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Something shifted in her expression—the vulnerability receding, replaced by a steely determination he'd seen before when she’d met with her councilors. She straightened her spine, squaring her shoulders as if already reclaiming the mantle of chancellor.

"You're right," she said, her voice gaining strength with each word. "I'm not going to let a bunch of old, high-born Crestek males push me out. Not when there's so much work to be done, so many wrongs to right." She stood abruptly, nearly knocking him backward as she moved toward the door with sudden purpose. "We need to go now, find K’Nar, gather whatever allies we still have—"

Zexx caught her arm, pulling her gently but firmly back. "We need to be clever about this," he cautioned, recognizing the reckless courage that threatened to send her rushing headlong into danger. "You need more than just me to back you." He gestured to their surroundings, the hidden room beneath layers of stone. "And we can't leverage the arrival of the bounty hunter ship if we're stuck in the basement of the tower. Or worse, captured by your enemies.”

Linnea paused, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly as reason reasserted itself. "You're right," she admitted, though he could feel her impatience vibrating through their connection. "We need a plan."

She paced the small space, three steps in one direction before having to turn. "My brother mentioned hidden passages the resistance used during the height of tensions between our peoples. Tunnels that led beyond the city walls, out to meeting points in the rocky outcroppings." She stopped suddenly, eyes widening. "I think I remember where one is—not far from here, connecting to the old storage chambers in the eastern section."

"We should wait until the search has died down, until the protest has dispersed," he advised. "Moving now, when they're actively hunting us, would be too risky."

She nodded. “We’ll wait then.”

The logic was sound, but it wasn't the only reason he wanted to delay their departure. The thought of a few hours alone with Linnea, away from the constant vigilance and pretense required in the tower, away from the imminent dangers they would soon face again, held its own appeal. He arched an eyebrow, allowing a hint of suggestion to enter his voice. "I wonder how we'll pass the time until then."

The tension in the room shifted, the air suddenly charged with a different kind of energy. Linnea's lips curved into a smile that reached her eyes, chasing away the last shadows of her tears.

"That," she said with a husky laugh that sent heat coursing through his veins, "is another thing I love about Dothveks. Always practical about survival, but never forgetting to live in the moment."

His breath caught at her casual use of the word "love," though he knew she hadn't meant it in the way his heart instantly seized upon. Still, the possibility that she might someday use that word with its full weight of meaning made his pulse quicken.

He closed the distance between them, his hand finding the curve of her waist as if drawn there by some magnetic force. "Living in the moment is a skill developed when life on the sands can change in an instant," he murmured, drawing her closer. "A sudden sandstorm, a serpent's attack—you learn to savor what you have while you have it."

Her hands slid up his chest to link behind his neck, her body yielding against his. "Then teach me, Dothvek," she whispered, her breath warm against his lips. "Teach me to savor this moment, when everything else is so uncertain."

He didn't need to be asked twice.

ChapterThirty-Seven

The stone floor was cool against Linnea's bare feet as they slipped from Zelia's room, the door closing behind them with barely a whisper of sound. The suns had dipped low since they'd sought refuge in the tiny quarters beneath the tower, sending shadows stretching from the narrow window and across the floor. Now the corridors lay silent and dimly lit, most of the staff either asleep or still working in the kitchens below.

Zexx moved ahead of her, his steps soundless despite his larger frame, every movement fluid and controlled. They both wore cloaks with the hoods pulled low over their faces, keeping their heads down as they walked.

Linnea’s heart fluttered in her chest like a trapped bird as they crept along the corridor, past doors behind which service staff slept. They approached the entrance to the kitchens, intending to pass by quickly, when a figure darted out from the doorway. Linnea froze, ready to bolt, but then recognized Zelia's slight form. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed as if she'd been running.

"Chancellor," she whispered, glancing nervously over her shoulder before continuing. "I've been watching for you. You need to know—the protest, it flopped."

Linnea blinked, not quite processing her words. "What do you mean?"

"Counter-protesters came," she explained in a rushed whisper. "Hundreds of them, supporting you and the peace accord. They overwhelmed the others, the ones who were planted. It became clear very quickly that most of the city stands with you."

Hope bloomed in Linnea's chest, warm and unexpected. "The people support me?"

Zelia nodded emphatically. "More than the council realized, it seems. The search party gave up long ago." Her expression darkened. "But the council released a statement. They're saying you were kidnapped by the Dothvek ambassador. They’re saying this is a violation of the peace."

Zexx stiffened beside her, his hand instinctively moving to where his weapon would normally be. "They've made me the villain in their tale.”

"They’ve ridden the tide of support for you to their advantage, now claiming that you must be saved from the treacherous Dothvek.” Zelia’s gaze darted to Zexx. “They're calling for your capture. Dead or alive."

The momentary hope Linnea had felt morphed into renewed determination. Her people might support her, but the council had seized control of the narrative. Without muscle behind her to physically stand up to their lies, words of support would mean nothing. For that kind of strength, she needed to get out of the city—to the bounty hunters who were on their way, to the Dothveks who might rally to Zexx's side.

"Thank you for telling us," Linnea said, reaching out to squeeze Zelia's hand gratefully. "And for hiding us. You've taken an enormous risk."

Zelia straightened her shoulders, a fierce pride replacing her fear. "My grandmother was part of the resistance during the worst of the conflicts. She always said that sometimes loyalty to justice matters more than loyalty to authority." A faint smile touched her lips. "I won't tell anyone I saw you."

As they hurried away, Linnea heard Zelia's voice behind them, explaining loudly to someone in the kitchen that she had been talking to one of the guards from the tower, asking about the excitement earlier. A clever girl, providing herself with an alibi. Linnea hoped her deception would protect her from suspicion.

They moved swiftly through the underground corridors, the dim lighting from wall sconces casting slender shadows across the rough stone walls. She scoured her memory for what her brother had told her about the resistance passageways, wishing she'd paid more attention to his enthusiastic explanations. He had been fascinated by the network of tunnels beneath the city, had spent hours exploring them with his resistance friends. At the time, she'd dismissed his interest as youthful rebellion. Now, their lives depended on those same passages.