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You understand that I’m not asking you to do anything I haven’t done myself these past few months, though the methods are different.

Shite. He knew she was clever and sharp, quick on her feet when she needed to be. Brand still underestimated her. Had he not admitted as much to the damned beast? At the very least, he’d underestimated the power of their bond, and what trusting her would really do for him if he let himself actually fucking listen.

Even worse when his realizations from yesterday sank in, his habit of making her explain every little thing more painful than ever.

“Fuck, Brand,” he huffed. “You’re an entire arse.”

He was fairly certain that didn’t count as talking to himself in the way Luna meant. Not when he needed to hear it so badly, without an undertone of self-pity and loathing. This was one of those times where acknowledging he’d been an arse was a good thing.

Something small shifted inside, like a couple jagged edges settled more easily together, or a tiny stitch, perhaps. It wove around the gaping wound in his spirit, happy and sad at once, offering him the slightest glimmer.

It was the first time Brand felt himself healing.

Just a bit. Maybe.

And…maybe if he gave it another day, it would be even better. Just one more day.

“Right. So.” Araxis rubbed at his temples. “Your first gathering went horribly.”

Lunara cringed, Fern cackling beside her. “I thought it went fine.”

Didn’t it?

Solyrian was just flirting with rising in the Montrealm, the empty Great Hall still mostly lit by the glowing sunbursts overhead and in the pillars. Araxis practically dumped her here after the chaos of that initial introduction to the Elder Council, only pausing long enough to say he’d be back around breakfast time. What he failed to mention was that he meant Nachthelliae’s breakfast time.

Doesn’t he know that mornings are for sleeping? This is ridiculous.

He was lucky her schedule had been utter shite since finding Brand.

“You gave five hundred and seventeen Elder Sorcerit permission to say whatever they want to you. Since they believe you to be the voice of the Sisters, that is now essentially sacred doctrine.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ve had no less than a dozen people approach me to make outrageous offers and ask some very lewd questions as a result. You see, if they can speak to you however they want, they now believe me—the lowly Hand you wield—to be fair game for pretty much bleeding anything.”

Fern absolutely disintegrated, Lyriat and the twins no better. She was tempted to join them.

“Oh, you beautiful bum blossom.” Fern kissed her cheek. “I knew you had it in you. The Blessed Nightmare of the Endless Dark, being propositioned left and right because no one is scared of him anymore. Perfection.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Araxis growled. “That was the good news, and merely annoying. Would you like the bad news next, or the horrific news?”

Well, then. Right. That seems…not great.

“Is there maybe a way to frame it so it hits softer?” Lunara asked.

“Certainly. Easy.” Araxis threw his hands up. “Fine, the bad news is that a thousand Sorcerit have volunteered to go to Thodelebor. A whole fifty of them are Elders, and only two are Council members. Huzzah. We might be able to convince more, but you’d be surprised how many people refuse to work without pay. Honestly, I was shocked.” His words dripped with sarcasm.

Sounds like a thousand people the Westrealm didn’t have before. For free. What’s the problem?

Exactly.

“Weeping moons.” Lunara rolled her eyes. “Must we Sorcerit really be so incurably mercenary about every damned thing? I see nothing wrong with offering help free of charge in the middle of a bleeding catastrophe!”

“There’s nothing wrong with what you did, lass,” Magnus murmured from his spot by the window, not bothering to turn away from his dark view of the outside. “The Wolflords will remember the kindness for the rest of forever, and that’s worth far more than anything else we have to offer right now. I can promise you that.”

“Someone, please remind me how kindness fills warriors’ bellies. Anyone? No?” Araxis planted himself on the end of a long bench and went back to rubbing his temples.

Lunara set her tea down and faced him fully. “I believe it was you who told me to follow my heart because I know the difference between right and wrong, Araxis. Helping them is the right thing to do.”

“I also told you to use your keen mind,” he said. “Silly me. I was under the impression that you possessed at least a child’s understanding of how general trade and commerce works.”

Arsehole!