Her attention drifted back to Rion and Arianna. They might as well have been gods themselves with the way everyone treated them now. Their shifts—gods, their shifts had been spectacular. Rion, her little brother, a dragon. An actual living, breathing dragon. And Arianna, the queen who had been prophesied to save them all, a gorgeous phoenix with powers beyond anything they could have ever imagined.
Saoirse glanced down at her arm and flexed her fingers. She’d been so sure she’d lost it. Hell, she’d thought she and Zylah were going to die on that field, left as nothing more than fodder for Vairik’s monsters to consume.
Fate had been on their side.
The gods had finally been on their side. Or maybe they’d never abandoned them in the first place.
“Did anyone bring wine?” Saoirse asked, the first to break the silence.
“The sun is barely up,” Alec murmured.
“Your point?”
Rion smirked, leaning back in his chair, his body position uncharacteristically lazy. Saoirse imagined he was still adjusting to the effects of his first shift. Never mind coming to terms with his newfound identity. There was certainly no denying it now.
“The servants are still off,” Arianna said. “But I could—”
“Sit down,” Saoirse said before Arianna could even attempt to rise. “If the queen fetches me wine, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“There were a few who volunteered to make breakfast, it should be here soon,” Alec said.
“And they have wine?”
Another smile from her older brother. “I might have mentioned it.”
“Oh, thank the gods.”
As if summoned, three half-breeds walked into the room carrying plates of fresh fruit, eggs, sausage, and biscuits. Saoirse spotted one with a glorious bottle full of heavenly red liquid. The female approaching set it directly beside Saoirse. An act that had everyone chuckling.
The servant paused before Zylah and bowed slightly before hurrying off. Saoirse braced herself for Zylah’s judgement. It didn’t come. She thought back to their kiss on the battlefield, along with the promise that had begged Saoirse to survive. She would finally get the chance to court Zylah properly.
Because now they had all the time in the world.
They were free.
None waited on formalities before digging in, filling their plates to the brim.
Arianna stared at her food. She didn’t reach for a fork. Instead, she said, “I know a lot has happened.” The entire room paused. “But there are things that need to be addressed.”
Saoirse sighed. “I guess this means we don’t get a reprieve.”
“Not when we’re the ones that have to assign them,” Rion said.
“And this is why I never wanted his job,” she jerked her chin toward Alec.
“I already have a team that’s secured the perimeter,” Raevina said, moving the conversation straight to business. Typical. “We’re monitoring those who come and go, but could use more on patrol.”
The female still possessed an air of authority about her, but Saoirse couldn’t help but smirk at her out of sorts appearance. Instead of fighting leathers and knives strappedacross her torso, Raevina’s clothes were jagged and askew, as if she’d just rolled out of bed without so much as glancing at herself in the mirror.
Saoirse wrinkled her nose. The female could have at least bothered with a shower. It would have been nice to not smell exactly which male had warmed her bed last night. Saoirse glanced over at Talon, then rolled her eyes. The male was practically beaming.
“We’ll find them,” Arianna assured, then glanced at Rion. He offered an encouraging nod that had Saoirse curious. “I know there’s usually a mountain of paperwork, but we’ve officially decided to appoint everyone present as part of our inner court.”
The room froze. Those who’d been lifting food to their mouths slowly put down their forks. Those in the middle of drinking set their glasses to the side. Eyes flitted across the room, soaking in the parties present, processing their comrades. Allies.
A room full of people that would reshape the entire continent.
Avalon and Alec were present; they were a given, considering their station. Zylah’s role was easy enough to figure out. The female had been working as a bridge, filling the gaps between Fae and half-breeds since their time in Ruadhán.
