“Well. Or Vallan. She presented the opening though, confusing the Night Judge somehow.”
His frown deepens and he sighs. “So that little waif gets the biggest cockandthe power to alter minds? And I get . . . a winning personality? Life truly isn’t fair.”
I break out into another bout of laughter and pat him on the shoulder. “I wouldn’t trade you two for the world. Stay jealous, my lovely cub.” I kiss him on the cheek. The top of his bald head is wrapped in a bandage.
“I’m not jealous. I’menvious! There’s a difference!” He winces as he yells, grabbing his head, and then leans back to rest.
I go to Lukain next, a few rooms over. He has three physicians looking over him, examining his missing left leg. The dhampir is awake, looking surly, and handsome even in his less-than-flattering recovery gown. His arms are crossed over his chest as he watches the physicians and surgeon poke and prod his thigh stump.
I make a face when I arrive, trying to tamp down the giggles that Garroway left me with. “So, erm, there’s no chance it . . . grows back?”
“Well it’s not a fucking lizard tail, is it?” he grumbles.
I wince, nodding dumbly, ducking my head in shame for my stupid question to a clearly activated man. “I’m sorry, love. I know this isn’t—”
He puts a hand on my knuckles, and my head lifts to his smooth face. “Ideal?” he says, forcing a chuckle. “I would do it again in a heartbeat, little grimmer. Protecting you and the ones you love is part of the job.”
“I don’t love Palacia like I love you.”
“You love her nonetheless. Your actions tell it.” He smiles softly, then cringes from a sudden poke to his missing extremity. “I must say, this is a hell of a thing to happen to a man already worried about feelingless thanhis brothers.”
I’m ready to cry for him, to recoil, but then he looks up and laughs. It’s a tight sound, pinched with pain, but it causes meto stare deep into his gray-red eyes, lean down, and press my forehead against his.
His hand coils pleasurably behind my neck, holding me close. “The important part is you’re safe and we won. Sacrifices are part of war, Sephania. This is one I’m willing to make. I’ll be all right, I promise.”
I kiss him then. Slow and not with enough tongue to get the physicians concerned or uncomfortable. Then he tells me to check on the others and not worry about him, so I turn to leave.
Halfway down the hall, I hear his loud voice. “Tell the others I’d better not hear a word on the missing leg, or they’ll get a crutch up the ass!”
“Careful, love,” I call back, cupping my mouth. “They might enjoy that!”
Vallan is looking chipper when I arrive in his room. Just kidding, he’s always looking like someone just pissed in his late-night blood sack.
The giant man sits on the edge of his recovery bed, throwing on a tunic over his heavily muscled frame, leaving me to glimpse his scar-riddled body shortly before its sadly hidden away beneath his clothes.
I perch against the frame of the doorway. “Have the doctors said it’s all right for you to be up and about already, my big brute?”
He looks up, grunting. “I don’t listen to physicians. I listen to my own body, and I’m ready, silverblood. Besides, there is much work to do in the world.”
I approach him as he stands and towers over the rest of the world. Wrapping my arms around him, I push the side of my face against his warm chest. “The world can wait, Vallan. A few days, at least.”
“Not so sure about that.”
Staring up at him with pleading eyes, I say, “The Five Ministries are extinguished. They’re gone.”
“Which means someone will rise to take their place if we don’t act swiftly.”
I sigh.
He changes the subject. “How are the others? How is Lukain?”
“Still missing his leg.”
“Unfortunate.” He lets out a small grunt. “Garroway will never let him hear the end of that.”
“Then he might get a cane up the ass.”
“The cub might like that.”