Page 75 of Returned to the Vissigroth
Something flickered in her eyes. “I don’t need saving, Mallack.”
“Then why do I keep nearly losing you?”
That softened her. Just enough. We stood in the low hum of the lift, the quiet punctuated only by the thrum of gears rising through stone. I couldn’t stop looking at her. Her face was smudged, her braid half-unraveled, a shallow cut on her temple. Still the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
She stepped closer, voice softening. “Honestly, we didn't think it would be dangerous. We only wanted to see the Zuten apartment. It was filled with Dragoons.”
“That’s not what this is about.”
“Then what is it?”
I hesitated. Then leaned in, just a breath closer. “It’s about the fact that I just got you back. And I’m not ready to lose you again.”
Her hand found mine, soft fingers threading between my calloused ones like they’d never stopped doing it.
“You’re not going to lose me,” she said gently. “But you don’t get to keep me caged either. You fell in love with, according to you," she winked at me, "the most stubborn seffy in the universe. I don'tdositting around idle. And neither does Thalia or Oksana. So we wanted to do something. Something that seemed perfectly safe.”
I closed my eyes and exhaled. “I know. I just…” I was going to say can’t lose you again, but I'd already done so. She knew. "I just want to spend as much time with you as possible."
Her lips brushed the inside of my wrist. “Then stop wasting it being angry.”
The elevator gave a slight jolt before it started slowing. She squeezed my hand once before letting go. “Besides… we’ve got bigger problems than your temper.”
"My temper?" I retorted. I thought I was being pretty reasonable, given the fact that she had put herself, our daughter, and our daughter-by-mating in danger.
“Super Eulachs,” I muttered instead.
The moment shifted. She straightened, and we both stepped out into the fresh air. The sun was about to rise, which was difficult to comprehend. We'd spent all of yesterday's afternoon and the following night down in the tunnels. I blinked a few timesagainst the sudden brightness, but I was thankful for the deep lungfuls of fresh air I was able to draw into my lungs.
The others, Darryck, Myccael, Thalia, and Oksana, sat by a table that some thoughtful servants had filled with wine, water, and food. Myccael waved us over, and when we took our seats, I saw that their faces reflected the same emotions as Daphne’s and mine. The males looked torn between wanting to reprimand their mates and hugging them, while the seffies looked just as defiant as Daphne. Had we not just barely escaped with our lives, it would have been comical.
As if Darryck had just been waiting for us to arrive, he glared at Thalia as soon as we took our seats. “Snygging hells, were you all out of your minds?”
"Alright, we are all mad at our mates, but let's wait with their punishments—" Myccael began.
Oksana slapped his arm. “Punishment?” she repeated, eyes flashing.
“I meant consequences,” he corrected quickly. “Repercussions. Debriefing. You know, civilized post-mission reflection.”
“Uh-huh.” Oksana folded her arms. “Becausethatwas clearly what you were about to say.”
“I was going to say something wise and rational,” he insisted, though he rubbed the spot on his arm she’d hit. “But you assaulted me first.”
“You’re lucky that’s all she did,” Thalia muttered. “We saved your asses.”
Darryck’s jaw clenched. “If you hadn’t gone in at all, maybe we’d still have some damn intel to work with instead of having to guess what’s still crawling in those tunnels.”
“We left notes,” Thalia said, deadpan.
“You left ripped pieces of clothing and your dagger!” Darryck exploded.
“It worked,didn’t it?” she shot back. “We found and saved you, didn't we?” Thalia looked at Daphne and Oksana.
“Alright, this is getting us nowhere," Myccael interjected.
“You’re lucky I don’t throw you over my shoulder and lock you in my quarters,” Darryck growled.
Thalia leaned across the table, nose nearly touching his. “You could try.”
