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"You look like death warmed over, girl," she said.
"I feel like it. Sit with us--I want to tel you both something." When they were sitting at the table, and we were eating breakfast, I told them about my night with Chase. Everything.
A shaft of sunlight peeked through the clouds then, splashing through the window to fal across the table, and the late autumn light bathed the room in a golden glow. I closed my eyes for a moment, enjoying the sudden quietude the light brought to the room. But al too quickly, it vanished as the clouds moved in again.
"Wow. So . . . just . . . wow." Camil e put down her fork and stared at me. "The Nectar of Life hit him hard. I feel sorry for the man."
Iris smiled softly. "It makes sense, my dear. Think if you were expecting another thirty or forty years of life, and then you're mortal y wounded. And the only thing that saves your life--that can possibly save you--suddenly throws you into staring at a thousand or more years stretching out in front of you now.
Such a thing is bound to mess with the mind, especial y when he wasn't properly prepared for it."
I hung my head. "Why do I feel like a failure, then?"
Camil e grabbed my hand. "No--don't say that. Not every relationship is going to work. And you . . . Delilah, you're incredible. Chase just needs time to figure out his new life now."
I stared at her. It al made sense, but that didn't make it any easier to hear.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said. "And I guess I just make it harder on him, with al the issues facing us."
"I think Chase needs to simplify his life right now. Let's face it: You can never be the little woman who waits at home for him at night with dinner and his slippers. You're not just eye candy; you're not here to stroke his ego," Iris said. "And right now, even that is probably even more than he can handle."
"Thank you . . ." After a moment, I added, "I'l be okay. It hurts, but when I think about it like this, it makes so much sense." I looked up, my gut twisted in knots. "I guess my dance card's wide open again."
Just then the door opened, and Vanzir and Rozurial came traipsing into the kitchen. They looked weary, but their eyes widened when they saw the spread on the table.
"Wash your hands," Iris said automatical y.
After obliging her, Rozurial set two plates on the table, while Vanzir got the silverware from the drawer. They scooted in beside us.
"Were you by chance up when Menol y came home?" Roz asked.
Camil e shook her head. "No, I don't think any of us were. What happened with the Tregart you took down to the Wayfarer?"
Vanzir shook his head. "You don't want to know. We had quite a fight on our hands, but we might have managed to obtain some useful information."
"Such as?" I handed them the platter with the scrambled eggs and bacon.
Roz speared four sausages and scooped some of the eggs onto his dish and offered the rest to Vanzir. There were plenty of pancakes left, and when their plates were ful , they leaned back, eying the three of us.
"Stacia Bonecrusher is so deep in hiding, I don't know how we're going to find her. But there are apparently rumors going around that she's running a training camp for recruits. And you can bet that Trytian's recruits are there, too." Vanzir bit into the pancake, which he ate without syrup, and chewed thoughtful y.
"Where's it supposed to be located?" A long shot, but I had to ask.
Swal owing a mouthful of eggs, Roz shook his head. "Are you kidding? She's not stupid. I have no idea, and neither did the Tregart we captured last night. He wasn't part of the Bonecrusher's army . . . he managed to cross through the Demon Gate when Stacia entered Earthside. He and his buddy went AWOL from the Subterranean Realms. I suppose we should start searching for the camp."
"But is that a good idea?" I asked.
Camil e pushed her empty plate to the side and leaned her elbows on the table. "Um, how is it not a good idea, Kitten?"
I frowned. "The thing is--we waste time on chasing her training camp right now, we lose time on finding the sixth spirit seal. You know as wel as I do that Stacia's cloaked. Not to mention, say we find this camp? We're going to need more help before we can take on a camp ful of demons. She's out to annihilate Shadow Wing, so right now she's focused and centered and not paying attention to us. Shouldn't we quietly go about finding the sixth spirit seal? She may be looking for the seals, too, but I guarantee you, her attention is centered on building up her army against her boss."
Camil e frowned but nodded. Roz and Vanzir looked at each other like I'd just grown another head.
"Don't be so surprised. I do have a brain, you know."
Roz laughed, then leaned back. "Good observation, Miss Kitty. And might I say, you don't reek quite as bad this morning."
"Stick to the point, bud. Stick to the point." I wrinkled my nose. "I'l be getting the deodorizer from Luke today. But seriously, what do you guys think about tracking down the spirit seal first?"
