Chapter Three

I got up early the next day and decided to check on the children. But right outside their door, I ran into my friend Caleb, who was coming out. He held a finger up to his lips and waved me down the hallway. My suite was on the same floor as the guest rooms, so that meant we headed back toward my door.

"They're sleeping," Caleb said. "They didn't go down till a few hours ago."

"Have you been up with them all this time?" I asked, laying a hand on his drooping shoulder.

"No. I went to bed when the last one of them did. I just woke up a little bit ago and wanted to check on them."

"So, you've only had a few hours of rest," I concluded. "Caleb, you should go back to sleep."

He rubbed a weary hand over his face. "I can't. I keep seeing them in my dreams."

"The dead?" I whispered, as if the dead could hear me.

"Yeah." He glanced at me. "I keep wondering why I got away while all those parents didn't. Why me? I don't have children. I don't have anyone." He hung his head. "Not anymore."

Shit. I'd forgotten that the children weren't the only ones who had lost their parents.

"Caleb, I'm so sorry about your dad. But there is no why." I shrugged. "It's random. Don't feel bad because you lived. Your father certainly wouldn't want that."

"I can't help it." He stopped before my door. "Comforting the kids last night drove it deep. If I could trade places—"

"Stop it." I grabbed his hand and drew him past my suite and into the stairwell. "You are worth just as much as their parents. And I, for one, am glad you lived."

"Thank you, Ember. That's kind of you to say. But—"

"Caleb, no buts. Now, if you're not going back to bed, let's at least get some breakfast."

He stared down the stairs. We were on the seventh floor. The dining hall was on the first.

"I think I'll just stay here," he murmured.

"How about I fade you downstairs?" I offered.

"Oh." Caleb blinked. "All right."

"Come here." I pulled him into a hug.

Caleb sighed and folded around me. He was a little bigger than me but felt slight in comparison to my lovers. Was this what it was like for them to embrace me? I wondered if they felt as if they had to hold back when they were with me. Then I thought of the last time I'd been alone with Xae. Nope, Xaedren never held back. He knew I could take anything he gave me, and he gave me everything he had.

With thoughts of Xae making me smile, I faded Caleb downstairs to the arrival chamber. We hurried out as soon as we appeared. It was never a good idea to tarry in that little room. To our left was the arched entrance of the dining hall. Normally, the sounds of happy children would be coming from it at this hour. Today, it was as quiet as the grave.

I headed into the hall with Caleb and found a few lords scattered about the room in small groups. Most of the groups were mixed racially, with many types of Ladrin, the winged Makhan, Tytra of several clans (differentiated by the color of the scales at their temples), elegant Varraen with their pointed ears, and the Dhon with their curving horns and sleek tails. But there were a few Ladrin clans who tended toward their own kind and some of the Varraen as well. All of them, no matter who they were with, had an air of sorrow hanging about them. They spoke in low voices as the Creen staff members refilled mugs and set fresh platters of food on the buffet. I'd seen the Wraith Lords somber before, but never like this. It both saddened me and warmed my heart. I didn't realize how much the children had come to mean to them. Human children.

"All right, enough of that," I called out.

My voice sounded overly loud in the quiet room, startling everyone. One of the Creen dropped the carafe of water he'd been carrying.

"Sorry, Alexio," I said to him with a wince.

"It's all right, Lord Ember," the man said and pulled a rag out of his back pocket to clean up the puddle.

"Look, I'm touched that you're all as upset as I am about my neighbors. I know you've grown attached to the kids and their sadness is hard to move past. But they're alive, and their parents would be happy to know that men like you are looking after them. Happy and relieved. They're lucky. Someday, they'll see that. Our duty is to make them proud to say that for a little while, they were raised by Wraith Lords. Our honor will avenge their families. That's what we do. That's what the Wraith Lords have always done. You have all gone through tragedy. You died to become who you are. So, we're going to take this extra dose of shit and turn it into strength. We're going to fling it right back into the Corrupter's face!"

The lords applauded, a few of them even shouting their agreement as they came to their feet. Shoulders straightened and conversations began in the normal range. The Creen weren't as uplifted, but a few of them did smile at me. They were particularly attached to the children, and they weren't able to avenge the parents as the lords were.

"Your jobs are important too," I said to the Creen who were gathered near the buffet table. "You keep us nourished and motivated. We can't fight without you. And do you think we could have kept those children here without you feeding them and cleaning up after them? Can you imagine Lord Loren doing laundry?"

"Hey, now!" Lord Loren, a Makhan with the most beautiful white wings, called out to me. "I can do laundry. But I'm a shit cook."

The Wraith Lords laughed and called out things like, "Don't let him near the kitchen!" Meanwhile, Creen heads lifted, little people gaining a few inches, and smiles spread.

"Thank you, Lord Ember," a few of them said.

"Thank you," I shot back. "You don't know how wonderful it is to be taken care of by all of you. You really do make our lives better and much easier." I lifted my voice and said, "Wraith Lords! To our Creen staff!" I grabbed a mug from the buffet and lifted it. "Hip, hip!" They all joined me for the, "Huzzah!"

Although there weren't that many lords there, the sound echoed, drawing the rest of the Creen out of the kitchen to hear the cheers dedicated to them. They bowed and waved at the Wraith Lords through another round of hip-hip-huzzah, everyone's mood improving with the show of support. As the sounds of appreciation died down, I went to get my breakfast plate at last, pleased to have helped in some small way.

"You're a leader," Caleb whispered to me as we filled our plates.

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"You're a natural leader, Ember," Caleb said. "The way you just motivated all those people is amazing. Even I feel better. You are . . ." He shook his head at me. " You are amazing."

I snorted a laugh. "I'm too tired for this crap, Caleb."

"No, really." He nudged my shoulder with his. "I understand now why the Goddess chose you."

"Well, that makes one of us," I muttered.

Caleb went silent until we had filled our plates and were on our way to my usual table. "So, you expect all the Wraith Lords to keep positive except for yourself?"

"Ouch," I said and laughed. "Way to call me on my hypocrisy."

"Well, that speech you gave was so uplifting." Caleb sat down across the table from me. "It makes no sense that you wouldn't feel any of it."

Chewing at my lip, I leaned forward, then whispered, "I feel responsible."

"For what?" he whispered back, glancing at the nearest occupied table.

"For you. For the children. Their dead parents. Fress burning."

"Why?" Caleb's expression went horrified.

"Because the Corrupter wouldn't have targeted our village if not for me."

Caleb sighed and stared down at his food a moment before answering. "We cannot hold ourselves accountable for the acts of others."

"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes.

"Ember, the recruiters are out all over Varr, looking for people to man watchtowers because the Corrupter often strikes twice. Yes, he took the children because of you, but coming back to attack Fress a second time wasn't anything unusual for him. And if you didn't exist, this would go on forever."

"It still might, Caleb."

"No, it won't, Ember. You're going to stop it. You just need to embrace all you are."

"You mean, I should be out with Gray, helping him recruit, instead of sitting here," I said. "I know. I shouldn't have let them talk me out of continuing with him. Fucking Gray. I thought at least he would support me, but no. He thought I should be here too. But I should be recruiting. Seeing me uplifts people. I should be letting humans know that things are going to change. I should—"

"Ember!" Caleb cut me off. "That's not at all what I mean. Graysen is fine with his new escort. Our people know about you now. Word has spread. You don't need to be seen to give them hope. You need to be fighting, not recruiting. But you should be fighting with everything you have."

I blinked. Leaned in. Whispered, "Are you talking about Death Magic?"

"Why are we whispering?" he asked. "Everyone knows you're training with Death."

"I haven't been lately," I said in a normal tone. "I'm not so sure about him anymore."

"Why?"

"He keeps telling me that the Corrupter is only a man. That he was once like me."

Caleb snorted. "No one is like you."

"Thanks?" I scrunched up my face at him.

"I meant it as a compliment. You are human, but you possess as much magic as the Emperor."

"Shh!" I hissed and looked around, but no one had overheard. "You can't say shit like that."

"But it's true, isn't it? If it wasn't, he'd be the one prophesied to end the war."

I took a bite of a custard-filled bun and considered this. "It's not me alone who will end the war. It's my men and me. Only united can we defeat the Corrupter. So comparing me to the Emperor would mean comparing all of us as a unit, and that's not a fair comparison."

"You're the key," Caleb said. "But I do think Death has a point."

"About what?"

"The Corrupter. He is just a man."

I dropped the bun.

Caleb laughed. "He's a powerful man, one with magic, but still a man. He can be killed."

"Yes, he can. And I'm going to kill him," I growled.

Caleb leaned back.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm so angry."

"I know. I'm angry too." Then he frowned. "What exactly did Death say about the Corrupter?"

"He said the Corrupter doesn't hate me and that he was once a man like me."

"Did you ask him why he said that?"

"Why? No, I didn't."

"It sounds to me as if he was trying to point out the Corrupter's weaknesses."

I sat back. "Huh. His weaknesses. Maybe."

"Why did the Corrupter start the war?"

"Because he wanted to rule Varr."

"Are you sure?" Caleb frowned. "He doesn't seem like he wants to rule. If he did, why would he kill everyone? If he wins, he won't have anyone to rule."

"I don't think he wants to kill everyone. I think he wants to oppress them. Make them scared enough to accept his rule."

"Maybe. What else do you know about him?"

"Well, the Emperor said they were friends once. Then Aranren found a book on Death Magic. The magic changed him, which is why everyone is so wary of me using it."

"And perhaps why you got upset when Death said the Corrupter was once like you?" he asked gently.

"Maybe," I admitted. But Caleb had me thinking about what I really knew. The Emperor was always so vague when he spoke of the Corrupter. What actually happened between them? "You know, Caleb, I don't know enough about this war."

"I don't think anyone does."

"The Emperor does."

"And the Corrupter." Caleb took a bite of sausage, then looked up, saw my expression, and asked, "What?"

"If the Corrupter knows, which he does, then Death probably knows too."

"Ask him. Death is a teacher, isn't he? He can help you with much more than magic. Ask him about the war. Ask him about the Corrupter. Shit, ask him about the Emperor. I'll bet he'll gladly tell you everything he knows in great detail."

"Unlike the Emperor," I whispered.

Caleb shrugged. "I'm sure the Emperor has his reasons for keeping secrets."

"Secrets," I murmured. "You know, he's always been secretive. He waited to tell me about the prophecy."

"Things are never simple."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that a good man can do bad things."

"And a bad man can do good things?"

"I imagine he can. If he's motivated. But the difference between a good man and a bad one is that the bad one thinks he's doing good even when he's being bad."

"Motivated," I murmured. "Bad and good."

"Ember?" Caleb laid his hand over mine. "Are you truly all right?"

I came out of my thoughts and smiled at him. "Yes, I am. Thank—"

I was cut off by a growl.

Swiveling toward the sound, I expected to find Xae standing there. And he was. But he wasn't the one who had growled. Xaedren had been working on restraining his wolf and fighting his Ladrin nature which compels him to keep everyone away from his mate. And he'd been doing better.

But Tytra have a similar nature.

Taroc grabbed Caleb's wrist and yanked his hand away from mine. He was beyond words, his eyes glowing bright sapphire and his teeth bared. And, holy fuck, his scales had spread. Normally, he only had a small patch near each eye, but more of the glossy, blue dragon scales had risen from his skin to trail upward to his forehead and down to his cheekbones. I didn't even know Tytra did that.

"Taroc!" I jumped to my feet and scrambled onto the table to get between him and Caleb. "Hey!" I took his face in my hands and tried to turn him toward me.

Caleb, who had shot to his feet, whimpered.

I glanced down at where Taroc held him. My lover was going to crush Caleb's wrist.

I slapped Taroc.

Taroc's head didn't move, but he blinked and released Caleb. Caleb fell, then scrambled back until he was pressed against the wall, cradling his wrist.

"Hey, man, are you all right?" Keltyr hurried over to Caleb.

Meanwhile, Taroc's stare met mine. He blinked. "You slapped me."

"Yup," I said. "You were hurting Caleb."

"He touched you in a familiar way."

"Because we're friends."

"Not anymore."

"Excuse me?" I gaped at him.

Taroc wrapped an arm around my hips and yanked me across the table. My legs went down, then out to the sides, around Taroc's legs. He pressed closer, bringing us intimately together, crotch-to-crotch.

Then Taroc leaned down and snarled, "Not anymore. Your relationship with that man is over. He covets you. I can fucking smell it on him. And I won't stand aside while he tries to seduce you."

"He's not trying to seduce me."

"Yes, he is. No more, Ember!" He snapped his teeth at me.

"Get him out of here," I heard Xaedren growl.

At first, I thought he might have been talking to me. But then I heard Keltyr say, "Come on, Caleb. Let's get that wrist looked at."

I heard footsteps, but I didn't look. If I dared to even glance away from Taroc, he might attack Caleb again. My lover was on the edge, something I'd gone through with Xaedren, but Xae always recovered quickly. Taroc—steady, calm Taroc—was not coming back from his shifter rage so easily. I had to humor him until he did.

"All right, my love," I said as I rubbed my hands over his chest. "Whatever you want."

Taroc narrowed his eyes at me as his nostrils flared. "You're fucking lying."

"Holy shit!" I said without thinking. "Did you just smell that on me?"

"No. I know you, Ember." His hand went to my throat, gently circling it. "You're just telling me what I want to hear until I calm down." He jerked my head to the side and closed his teeth around my neck. Again, it was gentle, but he got his message across. Just in case he wasn't clear, he released my throat and nuzzled his way to my ear to whisper, "You're mine now. And I won't put up with the shit the others did. Do you understand?"

I shivered, and it was a good shiver. Holy fuck! I liked this possessive crap. I had an erection. And of course, Taroc felt it.

He growled and pushed forward, letting me feel how my arousal was affecting him.

"Either fuck him or sit down!" someone shouted. "This is getting boring."

Taroc snarled over his shoulder, his arm pulling me even closer. I knew what came next. It was the same with Xae. The beast would have to physically claim his mate. And Goddess help me, but I was looking forward to it. A little voice in my head was telling me this wasn't appropriate behavior, that Taroc didn't get to dictate who I could be friends with. But my libido told that voice to fuck off because I was about to get fucked as never before.

I wrapped my arms around Taroc's broad shoulders and nipped the sharp line of his jaw. "I like the first option."

Yup. That was all he needed. Taroc picked me up, tossed me over his shoulder, and faded me away.