Larentii have different lines running through their hands—swirls and circles that humans don't have. "It's almost like cloud patterns in a blue sky," I smiled up at him. It was the first time I'd felt like smiling in a while.
"Little Queen, you make me happy," Reemagar removed his hand from mine and placed it around my shoulders instead, hugging me against him. I remembered that I was supposed to ask Grace about his mother, but Grace was pregnant with Karzac's child. I wasn't sure how welcome I would be anywhere near Grace. Maybe I could get Pheligar or someone else to explain things to me.
We sat there on the riverbank for a long time—Reemagar and I, not saying a single thing. Eventually I laid my head against his chest, listening to his even breathing. It finally put me to sleep.
* * *
"She fell asleep, sitting next to me by the river," Reemagar handed Lissa over to Drake inside the tent. Reemagar had to make himself smaller; he wouldn't have fit inside the tent, otherwise. "I placed her in a healing sleep so I could transport her back to you."
"Thank you. We were getting worried and Dad was about to come looking for her," Drew stood next to his brother, gazing down at Lissa's face. She looked so peaceful in the healing sleep.
"She will wake after a short time—I do not wish to put her in danger by keeping her under too long." Reemagar said. "I must go." He nodded to Drake and Drew and folded away.
"At least she got a bath," Drew said. "She hates the dust."
"You know she would have qualified for a tattoo after taking out the archers," Drake murmured, rocking Lissa gently in his arms.
"Brother, she would qualify for fifty full sets after what she did on the High Demons' world," Drew replied. Drake nodded in agreement.
* * *
I hadn't been up early to become energy for a couple of days, so I went that morning. I stayed that way for a while, too, before bending time to get back when I should. I didn't go looking for Kifirin, although I thought about him during my trip.
"It's about time; we were about to go to breakfast without you. The Warlord wants to move out quickly after we eat," Drake said. I was standing between Drake and Drew in line to get our food when Tava's former commander brushed past us. He could do that to us but he knew better than to try it with Dragon, Crane or one of the others. Caylon gave him a black look as he settled in front of Tava. She, Hart and Nima stood in front of Drake, Drew and me. The interloper had a full set of tattoos—badgers decorated his chest, back and arms. I wasn't impressed. Maybe he didn't know it, but badgers belonged to the weasel family.
Devin didn't like the fact that he'd cut in line, either, but she didn't say anything. If we'd been anywhere else, I might have taught him some manners.
Dragon kept the seat across from him empty and pointed me there when I got my breakfast. That meant I was sitting between Caylon and Pheran. Now what had I done?
"Lissa, I don't want you going off by yourself again like you did last night," Dragon pointed his chopsticks at me. "I am thankful one of the Larentii came—I was just about to come looking for you myself."
I didn't say anything; I just stared at my plate. When he was on Falchan, he was the Warlord. It didn't matter that another Warlord was supposedly in charge. Again, I wondered why they'd brought me. I wanted to tell him to banish me from the planet—I'd be happy to go home. Roff was there. And little Toff. Instead, here I was, head bowed before the Warlord, taking the drubbing. I wasn't hungry when he was done with me, either.
"Lissa, you're just pushing your food around," Crane said. I dropped my chopsticks. I wanted to cry only this wasn't the place to do it. Falchani warriors were everywhere, talking, laughing, eating. The sound was almost overwhelming. The scent, too, was overpowering. Too many bodies pressing close.
"Lissa, don't you dare pass out," Caylon was holding me up. I blinked at him stupidly. Drake and Drew were about to have a fit and Dragon had already issued the command for them to sit back down. They sat but they didn't like it.
"Lissa, drink this," Pheran had his cup of tea at my lips. I drank. I felt dizzy.
What's wrong with my baby? Drew's voice, so soft, inside my head.
"I feel dizzy," I said.
"Because you're not eating," Dragon's voice rumbled. When did you have blood, last?
Don't remember, I returned his sending.
You don't take from the boys?
I've never taken from them. It was an insult that he'd even suggest it. I only drank from Roff or my vampire mates and only then when they demanded it. Roff was bitten twice a month, at his insistence. I'd drank from Shadow, once, but I'd begged him not to ask for it again.
"Fuck," Dragon sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Somebody see that she eats." He left the table and stalked off. Devin started to get up and follow him, but Crane held her down.
Eat something, love. Drake was sending, now. We have a long ride ahead of us. You won't make it if you don't eat.
The food tasted almost as much like sawdust as it used to, when I ate food as a full vampire. I forced as much down as I could, remembering my lessons with Merrill. All that seemed like a thousand years ago. Tava, Hart and Nima had sat at the far end of the table, near Drake and Drew. They'd watched the entire episode, not saying anything. I thought I saw contempt in their eyes, though. Maybe that's how Dragon saw me, too, now.
* * *
We'd almost reached our camping spot for the evening when the attack came. The enemy had somehow gotten there, even though the scouts hadn't found them. I didn't know how that could be but I didn't waste any time, just like the others. We were in the foothills and archers had been placed carefully somewhere above us. The entire army was in turmoil, getting horses out of the way so they could handle the enemy's ground troops. And then the arrows came raining down. I misted in the direction of the arrows; I didn't care what Dragon had to say about it and didn't ask.
Nearly a hundred archers, this time, all equipped with long bows. I wondered if the Falchani army was going to take the hint soon and train archers of their own. I started with the back row and worked my way forward. It took a while for them to realize that something was there, killing them. These had swords with them, but I was more careful, this time. I barely let my hands and claws materialize as I took heads. It might have taken fifteen or twenty minutes, with the last five or so spent while they hunted me with their blades. One whacked a blade against my claws and screamed when the blade was sheared off. That one died, just like the others.