loved Dari, and he didn’t want her to be stained or injured by her association with him.
He stood from his cot and faced her, heart beating so hard he winced from the discomfort.
“You should leave,” he told her.
“You should be quiet,” she shot back.
Then she stepped forward, slipped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
ARON
The next weeks of Aron’s life passed in a blur, much like his first days at Triune. He emerged from the House of the Judged at Dari’s insistence, unable to stand against her powerful will, or even the simplest of her wishes. When she so much as glanced in his direction, he felt like an eager talon, ready to strain and pull and tear up the earth to do her bidding.
At her urging, he petitioned Lord Baldric to allow him to go to his trial on his birthday, and to allow him to return to his normal training and duties in the meantime. Lord Baldric agreed that this timing was right for Aron’s trial, as if compelled by an unstoppable force. A force, Aron figured, named Dari Ross.
Aron didn’t need Dari’s encouragement to apologize to Stormbreaker for his withdrawal to the House of the Judged, and for separating himself from the guild that needed him. He repeated that apology to Zed and to Raaf, to the other apprentices in the Den, and even to Windblown, and felt mild but happy surprise when they accepted his contrition and simply returned to life as usual, despite the pall of uncertainty hanging over Triune—a danger that Aron knew was of his own making. Lord Baldric and Stormbreaker impressed upon Aron that remaining at Stone was the best course of action, as he and Nic and Dari would be little more than Guard fodder on the byways, even with a contingent of Stone Brothers and Sisters assigned to protect them. Besides, those intent on attacking Stone would do so whether or not their quarry had fled, and Stone would be better served with extra hands in the fight than to have their might divided between Triune and a traveling party.
As for traveling parties, Thorn’s First High Master Falconer didn’t make his departure for Dyn Vagrat and the island of Eidolon, but he kept well clear of Aron and Dari, and Nic as well. In fact, Falconer avoided them so thoroughly that Aron wondered if the Thorn Brother had been threatened by Lord Baldric or Stormbreaker, or perhaps both of them. Not that Aron had much time to think about it. All of his free hours were spent either with Dari, or helping with Nic’s recovery—and without burdening Nic with the weight of accepting or rejecting the many apologies Aron felt he owed but could never make with enough amends and reparations. Aron had even come to accept his new schedule without complaint, spending time with Dari and helping her with her search early in the week, then watching her turn her attention to Stormbreaker later in the week.
Now that Stormbreaker seemed to have made his break with Rakel Seadaughter, he had professed interest in Dari, and she had made it clear to him and to Aron that she wished to see both of them. Aron and Stormbreaker made a gentleman’s agreement between them not to fight over Dari, or pressure her to make decisions she did not appear ready to make. That hadn’t been easy, but it had been necessary. Aron figured that if he or Stormbreaker tried to impose their will on Dari, they would lose her immediately.
All of this occupied Aron’s mind as he helped Nic to his feet, intent on meeting Dari for graal lessons in time.
“You’re lost in thought,” Nic said as he turned Aron loose and steadied himself for the trek from infirmary to the Den, which was part of the strengthening program Snakekiller worked with the healers to devise.
“That’s probably dangerous.” Aron rubbed the small of his own back, which was still sore from a long set of rides on Tek during weapons training. “I’ll try to stay out of my own head, for the good of all of Eyrie.”
They left the infirmary with Iko following a few lengths behind them. For a time, they walked in silence, and Aron enjoyed the break from the cold, and the hints of greens and yellows beginning to peek through the dead browns of winter. He also enjoyed Nic’s easy companionship, as comfortable to him already as Zed’s and Raaf’s—perhaps even more brotherly.
Nic cleared his