A short silence followed.
“If it’s his safety that concerns you, then I fail to see the purpose of this meeting,” Onyx eventually said. “He’s safe in my realm.”
I turned back to look at Briar and Lake. They seemed as curious as me. If only we were like Rowan and could hide in the shadows right in the center of the action. The three of us inched closer to the room.
Oreo bolted forward and pushed open the door.Woof.
As it swung open, the men on the other side all stopped talking and turned in our direction.
“Um.” I stood in the middle of the doorway. Alone. Briar and Lake had moved at lightning speed and dashed aside, out of sight. Leaving me out high and dry. “Hi.”
Lord Onyx, Maddox, and Callum sat around a table, cups of tea and a platter of fruit in front of them. Patio doors behind them showed a courtyard with wildflowers and thin-trunked trees. The knight trio stood against the wall, their expressions hanging between surprise at my intrusion but amusement too.
“Oh, darn.” I whipped my head from side to side, feigning surprise. “This isn’t the kitchen. I must’ve gotten lost again.”
A rasping laugh came from the dark corner closest to the door. Rowan couldn’t keep his composure. The sound alerted a certain adorable fluffball, and Oreo padded over to the corner and sniffed, a growl building in his little chest a beat later. With his cover blown, Rowan materialized and stepped from the shadows.
“I wondered how long you’d stay hidden,” Onyx casually told him.
“You detected me?” Rowan seemed impressed. He had admired Lord Onyx since he was a kid. That admiration showed in the awed look in his eyes when he spoke to him and the almost childlike giddiness he tried so hard to hide.
“From the moment you arrived,” Onyx answered. “You’re not the only one who’s found solace in the shadows. They speak to me too. Always have. However…” He arched a fine brow. “I’ve never used them to fly before.”
Rowan smirked.
No doubt about it. Onyx knew about our late-night escapade on the castle roof. I only hoped the shadows failed to tell him about our steamy encounter by the pond. I would die from the embarrassment.
“The other two should join us as well.” Onyx gave a flick of his fingers.
Briar and Lake rounded the corner and shuffled into the room, as though propelled by an unseen force. They stopped next to me, one on either side.
“Hello,” Briar said, smile awkward. He rested a hand on my lower back.
Lake’s ears perked up as he looked behind him, as if trying to find what pushed them. He then nodded to the demon lord. “Er, good afternoon.”
“Do have a seat.” Onyx motioned to the empty chairs around the table. Didn’t sound like much of a request. His cool expression made it hard to accurately read his mood. “Your captain was in the process of making a proposal.”
“What kind of proposal?” I asked Maddox.
“More of a truce, really.” He rose from his chair and approached me, taking my hand. “To set aside our differences and reach an understanding.”
On instant alert, I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”
“Here I thought you’d be pleased. We’re getting along.” Maddox guided me to the chair beside his, keeping hold of my hand once we were seated. “No peace tea or muffins needed.”
I smiled at the reference to the many times I’d tried to get all of them to stop bickering. “Oh, believe me. I’m very pleased. But also suspicious.”
Very, very suspicious.
Had I left the Shadow Realm and stepped into the Twilight Zone? On what planet would Maddox and Callum be so amiable with Lord Onyx? Only yesterday, their defenses had been sky-high.
“Why the suspicion?” Maddox softly sighed. “I know I can be a boorish brute at times, but I’m not entirely unreasonable.”
Briar quietly cleared his throat as he dropped down into the chair on my other side. Lake took position against the wall next to Rowan. The two of them shared a look.
“I saw that,” Maddox told them.
“You saw nothing.” Rowan flicked his fingers at him. “You gluttonous brute.”
