Talon peered at me over his shoulder at one point and noted what I was doing, but he didn’t hesitate to face forward again. I doubted it was a sign of trust that he wasn’t uneasy about having me at his back while I was calling on my power. More like he didn’t believe I had enough control over it to launch an attack.
He’d be right.
I noticed that though the twitchiness had left my system, the strange ‘call’ still lay deep within, no more or less intensethan before. Just … there. A steady presence. Which made no sense, given there was no reason it should linger—my power had now surfaced. Hmm, maybe the feeling would fade after a day or so.
Back at the garrison, I found Khalida waiting near the stables, tapping her foot impatiently. Her jaw went slack when she saw me. I had to look wild. Like some primitive, mad savage. I was covered in mud. It matted my hair, stained my clothes, clung to my skin, and was buried under my fingernails.
Talon caught her eye, gestured at the bathhouse, and then indicated at me.
Khalida gave a sharp nod. “I’ll stay with her while she bathes. I’m not taking any chances with her.”
He emitted a satisfiedgrunt, took one last look at me, and then prowled away.
She eyed me closely. “How’re you doing?”
“Never been better,” I replied, my voice bone dry.
She twisted her mouth. “I heard what happened earlier. Quillen said you were … not yourself.”
I stiffened. “Did he also say that I falsely accused Atticus of purposely letting me fall?”
She snorted, derisive. “No. Quillen believes you.”
I double-blinked. “Really?”
“Yes. Talon must do as well, or he wouldn’t have requested that I stick to your side. Ajax probably believes you, too. But what they believe isn’t what counts when it comes to stuff like this. The Sovereigns aren’t good with people killing godkin without a solid reason. That means having proof.”
My posture softening, I sighed. “And all they have is my word on it.”
“Exactly. It isn’t even simply a case of your word against that of Atticus. Bevan backed him up, and others also witnessed Atticus ‘appear’ to do his best to save you.”
All of which tied the hands of any in the Order who might believe me, I got it. “Do you think I’ll be disciplined for almost attacking him?”
Her brows dipped. “No. You’d be able to claim that your power popping up to say hello fueled your anger and messed with your mind. It happens, so no one could argue it’s a poor excuse.” She squinted. “Speaking of your power manifesting itself … Quillen told me it looks like crackles of moonlight. That’s not typical of Sayers, you know.”
I did know.
Her mouth curved. “He also said that Talon ordered Ajax to lead the others home so he could stay with you. That’s not typical of Talon. Heleads, he doesn’t stay behind for anyone.”
Yeah, well, I didn’t really want to talk about that. “You know, you seem a little too invested in his business. I’m starting to think you have a thing for him,” I tacked on, making my way into the stables.
She hurried after me. “You think no such thing. You’re just being your usual evasive self. I want to talk more about him staying with you.”
“I want to talk more about how you keep asking Quillen to sleep with you in his wolf form.”
“You say it like I mean I want to indulge in some bestiality. When I say sleep, I meansleep. His wolf pelt is just so soft and cuddly and—dammit, Anara, stop trying to switch the focus from you.”
In the tack room, I threw her a quick look over my shoulder. “A realbest friend would roll with it.”
She folded her arms, a grin tugging at her mouth. “I thought we weren’t best friends.”
“Now you’re being hurtful.”
“Me? It wasyouwho claimed—”
“Stop dragging up stuff from the past, let it lie,” I urged, grabbing my sack of personal belongings.
She only snorted.
