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“He appeared this morning,” Briar answered. “Hasn’t left the Tyndells since.”

I have taken measures to keep them protected until we can come for them.

She had sent a spirit animal to keep them protected until she could come for them. She had already taken measures to protect those she viewed as hers while he had been…panicking and reacting based on emotion. It never ceased to amaze him that a girl raised to take life was more equipped than he was to be on a throne.

“I will be back in a moment.”

Her voice tore him from his thoughts, and Callan found Tava moving toward him.

“We leave soon,” Drake argued.

“We were almost done here,” Tava countered. “You can fill me in at another time.”

Her fingers interlaced with his as she passed, pulling him along behind her. The owl gave a disapproving hoot, but stayed put on the chair next to Drake. Razik and Eliza were coming through the door at the same time, Eliza’s eyes narrowing on him.

“Do not do anything stupid,” the general muttered to him. “I have enough to deal with right now.”

Callan sent her a dry look over his shoulder, but she had already turned back to the others, going to the opposite side of the table of Razik.

“Tava,” he said.

She was pulling him down the hall, but she didn’t say anything. She wasn’t in a dress as usual, but instead wore pants and a sleeveless tunic, her boots echoing off the marble floor.

“Tava, stop,” he tried again.

She pushed a door open to what appeared to be a small study, and he followed her in. He started to say her name again, but she was shutting the door before pushing him back against it. Then she was on her toes, her mouth on his. He pulled her to him, one hand on her cheek, his other arm winding around her waist.

“I am sorry,” she murmured onto his lips. “I am sorry, Callan.” Her arms were looped around his neck, fingers in the hair at his nape. Frantic. Frenzied.

He spun them, and then he turned her away from him. She gasped as he pressed her front against the door. “I took my anger out on Scarlett, you know,” he said harshly into her ear, pinning her hands above her head with one hand while the other stayed looped around her waist. He was probably being too rough with her, but a part of him didn’t care. Hewasangry with her. He was angry with all of them. He was so godsdamned sick of everyone making decisions for him. He’d thought she, of all people, wouldn’t do that to him.

Tava shook her head as much as she could. “It was not her fault, Callan. She let Drake and me make the choice.”

“So she said. She tried to defend you. To keep my anger focused on her, to protect my feelings for you. She did a good job of it too,” he continued. The arm at her waist tugged her tighter against him. “You should have told me.”

“I knew you would have tried to stop me,” Tava replied, twisting as he let her break his hold. He saw her own rage filling those ocean-blue eyes. “Are you saying those innocent babes are not worth it?”

“Of course that’s not what I am saying,” he retorted. His hands went to her shoulders, holding her back against the wood of the door. “You are noble and brave and so godsdamn selfless. Sometimes too selfless.”

“They deserve a chance to live, Callan!” Tava cried. “I cannot let them be used because I refused to return to Balam.”

“Iknow, Tava, but we could have found another way.”

“I was not willing to risk it. You were not supposed to come here,” she said. Tears were welling in her eyes. Hot, angry tears.

“So godsdamn selfless,” he muttered.

“You are not angry with me,” she hissed. “You are hurt by my actions, and rightfully so.”

“Can it not be both?” he countered. They stared at each other, a stand-off of wills. He spit a soft curse before he said, “You once told me you could not handle only having me when I allowed it. That goes both ways, Tava. I cannot… There cannot be secrets. We cannot go behind each other’s backs. I cannot do that again.”

“I had to do this, Callan. I could not let you deny me,” Tava whispered, the anger flaring in her eyes once more. Gods, she was beautiful like this. When she argued with him, challenged him. He could still see her flinging a teacup across her room in a fit of fury.

“I will never deny you a godsdamn thing,” he said in a low snarl. Then he was kissing her again, hands running down her sides, clutching at her waist, slipping under her tunic. Her head dropped back as he worked his way down her neck. He pulled a hand from her tunic to tug at the ties on the front.

“Callan,” she gasped. “I must go soon.”

“Then we make this fast,” he replied against her skin as his teeth scraped along her collarbone.