Dawn Study (Soulfinders #3)(111)

I touched his arm. “Patience, Leif. Just be there for her. It takes time. But she’ll never return to the same woman you married. She can’t. None of us can. No matter if our experiences are good, bad or in-between, we all change and grow as the years build up.”

He rested his hand on mine. “Thanks. But I’m not going to apologize for wanting to keep her safe.”

“You don’t have to,” Valek said. “You need to apologize for not trusting her.”

Again I felt his gaze on me, and I wondered if he was thinking about our problems with trust when I’d been captured by Cahil.

“Apologizing can be quite enjoyable if you do it right,” Valek said.

And that would be a yes. Heat swept through me as I remembered just how he had sought my forgiveness.

“I’ll take that into consideration,” Leif said.

When we finished settling the horses, Leif hefted my saddle bags to carry them into the house.

“Careful. There’s a storm orb in there.” I tried to tug them away from him. “I can carry them.”

“I trust that you can.” He shot Valek a smug smile as if to say, See? I learned something. “But it would put undue strain on your body. Which is bigger than the last time I saw you.”

“Did he just call me fat?” I asked Valek.

“Oh, no. I’m not getting in the middle of this.”

I huffed. “I’m six months along, and think I look pretty damn good.”

They both rushed to assure me.

The house was stuffed full of people. I counted twenty-six total, including the Councilors. It was a bit overwhelming when Valek and I first entered. Everyone was talking and hugging and laughing, and Leif wasn’t the only one to notice my baby bump. Opal and Mara took turns feeling the baby kick, both squealing like two teenage girls when the baby obliged. Eventually we focused on the reason that had brought us all together, and the mood turned serious.

Councilor Bavol Zaltana stood in the middle of the living area. He’d been appointed the spokesperson for the Sitian Council. “I’m glad you all made yourselves at home. I had bought this property in the hopes of developing a way to increase our Theobroma and Curare production. I built the first glass hothouse here four years ago, and it was a success. Worried that it was too visible to Ixian spies—” he smiled at Valek “—I moved it into the Avibian Plains.” Then a sadness pulled at his face. “I believed I was helping Sitia. That everything I did would help keep us safe from the Commander. I trusted Oran and had no idea he was giving all my information to Selene. The Cartel played me like the fool I am.”

“You can’t blame yourself,” Tama Moon said. “They played us all using the Theobroma.”

“And their plans were brilliant,” Valek said. “Even the Commander was caught in their trap.”

“How do we stop them?” Councilor Stormdance asked. He gestured at the people sprawled around him. “This is it, right? The resistance.”

Fisk stood up. “We have a few other helpers in the garrisons.”

“Onora is in the Citadel, and we have General Cahil’s support,” I said.

“And don’t forget the Master Magicians,” Valek said.

“But they have the army,” Tama said.

“We hope that won’t be for long,” I said, and explained our efforts to destroy the Theobroma pods.

“Sorry, Bavol,” Esau said, responding to Bavol’s horrified gasp. “There was no other way to reach all the hothouses.”

“The soldiers will follow the Cartel’s orders, even if they’re no longer brainwashed,” Councilor Bloodgood said. “The threat of an Ixian invasion has always been very real. It’s the reason for their very existence.”

“But the magicians and those in charge will be able to think for themselves,” I said. “That will help.”

The mood lightened considerably.

“There is a new problem, though,” Valek said.

He explained about the Harman sap, which destroyed the optimistic feelings in the room. Silence followed. Then came the questions.

“The best we can do is warn the magicians,” Valek said, cutting through the buzz of alarmed voices. “They can wear extra layers of clothing to keep the darts from reaching their skin and can guard against an attack from both sides.”

Bavol gestured to Valek. “We’ve been discussing the situation on the trip here. Valek has a plan that I believe will work. It’ll be dangerous, and we’re going to need everyone’s full cooperation. If you’re not willing to help, please leave now so that if you’re apprehended, you won’t endanger the rest of us.”

No one moved.

Bavol nodded. “Good. Valek, you’re in charge.”

He stood and gazed at us. I marveled at the situation. The Sitian Council had appointed Valek, who had once been the most feared man in Sitia, to lead them. And he’d accepted it without a moment’s hesitation. If he pulled this off, he would save both Sitia and Ixia. And if he failed... I clamped down on that line of thought and listened to my husband with pride swelling in my chest.

“We’re going to form four teams,” Valek said. He held an open notebook. “The first team is assigned to the Krystal garrison and includes Ari, Janco, Zohav and Zethan, as well as Councilors Krystal, Stormdance and Bloodgood. Second team is stationed at the Featherstone garrison and includes Leif, Mara and Esau, plus Councilors Featherstone, Cowan and Jewelrose. The third team consists of Opal, Devlen, Teegan and Reema, and Councilors Moon, Cloud Mist and Sandseed. They are assigned to the Moon garrison.” He looked at me. “The Citadel team will include Yelena, Fisk and Heli, plus Councilors Zaltana and Greenblade.”