hand as they walked. He glanced down, smiling, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
The awful scenes he told her about last night were etched in her mind and she resisted the urge to shudder. Daron hadn't been able to sleep and hadn't wanted to say what he'd seen at the village. Sian had insisted. It was the first time she'd seen him so disturbed.
Normally, Daron dealt with everything stoically and silently. He withdrew, but not this time. The night had been long, but in some ways Sian was grateful for it.
Her Daron had finally returned, after those two long and lonely months when he had avoided her, slipping into bed after she was asleep and leaving before she woke.
I understood why, but it would have been so much easier if he'd just talked to me. I'm so happy he's talking now.
As if aware of her thoughts, Daron lifted her hand and kissed it.
Yakov opened the library doors and Kassie stood back to allow Cat and Alek to enter first, as was proper.
Cat flicked a faintly apologetic look over her shoulder so Kassie winked. It was funny how Cat should turn out to be royalty. On Earth, they'd often teased her for her sometimes "queenly" edge. Not that Cat was ever rude, but she had a way of walking that commanded attention. It was graceful, elegant and some how sharp.
Rumal nudged Kassie and she smiled up at him as he led her in by the hand. His beautiful face flickered with a smile, but that look was still there. Since he'd arrived back yesterday he'd been so quiet. Kassie had tried to coax it out of him as they lay in bed, but Rumal had simply kissed her while pulling her back against his chest, holding her tight. She half suspected he hadn't slept at all, for when she woke this morning, he was already awake.
The sinking feeling that something bad was afoot pressed on her mind.
Yakov and Elena both looked serious as they waited for everyone to settle. Sian's stomach twisted unpleasantly as she recalled what Daron had told her.
Mind whirling with thoughts she noticed distractedly how well Cat's dress fell when seated.
The glimpse of black pants emerging from the full skirt doesn't spoil the look at all. Actually, with that high collar that scoops low at the front and the sharp tailoring, it almost looks like a form of armor, she thought. The brilliant contrast in coloring, with the deep, bright blue of the dress and Cat's red hair and pale skin, only served to emphasize the illusion, as if Cat were some kind of lethal creature, in warning colors.
Sian gave herself a mental pat on the back. I'm so glad the solution was simple. Ada would have had a hemorrhage if I'd asked her to redesign the wardrobe.
Elena cleared her throat. Sian winced as it brought back the reality of the unpleasant topic.
The couples before Elena fell silent and turned their attention to her. Unease plagued her again.
I hope we're making the right decision, she thought, as she ran through the plan in her mind again.
Gredel was absent from the meeting, but he had been excused from duties for the present with Citaan being so close to due. Yakov locked the library doors and came to sit next to her. Elena began.
'After looking at the information and images you provided us with yesterday, we believe the results of the massacre may be due to a tribe of elgrids or some other roaming carnivores. As such, I have requested all the griffon riders in Elion to sweep the area. As soon as they confirm a sighting it will be your job, the Griffon Guard and Elementals, to destroy whatever it is.'
Alek exchanged a glance with the other men.
'Elena, is it not possible that it was something else, potentially Jenviet?'
'We have nothing at all to suggest it was her. I realize there is little evidence of what did it, but this has happened before, near the north and it turned out to be bhanki,' Elena said.
There was silence as the men appeared to think it over. A small cough arose from Cat.
Elena glanced at her, and the girl apologetically said, 'Um, I don't know what happened yesterday?'
Elena stared at Alek for a moment, lips pursed in disapproval.
'Me neither,' Kassie said.
Elena eyeballed both men and succinctly explained the situation.
The details were horrific and simple. A village had set a beacon off to signal they were under attack. By the time