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"Byron was, however, grievously injured," Hunter explained, raising a hand before Asterion had to ask. "Marius is installed now, with his bride."
"Bride?" I asked, but the conversation was moving on. Lillian and Marius were married, though? That was very sweet.
"It appears Isabel does havesomesense of decency. She tracked Byron down in the woods and dragged him back to the house. She's playing his nursemaid now, poor fellow." Conall let out a rough laugh and added, "Wonder if he wouldn't have rather taken his chances in the woods."
Asterion was silent and stiff at my side, and I braced myself for the announcement. He would decide he needed to leave, I supposed. To go back to London and set things to rights.
Then he let out a long sigh. "What a relief for us that Marius found Lillian."
I blinked at that and glanced as several of the other monsters murmured their agreement.
"He all butatethe Grendel," Hunter laughed. "No one will move against Grace House while he guards it."
"TheGrendel?!" I cried out.
"It's quite a story," Asterion said, nodding and smiling at me.
"Well, for goodness' sake, let's settle ourselves somewhere more comfortable so you can tell it," Hywel said. "I find myself quite curious to hear what went on while I was sleeping."
* * *
The night was silent,the deep hours just before birds rose once more to call on morning. My lovers dozed around me, barely fallen asleep after the party had finally broken up. It was not one story I'd heard tonight, butmany.
"Did it hurt you,mo chroí, to hear so much of his name tonight?" Conall rasped in my ear, still trying to snuggle closer to me when he was all but fused to my back. Asterion lolled on his other side, sprawled carelessly, and I suspected Laszlo might be listening in front of me, Hywel curled around his back as Conall was to mine.
Birsha. So many stories about Birsha. About these new acquaintances' triumphs against him, the torments he put them through too.
"No," I said, blinking at the realization. "No, it didn't pain me. It was…nice, actually."
Conall stirred, propping his head up to glance down at me, and I tilted back to lean against him. We'd let the fire burn out while we were downstairs and hadn't bothered lighting any candles before falling together into bed, so my view of him was soft and hazy above me.
"It makes me feel…as if I had not been so alone as I thought," I whispered, my eyes stinging.
Conall's breath hitched, his head lowering to rest his brow against mine.
"You had no notion of me, and I certainly wasn't imagining that there was anyonefightinghim, but it's almost like…now that I know…" I laughed and shook my head. "I don't know. Hope can't be passed back in time, I suppose."
Conall's kiss was gentle, his breath rough, clearly holding himself back. "I wish we'd fought sooner," he whispered, and the tension of his expression wrinkled over mine.
I reached up, smoothing his features. We would always wish that. I knew as much. But it wouldn't serve to dwell on the unchangeable years of our past.
"We are here now. Hold onto me," I whispered, lifting my chin for Conall's kiss.
"Always,mo chroí," he gasped, diving down to seal our lips gently together.
At my side, Laszlo's fingers tangled into my grasp, clutching tight.
CHAPTER38
THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS
Itook slow steps through the castle halls, bright murmurs of voices rising up from one of the larger rooms we rarely used. Laszlo had brought me breakfast in bed, rubbing my tired feet and kissing me senseless before joining the others for a meeting, retrieving a promise I would not fall back to sleep. I was still strictly unallowed to do so without Hywel to watch over me.
I passed my hand over the stone wall of a staircase, pausing as my fingers trailed throughnéktarstill lingering in the air. My lips twitched. Who of the many lovers now occupying the castle had a tryst in the staircase? Or one of the windowsills, for that matter? There were little traces of stolen pleasure all over the place. And in just one day!
I was beginning to understand why Asterion had invited his friends to come and stay.
I startled as a pale figure appeared in an archway across from me.
