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“Now that is a sight. There’s not a Stag who has a better bum than your men. If they ever need another profession, they can happily work at the Pleasure House. I understand you probably don’t want them to actually offer services, but they can be nice window dressing.” He nodded as if that was a fantastic compromise.
“Go away,” Nato groaned. “At least until we’ve had time to put on pants.”
“No can do.” Cabbie grinned, tightening the sash on his silky black kimono. “I’m afraid I’m here to supervise wardrobe updates. If you’re about to take the realms by storm, you’re by dicks going to look good doing it.”
Egan chuckled. “I’m afraid to look. I’d say that was just a saying but I’m fairly certain he’s got some kind of bedazzled banana hammocks waiting for us.”
Cabbie rolled his eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest and sat up.
“Now who’s being dramatic. I’ll be in the living room with the tea.” He flounced away, swishing his hips as he left.
“If you’d like to eat breakfast in the hall, hurry up. We’re doing things differently today,” Yunez stepped up to the side of the mattress and cupped my cheek, lowering his face for a morning kiss. “We are in this together.”
“Damn straight,” Jari said through a yawn.
We climbed out of bed, joking and laughing as we got dressed, all in black tactical gear to Cabbie’s dismay. Already I could tell today was going to be different. The lingering black cloud of hopelessness was gone. The day was brighter. A new beginning for us, one where we were a team.
“Why did I come to help if you all were going to look like slightly different clones? You too, doll? Really?” His bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
“Sorry,” I laughed as I made my Fennin version of coffee. It tasted very similar, except the kick was much stronger. I liked it. “I need to be comfortable and confident as we meet with Yunez’s advisors. And this is what I’m comfortable in.”
Cabbie grumbled and headed toward the door. “I need to check in with the Cherries. They’ve been taking turns rotating on perimeter duty.”
“Let us go too. The hall opens for breakfast in five minutes. Leaders are the first on site and last to eat, as is the leader way,” Yunez lectured as he held the door open for us.
“That lesson would have been nice when we first met everyone.” Sage shot Rand an accusing look as if he was in on this secret. From the extra time he’d had with Yunez growing up, who knew, maybe he was.
Yunez shrugged. “It was not important at the time. The Mannos needed to see you as comrades and friends first. No one expected you to be leaders when you were but babes.”
“Can we afford not to be leaders when we’re on the brink of war?” Nato asked as he fell into step beside me. Rand took the other side this time, smiling softly when I glanced at him.
“We are in war.” The usual mischievous expression gave way to an expression that spoke of millennium of experience. “Make no mistake about it, my Lusty Legionnaires. Once we leave my home, I doubt we will be back before the war is decided, whichever way it falls.”
No one had any questions after that. I watched my feet as we walked the rest of the way, lost in the heaviness of Yunez’s words. Outside of the attack from the other Mazza, we were protected here. We had this nice bubble that was nearly impenetrable, even if it was no longer the secret Yunez had built it to be.
“Good morning, Yunez. Lusty Legion.” Batse winked as he bowed. He opened the door to the hall and joined us as we walked toward our table. True to Yunez’s words, there was barely anyone here this early.
“Morning,” I smiled.
Jari had just pulled my chair out for me when Wade appeared in the door. I grinned, hoping he would sit next to me. After the revelation yesterday, I was dying to speak to him, to pick his brain about my parents.
The guys must have been in tune with me because they left the seat to my right open. Yunez took the seat in front of me again and spoke in low tones to Nato.
Good. Already, Nato’s confidence was coming back. He just needed to feel a part of what we were doing. The separation had been hard on all of us, but as our original leader, it had hit Nato the hardest.
“Hello, Isolde.” Wade’s soft smile was warm and welcoming.
“Morning,” I chirped, shifting anxiously in my seat. We’d need to go to Yunez’s war room after breakfast, and as much as I needed a change from the monotonous training, I hated leaving Wade when he could tell me so much about my past.
“I believe I owe you a walk. Would you like to join me on a stroll through the courtyard after our morning meal?”
The smile on my lips died. It was ridiculously obvious. “I can’t—”
“Of course, you can. I can fill the others in on what we’ve been working on, and you can join us after your time with Wade.” Yunez wasn’t to be argued with. And it wasn’t like I was trying too hard anyway.
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“We’re sure,” Rand confirmed.
