Elyria pursed her lips. “It’s not like I’m the one who named the damned thing.”
Kit arched a silver brow. “Who did then?”
Elyria cursed inwardly. “Cedric did.” She tried to say the words casually, like it didn’t matter at all. But heat bloomed in her cheeks when she remembered that both Kit and Nox could likely hear the way her heartbeat started hammering the instant his name left her mouth.
“Ah. He did, did he?” Nox’s face was the picture of amusement.
Elyria leveled the nocterrian with a cool stare. “What are you evendoing in here?”
“Someone has to do the strategizing around here,” they replied evenly, eyes darting from Elyria to Sid and back again. “Given your rather spirited greeting to the newest members of our delegation, Kit and I thought a meeting of the minds prudent before everyone sets off on their respective missions tomorrow.”
“I won’t apologize, if that’s part of your plan,” Elyria said, lip curling. If she could, she would go back in time just to punch Raefe in the smug face over and over and over again.
“Of course not, Ellie,” Kit said, her voice gentle. “We are just trying to make the best of a terrible situation. The reports Sephone gave on the current situation in Luminaria were quite enlightening. However terrible it is that they’re here, that Master Tartanis has somehow convinced my uncle to allow him influence on our efforts here”—she gestured broadly to the room, as if it was representative of all Havensreach—“at least what we’ve learned from Sephone may, in fact, prove useful.”
“And just what has she taught us?” Elyria asked. “Did she—wait. What did you say?” She tilted her head at Nox. “Before everyone sets offtomorrow? Does that mean?—”
“Yes, King Callum just gave his official blessing and?—”
“Final-fucking-ly.”
“—you are to leave in the morning.”
Elyria pursed her lips. “Me, but not you?”
Kit squared her shoulders, lowering her voice in a perfect mimicry of Dentarius’ rolling baritone. “It is good for us to maintain a presence here in Kingshelm. For the optics, you see.”
Elyria snorted a laugh. “Oh, but of course.”
Even Nox seemed to be trying to contain a smile. “Lord Jaen thinks it a better use of Kit’s status and his own particular skills to remain here in Kingshelm, as a good faith appeal on our behalf. So the humans don’t feel quite so, how did he put it?”
“Used,” said Kit. “Though, to be frank, I think he’s simply gotten too used to the comforts of the palace. He doesn’t relish the thought of having to rough it on the road.”
“I think it was mention of the caravan that did him in,” Nox mused. “For which I do not blame the man. It is onething to travel here by gryphon-led carriage. Traipsing through Havensreach on horseback is another entirely.”
“You are so spoiled,” Kit said with another playful whack to Nox’s arm.
“Am I to take it that you are deigning to stay behind as well then, Tenebris?” Elyria asked, her eyes darting between the pair of them, an amused sort of curiosity lifting her brow.
“You’re already having to ride through the human countryside on said horseback in order to keep your profile low. Do you really think traveling with a nocterrian is going to help matters?”
“Fair enough,” said Elyria. “Is it just me, then? I go alone?” The thought had a conflicting clash of emotions stirring in her chest. This is all she’d wanted for weeks—the ability to go after Malchior, free and clear. And yet, the idea of finally, truly, actually leaving...
Get your head on straight, Lightbreaker, she told herself.He’s leaving too.
“Did you not hear what I said about the caravan? Do try not to annihilate the messenger when I tell you you’ll have a whole jolly crew of companions.”
Irritation brushed up Elyria’s back, and from Kit’s bed, a soft, annoyed mewl sounded as Sid lifted her head once more. “What exactly does that mean?”
Kit pursed her lips. “Lord Church has assigned a couple of guards to accompany you, Thraigg, Jocelyn, Ollie, and...”
Elyria’s fingernails dug into the armrest of the chair. “And?”
“And Sephone and . . . Raefe.”
Shadows pulsed under Elyria’s skin. From the bed, Sid hissed. “No. Absolutely fucking not.”
“We don’t have much of a choice, Ellie. It’s by order of the king.”
