called back to Alarrah, Faanshi caught the curtain and held it open, so that Julian could proceed through without any break in the rhythm of his stride. One crooked eyebrow and a faint, fleeting smile in her direction told her he’d noticed. It was probably foolish to let that lift her heart as much as it did—but as she’d had to abandon Dolmerrath the last time she’d set foot in this chamber, she would take what comforts Djashtet sent her way, gladly.
Especially given Gerren’s dour gaze as they came into the library that served as his personal domain. He leaned against the table in the center of the room, his expression only marginally less angry than when he’d left them in the stable cavern. But to Faanshi’s surprise, rather than greeting them with harsh tones, he gestured to a plate of food on the table beside him. “Eat something. Please. You all look like walking death, and I’m not going to have you falling over from starvation or exhaustion while I decide what to do about you.”
The fare he offered them was simple, small cakes that smelled of fish and salt and herbs. Though she had in truth little appetite, Faanshi gratefully took one to nibble on as long as Alarrah and Kirinil were doing so. Relief flickered briefly in Julian’s eyes as he took a cake and then a seat, offering Gerren a simple, “Thank you.”
“Yes, thank you, akreshi ,” Faanshi added. After the Anreulag, facing one disheveled elven male was oddly easier than she’d expected—but she was nervous before him nonetheless, offered hospitality or no. With tousled brown hair and blue eyes a few shades lighter than Julian’s, Gerren didn’t have the blatant beauty of his silver-haired, amber-eyed brother Kirinil. Yet he was the prince of the elves in function if not quite in name, and the last time she’d stood before him, she’d had to leave his stronghold. “Please don’t punish Alarrah and Kirinil for what they did. If you wish to punish anyone, it should be me.”
“You said that already, and with that fear I see in your face, I have to wonder what punishment you think I’m planning.” Gerren shot the other two elves a look full of angry frustration before glancing back to her. “For the record, valannè , I’m no tyrant. Or so at least I like to hope. I’m willing to overlook all your actions if they prove to be for the greater good—this time. You said that the Hawk is gone from your head?”
Letting out a long breath, Faanshi bobbed her head. “Kirinil taught Kestar to shield too. Once we’d both practiced it a bit, the bond between us began to fade. And then...” Her gaze flashed to Julian. He was eating another of the fish cakes, with the same slow, deliberate motions, forcing himself to eat slowly. “Then my magic had other things to do.”
Gerren followed the track of her attention, and studied the Rook with undisguised interest. “Indeed. I’d ask you of the truth of what you’d done in the abbey, but that seems rather foolish with the evidence before me now. Will you tell me instead what you remember of the Anreulag’s coming?”
“First,” Julian said, finishing off his cake, “tell her if she gets to stay. That’s the whole point of this exercise, isn’t it? We danced around that question last time, and none of us have the patience to do it again.”
“I say she stays,” Alarrah said, gesturing to Julian. “As a healer, she’s worth ten of me. The evidence of her gifts sits right here among us. And as my sister, she is beyond value.”
“Alarrah, don’t take this awry, but she’s a hundred of you if not more,” Kirinil corrected. He took up a bottle from the table and began pouring out its contents into cups for them all, handing one to everyone in turn. “Brother, I tell you I’ve never witnessed anything like it in my life. I’ve Warded all of Dolmerrath, yet I couldn’t promise that the Anreulag wouldn’t make it through. Yet this girl protected herself, Julian and Kestar
Especially given Gerren’s dour gaze as they came into the library that served as his personal domain. He leaned against the table in the center of the room, his expression only marginally less angry than when he’d left them in the stable cavern. But to Faanshi’s surprise, rather than greeting them with harsh tones, he gestured to a plate of food on the table beside him. “Eat something. Please. You all look like walking death, and I’m not going to have you falling over from starvation or exhaustion while I decide what to do about you.”
The fare he offered them was simple, small cakes that smelled of fish and salt and herbs. Though she had in truth little appetite, Faanshi gratefully took one to nibble on as long as Alarrah and Kirinil were doing so. Relief flickered briefly in Julian’s eyes as he took a cake and then a seat, offering Gerren a simple, “Thank you.”
“Yes, thank you, akreshi ,” Faanshi added. After the Anreulag, facing one disheveled elven male was oddly easier than she’d expected—but she was nervous before him nonetheless, offered hospitality or no. With tousled brown hair and blue eyes a few shades lighter than Julian’s, Gerren didn’t have the blatant beauty of his silver-haired, amber-eyed brother Kirinil. Yet he was the prince of the elves in function if not quite in name, and the last time she’d stood before him, she’d had to leave his stronghold. “Please don’t punish Alarrah and Kirinil for what they did. If you wish to punish anyone, it should be me.”
“You said that already, and with that fear I see in your face, I have to wonder what punishment you think I’m planning.” Gerren shot the other two elves a look full of angry frustration before glancing back to her. “For the record, valannè , I’m no tyrant. Or so at least I like to hope. I’m willing to overlook all your actions if they prove to be for the greater good—this time. You said that the Hawk is gone from your head?”
Letting out a long breath, Faanshi bobbed her head. “Kirinil taught Kestar to shield too. Once we’d both practiced it a bit, the bond between us began to fade. And then...” Her gaze flashed to Julian. He was eating another of the fish cakes, with the same slow, deliberate motions, forcing himself to eat slowly. “Then my magic had other things to do.”
Gerren followed the track of her attention, and studied the Rook with undisguised interest. “Indeed. I’d ask you of the truth of what you’d done in the abbey, but that seems rather foolish with the evidence before me now. Will you tell me instead what you remember of the Anreulag’s coming?”
“First,” Julian said, finishing off his cake, “tell her if she gets to stay. That’s the whole point of this exercise, isn’t it? We danced around that question last time, and none of us have the patience to do it again.”
“I say she stays,” Alarrah said, gesturing to Julian. “As a healer, she’s worth ten of me. The evidence of her gifts sits right here among us. And as my sister, she is beyond value.”
“Alarrah, don’t take this awry, but she’s a hundred of you if not more,” Kirinil corrected. He took up a bottle from the table and began pouring out its contents into cups for them all, handing one to everyone in turn. “Brother, I tell you I’ve never witnessed anything like it in my life. I’ve Warded all of Dolmerrath, yet I couldn’t promise that the Anreulag wouldn’t make it through. Yet this girl protected herself, Julian and Kestar
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