73. Clash of Stone and Steel
Clash of Stone and Steel
Samhail
There was only one thing worse than Samhail’s monumental failure in self-control this morning, and that was the knowing grin on Axenus’s face when he and Talyn walked into the dining room for breakfast thirty minutes later.
“Wipe that smirk off your face, Axe, or I’ll do it for you,” Samhail growled as he went directly to the sideboard and piled food haphazardly onto his plate.
“You’re awfully grouchy this morning,” Axenus observed. “Was I wrong in thinking the two of you relieved some tension last night?”
Samhail didn’t dare look at Talyn as he finished filling his plate and brought it to the table to let it clatter down loudly.
“As is often the case, you are wrong,” Samhail said as he dropped into his seat across from Axenus. “We didn’t do anything but sleep last night.”
Axenus quirked a dubious brow, but Samhail ignored him and dug in.
“It’s true,” Talyn said as she sat down next to Samhail. “He didn’t shove his cock down my throat until this morning.”
Samhail shut his eyes as Axenus choked on his toast. Why had he thought for even a second she’d let him get away with the half-truth?
He considered pointing out that she’d been the one doing the shoving, but she’d only mention what made her come into the bathing chamber in the first place, and that was more than Axenus needed to know.
He glared at Talyn. Her cup of tea – like his – had the rosy hue of turrow berries, and she winked at him as she took a sip.
“I’m making my usual trips to Seatherny and Solandis today,” Samhail said, changing the subject. “What’s your plan for the day, Axe?”
“I have to go to Gendris,” Axenus answered. “Kern countered our offer, and I need to discuss their proposal with the High Council.”
“Does Bressen know this?” Samhail asked.
“Not about the counteroffer,” Axenus said, “but he gave me authority to act on his behalf if I saw fit. If the council decides to accept Kern’s terms, I can accept them on Bressen’s behalf as well. The issue is that Aidan will also need to accept them, and that’s obviously an issue.”
Samhail exhaled deeply. “I’ll let Jasper know the situation when I speak with him today.”
Axenus took a sip of whatever he was drinking. Gods, the liquid in his cup looked green.
“You’re bringing her with you?” the merman asked, nodding at Talyn.
“I don’t have much choice,” Samhail said. “I can’t put her back in the dungeon with Morland, and I can’t leave her unattended.”
“You can, but you won’t,” Talyn corrected.
“Do…you want me to take her with me?” Axenus offered hesitantly.
“He won’t do that either,” Talyn said before Samhail could answer. “He’s afraid I’d eat you alive, and he’d be right.”
Axenus raised a brow at her but then looked back at Samhail. “Is that true?” he asked. “You don’t trust me to keep an eye on her?”
“It’s more like I don’t trust her not to be a pain in your ass,” Samhail said, glaring at Talyn. “Or maybe I just want to bring her with me so I can shove my cock down her throat again. At least it would keep her quiet.”
Something flashed in her eyes, but he couldn’t tell if it was surprise, anger, or…desire. Maybe all three.
Axenus sighed. “Forget I suggested anything,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m not touching whatever this is.”
Samhail
After breakfast, they all headed to the Priory.
With Cyra gone, they needed to rely on Phaedrus for portaling.
Samhail hated to impose on the priest, who – as Bressen recently reminded him – had other duties that kept him busy, but it couldn’t be helped.
Phaedrus was the only one in Callanus they knew of who could draw portals, and the alternative was to spend days traveling back and forth to where they needed to be.
The priest had managed to keep his portaling ability a secret until a few months ago.
Portaling was incredibly useful, and the priest would’ve been called upon incessantly to move people from place to place if others knew of his power.
As it was, Bressen was the only one who’d known about it for quite some time, and only because he’d read it in the priest’s mind at some point decades ago.
Now that Phaedrus’s secret was out, Bressen had decreed only the Lords of the Triumvirate and the Priory’s high priest could call upon Phaedrus to portal them, or in Axenus and Samhail’s case, only those designated by the Triumvirate.
Phaedrus sent Axenus through to Gendris before he closed the portal and turned to Samhail.
“Seatherny first?” the priest asked.
“Yes,” Samhail said. “Aidan’s new portal master can send us to Solandis when we’re done.”
Phaedrus nodded and drew open a portal. Jasper and Maziren stood on the other side waiting, and Samhail ushered Talyn through into the palace at Seatherny, Derridan’s capital.
Talyn
A look of shock crossed Jasper’s face as Talyn stepped through the portal while Maziren’s hand went to her sword.
Talyn smiled at Aidan’s Captain of the Guard. She’d heard the woman was a formidable warrior, one that had supposedly given Samhail a challenge months ago, but she was confident she could hold her own against the tiny woman. She hoped to test that out some day.
“I thought she was supposed to be in the dungeon with Morland,” Jasper said to Samhail, gesturing to Talyn.
“Bressen is out of range, so Morland is free from his mind control,” Samhail said. “It wasn’t safe to leave her down there with him. She has a caronium cuff, though, and I won’t let her do anything to you.”
Jasper cocked his head. “I’m not worried she’ll hurt me,” he said. He looked at Talyn. “I’m just surprised you were willing to let Morland out of your sight. Bressen told me…” He paused. “Never mind.”
Talyn looked at the lord consort with interest. “You’re not afraid of me,” she observed. “Why not?”
Jasper returned her look. “I was told you helped Lord Bressen escape. He said you used a lot of power to ensure both he and Aidan…uh, Morland got away.”
“True,” Talyn said, “but didn’t he tell you I was the one who put him in danger in the first place?”
Jasper shrugged. “He did, but he also said why, and I suppose I can’t fault you. Believe me, if I could kill Morland right now, I would.”
Talyn locked eyes with the lord consort, and a shared understanding passed between them before Jasper looked away again.
Morland had been pretending to be Jasper’s husband these last couple weeks, and she knew enough about Morland to suspect it hadn’t been a pleasant experience for Jasper or anyone else in the palace.
“That reminds me,” Samhail said to Jasper, “I suggest you forego your visits to the dungeon until Bressen is back. You’ll only be subjecting yourself to Morland’s viciousness. It’s why I had to pull Talyn out.”
Jasper was quiet a moment before he sighed heavily and nodded. “I understand.” He gestured to the meeting table. “Shall we get on with business then?”
The three of them sat down while Maziren took up a place behind Jasper, and Talyn eyed her surroundings as she always did in a new place.
The ceiling of the room was high, and the inner wall was made of some kind of white stone, quartz perhaps.
The opposite wall was made almost entirely of large glass windows that looked out over the city.
It gave the room an open, airy look that was emphasized by the simple décor.
The only things in it were the long table in the center, the fourteen chairs around it, and a few large potted plants that gave the bright room a pop of color. It was simple but stately.
“There’s been some news from Kern,” Samhail told Jasper.
“I’m not sure of the details, but Axenus is in Gendris today speaking with the High Council.
If they agree to Kern’s terms, it sounds like Axenus will accept them on Bressen’s behalf as well.
Unfortunately, because something like this has the potential to affect the Triumvirate, we’ll need Aidan’s approval as well.
The real Aidan, that is, and as you know, that’s not possible right now.
I’m not sure where that leaves us. Bressen appointed Axenus as a regent while he’s away, so I suppose we could argue Aidan would’ve appointed you as regent in a case like this, but if you have any other ideas, we’re happy to entertain them. ”
Jasper thought for a moment. “It depends on what the timeline is to respond to Kern,” he said. “I’d want to wait as long as possible to see if we can restore Aidan before I make any moves on his behalf.”
Samhail nodded. “Understood.”
Jasper opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.
“What is it?” Samhail asked.
Jasper hesitated another moment before answering. “Has Lady Raina been included in any of these negotiations with Kern?” he asked.
Talyn saw the muscles in Samhail’s jaw tighten.
“I don’t know for sure, but from what I know of the High Council, I doubt it,” Samhail said finally.
Jasper nodded slowly. “And does Lady Cyra know about them?”
Samhail’s jaw flexed again. “I haven’t asked, but I hope for Bressen’s sake she does.”
Jasper sighed. “Well, keep me posted.”
Samhail nodded. “Have there been any issues since I was last here?”
“Nothing we haven’t been able to handle,” Jasper said, “but the palace staff are getting suspicious. We told them Aidan doesn’t feel well, but we’ve had to make excuses when the healers ask to see him, so there are rumors he’s gone.
Short of showing them Aidan, there isn’t much we can do.
When Lord Bressen returns, perhaps he can bring Aidan and have him walk around the palace so everyone can see him. ”
Talyn cleared her throat. “I can help with your problem,” she said, and all eyes swung to her. She held up the caronium cuff. “If you were willing to remove this.”
“No.” Samhail’s response was immediate and unequivocal.
She blinked. She knew he wouldn’t like the idea, but she hadn’t expected quite so vehement a rejection.
“Let’s not be hasty,” Jasper said, holding up a hand. “I understand your reticence, but she has a point. Her power may be just what we need.”