She jabbed her elbow into his rib cage. “Someone’s changed your mind, Flick. And it wasn’t Tristam.”
He saw where she was looking and gave a sheepish smile. “I suppose one’s view on forbidden romance changes when it no longer concerns other people.”
Even though Kyra had suspected something, it still surprised her to hear Flick confirm it so readily. It hadn’t been that long since they’d met, had it? “Is it…mutual between the two of you?” she asked.
He shrugged, eyes still on her. “I’m only now learning their ways. I don’t even think they all ‘take mates,’ as they call it. She’d need the permission of the clan leader. But she enjoys my company, and I’ve grown rather fond of hers. She’s been bringing her friends to meet me. It’s been…quite an adventure.”
“What will you do?” Kyra asked.
He shrugged. “Who knows what will happen tomorrow or next week, with things the way they are. But we’ll live things out day by day. It’s all we can do, really.” He had a gentleness to his voice that tugged at Kyra’s heart.
As if sensing Kyra and Flick talking about her, Adele turned and gave a slight smile. Flick waved.
“In that case, I wish you two the best,” said Kyra, giving Flick’s shoulders a quick squeeze. Kyra stood and dusted off her clothes, then turned a mischievous eye back toward him. “I do have one question though.”
“What?”
“Are you sure you’re not smitten with Adele simply because you saw her without her clothes? She does have a lovely figure.”
“All right. That’s it.” Flick rolled up his sleeves and lunged for Kyra, ignoring her squeals as he caught her in a bear hug from behind. “I think you need some lessons in respecting your elders.” And he methodically began to turn her upside down. Kyra yelled something about things dropping out of her pockets, but she was laughing too hard for any coherent words to come out. She scrabbled at Flick’s legs behind her head, wondering at how the trees looked so much taller from this angle, when she saw the Demon Riders making their way toward the commotion.
“Everything’s fine,” said Flick. “This is how we show love in our family.”
And Kyra didn’t have the breath to contradict him.
T W E N T Y - S E V E N
Tristam tried not to worry as Robert held out, but the calendar was not on his side. As the date of the offensive ticked closer, units started taking position outside the city, and news of clashes with the Demon Riders came in daily. On his third trip to the cave, Tristam noticed that some of the Demon Riders had dyed the skin of their fingers red. When he asked Kyra about it, she coughed uncomfortably and told him that it was their tradition to do so before battle.
“That bad?” said Tristam.
“They’re expecting a war,” said Kyra.
The one good result of the approaching Demon Rider offensive was that Malikel resumed his duties with the Council. The magistrate’s reasons for reinstating him had more to do with the city’s need for wartime leadership than with his own investigations, but any change that got Malikel back on the Council was a good one in Tristam’s book. On the first day of Malikel’s return, Tristam hung near the Council Room, hoping to speak with the Defense Minister, but Malikel’s movements were still closely monitored, and he couldn’t get a word with him alone.
Three days before the Demon Rider offensive, Robert finally folded. “I serve the Whitt house,” he said. “I’ve been carrying messages between Lord Whitt and Head Councilman Willem.” His well-tailored clothes had become wrinkled and dirty after his days in the cave, and his hair and beard were unkempt.
It took some effort on Tristam’s part not to let his relief show. “And what do they discuss?”