Verath the Red (Dragonwall Series #3)

Chapter 25 - A Long Walk

Brezen

Claire leaned on Talon's arm more and more as they walked back to camp. Her exhaustion saturated to the bone. Talon must have sensed this. The more she leaned, the more he supported her weight. She glanced up at him, out of curiosity more than anything. He'd planned all of this, getting her out of the camp to confront her. Even their walk together.

How cunning!

She told him everything about the past week. The letter Verath had received from the villagers. His plan. Using Sprite Fire to defeat the Vodar. The way Hiondel's and Lilly's death made her feel.

She even told him about her dreams of Kane. How she'd given Reyr a warning. Their decision to fly to Brezen. Witnessing the attack on Fort Squall through projections. The death pains. Blaming Jovari and Koldis for making her do it. And what Cyrus had done to block everything out.

Talon listened calmly, nodding here and there, asking for minor clarifications. It felt better than she had expected, getting everything off her chest. Simply talking to someone.

At first she thought he might not understand, but he never once chastised a single decision. "I find myself impressed," he said instead."You've done extremely well. And you're safe. That's what matters."

She stopped to gape at him, dropping her hand from his arm. "I've...I've done well?"

"That's what I said, yes."

"Okay, what have you done with the real Talon?" She glanced behind him, like he might be lurking somewhere in the dark.

He grunted. "Can't say I know what you mean."

"Come on, I'm being serious. You went in the forest and came back a changeling."

"I am still...me."

"Hmm." She looked him up and down. "I don't know. You're sure they didn't slip something into your food?"

"Curse their food!" He grumbled. Grabbing her hand, he placed it back in the crook of his elbow and tugged her along. Her body hummed at the contact, at the king's desire to create it between them.

They fell silent for a few long minutes. It wasn't an awkward silence. More of an overwhelming kind. Because so much had happened, and it was easy to get lost. Easy to let one's thoughts take over.

"Gods, what a mess we're in," he said at last. "This entire situation. An absolute mess." He hesitated. "If it weren't for you, it could be worse."

"You...you really mean that?" She stopped again, turning to him, but this time he put his hand over hers so she couldn't pull away. She tried to ignore the warmth of his skin against her cold fingers.

"Claire..."

There it was again. Goosebumps prickled her skin. Her lips pressed into a flat line.

"I want to be angry with you. I do. You put yourself in danger. You broke your promise to me. But frankly, I am more relieved than anything. You are alive and unharmed." She opened her mouth but he charged on. "You have done more than I could in these circumstances. So...thank you."

She blinked at him. Was this a joke?

"But...Hiondel. Lilly. The villagers who suffered casualties."

He frowned. "There are casualties in every battle. And those casualties are inevitable. I do not blame you for them, and neither should you blame yourself."

It was the same thing the others had said.

"You...really mean that?" she said at last, trying to hide her surprise.