Page 150 of Thorns & Fire
‘YOU HAVE ME,’ came a voice from behind them.
Kristopher Snowden approached with a wry grin on his face.
‘And the rest of the gang,’ he added, motioning to Thea and Wilder, who were striding after him.‘Cal is guarding Zavier, or he’d be right here too.’
Wren’s mouth fell open.‘I...’
‘You didn’t think you’d be doing this alone, did you, Embers?’Torj’s words rumbled against her side.
‘I thought...’But Wrenhadthought exactly that.For the longest time, that was how she’d operated.For years it had been just her against the world.
As though reading her thoughts, Torj leaned in.‘You’re not on your own any more.’
Tears threatened to spill, and she distantly recognized the strange feeling drifting over her...Relief.
Thea pushed past Torj and flung an arm around her shoulders, looking more herself than she had in days.‘You couldn’t have given me the heads-up?’she demanded.
Wren shook her head.‘You’d never have agreed to it.’
Thea whirled around to face Wilder.‘And you?Pushing me back down in my chair?I suppose you were in on this?’
Wilder shrugged.‘You were forged with blood and steel, whereas Wren...’
‘Came straight from the fire itself,’ Thea replied with a grin.
Kipp cleared his throat.‘May I suggest we take this party somewhere more official?’
Wren realized with a start that they were all gathered in the corridor.‘Let’s take one of the private study rooms in the archives.’
Kipp sketched a bow.‘As the queen wishes.’
Wren tried not to flinch at the title.
It was a snug fit, with three armed Warswords, a strategist and an alchemist, but they took their seats in one of the bigger private rooms in the archives.It was a circular room with wall-to-wall bookshelves, complete with a sliding ladder that reached to the higher shelves, but as they gathered around a large table, Wren couldn’t pause to appreciate it.
She tried not to shrink away from the expectant looks cast her way and the countless challenges ahead etching lines of worry on each of their faces.A usurper had marched on Delmira and claimed it as his own.Lord Silas possessed alchemy that targeted magic wielders and Warswords alike.Wren had no army, no funding to obtain one and no people to rally to her banner.
Nor did she even have a fucking banner.
She allowed the flood of worries to wash over her, acknowledging each and every one before letting them dissipate around her.Despite the onslaught of problems she now faced, she knew her first point of action.
She turned to Kipp and said without preamble, ‘I would like to offer you the position of royal advisor.’
The strategist leaned back in his chair, scratching his chin.‘What’s the pay like?’
‘Dreadful,’ she replied.
‘And the hours?’Kipp asked.
‘Even worse.’
Kipp snorted.‘Dare I ask about the chances of success in this venture?’
Wren’s lips twitched.‘Somewhere between slim and none.’
‘Excellent.’He grinned, rubbing his hands together.‘When do I start?’
‘Yesterday.’
