Chapter 16 Rorin #2
Devlen looks around nervously, his eyes bulging a bit at her animated ink. I guess the shackles did more than just suppress her magic and the seal. It suppressed everything.
“Er-uh, we just wanted to make sure you were alright.” He stammers.
Caz jabs his finger in Devlen’s direction, “he wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“I–” she starts before closing her mouth, humming as she tries to think of what to say. Her eyes turn accusatory at me, “you couldn’t have prevented this?” My jaw drops, and she frowns. “Close your mouth, you look like a fish.”
I bite back my retort, settling against the stone wall to watch her.
“Look,” she starts again, rising from her seat, “thank you for what you did— even if it was against my will at one point.” She mumbles, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“But I am in very…" she looks over towards me and then to Felix, "well… mostly capable hands here. Go home.”
Devlen’s face falls, and his head droops, disappointment lining his features. “Come on, Dev.” His partner pulls back on his arm, trying to urge him away.
“Wait!”
There's desperation written all over his face, his eyes pleading with his companion, "Caz, we've never done anything this adventurous." I hear him whisper.
"I'm not sure I'd consider a war zone adventurous." Caz complains, "it’s not just because I want to go home – and let me be clear, I do. The Wielders have asked us to leave."
Commanded, we have commanded you to leave. I gripe.
Several times in fact. Not that they have listened. Instead, he’s gone over my head, bringing the issue straight to Eveera.
"Eveera — er — your Highness," he starts again, "we can help." His counterpart looks at him, bewildered, before excusing them and dragging Devlen backwards by his ear.
They forced us to sit there, listening to the two of them argue loudly outside the doors, for over fifteen minutes. By the time they decided to finally relieve us of the awkward tension building in the room, they were both red and flustered.
She lifts her head, propping her chin on top of her hands, a cat-like grin gracing her face. "So, did you two come up with some sort of service you can argue we need, so that you can stay? That is, if I’m feeling generous today."
“Are you feeling generous?” Devlen asks hopefully, causing both Felix and me to snicker.
"Don't bet on it." I quip. Her left eye twitches, but she recovers quickly, batting her lashes at them.
Devlen rocks back on his heels and looks nervously over at Caz before blurting out, "Caz used to work for the Consul.
" The man's jaw drops, disbelief etched across his face as he jerks his head back and forth, muttering the word 'unbelievable'.
"He could be your liaison. Surely you're going to need something from the unoccupied kingdoms? Some kind of aid?”
She stares across the table at him, her brows pulling together as she tries to find the right words to say. The man has very obviously never fought in a war. In fact, if I were to guess, he's never been anywhere near a battlefront.
I'd know that years ago, when Suram was overturning their monarchy, that there was quite a bit of civil unrest. Their public was furious, and all realm-wide trade negotiations came to a halt. Most of the remaining monarchs were all terrified that their citizens would do the same.
Save for my father, who didn't seem to care because our kingdom's people had already tried a coup and failed.
Suram's monarch, however, King Ramis lost his fight, and Consul General Emir took over their rule and the people.
Ramis and his family disappeared after that — history lesson aside, looking at Devlen, he couldn't have been any older than I was when that happened.
Those riots and fights may have occurred around him, but he certainly wasn't participating in them.
Zoning back into the present from my peripheral vision, I see Eveera rise from her seat. She makes her way around the table, passing stiffly by me, and stops in front of the men.
"If I need a liaison, you two will be the first to know. But for now, go home."
Disappointment flicks through his ice blue eyes, and Caz rests a gentle hand on his shoulder. "How will we know? If you need us?"
"I'll find you." He dips his head at her and whispers his goodbyes, following the guards she instructs to lead them back to the portal.
Eveera gives Felix a long look, and he speeds after them, pulling the doors closed behind him.
With just the two of us remaining, I let out a breath.
Finally, just the two of us. I watch her from behind, her shoulders slumping forward.
She scratches absentmindedly at the rune our wrists share, the skin there raw and red.
My mouth turns down, and I step quietly behind her, putting her back flush against my chest.
I reach my hand around her frame and cover the top of hers, stopping the habit before she cuts any deeper into the skin. "Eveera."
Her breath hitches at the sound of my voice, and the call of her name breaks whatever trance she's slipped into. She twists around sharply, the tendrils ripping out of her. The corporeal magic wraps tightly around my wrists and throat, backing me against the stone wall.
I smirk down at her as she leans into her magic, eyes flickering between gold and black. "Well, at least you're looking at me this time."