Cole listened as Elvin ran through the listof problems that had arisen since last night. Finn and Alstonremained silent throughout it all while Becca crossed her legs andswung her foot in irritation.
Her gaze remained focused on the back wall asher irritation increased. She was bored, but then again, so was he.Many of the problems were the same as yesterday, and most of themwould remain problems until they finished erecting the newhomes.
He tried to focus on Elvin, but his mind kepttraveling back to Lexi and what happened earlier. By the timeKaylia called a halt to their training session, Lexi had managed toshut off the glow to her entire hand.
Sweat coated her body and cleaved her clothesto her flesh. Exhaustion emanated from her, but she beamed with joywhen she turned to him. Her exuberance brought an answering smileto his lips as he embraced her and lifted her off the ground.
It was good to see her so excited and happyabout something again. She’d done nothing but beat herself up forthe past two weeks while also pushing herself relentlesslyonward.
She had a ways to go, but she was makingprogress, and he’d bet she was sitting in her room, working to keepher shield up against the moonlight. He’d told her to rest, buthe’d been telling her that for weeks to no avail.
The shadows under her eyes made it clear shewasn’t listening, even if she usually was asleep by the time hereturned from the Gloaming. They were both going to take a day offsoon, and he would make sure she relaxed and enjoyed herself.
When Elvin started to restack his papers,Cole realized he’d finished speaking.
“I’ll send men out to cut down more trees atthe edge of the forest,” Cole said.
No one would enter the woods to fell thetrees but staying at the edge of the forest should keep them safefrom what lay within. But they didn’t have a choice; there wouldn’tbe any more new homes without more wood.
“The sooner the homes are built, the soonermost of these problems will vanish,” Cole continued.
“I agree,” Elvin said, and Becca released asmall snort they all chose to ignore.
“For now, it’s time for me to return to thefield and the building,” Cole said.
Though they weren’t doing much rebuilding atnight, they did have a small group who continued to work so theycould get done faster. He and Brokk often joined this group for afew hours before returning to the manor.
Tonight, the idea of swinging a hammerexhausted him, but he had to return to the field and the peopleworking there. There had already been one rebellion since he tookthe throne; he didn’t need another group becoming unhappy withtheir lives and trying to take over.
Seeing him out there, helping them get theirlives back on track, was one of the best ways to earn theirloyalty. They also deserved all the help they could get.
They were simple folk who got caught in themiddle of a power struggle; their lives were destroyed because ofit. The least he could do was hammer some nails for them.
When he rose from his chair, the others rosetoo.
“Of course, Milord,” Finn murmured as hestifled a yawn.
While Elvin had helped with the rebuilding,the other three wouldn’t dare get a speck of dirt on them or,worse, a callous. Cole didn’t bother to reply to Finn before heturned and walked toward the open doors leading into the mainhall.
After a few seconds, Brokk fell into stepbeside him. “Assholes,” Brokk muttered.
“That they are,” Cole agreed. “Except forElvin.”
“They all annoy me.”
Before they made it to the main palace doors,one of them swung open to reveal the night beyond. No one hadopened the door; this was the palace’s doing.
As they stepped outside, the scent of smokeand death lingering in the air greeted them. But beneath thoseacrid aromas, he also detected the verdant smell of his home.
The Gloaming had always been a lush land,full of many plants and crops the dark fae tended and harvested.Charred earth had replaced that verdant land, but green grass wasalready popping up through the blackened ground.
A small fire burned outside some of the homesinside the bailey. Gathered around it, a group of dark Fae talkedand laughed as they drank mead and roasted something over the fire.This was not their home or the land where they liked to reside, butthey made the best of their new circumstance.
When the stable boy saw him, he rushed intothe barn. A few minutes later, he led Cole’s black stallion,Torigon, outside. In his other hand, he held the reins of Brokk’slarge, bay stallion, Aspri.
Cole patted Torigon’s neck before taking thereins and mounting the horse. When they spotted him, the farmersaround the fire called out and waved.
Cole returned the greeting before directingTorigon toward the open side door in the palace’s lethal fence.They rode out into the fields.
