit I’m surprised you invited us to join you,” Briar told Onyx before glancing around the throne room with an awed look. It was his first time seeing it. “Seeing as to how we’re neither members of your council nor confidants.”
Onyx rested his hand near his mouth. Was it one of his tells? Briar adjusted his glasses when nervous or amped up about something. Maybe Onyx sat that way for the same reason—an action that helped ground him in some way.
“I invited you here because we’re…” Onyx lowered his hand to the arm of the throne. “Well, because this matter concerns all of you. Spies from Bremloc arriving at the barrier must mean they’re here for Evan.”
“You have my gratitude for allowing us here,” Maddox said.
Onyx nodded in acknowledgement but said nothing further.
Heavy steps and the clank of armor came from the outside corridor. There was athudat the doors before they were pushed open, the hinges creaking in protest.
“My lord,” Borus said with a bow of his head, having entered first. Seraphina stepped in behind him. “We’ve brought the spies as you requested.”
“Bring them forward,” Onyx responded.
A waft of black cardamom tickled my nose before Quincy squeaked. I flipped around in my chair to see Rowan standing beside him. He had used the shadows along the wall to pop in.
“Use the door like a normal person,” Quincy said in a harsh whisper.
“Scaring you is more fun.” Rowan smirked, then trailed his gaze to me. Joy lit his topaz eyes, a kind of happiness that could only mean one thing.
He’d seen his brothers again.
Draven entered the throne room. Even while decked out in a black hood with half his face covered, I recognized him. His swagger and muscled build being the most notable signs. And his pecs. His clothes didn’t disguise those bad boys in the least.
I was up and out of my chair before I could think twice.
“Ev!” Callum called after me, just as Maddox growled my name.
But I was too excited. I ran over and threw my arms around Draven. Much to my relief, Seraphina and the other warriors didn’t stop me. They stepped aside and gave me more room to hug my big grouch of a spy.
“Boy,” Draven greeted me in his thick accent. He hadn’t returned my hug, but there was a softness in his pale blue eyes that made me think part of him wanted to.
“Is everything okay?” I pulled back from him, not wanting to make him too uncomfortable with my clinginess. “Guess you wouldn’t have come here unless something happened, right? But you’re in one piece and don’t look injured at all, so that’s good.”
He stared at me.
“Admit it. You missed me and my rambling mouth.”
More staring. His mask moved as he expelled a heavy breath.
“Can’t speak for him, but I sure did,” a different voice said. Reign stepped toward me, a tad shorter than Draven and with multicolored eyes: one brown and the other blue. Even with only his eyes showing, I knew he was smiling beneath his mask. “And I’ll be quite sad if you don’t greet me with the same enthusiasm.”
“Reign!” I hopped over and threw my arms around him in the same way I did to Draven.
He returned my hold, then slid his hands down my back. Moving suspiciously close to my ass.
The air stirred beside me, bringing a strong scent of leather and spice.
