“Look! Isn’t this lovely?” The woman under discussion cried from the doorway, and all turned to her as Domitia entered the room. “More company. I’m glad I ordered many refreshments brought up.”

“Ha-Lah!” I cried, jumping up and dashing to my friend.

She opened her arms.

I ran into them, curving mine around her as she closed hers around me.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I whispered into her ear.

“I am too, my—”

She didn’t get to finish, for I was torn out of her embrace.

I then found myself behind Mars’s back and he was retreating, taking me with him.

“Mars!” I snapped. “What on—?”

“Aramus, explain,” my husband growled.

“Mars! Stop pushing me!” I hissed.

“Trust me,” Aramus’s deep voice came.

“You ask a lot, brother,” Mars rumbled.

I shoved against his back at the same time preparing to sidestep him.

But suddenly, True was at one side of me, Cassius at the other, fencing me in.

“Maybe we should talk in the other room,” True stated.

And at my cousin’s chilly, enraged tone, I stopped moving, for I had not ever known True to be chilly or enraged.

“Cass,” Mars bit out on a warning.

“Domitia, can you please take our new visitors to the red room?” Cass inquired.

“B-but, of course, Cassius,” Domitia stammered.

“What’s going on?” I whispered to the back of my husband’s head.

“Not a word,” Mars said, to whom I did not know, though I knew it wasn’t to me.

“But, Mars—” Ha-Lah began to reply.

“Not a bloody, fucking word,” Mars demanded.

“Of course,” Ha-Lah whispered.

With that, Mars turned to me, bent so his face was in mine and said simply, “It is my duty to protect you, and you must allow me to do that.”

I blinked.

What was he on about?

“Yes, my love?” he prompted.

“Yes,” I breathed.

He pressed a hard kiss to my lips before he turned and prowled out of the room, Cassius, True, Lahn, Frey, Ian and Mac going with him.

Chu remained behind.

No doubt to see to me.

Aramus was nowhere to be seen.

I looked left to right, begging to know, “Please, someone, what’s happening?”

“It will all be all right,” Ha-Lah assured, coming to me.

Elena appeared to my one side, Farah to my right.

“But, what’s happening?” I repeated.

“Soon you will know,” Ha-Lah said, then laid a gentle hand on my cheek, and I saw her beautiful crystal eyes were warm. “And you will be happy.”

King Mars

Informal Salon, “Red Room,” Sky Citadel, Sky Bay

AIREN

“We didn’t know you were here,” Aramus stated. “You were last reported in the Night Heights, which is a many days’ ride away. And I’ll wish to know how you were even there, for before that, you were reported in Wodell, which is a many weeks’ ride away.”