Chapter Thirteen
The door to Treffon’s room banged open, and Zura stormed in with Madok on her heels. Treffon, who had spent the day destroying several of the punching bags he kept in the room, turned and raised an eyebrow.
“Treffon. I am speaking to you as your cousin and not as your subordinate,” Zura said, her tone cautious. She and Madok were both looking at him appraisingly. They both wanted to see if the darkness had claimed him, but for different reasons. Zura was concerned, and Madok was trying to decide if Treffon was weak enough to defeat in battle.
“You have retreated to your room for an entire solar circle.” Zura kept her voice calm and soothing. Do not provoke the beast. “You have never done this before.”
Treffon nodded. “This is true.”
“Are you well?”
“In fact, I have never been better.” He said it with such good cheer that Zura’s jaw dropped.
And he meant it.
Opening himself up to Violet, saying things that he had never even let himself think – admitting that his father had been a terrible leader and a worse parent – had freed something in him. He’d kept the ugly memories of his childhood hidden deep inside, festering and poisoning him. They were released now.
He had spent the day in his room, shouting at the punching bags, slashing them, kicking and hitting them…letting the rage drain from him.
“Violet was upset when she came back. I had dinner with her. She did not wish to talk about anything,” Zura said, with a hint of reproach in her voice. “Also Dorcas said something about you getting the wrong end of the thunderstick next time she sees you.”
“Where is Violet? I will speak to her.” He would do more than speak to her. He would beg her to stay. He would explain that sometimes there were happy pair-bondings even when two people were not each other’s true mates. He would promise to devote himself to her happiness.
“She went out to have a picnic with the Eeplings,” Zura said. “I think she was trying to distract herself.”
“Oh. Perhaps I should wait for her return.” Treffon felt a sharp stab of disappointment.
“No, you should go to her,” Madok said, surprising Treffon. Madok was hardly a person whom Treffon would consider to be sentimental.
“Your strength is our strength,” Madok added. That made more sense. Madok was torn between wanting to rule the pack and not wanting Treffon to embarrass them all by going mad.
“Very well. I will leave at once.”
Treffon used his comm to check on Violet’s location, and took one of the smaller hovers. She was sitting there with Tristao and Cora Lee, and the Eeplings; of course, to keep her safe, she still had a guard with her at all times.
They were back at the empty village, in the square at the center of town. Violet and Cora Lee were setting picnic baskets on a round table, and the Eeplings were climbing all over everything as usual, snatching food out of the baskets.
“Treffon,” Violet said with surprise as he climbed off the hover. “I…I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“We will leave you two to talk,” Tristao said, and he and Cora Lee hurried off to their own hover without another word.
“I came to apologize, and to thank you.” Treffon began setting out plates from one of the baskets. The Eeplings seemed to be obsessed with the picnic food, grabbing pieces of it and running away.
“Thank me for what?” Violet picked up a bread roll, but one of the Eeplings swiped it from her and ran off. It climbed up a vine-covered lattice wall and stuffed it in its mouth.
“For just letting me talk. For being there. It…it helped me. And I am sorry that I left. Talking about the past brought up many ugly memories, but I still should not have left you like that.”
She managed a rueful smile. “It’s all right. I understand. And anyway, I should get used to spending time without you. After all, I won’t be here forever.”
“No, but that is what I wanted to talk to you about—”
“Hey! Leave some for us!” Violet interrupted, calling out to the Eeplings who were trying to drag the picnic baskets away.
She grabbed one of the baskets and put it on her lap and wrapped her arms around it to stop them from stealing it.
“Jeez, what’s the deal here? They ate huge breakfasts,” she said, shaking her head. “Anyway. I’m sorry they’re being such little terrors. Please, keep talking.”
She opened up the picnic basket and pulled out a delicious snarfleberry pastry. Just as she was about to eat it, one of the Eeplings leaped on her and smacked it out of her hand. It splattered down the front of her shirt.
