Zoelyn watched them all with a detached shock, her eyes slowly moving to Dominic who seemed to be taking the news as poorly as she was. It was better than death, she supposed, but not by much. The capital was brimming with people and not only would she be in the capital she would be in the palace itself. She had imagined a hundred ways that this meeting could end, none of them had been good, and yet none of them had been this one either. Elijah had caught her completely flat footed with his choice.
“Come on, Zoey,” Dominic urged, and she nodded faintly as she followed him silently from the tent. It was hard to believe this was the last night she would spend in his company. For seven years he had been the only person in her life. Now everything was changing and she couldn’t think of a single way to stop it. Even if she ran from the camp, she lost Dominic. Swallowing heavily, she fought back tears and tried to stop her mind from thinking about what was waiting for her tomorrow.
Chapter 3
Southern Goswin
Neph closed the door behind him and it took a force of will to keep from slamming it so hard the boards rattled. For the past two weeks it had been a constant struggle to keep order among his people, and it was wearing on his nerves. Most of his remaining people were too old or too young to fight, but the ones that were of fighting age seemed to have nothing on their minds but pissing him off. It was barely two days into the week and he had already had to kill a man for challenging his right to lead. That brought the total number of Delvay warriors he had killed to six since he had arrived in Goswin. At the current rate he was progressing he wouldn’t have enough of a fighting force left over to even contemplate retaking his land.
Closing his eyes he tilted his head back and slowed his breathing. After several moments his fists unclenched and the desire to rip off someone’s face began to fade. Life had never been this difficult at the Academy. Sure, Valor and Finn could be obnoxious at times, but he had never truly wanted to kill them. The desire to punch them in the face a few dozen times had been there, but that was only natural considering how they behaved. Every time he had a conversation with his own people he had the overwhelming desire to light someone’s face on fire and attempt to put out the flames with a knife. They simply didn’t listen and they were as thick as stones when it came to strategy. Honestly he believed Kadan had killed off everyone with the slightest bit of common sense and left him with a herd of halfwits to command. He had no doubt whatsoever that Kadan was sitting in the afterlife laughing his ass off at his little brother’s difficulties.
“Damn it,” Neph muttered darkly as he realized his hands were once again clenched into fists and he was gritting his teeth just from thinking about dealing with his people. Closing his eyes once more, he leaned back heavily against the door and willed himself back to calm once more. “I need to punch something,” he muttered darkly after several long breaths.
“Neph, are you in there?” Shade’s voice called from the hall beyond and Neph’s hands twitched in response.
“I swear to the Divine, Shade, if you come any closer to this room I will not be responsible for what happens to you,” Neph warned loudly not bothering to move from his spot against the door. At least with his full weight resting against it there was no way Shade could get into the room. It wasn’t that he wanted to preserve Shade’s life; it was simply not in his best interest to kill the little bastard. Neph was Madren’s guest until he reclaimed his own land and Shade was Madren’s friend.
“Are we having a moment, Neph?” Shade asked with amusement clear in his voice.
Neph cocked his head and glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. By the sound of Shade’s voice he was just on the other side of the door and likely leaning against the door frame. It was possible, if he aimed the blow just right he could jab a dagger between the boards of the door and stab the little bastard. It wouldn’t be a fatal blow, but Neph would take what satisfaction he could get. “I really think you should go away now, Shade,” Neph advised through clenched teeth.
“Madren just received a letter from the capital, Neph. It is apparently from the Empress Symphony to all High Lords. There is going to be a council in Sanctuary and all High Lords are requested to attend. There is a problem, though, Neph. Your name isn’t on the missive as a High Lord. There is a Rivasan listed as the Lord of Delvay currently,” Shade’s voice had grown more serious and he paused as if waiting for an answer. Long breaths passed as Neph fought to control his already frayed temper. “Madren wants to know how you want him to respond to the letter. He is considering refusing her invitation unless she names you as the lord of Delvay.” Shade paused again. “You know, I really hate having this conversation through a door. If I could see your face I’m sure I could just read the level of homicidal lunatic you are right now from your expression and decide what to tell Madren without you even saying a word.”
“It’s a really, really high level right now, Shade,” Neph snarled. The trick of slow breathing wasn’t helping at all anymore. Every muscle in his body was rigid and if anyone so much as looked at him wrong he knew he would snap. That didn’t bode well for the irritating little worm outside his door, but then he had tried to warn Shade to leave him alone.
“Like you are trying to figure out how to stab me through the door? That high?” Shade asked in a tone far too conversational for the current topic.
“No, Shade that’s the level I was at when you arrived. That was before you opened your mouth,” Neph hissed through clenched teeth. His knuckles were beginning to turn white from how tightly his fists were clenched.
“So you must be somewhere near chewing through the door to strangle me with my own entrails about now,” Shade mused thoughtfully.