definition of an inconsiderate prick.” But Quinn stretched his neck then told Evalle, “Sorry I snapped at you.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But I am not qualified to lead anyone. Plus, is it too damned much to ask for time to mourn my loss? Or should I say losses since Lanna’s gone, too, only with no hologram to indicate she was ever here?” Quinn swung a heated look back at Tzader.
So that’s where Quinn had been when she’d lost track of him and Tzader earlier. They’d been looking at the Brina hologram that showed nothing of Lanna, the young woman who had been wrapped against Brina. Only the threads of Noirre majik covered a hollow shape where they’d stood before they’d both vanished.
Quinn had lost the woman he’d loved and his teenage cousin in one ugly act from a Belador traitor.
Still, something was severely off with Quinn and Tzader.
Evalle opened up her recently discovered empathic senses that were getting better with practice. Quinn was literally bleeding pain over losing Kizira, the Medb priestess he’d secretly loved who had died in his arms during the battle. Tzader was a roaring hot mess of anger and worry with Brina missing and no idea what her fate was at this moment.
Even so, this made no sense.
Tzader and Quinn had always been her two rocks to depend on. She could handle having one of them emotionally crippled right now, but not both.
Neither could the Beladors. But both men had lost women they loved. If there was any decency in the world, Evalle would at least be able to bring Lanna and Brina back.
She spoke gently to Quinn. “I do believe we’ll get Lanna back and I know that there is no such thing as a right amount of time to mourn what you’ve lost.” She paused to glance at Tzader, who had the decency to look embarrassed over his harsh words. Then she continued, “But if Trey manages the warriors back home for a day, could you fill in after that for a little while so that Tzader can handle interaction between Macha and the gryphons?”
When nothing came out of Quinn’s mouth, Evalle added, “If you could, it would allow me time to find Storm and bring him here to help us bring back Brina and Lanna.”
Quinn stared at her with hollow eyes rimmed in a misery she’d never seen on his face before, but he nodded, “I can do that.”
“Thank you.” Then Evalle turned to Tzader, and if the pain in his gaze had a sound it would be an animal howling. Not knowing where Brina was had to be torture. “Tzader, will you be okay here while I go back to Atlanta to find Storm?”
He swallowed and the hard movement of his throat looked painful, but he nodded. “We’ll be fine.”
Quinn wouldn’t look at Tzader when he said, “I’ll need to be teleported with Kizira’s body.”
Oh, boy. Wait until Macha was asked to do that.
Evalle jumped in. “I’ll go with him. Maybe you can send a group of us at one time, Tzader.”
“I’ll handle it.” Tzader strode off, shoulders hunched against the world, looking as alone as he must feel. Watching the grief of the two men she loved as brothers was squeezing her heart. Her chest should be bleeding from how much it hurt.
Evalle put her hand on Quinn’s arm. “I’m so sorry about Kizira.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing. Her death wasn’t your fault. At least you tried to free her from the Medb.”
“She tried to help me too. She was instrumental in helping me get our people out when it came time to escape TÅμr Medb. I will do anything I can to help you through this, Quinn. I wish I had words to ease your loss, but I know nothing can make this better. I miss her too.” That drew his attention sharply to Evalle’s face. She nodded. “I never thought I could even like a Medb priestess, much less care for her, but I got to know the real Kizira and see glimpses of the woman you fell in love with.”
A tear ran down the side of his face.
Evalle pushed words past the vise squeezing her chest. “It
“Apology accepted.”
“But I am not qualified to lead anyone. Plus, is it too damned much to ask for time to mourn my loss? Or should I say losses since Lanna’s gone, too, only with no hologram to indicate she was ever here?” Quinn swung a heated look back at Tzader.
So that’s where Quinn had been when she’d lost track of him and Tzader earlier. They’d been looking at the Brina hologram that showed nothing of Lanna, the young woman who had been wrapped against Brina. Only the threads of Noirre majik covered a hollow shape where they’d stood before they’d both vanished.
Quinn had lost the woman he’d loved and his teenage cousin in one ugly act from a Belador traitor.
Still, something was severely off with Quinn and Tzader.
Evalle opened up her recently discovered empathic senses that were getting better with practice. Quinn was literally bleeding pain over losing Kizira, the Medb priestess he’d secretly loved who had died in his arms during the battle. Tzader was a roaring hot mess of anger and worry with Brina missing and no idea what her fate was at this moment.
Even so, this made no sense.
Tzader and Quinn had always been her two rocks to depend on. She could handle having one of them emotionally crippled right now, but not both.
Neither could the Beladors. But both men had lost women they loved. If there was any decency in the world, Evalle would at least be able to bring Lanna and Brina back.
She spoke gently to Quinn. “I do believe we’ll get Lanna back and I know that there is no such thing as a right amount of time to mourn what you’ve lost.” She paused to glance at Tzader, who had the decency to look embarrassed over his harsh words. Then she continued, “But if Trey manages the warriors back home for a day, could you fill in after that for a little while so that Tzader can handle interaction between Macha and the gryphons?”
When nothing came out of Quinn’s mouth, Evalle added, “If you could, it would allow me time to find Storm and bring him here to help us bring back Brina and Lanna.”
Quinn stared at her with hollow eyes rimmed in a misery she’d never seen on his face before, but he nodded, “I can do that.”
“Thank you.” Then Evalle turned to Tzader, and if the pain in his gaze had a sound it would be an animal howling. Not knowing where Brina was had to be torture. “Tzader, will you be okay here while I go back to Atlanta to find Storm?”
He swallowed and the hard movement of his throat looked painful, but he nodded. “We’ll be fine.”
Quinn wouldn’t look at Tzader when he said, “I’ll need to be teleported with Kizira’s body.”
Oh, boy. Wait until Macha was asked to do that.
Evalle jumped in. “I’ll go with him. Maybe you can send a group of us at one time, Tzader.”
“I’ll handle it.” Tzader strode off, shoulders hunched against the world, looking as alone as he must feel. Watching the grief of the two men she loved as brothers was squeezing her heart. Her chest should be bleeding from how much it hurt.
Evalle put her hand on Quinn’s arm. “I’m so sorry about Kizira.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing. Her death wasn’t your fault. At least you tried to free her from the Medb.”
“She tried to help me too. She was instrumental in helping me get our people out when it came time to escape TÅμr Medb. I will do anything I can to help you through this, Quinn. I wish I had words to ease your loss, but I know nothing can make this better. I miss her too.” That drew his attention sharply to Evalle’s face. She nodded. “I never thought I could even like a Medb priestess, much less care for her, but I got to know the real Kizira and see glimpses of the woman you fell in love with.”
A tear ran down the side of his face.
Evalle pushed words past the vise squeezing her chest. “It
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