My thighs clench together, but it isn’t enough to squash the ache inside me. I try to disguise it by shuffling my feet against the linen floor. I even take my time dressing in the clean nightdress he provided me, but the need doesn’t fade.
“Did you know about Cenric and Everly?” I ask, desperate to shift my thoughts.
Hector glances up. “What?”
“Everly and Cenric.”
“What about them?”
So, he hasn’t noticed?
“I have seen him staring at her,” I say instead of admitting that I saw them kissing.
“Cenric has been staring at Everly for summers.” Taut lines appear across Hector’s forehead as he flips through more pages.
“They care for each other.” Knots form in my stomach as I think of Kassandra and Luc.
“I know.”
“Can they be happy?” I need to know if things are different between his people and the outsiders.
“What are you asking, Sol?”
Needing something to do with my hands, I straighten every glass jar, then I clean the basin, wiping it down. “Will your people accept Everly and Cenric?”
“Frankly, I don’t care what they will or will not accept. Here, in this army, we will accept them.”
“Shouldn’t you care?” I move to the shelves and organize all the items.
He watches me for a beat before answering. “I cannot control the people like the ones in Astarobane. As for the shunning of outsiders, we will not tolerate it. We have ordered the removal of all red circles.”
Relief blooms inside me. Relief for Everly and everyone like her.
“What will you do if the Bloodstone people are violent again?”
“If people choose to not abide by our rules, they will suffer the consequences of their actions.” Determination and sincerity fortify Hector’s tone.
Finally, he sees things the way I saw them weeks ago. That red circle should never have been there. Or maybe he’s ready to lead his people in a way he couldn’t before.
Happiness leaps through me as I walk to the bed and lie flat on my back. This is fantastic news for Everly. She’ll be treated differently now, and she’ll have the man she cares for. Surely, I didn’t imagine the way she responded to Cenric.
I turn to my side and let out a contented sigh. This mattress is much better than the lumpy thing I have been sleeping on. I sigh again and bring one of the soft blankets to my chest.
Hector abandons his desk and moves to the table. The muscles flex in his back as he removes his surcoat, folds it, and sets it on the table. I frown when he doesn’t remove his pants. A foolish part of me wants to see allof him.
Instead, I mollify myself by staring at what I can see of him. Summers of wielding a blade carved lines of steel throughout his body—from his wide shoulders to his lean waist, to the muscles defining his chest.
My stomach sinks as my gaze locks on the scar on his chest—the ultimate proof of what I did to him.
He grabs two blankets from the shelf and moves to the far side of the tent. I pull my pillow closer and sigh. I never thought we’d get back to the point of sharing a tent.
“We will reach Tarra tomorrow,” he says as he adjusts positions and folds his arms.
“Tarra?”
“Yes, it’s a Bloodstone village. We will spend a few days there before continuing our journey.”
“I see.” I play with the leather cord tied around the end of my braid.
