“Sorry. I probably should’ve warned you first.” She lifted one of the cups slightly. “Peace offering?”
I eyed the drink, my suspicion becoming even stronger when a soft click and hiss announced the protective shield's retreat. Zapharos glared at Xandros, who had deactivated it, while keeping as close as possible to Ella.
“That depends. Is it poisoned?”
Ella snorted softly.
“No. Though Nadine did once accidentally dissolve part of a table trying to make coffee stronger.”
“That was one time,” Nadine held her own cup up.
Ella rolled her eyes affectionately before walking farther inside.
“You slept almost fourteen hours,” she informed me. “Which apparently means either severe exhaustion or that Arkhevari mating bonds are extremely inconvenient biologically.”
I nearly choked on air. “There is no mating bond.”
Ella handed me the drink carefully. “Mmhm.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. She smiled directly into her cup. I noticed that only the women and Xandros held cups; the Arkhevari lingered in the back, their hands empty. I filed that piece of information away, unsure if it was important or not. Probably not. I accepted the drink and noted how the warmth seeped pleasantly into my hands.
Ella settled casually onto my cot, like she belonged here now. She noticed me studying her. “You’re trying to figure out how I ended up surrounded by giant alien warlords without screaming.”
“That thought has crossed my mind,” I admitted with a slight smile.
“Honestly?” Her smile softened unexpectedly. “I’m still figuring it out too.”
Something about the answer eased a tiny knot of tension inside me. Not because I trusted her. Not fully. But because she sounded honest. And stars, I was tired of lies.
Ella tucked one leg underneath her. “The others wanted to continue questioning you immediately.”
I groaned softly.
“Relax,” she laughed. “I told them if they cornered you again right away, you’d either shut down or stab someone.”
Reasonable assessment.
“And?” I asked cautiously.
“And we compromised.” Her eyes sparkled slightly. “Me and the girls get to talk to you first.”
That explained why the men, albeit grudgingly, lingered on the other side of the hall where the shield to my cell had been.
Ella watched me over the rim of her cup for a long moment before speaking again. “You dreamed about him, didn’t you?”
I froze. Completely.
Ella sighed dramatically. “You really need to work on hiding your expressions.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Right.” She looked deeply unconvinced. “That explains why Thyros spent half the night pacing the hallways like an emotionally constipated guard dragon.”
Heat rushed straight into my face. I hated that she noticed. I hated even more that part of me wanted to know if it what she said was true.
“He was not pacing.”
“Oh, he absolutely was.”
