Page 61 of Elven Crown

Two seconds later, the katari blinked into existence in front of all three of them with a crackle of violet sparks and a soft pop, her eyes wide with urgency.

Perfect timing.

Unless, of course, something else had gone horribly wrong already.

19

Rebecca swallowed in a dry throat as she and Maxwell eyed Nyx intently, waiting for the report that was important enough to deliver to them personally.

If the katari had just given the signal they’d been waiting for, that was one thing. If not…

Rebecca didn’t want to think about where this mission was headed if it had already started to roll downhill.

Nyx opened her mouth and drew a deep breath.

“Well, hello,” Rowan said, grinning at her.

Startled out of her thoughts, she shot him a quick sideways glance, did a double-take, then frowned and offered an unsteady, “Hi…” before returning her attention to her superiors.

“Knox, the convoy’s rolling up. Three eighteen-wheelers heading this way, and the first one was just turning into the entrance. They’re definitely Eduardo’s trucks. I checked.”

Rebecca nodded. “Tell everyone to be ready. And we stick to the plan.”

Nyx snorted out a laugh. “Can I just say it’s a way better plan than any of our teams have had in a really long time? For way better reasons, too.”

Rebecca tried to keep a straight face despite the katari’s enthusiasm. “Noted.”

Then Nyx turned toward Rowan and raised her eyebrows. “You’re lucky you came in when you did. The guy before Knox?”

A heavy shudder wracked her petite form as she puffed out a sigh. The next second, she was gone with another soft pop, a burst of violet light, and the residual scent of effervescent vinegar lingering in the air at her departure.

“You heard her,” Rebecca said with a nod to Maxwell. “Here we go.”

The shifter sidestepped toward the other end of the shipping container so he wouldn’t block Rebecca’s view of the incoming convoy.

Rowan stayed right where he was and chuckled, his mouth gaping with amusement as he stared at Rebecca. “Wow. You’ve really made a name for yourself in this place. I thought Thon-Da’al was impressive, butKnox?”

He mimed knocking on the door in front of him and chuckled again.

Rebecca focused on maintaining her position for the best visual when the convoy finally rolled in and muttered, “The K is silent.”

“You took it all the way with this one, didn’t you?” Rowan added, looming over her shoulder and muttering in her ear like he was trying to be her conscience.

A conscience that continuously beat her over the head with the repeating laundry list of all the mistakes she’d made and all her failed attempts to remain unnoticed in this world.

He was just tickled silly by her happiness and having made a new name for herself here, wasn’t he?

Leaning casually back against the shipping container again with his arms still folded, Rowan stared at her with unbridled amusement. “Whoexactlydo these people think you are?”

“Our commander,” Maxwell growled behind him. “Your commander, too. For as long as you uphold your vow.”

Rowan stiffened slightly at the shifter’s words, then looked back at Maxwell over his shoulder with a deadpan stare. “Oh. You’re still here. Forgot about you already.”

Maxwell’s silver eyes flashed once, their brightness betraying his growing aggravation. “A vow I’m already questioning less than twenty-four hours in.”

“Hey.” Rebecca snapped her fingers and glared at them both, trying not to raise her voice much louder than a whisper. “Whatever this is between you two, save it for your own time. We’ve got company.”

She couldn’t have spoken a moment too soon.

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