Page 108 of His Claim

Rowan frowned. “You think there’s anything left?”

“After what we’ve seen,” she said, slinging her jacket over her shoulder, “I think it’s foolish to assume there’s not.”

Silas looked up. “You want company?”

Soren shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll take a few of my soldiers, maybe a few of your wolves if you can spare them. I’ll let you know what we find.”

“I’ll see to it that you get whatever you need,” Silas ventured.

I leaned into Varek’s side, resting my head on his shoulder.

The laughter and conversation picked up again, Kendra teasing Rowan, Lia talking with Silas, the clink of glasses and the low hum of voices rising once more. For a brief, perfect moment, it felt like the world had righted itself.

Then a messenger from the Watch burst through the entrance to the hall, dusty and breathless from the road. Soren walked over to greet him. He bent to whisper a few words in her ear. Her expression changed, the kind of look that froze a room before words were spoken.

Soren straightened, eyes scanning the faces of everyone at the table.

“Have any of you heard,” she said quietly, “about what’s happening in London?”