Page 114 of Crown of Tides and Fury

I looked up at the score sheet hanging on the wall. Brian got up, found a marker, and added a hashtag under Wickham’s name.

Orion 2, Wickham 4, Griffon 1.

“Of the eight Naming Powers,” the Irishman said, dusting his hands, “seven are accounted for--”

“That leaves the king’s own Beauty to find.” Flann finished his brother’s thought, as was common. He turned to me. “Not quite finished, but we’re very near.”

“Sorry. I’ve lost my appetite for saving the world. It’s all I can do to just save me.” It sounded so heartless, admitting that to friends who had had my Six each time we’d faced danger. And here I was, admitting I wouldn’t stick around to protect them.

“Leave her be,” Wickham said, gentler than he should have. “Saving the world is a daunting task, especially when ye have no world to save.”

I scowled at him. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

“The world is something unique to each one of us. The world, to me, is Ivy and my lads. The team aside, they are my world. Full stop. I do this for them. Without them…I’d have no appetite for savin’ anythin’.” He nodded at Brian, then Flann. “These two are better men than I. When they say the world, they likely mean everyone in it, Fae, Witch, and Man alike. But they also have each other.”

He lifted his chin at Kitch and the two shared a grin.

“We all ken who Dominic Kitchens fights for.” He turned back to me. “And one day, ye’ll stumble upon someone who, in yer eyes, eclipses the rest of the planet. And ye’ll say, ah, now I ken what Wickham meant.”

It dawned on me that this wasn’t a debriefing at all. It was an intervention. They’d been trying to get me to stay.

I closed my eyes momentarily and laughed. “Again, you’ve just proven you’re not such a clever boy, Wickham. I will never meet someone else. I will never have children to fight for. My world is populated by the people in this house who have proven, over and over again, that they don’t need me to save them. And I have no doubt you’ll all save the world without me.”

“I agree,” Kitch said, surprising everyone. He turned to look Wickham up and down. “I agree ye’re not so clever, my friend. Did ye even hear what she said?”

Wickham blinked, shook his head. “Tell me.”

“She’ll never meet someone…else.”

Heads began to nod. I got up and stormed for the door. I wasn’t going to sit there and be analyzed by a bunch of clueless men.

“Griffon,” Wickham said, but I kept walking.

“I told ye.”

“Nay. Ye said I was right abouthim, not her. Wait! Lennon, just another minute, if ye please.”

I stopped and forced myself to turn around.

“Griffon Carew is yer world?”

I gave him the most open look I could, exposing my soul, my heartbreak. But just in case he misunderstood, I said, “He might have been, but not now.”

Wickham’s grin said he didn’t believe me. “Stay, lass. Stay and I swear I will do all I can to keep yer professor safe in all this.”

I smirked. “He’d think that was funny. You protecting him. Do you have any idea how strong he is?”

“Some idea, aye. He flew four hours with ye. But isnae it interesting that his siblings were not born with such strength?”

“I asked Archer why he wasn’t born with wings. He said seraphim are made, not born. That Griffon was chosen. He sounded bitter, but then Archer always sounded bitter. And the sister had the power ofPlace.I have no idea what powers he has. Oh! That first night! He said he works for the Fae King. Does that mean the Fae King isn’t dead after all?”

“That would be an unexpected boon. Let’s hope, aye? By the by, did Griffon tell ye I tried to convince him to join us?”

“No.”

“I willnae give up hope.” His smile brightened. “So? Will ye stay?”

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