Page 165 of Fortress of Ambrose
“How is today?” I ask him, as I have each morning the last couple of days.
“Yellow with some blues.” Between repairing the estate, he’s been spending time alone, sifting through the wreckage of his past, looking for ways it’s still on his back. I’ve started asking how he is doing instead of assuming. And he’s started digging deep for an honest answer, even when it’s not pretty. He uses colors to describe his mood. It is easier for him to be vulnerable that way.
“Yellow is good.”
He laces his fingers between mine. We walk in silence toward my office, where Willam and Knox are waiting.
“Don’t be nervous.” He can feel it. “You’ll know the right thing to say.” He doesn’t offer another word of advice. He didn’t even ask for the details of my plan when I mentioned this to him yesterday. He only knows that I asked him to be with me when I unveiled it to Knox and Willam. I hold his hand tighter, grateful for his complete trust, which only makes me determined to trust myself more.
“How is your pain level?”
He grimaces. His heart might be repairing, but after the damage he did to the dormitories in a rage, the magic rotting the side of his body has spread to his limbs. When we reach my office door, Jordan squeezes my hand.
“Do you mind if I say something first?”
“Sure.”
Willam folds his arms over his chest when Jordan enters the room. I wouldn’t blame Willam if he never wanted to talk to Jordan again. I’m surprised he didn’t haul out of here the first chance he got. Dimara did. But he, Knox, Kedd, and the twins stayed.
We take our seats across from Willam and Knox.
Jordan jumps right in. “Before anything, I want to apologize to you both, face-to-face. Especially you.” He looks right at Willam. “I’ve put everyone through a lot, but I’ve put Willam through hell. I won’t make an excuse for it. I just hope I’ll have the chance to earn your trust again.”
Willam pulls at the collar of his shirt, which is unbuttoned, theDarkbearer tattoo mark not hidden anymore. “You’re one determined bastard. I’m not sure we’ll ever see eye to eye. But you were right, there was a very dangerous traitor among us. I hope your maezre is alright.”
“Still unconscious,” I say.
“You both have a lot on your shoulders,” Willam goes on. “I could have been more understanding of that. Iamgrateful Yaniselle was found out before she hurt anyone else. But the one thing we can agree on, Jordan, is that girl right there.” He points at me. “I’m sorry, Quell, again, for not being up front about our Darkbearer allies. I realize this is complicated, and it wasn’t right for me to act like it’s simple. None of this is simple. I believe you want to set things right. And that’s what matters most.”
Knox rubs his knee. “We talked, and we want to see it through.”
“Seeyouthrough,” Willam adds. “If you’re steering the ship, we’re on board.”
Their trust makes a lump rise in my throat, and no amount of swallowing shoves it down.
“Well,” I say. “That’s a relief, because I need you both. I’m drawing up a declaration. Our House is marching to Dlaminaugh. We need to work more closely with House of Ambrose.” They’re the ones who understand immortality magic better than anyone. I explain my plan.
“Is a magical artifact still needed? We know a Trader who can procure anything. Her name is Lady Ruby.”
Jordan and I share a look.
“We can write to her and ask her to bring what she has to House of Ambrose. She knows us well. She’ll do us this favor.”
We agree on it. It feels good to be on the same side, fully, for once.
“We’re a team,” Knox says, reaching across the table to shake my hand. “I was tough on you at the end. But Rhea’s daughter came through.”
“Quell, call me Quell, please.”
She smiles. “What about everyone left here during the march? This place hasn’t felt like a home for too long.”
“Because the wrong person was leading them,” Jordan says. “It’s yourdecision, Quell, but could Knox be left in charge, officially, while we’re gone?”
“Exactly what I was thinking. I’ll draw up an addendum to the declaration. Knox Molaudi of the West Coast Molaudis, in my absence, you are acting Headmistress and beneficiary of House of Marionne.”
Sixty-Six
Adola
