Page 47 of Crown of Iron
The two men now sit at the head of the bed. Wel has the sheet pulled to his chin, and Leif rests the corner of the same fabric over the evidence of his excitement at sharing a bed with the drill sergeant. My best friend folds his arms over his chest and glares at me.
“Don't give me that look. You brought this on yourself,” I say, sinking into the winged-back chair across from him.
“Pray tell, why do I deserve you barging in while I'm in the middle of a long overdue intimate moment?” he asks.
“Maybe I should just go,” Wel says, slipping a leg out from under the sheet.
“No,” Leif says, curling his fingers around Wel's toned bicep.
I give Wel a tight smile. “That won't be necessary, Drill Sergeant. I'm sure anything I say won't come as a surprise.”
Leif rubs the stubble on his jaw and looks at the breakfast table across the room like it's the most interesting thing he's ever seen. The rotten sneak knows exactly why I'm here. His lover, however, fidgets like he's waiting for me to order his head on a platter.
“I know you and Leif are betrothed, and it isn't right for me—for us to be… I thought you didn't mind.”
I burst into laughter, doubling over in the chair. It takes a couple of tries, but I finally calm myself to say, “By all means, do what you like with Leif. I've never seen him so happy before. That's not why I'm upset.”
Leif shoots me a death glare and mumbles, “She knows the king swore me to secrecy.”
“You should have said something to me,” I say, smacking my hands on my thighs.
“If we were at home, I would have. The moment we entered this camp, I was forced to shift my loyalty. I tried to do what I could for you without defying orders. It wasn't just the wrath of Micah I feared, but I promised to follow the direction of my superior officers. It put me in a shitty position.”
I push a rogue strand of hair from my forehead and sigh. He isn't telling me anything I don't already know. It's his unwavering loyalty to this army and to our king which helps shield our people from harm. Leif is dedicated to giving them a semblance of peace in a land that truly does not know it.
“I just wish there was a way you could have warned me,” I say.
He bends his knee and props his arm on top. “Me too, but you were the first one out of the two of us to keep a secret. I had no idea you were going to follow me here.”
Leif is so strategic, even in making his point during an argument. It’s infuriating, and it's also why he’s good at what he does. If it were not for him, the Stigians would have slaughtered the three regiments last night. And that alone is a reason for me to let his deceit slide.
“So, when are you heading back to the capital?” he asks.
I lift a brow and struggle to push away the atrocious acts that took place last night. The bruises and cuts on my body work together to keep the memories fresh. I still see the blood on my blade and feel the fear that my comrades wouldn’t leave the battlefield. And I can still smell the burnt flesh. I hated every minute of the fight, but my efforts came with a reward.
“I'm not leaving. I came into my gift on the battlefield, and Kyron has asked me to stay.”
Wel sits up, letting the sheet fall away from his chest and whispers, “Bless the Statera, the rumors are true.”
Leif glances between us and says, “What rumors?”
“They say Elle wielded Kyron's power. She took out half of the Stigian warriors all by herself, but Kyron didn't fare as well. I heard his heart had stopped beating because he was so drained. Thankfully, he’s all right now.”
Leif eyes me up and down, and his jaw goes slack. I run my hands over my arms, wanting to hide the damage done to my body. He's seen me through scrapes and dings, but nothing compared to this.
He sits up straight and clenches his sheet to his groin. “Are you all right? You need to have someone look you over.”
I place my hand out to stop him. “I'm fine. I spent the night at the hospital. Everything is superficial. And surprise, it turns out I'm a Cantor.”
“That's impossible,” Leif replies, rubbing his forehead as if the thought of my gift is too much to comprehend. “Micah is going to want you to return home once he learns your power is no longer dormant. This changes everything, Elle.”
“I know,” I whisper.
My stomach turns in a nervous roll as I consider what Micah already knows. All this time I believed I had outwitted him, but he played me.Nothing I've done here has been of my own doing. The king was in control the entire time.
“Who has been reporting to Micah about my condition, and what kind of information are they giving him?” I ask.
“Just Kyron and me. We let him know you’re safe and occasionally share one of your moreamusingmoments.”
