Havil’s expression went through a flurry of changes before he carefully asked, “Are you specifically directing me to stop the bleeding on your behalf?”

I blinked at the strange wording, but the ever increasing bloodstain held most of my attention. “Of course I’m asking you to stop the bleeding. What did you think I was doing?”

Havil sagged in relief and rushed forward. At his direction, I peeled back the impromptu bandage, and Havil gripped Torran’s hand. As I watched, the deep gash in Torran’s wrist knit itself back together until only unblemished skin remained.

And through it all, Torran knelt silent and still.

Once Havil was done, he ushered everyone else out of the room, leaving Torran and me alone once again.

My heart thundered in my chest, and I took a moment to just breathe before I spoke. “Explain.”

“You were right that my previous promises conflicted with my promise to keep you safe,” Torran said, his voice quiet but firm. “Now we are a single unit by Valovian law and custom. Anything I know, I may share freely with you, prior oaths notwithstanding.”

“What do you mean ‘a single unit’?” I waved at his now-healed wrist. “What did you do?”

“I offered you a life debt and you accepted.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

I held up a hand as if I could physically push Torran’s words away. “I did not accept. I don’t know what a life debt is, but I don’t want it. I release you.”

Torran clasped my hand and pressed a gentle kiss to the pads of my fingers. “Thank you,” he murmured.

My eyes narrowed. “That didn’t do anything, did it?”

He shook his head, expression unreadable. “No, but I appreciate the sentiment.” He rose and returned to his seat. Only the bloody napkin and the stained arm of his tunic indicated that anything unusual had happened.

Torran’s hands rested on the table and his fingers slowly curled into fists. “The day after Cien was taken, Empress Nepru summoned me to the palace. The kidnappers had already been in contact, and the empress suspected that the FHP was involved. I was tasked with retrieving one of several prominent FHP heroes. I refused, but I was not given a choice. You happened to be in the right place at the right time—and you seemed like you might be able to find my nephew. You were my top pick.”

“So you knew I was going to be in danger but promised me safe passage anyway.”

“It was a promise I made with every intention of keeping. The empress has her agenda and I have mine. I want Cien found. I don’t want another war.”

I leaned back in my chair. So I wasn’t the only one who thought war was on the horizon. “How do we stop it?”