“Of course,” Ian replied.

His gaze went through them all. “Rus stays with Ian. The rest of you ride with me and my princess.”

He received gestures of assent.

“This does not seem important now, but who knows what is important in times like these with all manner of things happening,” Rus spoke up. “The unicorns are restless.”

“It is my understanding they are bonded with Elena and I, and thus, probably sense her agitation,” Cassius told him.

“Do you wish for them to ride with you?” Rus asked.

“I wish for them to be free to make that decision,” Cass answered.

Rus nodded. “I’ll see to it that that their paddock is opened.”

Cassius held a moment in case there was more to report.

When no one spoke, he commanded, “Those of you going, get ready to ride. Ian, Rus, stay strong.”

He then turned and moved swiftly to the stairs, and once on them, took them two at a time.

In the upper hall, he made haste to his and Elena’s bedchamber, and upon entering it, saw her weapons littered the coverlet of their bed with her at the sofa, shoving things in her saddle bags.

Her gown was a pool of tulle on the floor.

Her body was now covered in her Nadirii gear.

Her face was harsh.

“All is ready, we ride out in half an hour,” he shared.

She did naught but grunt, flipping over the flap on her bag and tying the fastenings tighter than necessary.

He got close and called softly, “My lamb.”

“I suppose, soon, I will be joining you and Dora and Aelia and True and Farah’s family,” she stated.

He was surprised she said these words, for he did not know she knew of his conversation with Theodora.

Perhaps Dora told her.

“Ellie, cease a moment and come let me hold you,” he urged.

She ceased, only to turn woodenly him and look up in his eyes.

And then, even in her dread, preparing for the onslaught of grief, she spoke words that completed her self-appointed task of coloring his world.

“I was certain my love for True was genuine. I longed for nothing but a life with him. But at one look at you, I did not think of it again. But now, Cass, in this time since that message was received, it is all I can think about.”

His words sounded choked when he asked, “The life you would have had with True?”

“No. The life I could have with you if we had been naught but us. Not prince. Or princess. A Dellish maiden and shepherd. A Firenz nomad and the girl who caught his eye. A Mar-el pirate and a bar wench. I do not care what we were, except, no offense, but I have not considered a life in Airen.”

“No offense taken,” he murmured.

“What would it be if that was us?” she asked. “What would be our lives if we were just man and woman who could meet and marry and make children? We could grumble about the decisions of kings and queens at night in our bed by a fire under a thatched roof, but their machinations had very little to do with the next day’s toil or the love shared when it was done.”