Page 34 of Kingdom of Spirits
Ignoring her for the moment, Tahlia eyed Marius. “If you tell me why you’re here, I’ll take off. I swear it.” She held a fist to her heart. “But I’m not leaving you here where there isn’t asingle living soul without hearing a solid reason for your little adventure.”
“It’s none of your concern.”
All right, that actually hurt. She fought the urge to press a hand to her stomach. “It is my concern.Youare my concern.”
His eyes bunched at the edges and his throat moved in a swallow. “Tahlia, please. There is something you don’t know. I can’t…” He broke off, coughing and clearing his throat. When his gaze turned back to her again, he was grimacing as if in pain.
“What is wrong?” She stepped toward him.
He lurched backward and glanced to the side, his lips drawing back like he was in pain. “I am sorry for everything. But you must leave. I can’t put you at risk too.”
“So you admit you’re putting yourself and Ragewing at risk by coming here.”
“I’m not an idiot, Tahlia.”
Fara snorted. “Could have fooled me,” she whispered.
He glared at her and she turned away, suddenly very busy with tidying their supplies.
“It’s not exactly a holiday spot,” Marius said, a tone of wry humor in his voice.
“Was that an attempt at a joke, High Captain?” Tahlia grinned, thrilled to see him thawing if only for a second.
He rubbed his face with his hands, then dropped them and glanced from Fara to Tahlia. “You will leave once Vodolija returns. That is an order.”
“Why?”
Tahlia stepped toward him. He dropped back fast like she was a sword aimed at his jugular. Her heart sputtered. His rejection hurt worse than any damage steel could do.
“I can’t…” He growled in a very dragon-like manner and stared at the sky. “I order you to go back to the Shrouded Mountains immediately. To Dragon Tail Peak.” His chin dippeddown and his eyes found hers. “If you disobey this order, you will be put on probation for a time that I will determine once I return.”
“Ifyou return. Did you hear that sound earlier? The howling? Do you have any information about it or about this place?” Maybe if she pursued a different line of questioning, he’d give her a clue as to what in every god’s name he was up to.
“I saw two spirits when they were singing, for lack of a better word. They mean no harm. Ragewing and I are as safe as we can be considering the scenario.”
“What is the scenario exactly?”
His jaw worked, and his teeth clenched. “I…” Shaking his head, he looked at the ground.
“Fine. Don’t tell me about your secret mission. Do you actually know you aren’t about to be killed by whatever kills everyone that crosses that border or are you just telling me that to get me out of here?”
“I can’t lie.”
“Oh, right. I tend to forget that because you full Fae are so tricky.”
Fara gave Tahlia a narrow-eyed glance.
“This conversation is over,” Marius said.
But was it? “Just let me stay one full day. Then I’ll go.”
“No. Leave. That’s an order, Lady Tahlia.”
“Marius, I can see the way you’re torn. In your eyes, you seem as haunted as this kingdom.”
She lifted a hand, longing to stroke the rough line of his jaw, to feel his hot skin under her fingertips. He moved back another step.
Tahlia chewed the inside of her cheek. “Fine,” she said, walking away. “If you’re going to be ridiculous, I’ll just ask the more sensible of you two.”