Page 42 of The Immortal Covenant

Malorg snorted a humorless laugh. “Perhaps you were right to fear my reaction given how things have gone.”

Heat warming his skin, Sarilian shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t afraid of your reaction but ofmine. I didn’t know what to expect seeing you again—how I’d respond to dredging up old memories. You aren’t the only one concerned about the past.”

Malorg’s expression softened as he regarded Sarilian. He licked his lips, suddenly seeming nervous. “I…I only ever wanted what I thought was best for you. That’s why I tried to convince you to come with me. Why I…I pushed you away. To keep you safe.”

A mix of fond exasperation filled Sarilian as he processed Malorg’s words. “Like I told you before, that was never your responsibility. It’s my choice what I do with my time here.”

Malorg bowed his head, his eyes storm clouds of regret. “I know. And I’m sorry for not respecting that. What we had was never meant to last—not in this life. Perhaps how everything worked out is for the best.”

Judging by the churning in his gut, Sarilian wasn’t so sure. But now didn’t seem the time to delve any deeper into lingering wounds than he already had, so he forced a smile. “For what it’s worth I’m sorry as well for how I handled…well, everything. Destined to fail or not, I want you to know that I don’t regret a single moment we shared. Even now.”

Sarilian’s pulse quickened at Malorg’s gentle smile. “Neither do I.”

Time stretched as they regarded one another. Sarilian suddenly grew conscious of the handful of paces that separatedthem. His skin tingled with nerves, and though he continued to draw in air, he felt a heady rush as if holding his breath.

Then, Malorg cleared his throat and looked away. “We should return. We don’t want to keep the other delegates waiting.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sarilian nodded. Before Malorg could leave, however, he jutted out his hand. “Truce?”

Malorg eyed the offered hand for a long moment before grasping it in a firm grip. Sarilian shivered at the icy touch. “Truce,” Malorg agreed, his face unreadable once more. “For the good of the Accords.”

They shook, Malorg maintaining his hold a second more than necessary before starting down the hall. Sarilian trailed after, his emotions a jumbled mess as he stared at Malorg’s back. For the first time since returning to Twilight, however, he found himself genuinely hopeful for whatever the future had to offer.

seventeen

Malorg

Malorg took his seatin the conference room, ignoring the questioning glances from Sajix and Wiriv. Let Pelorak’s spies stew. Malorg’s business with Sarilian was no one’s but his own.

He watched the Dawn Emissary navigate his way around the table toward the rest of the Celestial delegation, ignoring the sudden tightness in his chest. That had gone well—better than he’d expected when he pulled Sarilian aside. A reluctant apology had turned into revisiting their past. And while it had been Pelorak’s intervention that forced Malorg’s hand, now that it had happened, he had to admit it felt good to have cleared the air and established where they stood.

Destined to fail or not, I want you to know that I don’t regret a single moment we shared. Even now.

Malorg shoved Sarilian’s whispered words out of mind even as an unfamiliar warmth pulsed in his breast. What had happened between them in the past was better off buried. They both had a job to do…and an Immortal Covenant to revise.

Clearing his throat, Malorg said, “Shall we begin?”

Sarilian gave him a small, private smile that sent another jolt of warmth racing through him. “Proceed, Emissary. Let’s hear what you have to say.”

The meeting went…better. By unspoken agreement, they avoided discussing patrol patterns or other details that had proven contentious in previous meetings. Instead, they kept the conversation relatively light, reaffirming commitments to cooperation and restating their key goals for the Accords.

Other than the occasional stilted response or awkward silence, Malorg found it far easier to talk to Sarilian now that his agitated emotions had finally settled. And though they’d accomplished little in the way of concrete negotiations by the end of their allotted time, he considered it a tentative success nonetheless.

We might actually be able to do this—to rewrite the Covenant and unite our peoples.

After the meeting, Malorg waited while the Celestial delegation filed out with Sarilian at their head. Their eyes met, their gazes lingering as another of those secret smiles graced Sarilian’s lips, meant for Malorg alone. Then, they were past.

Malorg exhaled, tension he hadn’t realized he was carrying easing. He’d made it through a meeting with Sarilian unscathed. Now, they just needed to advance to actual progress.

“You did better today,” Wiriv said, stepping up beside him. “Whatever you said to that Celestial mongrel must have worked. They seemed properly pacified today.”

Sajix nodded. “The Dusk Council will be pleased to hear of your efforts. Shall we pass along anything on your behalf?”

Alarm spiked through Malorg at the thought of drawing unnecessary attention to his connection with Sarilian. Asking them to leave out that detail, however, would only elicit more suspicion. Best to pass it off as nothing out of the ordinary.

“Tell Pelorak whatever you wish. I was simply following his instructions.”

Sajix frowned. “Like we’ve said before, we’re here representing the united interests of—”

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