Hokda spoke in short, stilted sentences. “Move your things into the apprentice’s quarters. Your uniform will be waiting in your room. You start tomorrow.”
And with that, the healer stalked out the door, letting it fall shut heavily behind him.
“Yes.Yes!” Kade’s cheeks hurt from how wide he was smiling. He put both fists to his forehead and tilted his head back. He laughed, breathless and shaky, the relief was a weight off his shoulders.
Kade couldn’t wait to tell Killi. He should go and find him. He should go find himright now.
“Congratulations.”
Kade jumped. In his shocked celebration, he hadn’t realized that Fyar hadn’t followed Hokda out, that he’d stayed, watching Kade with his blank emotionless eyes and fake smile.
“It’s good that you’ll be able to stay,” said Fyar. "Killian will be very happy.”
“Yes.” Kade realized he should probably thank him because this was the king and he surely expected it. “I wouldn’t have had the opportunity without your assistance. You have my gratitude.”
Fyar looked Kade up and down. “I didn’t do it for you.”
Well, fuck you too.Oh, Kade hated him. “Hmm.”
Fyar’s smile twisted a little, maybe with some real humor, almost as if he knew what Kade was thinking. He drifted gracefully towards the door. “Good luck, Kade del Torau.”
Kade waited all of two minutes after Fyar and Hokda were gone to throw the door open and peek his head out.
“Are they gone?” Kade asked Dantel.
The guard looked at him with wide eyes. “You still alive, baby Torau?”
Kade warmed at the name Dantel had taken to calling him over the week they’d spent in each other’s presence. He liked Dantel, and was glad it had been him who was assigned his detail. “Somehow. Do you know where Killi is?”
Dantel cocked his head. “His office or the training grounds. Why?”
“I need to see him. Can you take me there?”
“Sure,” said Dantel slowly.
Kade beamed.
They found Killi at the training grounds. It was apparently where Killi spent all his free time, working off the energy that was pent up from being cooped up in his office. Dantel mentioned he often liked to challenge Killi to a fight, he hadn’t won yet but hewould. Soon. He was improving every day.
It was so Killi, he always had to be doing something. As if he were allergic to the concept of rest and relaxation. It used to drive Kade crazy when they were younger. When they had a rare free day, all Kade wanted to do was spend time lounging between the grape vines, talking and being close, but Killi would insist on going to the river or want to go stomping off through the forest.Despite his complaints, Kade always followed, not wanting to be separated for long.
Killi was down on the sandy sparring ground, wrapped around another elf who was desperately trying to escape one of Killi’s holds. Both shirtless. Both grinning.
Kade scowled.
Dantel whistled lowly as they watched the two roll around. Killi’s lieutenant,Loran—with his flaxen hair and stupid dimples—had the nerve to laugh when Killi pinned him.
Killi pressed against Loran’s hips, holding him down with the weight of his body while their arms twisted and fought.
Kade’s eyes narrowed. Was that a blush he saw on Loran’s cheeks?
Loran murmured something Kade didn’t catch, and Killi laughed. Loud and open, his eyes bright.
Kade’s heart clenched. It had been a long time since he’d heard Killi laugh like that. It had been a more common gift when they were younger. Back when Killi was free.
When Killi had appeared before him on the riverbank inTurell, Kade could tell he was different, that their time apart had changed him, and for a moment, it had scared Kade more than anything. That he could look into Killi’s eyes, and not know who was staring back. It had been his worst nightmare come to life.
Even now, with Kade in Ingara and them being so close, there was a distance between them that he didn’t know how to bridge. Killi was there with him, but it felt different, like Killi had his walls up and Kade was locked on the other side.
