The day after we returned, I sent Lambrit a letter saying we were home and asked for some time before he came by.
Less than an hour later, there was a knock at the door. I was sure he’d ignored me—I even told the guys that as I marched to answer it.
It wasn’t Lambrit.
It was Gladian.
Shock froze me for a heartbeat. Then the guys surrounded me.
Creed had a sword drawn in a blink, with Amick and Riven at his back. Kyzen hauled me into the kitchen and planted himself in front of me, ready for whoever might come through the house.
He didn’t lower his guard until the other three appeared alone.
Gladian had been sent with a letter from the High Chancellor, relieving us of our duties for a week, plus a report for Creed.
The report was short. Everyone who left made it back alive.
Something we already knew.
And Mellcom…
He told Gladian the Goddess of Seduction locked him in a room off that single hallway. She’d check on him randomly, bring food, offer a feeder—that he doesn’t need—then would leave him be.
He was restrained but not like Riven.
Some kind of barrier kept him from using his power and opening the door. When she drained the Chamber and starshot the fighters in, the restraint on the room lifted.
He told Gladian he didn’t try to escape because he heard the commotion and knew it had to be us.
When he tackled her to…save me…she starshot him back into the room before disappearing. He ran out again but straight into guards and had to fight his way back to us.
His injuries weren’t life-threatening, but they were bad enough to need serious healing.
Two black eyes. A busted lip. A dislocated shoulder. Bruises everywhere. A deep gash down his leg.
Valories. I still can’t believe he tackled a Beginning God for me.
I press my palms into my eyes and force him from my thoughts. I have four other men consuming all my space, and I’m not ready to make room for him too.
“Geez, you scared me. I didn’t expect you to be sitting here.”
I suck in a startled gasp as Yemi’s voice reaches me before she walks out of the darkness.
“Fuck, you just made a cold sweat break out across my whole-ass body, Yemi. Are you naturally that damn quiet or is it your power?”
I lay my hand on my chest to calm my racing heart when she takes a seat on the ground beside me.
“My power. You scared me just as bad, for your information. I was coming to knock. What the hell are you doing out here?”
“I wanted a breath of fresh air, but it’s too dark to go for a walk. If I sit right here at my door, light shines out here from my room.”
She hums as she tilts her head back to look. “I assume it’s still intense in there?”
“Intense isn’t even close to the word. You and Sevryn still not speaking either?”
Her cheeks redden, and I arch a brow. She’s been incredibly cagy about telling me what happened. This is the first time I’ve actually seen her, but the note we’ve been starshooting back and forth has been short on her end.
Every time I’ve asked if she wanted to talk about it or if she wanted company other than Sevryn, she stated she needed some time…alone.
