They looked to each other again and seemed to come to some accord that I did not understand, and not simply because I was reeling due to the fact they thought Cassius had fallen in love with me.

Not to mention feeling equal measures of terrified and experiencing the bubbling of sheer glee at this possibility.

Finnie took my mind from these thoughts when she squeezed my wrist a bit tighter but held on.

“After we explained it to Aramus and Ha-Lah, we discussed this. Frey, Apollo, Lahn, Tor and among us women, all decided that the best thing we should do was to keep it from you.” Another wrist squeeze. “All of you. Too much pressure, and you’re all already under too much. More would not be good. But right now, I wonder if that’s wise.”

“I always wondered if it was wise,” Circe stated. “I mean, I haven’t been around them as long as you, but anyone can see it’s already happening, or has happened, so what’s the big deal?”

“I know, right?” Finnie said to her.

“Right,” Circe agreed.

My voice pitched higher when I asked, “What are you two talking about?”

“The prophecy,” Finnie answered on yet another squeeze, but this time she let my wrist go and sat back.

“The prophecy of us defeating the Beast?” I queried.

“That very one,” she said on a nod.

“What about it?”

“It’s not about alliances,” Finnie said.

“It’s about love,” Circe said.

Love?

“It’s always about love,” Finnie noted.

“Always. People need to get that. It’d make every world I know, and I know more than most, a better place,” Circe added.

At that, they both burst out laughing.

I wasn’t quite sure I knew what they found so amusing.

Because…

Love?

“What do you mean…love?” I asked.

However, I would receive no answer.

The door flew open and we all jumped.

Cassius prowled through, looking in a record-setting foul mood.

Frey then came through, appearing relieved (yes, we had been triumphant).

Lahn came after Frey, and even though all the men were tall, he had to tuck his chin in his neck and even bend a bit at the waist to get in the door, that was how large the man was.

He definitely looked like he could be Firenz (or Airenzian). Dark. Forbidding. Big.

But he was all that multiplied by about fifty.

I was not surprised he was known as the most powerful warrior in the Southlands and the Northlands. Indeed, I would imagine many wet themselves before turning to run just being confronted by the idea of battling with him.

That said, he was ridiculously attractive.

Not as good-looking as Cassius (my prince’s tattoos, shorn hair, those blue eyes, there was no compare).

But Lahn was not hard to look at.

Then again, neither was Frey.

“We dock,” Cassius veritably barked, making me jump again at his tone and tear my eyes from my assessment of Frey to look at him. “The men will deal with distributing the supplies. We’re away to the Citadel. Prepare yourself but do not concern yourself with your belongings. They will be fetched.”