Page 25 of All's Fair in Lion and War
A small part of her welcomed the intimacy. The closeness and desire she felt toward Saul. Even though it broke her heart a little more each time it happened.
“I’ll be close if you need me. This is Ava. You are safe with her.”
Lorelei nodded. Words wouldn’t form. Everything she thought to say choked in the back of her throat before forming into a coherent thought.
He left the bathroom and Ava stepped inside and shut the door behind her.
“Let’s see if we can get through the rest of your hair, okay. Then get you dressed so you feel more comfortable. Maybe eat something. Sleep a little?”
Still no words. Just tears.
These strangers were all being so kind.
“Please,” she finally managed.
8
Saul
Everyone was spread out through the living area and the kitchen. Saul went to stand next to Kann.
“Saul, how is she?” Col asked.
“Confused. Sad. But holding it together admirably. She has huge chunks of memory missing. She can’t remember most of the past year. She doesn’t remember going through the portal either.”
Several small gasps and sympathetic noises came from the women in the room. The males attempted to hide their shock and succeeded only slightly better than the females.
“She is Lorelei Ka’Lagh, queen of La’Tar and I need to tell you that she is my soul match, she is grieving still for her loss. For her, she remembers nothing of the past year. For her—” His voice broke at the thought of what she was feeling. The pain and horror he’d gone through when Lissa had passed so many years ago. There was nothing worse.
Naomi speaks up. “For her it’s only a few days. The newly forming bond between you is starting to change how she remembers things already. She’s getting pieces back.”
Saul nodded. It did seem like she remembered more. She claimed to remember slices of yesterday. She’d admitted that she remembered him. Remembered some of what they’d spoken of.
“Rivian Ka’Lagh is here,” Kann said, speaking next. “This is what needs to be addressed first though. Lorelei is safe here. We will all protect her, but if Rivian is coming for her, it will be war.” Kann held his son tighter, the one he’d named Tuvik after his father. “Until Rivian is dealt with, our children will not be safe.”
“No one will be safe,” Saul said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice. He’d lost family once to the monster Rivian and he couldn’t help but look around the room and feel the anxiety of the past climbing onto his heart like a great mountain and pressing it down until it felt as though it would erupt from the pressure.
“I am familiar with the Ka’Lagh feud.” Col’s voice was softer full of sadness. “It was bloody and took many casualties. I’m sorry for your loss, my friend.”
Saul met Col’s gaze and bowed his head respectfully. He was more grateful in this moment to be a part of this tribe than at any time during the past year.
The Ka’Lagh only fought their own. Only lions. They were vicious and cruel, but they had never fought outside their tribes. And no other tribe had stepped in on Reylea to help.
Ever.
“So are you going to kill this guy?” Katherine asked from her seat across the room. She bounced her arms, also holding one of Naomi or Penny’s infant children. Saul couldn’t tell which.
He checked the room again, counting all seven babies. They were all here. They were all safe. All the women were here too. No one was missing.
He shouldn’t be this anxious. He was a hardened warrior, but having Rivian here and Lorelei here and all the infants. His mind was spinning constantly. He continued to count the infants.
The women. The tribe. It settled him a little.
“You know at some point the town is going to catch on that we aren’t really answering to the law. The body count is getting awfully large,” Tara said.
“Connie knows,” Tor said. “She covers for us with the sheriff along with—” He stopped himself and put a fisted hand over his heart.
Saul and every other male in the room echoed Tor’s show of respect for the fallen man. Matthew Hatcher had been a deputy in the sheriff’s department, turned by Raish into a wolf. He’d been learning how to be a wolf and a man. And he’d been an enormous asset to the Tribe, but he had passed in the fire and fight that had destroyed the MCC and nearly killed half their number.
