Page 15 of Of Steel and Scale

“No more questions,” Mom cut in. “Let her bathe and rest, Rion.”

He looked set to argue for a moment, then simply nodded and headed out. Mom cupped my elbow and lightly guided me across to the bathing area. “Shall I order you a meal before I leave you in peace?”

“That would be great.” I quickly hugged her. “Thank you for coming to find me.”

She laughed softly. “My darling girl, not even a full battalion of Mareritt could have stopped me once I’d felt you in Desta’s mind. Rest up. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

She kissed my forehead, then left. I ran the bath, then stripped off and stepped in. By the time the hot water had soaked away the worst of the aches and I’d eaten a good portion of the mountain of food she’d ordered, I was all but dead on my feet. I walked across to the sleeping platform, crawled under the blankets, and was asleep before my head hit the pillows.

It was the awareness of being watched that eventually woke me. My hand slid instinctively under the pillow for the knife I habitually kept there, my fingers closing on the hilt a heartbeat before I recognized the warm, spicy scent teasing the air.

Damon.

“What in Túxn’s name are you doing in my room?” I released the knife’s hilt, then pushed the tangled strands of hair out of my face.

He’d pulled one of the lounging chairs up close to the sleeping platform, on which he rested his bare feet. His closely shaven head gleamed like newly oiled blackwood in the sunlight streaming through the light well above us, highlighting the sharp but very pleasing planes of his face. His linen gambeson was undone, and his undershirt open at the neck, providing teasing glimpses of his muscular chest and stomach, while his leathers hugged the rather impressive mound of his crotch and emphasized the lean and powerful length of his legs.

Desire stirred, as did amusement. At least physical attraction was never going to be a problem for me. Who knew whatheactually felt.

“Technically, it’sourroom given that, for all intents and purposes, we’re already married.” His blue eyes shone with amusement, and I had a vague feeling he knew exactly where my gaze had been dwelling.

“Then I’m surprised you didn’t decide to sleep on the platform rather than simply pulling up a chair.” I pushed upright but didn’t bother to tug the bed coverings back up. While I might have had my own quarters as a captain, I’d bunked in with six others in the years before that. Nudity was something you grew immune to.

His gaze swept me, brief and somewhat perfunctory. “I considered it, but given your earlier threat, I thought it likely you slept with a knife under your pillow.”

I reached under and pulled it free. “And you would be right.”

His laugh was warm and rich, and spun around me as sweetly as any caress. It wasveryannoying, this attraction thing, especially given there was very little indication it went both ways.

Unless, of course, the man had utter control over even the most instinctive of physical reactions.

“Your father has called a council for midday. He wishes your presence, if you’re up to it.”

Which didn’t leave us all that much time, given it was close to eleven thirty now. “I bet ‘wish’ is not how he actually phrased that.”

“Well, no.” Damon lifted his feet off the platform and rose. “Do you want something to eat beforehand?”

“No, I’ll grab something later. But thanks.” I tossed the blankets off and climbed out of bed. His gaze scanned me, another of those non-caresses that had heat flaring. I silently cursed errant hormones and walked across to the bathing area, quickly washing and then dressing, all the while uncomfortably aware of the man who now stood near the air slit, staring out at the narrow view it provided of the courtyard.

Once I’d strapped on my weapons, I said, “Ready?”

He turned to face me. “Always.”

The smile glimmering briefly in his eyes left me wondering if perhaps I’d been reading him all wrong, even if his ungiving expression suggested otherwise. He was of Zephrine royal stock, after all, and given their womanizing reputations, my lanky lack of womanly features might not be such a problem....

I pushed the thought away, spun, and walked out. He fell in step beside me, and we moved quickly through the palace and out into the courtyard. A multitude of men and women went about the daily business of palace life, filling it with color, noise, and a multitude of aromas, some good, some bad. I greeted those I knew and nodded to those I didn’t, then clattered up the metal stairs on the far side and through the guarded doors beyond. We headed right, toward the military areas rather than the administrative, our footsteps echoing, announcing our presence long before we arrived.

The guards at the far end of the hall saluted and opened the heavy metal door as we neared. I returned the salute and stepped inside. The war room was a long but gently sweeping space that ran the full width of the wall. Windows dominated the two main walls; one side provided a view across the courtyard while the other looked over Esan’s great outer wall. From this height, the soldiers manning her looked minute. Beyond that wall, Mareritten lay stretched out like a map, enabling us to see any attack long before they reached us. It was a huge advantage the Mareritt had yet to find a way around.

Of course, that might no longer be the case if theywerethe source of the attack on both Eastmead and our boat.

One long table dominated the center of the room, while multiple smaller ones holding strategic maps and troop placement boards lined the courtyard windows. Eight long-viewing scopes lined the sweeping curve of the front windows.

My father sat at the far end of the table. My mother was on his right, while our day- and night-shift generals—Vaya and Jarin—sat opposite her. Damon’s father, Aric—a tall, ruggedly handsome man in his mid-years who possessed the same dark skin, blue eyes, and closely shaven head as his son—sat several seats down from my mother. Franklyn, the heavyset man who’d only recently taken over duties as chief smith, sat opposite him.

My father gave me a quick, warm smile before stating briskly, “Captain Silva, please make your report.”

I stopped at the end of the table and stood at ease with my hands behind my back. Damon continued on and claimed the chair to my left. I quickly and without emotion detailed everything that had happened, from the moment I’d first sensed the presence to finding the metal feather in the Mareritt’s pouch.

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