Page 153 of With Wing And Claw

Agenor was polite enough to chuckle at that feeble excuse for a joke.

The two of them were silent as she cautiously chewed on a sesame bun – a silence that wasn’t impatient or awkward, somehow, but justwas. Five days. How much of that time had they spent by her bedside together, waiting for her to wake up?

How many others had sat here in their place, watching over her?

‘Did anyone else …’ She faltered. It felt like arrogance to even ask the question – to presume anyone had cared that much. ‘Was anyone else … here?’

‘Not the alves,’ Emelin said with a one-shouldered shrug, nodding at the door. ‘They thought you wouldn’t be too happy about it, them being able to fade into the room. Or was that not what youmeant?’

It was not.

Her eyes started stinging a little all the same, though.

‘No – no, I meant …’ She had to swallow to get rid of the catch in her throat. ‘Are they alright? Silas and Inga and … and …’

Not Gadyon.

It would take a while for her to accept that failure.

Oh, Silas and Inga are quite well.’ Something about Agenor’s smile was more amused than she’d expected. ‘Silas spent the last couple of days purging the court of a few more aspiring usurpers. Speaking of which – I’m well aware you could probably do without my unsolicited advice on the matter, but from the perspective of someone who’s held the position for a while,ifyou are looking for a new Lord Protector …’

She glared at him over her plate.

Emelin sniggered by her father’s side.

Another comfortable silence ensued. The black snake familiar continued its attempts to be everywhere but on Agenor’s shoulders. Emelin continued her snacking. Outside, beyond the vine-framed windows, the sunlight sparkled on the azure sea, not an army or rebellious mob in sight.

Thysandra had never seen the Crimson Court quite so close topeaceful.

Or perhaps … perhaps it was not the court that was different. Perhaps it was rather thatshehad never watched the island with even half of the strangely serene calm stealing over her now. No alves in her rooms. No traitors in her halls. The worst had come to pass, yet somehow,somehow, those who ought to have deserted her hadn’t – Silas and his bargains, Inga and her clerks. And Naxi—

Naxi and her Labyrinth.

Would it be too mad to take off for the pavilion the moment she’d finished her breakfast and just hope her wings would handle the flight?

But as she put down her plate, as she opened her mouth to announce it was time for her to put on some decent clothes and leave, Agenor unexpectedly cleared his throat and said, ‘One more thing, Thys.’

He suddenly sounded more serious – almostgrave.

Coming from most other people, that would hardly have been a cause for alarm. Agenor, on the other hand, had never in her lifetimeturned grave unless the situation truly called for it, and her heart thudded accordingly as she fell back into her armchair. ‘What is it?’

He hesitated.

‘It’s about your father,’ Emelin said in his stead.

The world stood still for a moment.

She expected the hounds to howl – was already bracing for them to begin their ceaseless baying in the pits of her mind. Instead … there was silence. Not a single snapping bone reverberating through her thoughts. Not a single whisper of his breaking voice –Thysandra!

As if all these years, he had only been shouting,begging, for her to open her eyes and finally see the truth.

Traitor’s daughter.

She understood it now.

It had never been an insult in the first place.

‘Did you …’ She drew in a shaky breath. ‘Did you find anything?’

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