Lord d’Refan’s posture was rigid as he gestured for me to leave.
“I expect updates,” he called as I opened the door out of the study.
“As you command,” I replied, relieved to be leaving that stifling study and Rohak d’Alvey’s heated gaze.
Chapter 24
Rohak
The door to Alois’ study shut behind Faylinn with an almost inaudiblesnick. Her departure caused my chest to squeeze and loosen simultaneously. Seeing her again, being in the sameroomas her, was both a relief and a frustration.
I admired her, respected her, and was inexplicably drawn to her.
But I was still undeniably angry with her.
Not over her actions, but because of how she went about them.
It still felt like a slap in my face, Life Bonding her ex-lover without his consent hours after I told her my rather strong convictions regarding Bonds.
She should have told me.
If she had warned me, there was still a good chance I would have been angry, but I would have understood. At her heart, Faylinn was an intellectual. A scientist. A researcher. I understood, respected, and maybe even loved her thirst for knowledge and understanding.
That part of her called to me.
I had six months to reconcile the woman I knew with the woman who willingly performed dozens of Life Bonds without so much as a peep of protest against the action. I was convinced one of the versions of Faylinn was a lie, but I hadn’t spent enough time with her since my return to judge her character and sniff out the incongruities.
It was hard for me to trust her again.
It did nothing, though, to temper my desire for her.
Judging by the jumping my dick did just being in her presence again, I’d say my attraction to her was alive and well.
Tall and strong—her muscles were corded and firm from working with her hands. Her skin was a beautiful light brown that grew darker in the summer months but was light again this deep in winter. A head of wayward dark curls, and the most arresting hazel eyes.
Eyes that I knew held all sorts of secrets and truths.
She was an enigma and a comfort all at once.
“Was that really necessary, Rohak?” Alois sighed with exasperation, jolting me from my thoughts of the Rune Master. He padded over to the now vacant armchair before sinking into it with a huff, his head falling to rest against the back with his eyes closed.
My friend had lost considerable weight in my absence, either for his health or from the immense stress he carried. Once, I would have been concerned over the dramatic weight loss, but now, it felt like just due for creating his own problems.
“None of what I said was inaccurate,” I said with steel conviction, though my words were softer than earlier.
Alois scoffed, eyes opening to regard me.
“What happened to you, old friend?” he asked quietly, and I inadvertently tensed, my fingers clutching the whiskey glass, tightening.
“Everything and nothing, Alois.” My friend simply raised his eyebrows and gestured with his hand for me to continue. “There is so much that concerns me, Alois. In Hestin, in Lishahl, in the Stepstones. In Vespera. It’s like the walls of Elyria are closing in on us, and we’re sitting here, drinking stolen Hestin whiskey and talking about your wife.”
I shook my head and laughed sardonically.
“It feels like we should be doing more.”
“And what do you suggest we do?” Alois asked. “It’s not like I haven’t tried to combat those issues, but there is way more in play here than you could possibly understand, Rohak.”
His comment wasn’t condescending, but I still felt chastised. Like I lacked the intelligence and importance to know his secrets. Alois had always been like this—secretive and closed off—though it’d only gotten worse with age, and I was growing frustrated.
