Page 26 of Tarnished Crown
Rather than step back, Evander moved forward, crowding me into the hallway, and shut the door behind him.
“As it happens, I was going to come to you in the morning, but I may as well tell you now.” He dismissed Yuriy with a gesture before speaking again. “Clan Elk desires to meet to discuss potentially purchasing your debt.”
Emotions flooded through my veins, almost too quickly for me to identify. Excitement. Relief.Hope.
“Is that possible?” I breathed.
“It isn’t generally done, but it is not against clan law,” he said neutrally.
“So...” I narrowed my eyes, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth but unable to shake the feeling I was missing something. All this time, I had assumed his end game was to take me, to punish me, maybe, or leverage me, but... “You went to all the dramatics of calling in this blood debt and now you’ll just...give me back?”
“You sound disappointed.” He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.
“More like disbelieving.”
Evander heaved a sigh. “I told you once that Socairans live and die on propriety. Declining this meeting would reflect badly on Bear.”
“So you have no intention of taking their deal?” I prodded.
“I didn’t say that either.” He shrugged. “We’re still discussing terms of the meeting at this point.”
“Such as?”
“Where we will meet, and with how many people. If--”
An idea came to me, a small thrill running through me.
“Am I going to this meeting?” I blurted out.
He eyed me with suspicion. “I would assume so, since you are the subject matter in question.”
“Then I have a condition.” If they were still deciding on how many people could come, then I could see Davin. It was almost too much to hope for, when I was already getting to see Theo, but I hadn’t seen my cousin in over a month, not since the day I left for the Summit, unsure of whether I would return.
Which had been a legitimate concern, as it turned out.
Evander arched an imperious eyebrow. “You’re hardly in a position to negotiate.”
I glared at him. “Then do it because you owe me for wrecking my life for what was apparently no more than your own amusement.”
His lips parted in surprise...or maybe offense, and he blinked several times before responding in a voice that was colder than before. “What is it that you want?”
“I want to see my guard. To make sure he’s all right.”
He studied me for a moment. “I suppose there’s no harm in making Elk’s life more difficult by adding to our list of terms.”
“All right.” I turned to head back to my room before spinning back around. “There is one more thing.”
“Yes?” The short word was clipped.
“I want a weapon when we travel.” I wanted my dagger back, actually, but I knew a sword would be more useful and there was no way he would give me both.
He tipped his head back and laughed. “Of course you do. Anything else, Princess?”
I pretended to consider it. “No. Just those two things.”
He gave me a considering look. “I’ll give you a weapon when I’m sure you won’t stab yourself with it.”
Now it was my turn to narrow my eyes.Condescending. Arseling.