“Good news always travels fast.” Dax stepped forward and bowed, gently taking Mrs. Thornbrew’s hand and kissing the back of it. The perfect gentleman. “A delight to make your acquaintance. I hear you’re the one I need to speak to for the best bowl of stew in the city.”
Mrs. Thornbrew chuckled. “You should also try my scones.”
“A delicacy I’m sure.” Dax straightened and rested his hand on my shoulder. “Thank you for taking such good care of my cousin when our family wasn’t able to. I know we’re supposed to be sworn enemies and all, but we are in your debt for keeping her safe.”
“Yes, thank you. Foreverything,” I said quickly as Mrs. Thornbrew opened her mouth.
Dax didn’t need to know the extent of my despair. How I hadn’t been able to crawl out of bed for so many embarrassing days or eat until I almost withered away.
She gave me a knowing look from the corner of her eye. A fox-like mind rested beyond that kind gaze.
“He’s quite a charmer, isn’t he?” Mrs. Thornbrew raised her pale brows at me, but she couldn’t hide the way her cheeks reddened.
“I try to,” Dax said with false modesty. “You flatter me, madam.”
Mrs. Thornbrew laughed. “Oh, you would have been just my type when I was a young woman. Good thing I’m old.”
“What’s he doing here?” Nadya grumbled.
“Visiting,” Dax and I said at the same time.
Well, that sounded suspicious.
“He’s the cousin you were worried about?” Geryll muttered, not really looking at Dax, but somewhere near his knees.
“Yes. And I’m glad he’s safe and here with us,” I said, loud enough for the entire atrium to hear.
Nadya licked her teeth. “How did he get in?”
The question hung in the air like a sword.
“Same way I did. Unexpectedly,” I said.
Not quite a lie, but far, far removed from the truth.
“My arrival was much more exciting than hers,” Dax said. “Your crater is quite formidable. It takes strong people to not only face this harsh climate day after day, but also thrive. Back in Aquila, we had trouble when a stiff breeze hit our shores.”
A gross exaggeration, but one that made the narrowed stares open up slightly.
This was what Dax excelled at.
While I had to wear my strength as armor, he just did not care. He had that way about him to make others feel at ease and seem much less of a threat than he was. If I hadn’t trusted him, I would have been alarmed at how easily he could disarm with a grin.
The tingles now crawled down my entire back. Burning. I blinked rapidly against the insistent sensation. It felt like someone–or something–wanted to drag me out of the fortress.
My gaze roamed again, more insistent.
No sign of the crater’s purple light.
No hum.
What in Xamor’s name was happening–and what was I missing?
An ache grew inside of me. It almost compelled me to walk out.
“That’s ‘cause you’re not wearing the right boots,” Nadya growled, snapping me back to this tense moment I needed to navigate carefully.
No show of weakness.
