Page 29 of A Song of Air
“Are you going to intervene?” Julius asked from his side.
Clay slowly shook his head. He knew he should have been worried because of who Weylyn was and what he did. He liked to mess with their minds, slip into their most private thoughts, and annex their darkest secrets, only to whisper the words aloud and frighten them.
Clay should have worried he would do the same to Corvina. Yet as he watched, there was no menace coming from the other male. There was no mischief shining in his eyes. There was nothing that indicated that he wanted her to hurt. There was nothing but a sign of protectiveness.
And it was only because of that that Clay didn’t intervene.
At first, seeing the way their hands clasped together made a flash of jealousy burn in his gut. It quickly dissipated and turned into confusion before he smiled at his mate. Though he’d only known her for a short while, he knew what type of person she was. Their bond was strong. She wouldn’t look at another male even when or if other males looked at her. His jealousy was his own problem, and he wouldn’t burden her with it. He wouldn’t be like her dead husband.
So he would not interfere. It was her right, after all, to learn what the rest of them were learning. It was her right to learn to defend herself. It was her right to train and learn to survive in any way she knew how. And if protecting her meant he had to watch another male drop on top of her to train her fighting instincts, then so be it.
Clay would watch.
Besides, even if Weylyn had nefarious intentions with everyone else, he didn’t feel like he had them with Corvina. She was different. He treated her differently. Clay wondered if it was because they were from the same court. Because she was his lady and he revered her for it. Whatever it was, he knew deep in his gut and instinct given to him from Mana that Weylyn wouldn’t do anything to hurt Corvina.
That he knew for certain.
Drowning Fear in Drink
“Why is the trek takingso long?” Valerio’s words were punctuated with his fingers hitting the map. His eyes glossed over the roads and forests and mountain ranges.
Julius watched the prince’s frustration with his arms crossed against his chest. It was his duty to plot their way through the kingdom and ensure safe passage to Ojor, a small town in the northernmost part of Ielwyn. Valerio had realized they were taking the longer roads, and the prince was not happy.
“We need to avoid being seen,” Julius countered. “We have a large party with us.”
He could tell his prince was getting irritated. Not so much with him, but with his father. The king had likely demanded they hurry to find the next Elemental so that his plans of war could continue. He had taken that frustration out on Valerio, and Valerio in turn would take it out on the rest of them.
Julius already knew this song and dance because he’d lived it before.
Valerio’s glare clashed his way. Julius ignored it, though a knot began forming in his throat. “It’s because we are such a large party that we must make haste,” the prince said coolly. “We do not want to dally in one place too long and risk being detected. There are women and a child traveling with us, and Uric cannot portal such a big amount so often without dire consequences. We need to take better pathways that aren’t so strenuous.”
Julius felt Iona’s gaze on him, and he avoided staring back at his mate. Instead, he bent over the map, gathering the parchment into his hands. “I’ll look it over,” he told Valerio. “Find a better passage, send scouts ahead.” He rolled the map up and saluted Valerio with it before he turned and left.
As soon as he was a few feet away from the tent, he heard his mate’s footsteps following at his heels. He didn’t speak. At least, not immediately. Not until they found a more secluded area where they wouldn’t be overheard.
When he turned to face Iona, her hands were on her hips, white brows raised.
