“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth. His voice sounded angry to his ears.
He could hear Ilain’s careful intake of breath. Then she stepped back, her hand falling away. “Good,” she said imperiously. “We’ll Bond, then.”
And with that, she strode out of the room, leaving him to stand there, irate and baffled all at once.
Staring at his breakfast plate, Ethenn still wasn’t sure how it had happened. Or what preciselyhadhappened. It wasn’t as though Ilain admitted to feelings. If anything, she’d confirmed what he’d worried about from the moment he discovered she wanted a Warrior—she only wanted someone to Bond with.
Last night, his head had been muddled with drink, desire, and confusion. After nearly two months of pining, he’d felt hiscontrol slipping. And he’d finally admitted what he never should have: He wanted Ilain. But surely, she hadn’t meant what she said. She couldn’t have truly agreed to Bond with him so easily.
Rafferty’s hand slammed down on the table before Ethenn even realized he’d begun to bounce his knee again.
“Trouble in paradise?” Thom asked, appearing at their table with a plate in his hand.
Ethenn and Rafferty looked up as Thom took one of the empty seats. “Loxley’s got ants in his pants,” Rafferty grumbled. “And he’s ruining my breakfast.”
Thom eyed Ethenn curiously. “Something on your mind, ki—Loxley?”
It didn’t escape Ethenn that Thom had narrowly avoided calling him “kid.” It was a piss-poor excuse for an apology, but it was a start. They hadn’t spoken much since their fight outside of the Time Keep six days ago, but Ethenn could see that Thom was contrite.
Still, he hadn’t decided whether to forgive him or hold onto the grievance.
Ethenn stabbed a boiled potato. “Not really,” he mumbled.
The kitchen door opened, and Ethenn’s head whipped around of its own volition. Two strangers entered. He turned back to his plate.
Rafferty gestured to Ethenn with his spoon. “He’s been doing that ever since we got here,” he said with a smirk. “So I’d say it isn’t so much awhaton his mind as awho.”
“Ah,” Thom replied.
Ethenn ignored them.
Thom tapped a fork on the edge of his plate. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with your chat in the storeroom last night, would it?” he asked.
The heat crawled along Ethenn’s spine. “What’s it to you?” he muttered.
“Right.” Thom shifted, his chair creaking. “Look, I owe you an apology. Things...they got out of hand. What was going on with Ilain and me—”
“I don’t care,” Ethenn interrupted, feeling the immediate flush of anger spread into his neck.
“It wasn’t real.”
“So you said.”
Thom grimaced. “No, you don’t understand, Ethenn. I was upset—I was hurt that you outed me like that, and I—”
“You, what?” Ethenn met his gaze then, struggling with his rising fury. “You wanted to hurt me, too, so you lied?”
“Yes,” Thom admitted.
Ethenn nodded. “I know.”
Thom’s lips parted, fumbling for words. “You—you do?”
“Yeah.” The heat was nearing his ears now. “Ilain didn’t want me, so she asked you to flirt with her to deter me. Then she found out I am a Warrior, and it backfired, seeing as how she needs one. Well, don’t worry. I won’t hold it against you.”
While Thom sat there continuing to gape, Ethenn returned to his meal.
“This is tense,” Rafferty said, a cheerful smile on his face. “It’s great. You should have another brawl; that’d be entertaining.”
