Page 116 of Obsidian Throne

“Thankyou, Andrei,” I told him sincerely.

In spite of everything, I left him feeling like I might be able to breathe again someday.

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

ROWAN

Evander waited for me near the entrance to the Great Hall. As always, he observed everything with an impassive face.

Or rather, he observed me.

If I didn’t know any better, I would say he looked impressed. But if he found me so stars-damned impressive, he wouldn’t have hesitated to let me fight for our people the same way he did.

“Noblewomen in the sick bay?” I asked, feeling like it was the most neutral topic.

“After they saw what you did, they wanted to help,” he explained.

That was...unexpected.Amazing.

I started to walk back toward my rooms when Evander gestured in the other direction.

“We’re meeting in the war room next.”

I wasn’t sure if he meantweas in he and his lords or as in he and I, but I was definitely going.

“Good,” I nodded. “Consider me the princess of Lochlann in that room since that’s the only way I’ll have a say.”

He let out an irritable breath. “I’ll consider you my wife in that room, and the Clan Wife of Bear. And you will have a say.”

“Oh?” A bitter laugh escaped me, in spite of my attempts at nonchalance. “Like you did when you left me, naked, in an inn room with my former betrothed? Tell me, is that standard practice for wives these days?”

His features darkened. “I believe standard practice for wives is doing everything you can to ensure they don’t get captured and tortured and killed.”

My lips parted. I couldn’t honestly believe thearseling was standing by that.

“Right, because they couldn’t possibly do that for themselves,” I bit back. “Tell me, were you planning on handing me over to Theo when you traipsed back here to die? Did you have a pact for him to take over our marriage so he could take care of my delicate person once you were gone?”

A muscle twitched in his jaw.

“Lemmikki.” He said the word like a warning, his voice carefully controlled. “Kindly refrain from referencing marrying another man. Ever again.”

I could lie to myself from here until the end of the world and still not be able to deny the way his low growl set my every nerve on fire.

Not for the first time, I reflected on how easy it would be to give in to him. To let this go and pretend it had never happened, to move on and be grateful we were both alive.

And not for the first time, I realized that there would come a day where I would regret not fighting for this, no matter how much I loved him.

Craved him.

Missed the hell out of him.

We reached the war room, and he held open the door, gesturing for me to go in first.

When I entered, I came to an abrupt halt. The table was full this time, the lords seated along both sides of the rectangle and the far end.

But I didn’t have to worry about where to sit, because at the head of the table where there had only been one chair before, there were now two.

“Lady Stenvall,” Evander said casually, gesturing to one of the chairs.