Tegan snort-laughed. “He’s kept that a secret from Sweyn for over a thousand years. Twisted. I love it. I’m really a big fan of Winter Frost Mountain.”

Tenn began pacing the walkway between the dinner table and the door to downstairs. “Now, where is Everest? Where is everyone else? Why are you back but not them?”

“Because Everest is an ass who’s going to get one hell of a mouthful.” I whistled for my dogs and they raced into my lap. “He didn’t bring us right back because he was waiting for the all clear, or for the other shoe to drop. It dropped. Saffie showed up and said the Unseelie were attacking human cities on the fey lines. Sage gave Royce some vines from the tunnel and they took off. Everest didn’t let Thorne or Sage go with them because they need to protect Seelie. Then he told me absolutely not when I tried to join the others, and he threw me here.”

Saber turned her back to the others, but I saw her smile. She rubbed her chest. “Soulmate problems.”

Tenn scoffed. “I would never dream of it.”

“That’s a good boy.”

“Wait, hold on.” Braison sat up again. “Unseelies are attacking. Why are you two here? Should we go help Everest now that we know we can⁠—”

“No.” Tegan shook her head while rubbing her eyes. “Blasted tunnel. Look, for Sam’s sake, we need Sweyn and crew to think the sun is strictly an Everest thing. We can’t betray her. We’re not that desperate.”

“And we're here because Everest won’t let us fight.” Tenn was pacing again, moving in rhythm with Saber’s paces. “As much as I hate being benched, now more than ever, I can’t pretend he’s wrong.”

“You two are too important to risk right now.” Mei-Ling glanced over her shoulder to where Tai sat at the dinner table with Kenneth. “What about us? Can we help?”

Tenn paused and looked at them, then resumed pacing. “Not yet. Bentley told me he would let me know when that time was right. Until then, you two humans need to stay here.”

“Benched with the power couple.” Tai shrugged. “I’m gonna take that as a compliment.”

“Yeah, but I’m not that special.” I parted my hair and started to French braid it just to give my hands something productive to do. “I don’t see why I’m benched⁠—”

“Yes, you do⁠—”

“He’s not in charge of me!” I shouted to my cousin. “You’re Coven Leader, not him⁠—”