misery for a while. I didn’t have the strength to do it, and therein lay the problem.
* * *
"I said everything wrong." Ashe flopped onto the chair behind his desk.
"That seems to be a regular occurrence," Kevis pointed out. He’d waited in the hall outside Breanne’s bedroom while Ashe spoke with her. He’d then followed Ashe to his office. "Why do you think Breanne might see this as anything other than a snub, or an effort to use her to get what you want? You may as well have told her she doesn’t mean a damn thing to you and get it over with."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ashe frowned at Kevis. "You appear to have more of your father in you than I originally thought," he added.
"You’re not seeing what I’m seeing," Kevis tossed up a hand. "Every time she looks at you, there is fear in her eyes that you’ll hurt her. Tell me, Mighty Hand, who can hurt you the worst? Is it the person you don’t care about, or the one you do?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ashe exploded. "I worry about Kay. That’s all I’ve focused on for months!"
"I know that," Kevis held up a hand. "But you keep beating up Breanne over it, when she likely saw you as something different in the beginning—before you opened your Mighty mouth."
"You’re saying she was attracted to me?" Ashe couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
"It’s likely, and you shredded her. Then, all she kept hearing was that you wanted her back here—to help you. Not the most ideal situation, huh?"
"I suppose not. This complicates everything, doesn't it?" Ashe raked fingers through his hair in frustration.
"Yes, but it was complicated from the beginning."
"True. I don't know how to fix this, Kevis. Or even where to start trying."
"Start by keeping your mouth shut and being respectful. Dad and I have discussed this, and let's face it—so far, the Mighty Heart has done all the heavy lifting. Hasn't she?"
"Yeah. I see your point."
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"Amara, I never expected to see you here," I began awkwardly. She'd come to my palace—with Edan Desh. I'd invited her into my study the moment I could—they'd shown up for the morning's session with the Council and sat in the public seating area. I was more than grateful there were no executions or sentencing going on.
"Lissa, my feelings toward you have never changed," she said, taking the seat I offered. Edan took the one next to her and sat quietly by her side.
"I'm grateful," I nodded to her.
"I heard something from Kyler," Amara added.
"That Griffin was saved by," I didn't finish.
"Yes. That's what I heard. How is she?"
"Better. Very weak."
"Understandable."
"Yes." I nodded—Amara was a healer, after all.
"Is there a chance I might meet her, sometime?"
"I'll ask," I offered. I had no idea how Breanne might respond, however.
"I don't hate him—your father," Amara sighed. "But."
"Yes," I nodded. "But. Are you happy?" I glanced toward Edan.
"Yes. We have so much in common," Amara smiled at Edan. "Even at the end of the day, when we're both tired, we still talk about work and things we'd like to do."
I understood that perfectly. So many times, I discussed the day's business with whoever ended up in bed with me—before or after sex. It was nice to bounce ideas around—along with bouncing the bed.
"Do you want me to take a message to her?" I asked, meaning Breanne.
"Yes. Tell her that her stepmother will be happy to see her anytime."
"I will," I nodded.
Chapter 4
"Our General was not beaten—merely surprised," Acrimus hissed at Calhoun. "We are still awaiting news whether he killed one of the Mighty. It certainly seemed that way before he and I left."
"I sincerely hope she was killed," Calhoun breathed. "Any idea which one she might have been?"
"Not completely, although I have a guess. I'll wait for more information before I reveal my suspicions, however."
"At least we know who she is and what she looks like," Calhoun chuckled. "There's no way for her
* * *
"I said everything wrong." Ashe flopped onto the chair behind his desk.
"That seems to be a regular occurrence," Kevis pointed out. He’d waited in the hall outside Breanne’s bedroom while Ashe spoke with her. He’d then followed Ashe to his office. "Why do you think Breanne might see this as anything other than a snub, or an effort to use her to get what you want? You may as well have told her she doesn’t mean a damn thing to you and get it over with."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ashe frowned at Kevis. "You appear to have more of your father in you than I originally thought," he added.
"You’re not seeing what I’m seeing," Kevis tossed up a hand. "Every time she looks at you, there is fear in her eyes that you’ll hurt her. Tell me, Mighty Hand, who can hurt you the worst? Is it the person you don’t care about, or the one you do?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ashe exploded. "I worry about Kay. That’s all I’ve focused on for months!"
"I know that," Kevis held up a hand. "But you keep beating up Breanne over it, when she likely saw you as something different in the beginning—before you opened your Mighty mouth."
"You’re saying she was attracted to me?" Ashe couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
"It’s likely, and you shredded her. Then, all she kept hearing was that you wanted her back here—to help you. Not the most ideal situation, huh?"
"I suppose not. This complicates everything, doesn't it?" Ashe raked fingers through his hair in frustration.
"Yes, but it was complicated from the beginning."
"True. I don't know how to fix this, Kevis. Or even where to start trying."
"Start by keeping your mouth shut and being respectful. Dad and I have discussed this, and let's face it—so far, the Mighty Heart has done all the heavy lifting. Hasn't she?"
"Yeah. I see your point."
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"Amara, I never expected to see you here," I began awkwardly. She'd come to my palace—with Edan Desh. I'd invited her into my study the moment I could—they'd shown up for the morning's session with the Council and sat in the public seating area. I was more than grateful there were no executions or sentencing going on.
"Lissa, my feelings toward you have never changed," she said, taking the seat I offered. Edan took the one next to her and sat quietly by her side.
"I'm grateful," I nodded to her.
"I heard something from Kyler," Amara added.
"That Griffin was saved by," I didn't finish.
"Yes. That's what I heard. How is she?"
"Better. Very weak."
"Understandable."
"Yes." I nodded—Amara was a healer, after all.
"Is there a chance I might meet her, sometime?"
"I'll ask," I offered. I had no idea how Breanne might respond, however.
"I don't hate him—your father," Amara sighed. "But."
"Yes," I nodded. "But. Are you happy?" I glanced toward Edan.
"Yes. We have so much in common," Amara smiled at Edan. "Even at the end of the day, when we're both tired, we still talk about work and things we'd like to do."
I understood that perfectly. So many times, I discussed the day's business with whoever ended up in bed with me—before or after sex. It was nice to bounce ideas around—along with bouncing the bed.
"Do you want me to take a message to her?" I asked, meaning Breanne.
"Yes. Tell her that her stepmother will be happy to see her anytime."
"I will," I nodded.
Chapter 4
"Our General was not beaten—merely surprised," Acrimus hissed at Calhoun. "We are still awaiting news whether he killed one of the Mighty. It certainly seemed that way before he and I left."
"I sincerely hope she was killed," Calhoun breathed. "Any idea which one she might have been?"
"Not completely, although I have a guess. I'll wait for more information before I reveal my suspicions, however."
"At least we know who she is and what she looks like," Calhoun chuckled. "There's no way for her
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