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Leaf’s brows lifted. He had heard tales of the Collector—a female more crow than human. She had a reputation for shrewd deals and harsh punishments for intruders. The location of her lair was shrouded in mystery.
“What did he trade it for?” he asked.
“That’s not important,” Ash snapped.
Leaf felt the tension rise at the evasion. Clarke, particularly, struggled to hold back her anger at the secret. But perhaps this was a secret not meant for them. Unlike their missing friend, the two crows were here, helping. He said to them, “Someone should go to the Collector’s and find it.”
“I’ll do it,” River offered grimly. “I know where she lives.”
“Don’t,” Ash warned, a plea in his eyes.
“Someone needs to,” he said casually, as if it didn’t bother him. But the crow was still wounded. Until his feathers grew back, he wouldn’t be able to fly himself there. Shifting regularly helped with the growth, but Leaf still wasn’t sure it should be River.
“You don’t have to go alone,” Clarke said. “I’m sure one of the other Guardians can go with you.”
“Is that an order?” Shade raised his brows.
Everyone grew silent. Leaf glared at Shade, wondering if he’d used that mocking tone on purpose, but when Rush failed to growl at his disrespect, Leaf caught the twitch in the vampire’s lips.
Huh.
There was a time Shade would have done anything to become the next Prime, but Leaf supposed his priorities shifted after mating with Silver. Just as Leaf’s had.
“Har har.” Clarke pointed at his face. “You can get down and give me twenty for being disrespectful.”
“Twenty of what?” Shade’s brow furrowed.
The old-world women laughed, which infuriated Shade until Silver pointed out it was just a stupid saying from their time—something about doing push-ups in the military.
“That’s dumb,” Shade said to Indigo, who tried to hide his smirk.
Shade’s scowl deepened, and he took Silver’s hand. Ribbons of shadow enveloped them both and then they were gone.
As if that was a cue to disperse, Clarke clapped her hands and said, “I guess that’s it for now, guys. We can finish worrying about tomorrow, tomorrow. Right now, we need to go and check on our daughter.”
She glanced at her mate and whispered, “That was leaderly, right?”
He dropped a kiss on her nose. “Perfect, Princess.”
Jasper nodded to them. “We’ll talk.”
Aeron hand signed, and Trix translated. “He thinks we should create a new Council, but to include leaders from all over Elphyne.”
“I like it.” Clarke pointed at him. “I don’t want to lose what we all have. Let’s talk more about it later.”
Leaf opened a portal for anyone who needed it, and secretly loved that he could without using up too much of his mana. But at the same time, he realized this gift of power—both his and Nova’s—meant he couldn’t turn his back on the Well or Elphyne. After everyone was gone, he put his arm around Nova’s shoulders and walked with her behind Clarke and Rush as they returned to the house.
“Are you sure, Clarke?” he forced the question out. It wasn’t as though he thought she could reverse her decision easily, but he didn’t want her to feel cornered.
She plucked at the end of a lock of red hair. “It’s already happened, right?”
He nodded. “But Aleksandra relinquished the right. I’m sure you can, too.”
“Why, have you decided you want the job after all?”
Panic squeezed his insides. Nova’s hand slid around Leaf’s waist, but the only emotion he sensed from her was support. She’d never liked how much of his life Crimson had given to duty, but she was willing to stand by him if he had to step in as Prime. He loved her even more for it. Perhaps that gave him the courage to reply to Clarke, “Not in a million years.”
Rush grunted in a way Leaf supposed was humor. Clarke smirked at her mate, but then stopped and took Leaf’s hands in hers.
