Page 51 of Acedia

“Tallulah was hoping one of the ex-Hunters could accompany her to the negotiating session today, but I think everyone was otherwise engaged. And some of them are more adept at navigating those conversations than others—I think you’d be particularly good at it, even though you’re a Shade,” Soren suggested.

“Sure. I can do that.” It didn’t sound particularly stimulating, but I was good at talking. I was confident I’d have no issue with it.

“We’ll be running our first training session today with some of the new ex-Hunters,” Soren volunteered, apparently realizing hehadn’t answered my question. “It would be a supremely bad idea for you to help out with that—they’re nervous enough already.”

“They’re training with you?” I asked, surprised.

“Mostly with Astrid and Meera,” Soren replied. “It was Meera’s idea. She thought that some of the more skittish ones might gain confidence if they knew how to defend themselves.”

That made sense. Was that something Iris would be interested in doing as well? Everyone knew about her now. She could explore more freely if she wanted to. And she’d definitely be safe in Astrid’s hands.

“Go ahead,” Soren told Astrid quietly. “I’ll catch up with you.”

Oh dear.

He came to a stop in the corridor, clasping my shoulder to keep me in place.

“You have a very serious look on your face,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“I’m worried about you, Damen.”

“That is wholly unnecessary.”

“I don’t think it is. It’s very unlike you to be so restless.”

“I can’t win,” I complained. “You’re all on my case when I do nothing, and now when I try to dosomething, it’s a problem too. I can’t do anything right.”

Soren blinked at me, dropping his hand. “That’s not how I want you to feel at all, Damen. I think it’s great that you’re trying to be more involved around the palace. But you seem restless in your… spirit,” he finished, seeming a little frustrated as he struggled to find the words. Emotional talks weren’t Soren’s strong suit, and I appreciated that he was trying.

It made me pause and consider my answer a little more carefully, rather than giving him a glib response to get this conversation over and done with. “I do feel restless in my spirit. But I’m working on it.”

I’m working onme. I wanted to be a Shade worthy of the sweetest, kindest woman in the realm, as well as a Shade worthy of the title I held.

The path to get there wasn’t quite as linear as I’d hoped it would be, but I was confident I’d find it.

Soren nodded once. “Okay. Will you tell me if you need help?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Of course.” He hesitated. “You’re like a younger brother to me as well, Damen.”

I grinned and he scowled at me like he already regretted saying it. “I have always considered you one of my older brothers. You are all of a similar temperament.”

“Yes, yes,” he said impatiently, though not unaffectionately. “You’d better get going if you want to sit in on that meeting. It’s starting soon.”

“On my way!” I called over my shoulder, already heading for the stairs. Interesting. I felt buoyed in a way that I hadn’t just a few minutes earlier. Perhaps there was something to be said for serious, emotive conversations.

“Damen!” Tallulah said in surprise, standing by the meeting room door with Evrin, his hand resting lightly on her waist. “Are you joining us?”

“I thought I might, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. I don’t know how interesting you’ll find it,” she added apologetically. “At the moment, it feels like every conversation is just going in circles.”

“Well, perhaps I can be of use in that regard.” I shrugged. “Or I’ll make it worse. Let’s find out, shall we?”

Sebastian, the representative from the Hunters Council, stood as we entered, and I was gratified to see that he looked a little less smug when I walked in, if for no other reason than Verity was a close friend of mine and she deeply resented having her former fiance existing in the same realm as her.

A very reasonable position to take.

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