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“A day or so without food or water will make him quite talkative, I’m sure,” I said.

“If General Kacha does have General Bemishu’s support, that changes very little. They will both need supplies from the Imperium. Once we cut those off, they will become desperate quickly.” Tallu turned. “I expect an update this evening.”

Five

As one, the other men bowed to him, their fingers forming perfect triangles, and then they left, until we were alone except for two of his new Dogs. With a single gesture, he dismissed them as well.

One of the Dogs tried to argue, but they did not have the experience or the familiarity Asahi or Sagam did, and I was able to get them out with a raised eyebrow and a glance at the bed.

“His Imperial Majesty has indicated he missed me greatly,” I said.

The Dog exhaled a soft sound almost like a word and then both of them left. I fastened the tent flap behind him.

With my back to the door, I crossed my arms, listening. I didn’t hear anyone on the other side, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t be overheard.

Loudly, I said, “You promised me something last night that you were not able to deliver on, my lord.”

“Did I?” Tallu asked, the corners of his eyes crinkling. He sat down on the bed, then lay back on his pillows, speaking loudly enough that his voice could be heard through the fabric of the tent. “Perhaps you could remind me what it was exactly that I promised.”

I felt my lips curl into a smile, wondering what the men on the other side of the tent flap thought of our little turn at drama. Crossing the room, my mood fell the closer I got to him.

Tallu was stretched out, propped up by his pillows. He reached up, and I saw his hands trembling as he removed his crown. I took it from him, placing it on the bedside table.

Without the mantle of authority, I could see the dark hollows in his face, the pain that carved itself into his wrinkles. I breathed in slowly, feeling a tremor as air entered my lungs, the anxiety that I had to hide from him or it would spill over and both of us would drown in it.

Putting my hands on his chest, I closed my eyes and wanted. More than anything, I wanted Tallu to be well. I wanted him healed, for his beautiful body to be as strong as his mind.

The ice flowed out from me, covering my hands and arms, coating Tallu’s clothing and then seeping through, finding his flesh. The cold entered the air, crystallizing it, so when Tallu breathed in, my magic flowed down his throat, inside him.

I knew I was treading on dangerous ground. I had already overused my magic once, and the memory of it still left me jumpy. Naî’s anger had been punishment enough. But I couldn’t risk Tallu getting worse, his curse damaging him beyond what I would be able to heal.

My magic swirled over his skin, running down his flesh and into him and I pushed all my desire into that one truth: I wanted him better. I felt the pain seep from his body, leaving him cold and chilled, but without the burn of the curse eating him like rot.

When he breathed, I could feel the ice entering his lungs, filling him, and there was not a single thing left that hurt.

Pulling back, I let the ice fall away, felt it leave his body. He took a deep breath, nearly a gasp, and then his hands were on my face, his lips on mine. We kissed, finding each other again after our time apart, finding each other after having gone through his pain together.

“To be clear, I do not love you solely because you heal me,” Tallu said, his voice rough, but his smile easy.

“No,” I agreed, feeling my amusement bubble up. “You love me for my ability to kill you? My snarky wit? My beautiful face?”

“All of that,” Tallu said. “All of that.”

“How is your brother?” I asked, still whispering, keeping the words between us. I would need to heal him as well.

“Naî has been working her magic on him,” Tallu said. “I believe she likes him.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Naî likes someone?”

“In her human form, she plays with him and the elven children. All of them.” Tallu’s brows drew together, and his lips pulled to the side briefly.

I understood the feeling. Naî was an all-powerful creature from legend. She had saved us time and time again. She had taught me magic beyond what any human had been able to do in our memory, perhaps even hers.

And yet, she was also a child. She might have the memories of two generations of dragons, but that did not negate the reality that both Tallu and I had held her newborn form in our hands.

“Is there anything else we need to talk about?” I asked. The only time we would get to ourselves was now, when servants and Dogs alike were politely ignoring the rendezvous they thought we were having. They often stepped far enough away to give us some semblance of privacy.

“The blood mages say that even if Saxu and Commander Rede are loyal to us, their men are suspicious. We cannot afford that, not now if we mean to defend Tavornai against Kacha.” Tallu frowned. For years, undermining Saxu’s command would have meant unqualified success. But now it only meant that General Kacha would swarm over Tavornai with his men and his blood thirst. It only meant that the last elves of Tavornai would meet their end by an imperial hand.