Page 15 of Tamhas

His laugh sounded more like a bark. “Yes, but only if you vow to actually think it over and not simply tell me you will to get me off the phone.”

“Would I do a thing like that?” I tried to lighten to mood by chuckling, but it didn’t help.

“Tell me you will.”

I rolled my eyes but suppressed an audible sigh. It would only make things worse if I voiced my disdain. “I promise. I’ll think it over.”

He ended the call. It was the right thing to do. One of us would say something we couldn’t take back if we kept talking in circles.

I threw the phone onto the bed before flinging myself onto it, staring at the ceiling. Damn him for speaking to me like I was nothing but a child, or some underling for him to command. Leadership had gone to his head. I hadn’t wanted to admit the thought to myself while I was there, under the mountain. It would be traitorous to think along those lines and would undoubtedly color my interactions with Alan and the rest of the clan. I couldn’t risk that.

While I was away? On my own for the first time in as long as I could remember? That was a far different situation.

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