“I want to know you,” he said. “I want considerably more than tonight, which is inconvenient because everything around you is unstable enough without me wanting anything at all.”
“That does seem fast.”
“Extremely.”
“Does it frighten you?”
“Yes.”
Veya smiled against his chest.
“That sounded painful to admit.”
“It was excruciating.”
She traced one finger over his skin.
“I don’t know what I can promise.”
“I am not asking for promises.”
“What are you asking for?”
Dax tightened his arm around her.
“The next choice.”
Veya considered that before nodding.
“I can give you that.”
Outside the room, the stronghold remained fractured by Leena’s death, Sule’s disappearance, and a war gathering beyond its damaged defenses. Rhen still considered Veya currency, and the maker tether remained buried inside her like an unanswered threat.
None of those dangers disappeared because she lay in Dax’s arms.
For the moment, however, Veya had chosen where she wanted to be, and Dax had no intention of pretending that choice meant less because it had been made inside disaster.
Chapter 33
Years earlier, the heavy war-room doors had opened beneath Leena’s hand.
She entered to find Sule and Rhen standing nearly chest to chest in the center of the room. Fury filled the space between them, although Sule’s anger came through motion and volume while Rhen’s existed in the dangerous stillness of a predator deciding whether restraint remained useful.
“You disobeyed a direct order,” Sule said. “Do you understand what was at stake?”
“I understood perfectly.” Rhen’s voice remained low. “You hesitated. I did not.”
“You are not judge and executioner.”
“You were not there.”
Leena crossed the threshold with the belt of her robe tied loosely around her waist. Herbs and sandalwood followed her into the room.
“That is enough.”
Neither male acknowledged her.
Rhen’s jaw flexed. Sule’s hands remained clenched.
