“I do not.”
“I believe you cannot know that until the option is there. Or until it is clear there is no option forthcoming.”
“What if I said it didn’t matter? That I want to be with you, and even if he came back, explained everything, and declared himself, I would still want to be with you.”
That twist of a smile again, this time with a flash of longing and pain in his eyes. “Perhaps I am a coward for not taking a chance, but I don’t want my heart broken. If you do believe me a coward, and if that changes your opinion of me, then I regret that more than anything.”
“I think you’re wrong.” She leaned forward and kissed him, a quick press of the lips. “But I respect you for it. And when you realize you are wrong, if you still feel that way about me…”
“I will. I’m certain of that. Until then…” He kissed her nose. “Are we still friends?”
“We are.” She turned her attention to the warlord’s compound, lit on the hilltop. “If I return to complaining about that, will you return to listening to me complain?”
He smiled. “I will.”
Soon after, the warlord’s men silently appeared from the rear, escorted by the warrior who’d been sent to retrieve them. The warlord – from the Jorojumo clan, with fierce spiders inked on his arms – was a man long into his fifth decade, though age would not keep him off the battlefield. Warlords were hard men, often not achieving their position until near the end of their careers. Even then they’d never rest on the sidelines in a battle. If they did, their men would abandon them.
If Jorojumo had any qualms about working with a prince who’d barely reached manhood, he gave no sign of it. In truth, after decades of peace, there were warriors twice Tyrus’s age whose experience was confined to sparring and mock battles. Together, Tyrus and Jorojumo quickly determined a course of action – split the troops, encircle the camp, and ambush the bandits while they slept. It would not be a battle filled with honor, but under the circumstances, they could not worry about that.
And those circumstances, as conveyed to the warlord? Simply that the bandits had, with a larger troop, invaded both Edgewood and Fairview, decimating the towns for reasons not yet known.
Next Tyrus assigned positions to the warriors. When he did not include Moria, she presumed it was because her position was clear. At his side. She said as much as they walked away from the others afterward.
“No,” he said. “You’ll be here.”
She stopped walking. “Where?”
“Here.”
He pointed to the hillock where they’d spent most of the night. He didn’t look at her. Nor did he stop walking, and she had to run to catch up.
“You’re keeping me out of battle?” she said.
“Yes.”
“Was it something the warlord said when you conferred with him? I know he cannot have an issue with women wielding blades. One of his warriors is a woman. I saw her.”
“He has no issue with you on a battlefield. I do.” He stopped her protest with a raised hand. “I did not tell you sooner because if I had, I’d never have heard the end of it. You’ve no time to argue now.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t force words past the boiling rage. Beside her, Daigo snarled, his tail lashing.
“Watch over her,” Tyrus said to the wildcat.
“And who’ll watch over you?” she said. “That is what I planned to do, Tyrus. Not pretend I am a warrior. Not get in anyone’s way. I am no trained fighter. But I can fight – for you. That’s all I wanted.”
“And that is exactly what you’ll do. From here. With your throwing daggers and your wildcat.”
“Then why am I wearing…” She plucked angrily at her armor.
“Because I want you to be safe.”
He pulled her closer, leaning in to kiss her forehead, but she squirmed away. He sighed and released her.
“If you think I’m doing it because you’re a girl, and you hate me for it, then that is your prerogative. But it has nothing to do with your sex, and I’d hope by now you’d realize that has no import with me. You have no experience on a battlefield. And yes, neither have I, but I have trained for it my whole life. Also you are a Keeper. If I was to allow you out there, fodder for a bandit’s blade…?” He shook his head. “I’d not be fit to lead battle hounds. I’d like you to keep an eye out for your sister, in case she returns early with Ronan. If you can also watch over me, I would appreciate that.” A wry smile. “I fear I’ll need the help.”
He leaned in again, as if to kiss her cheek, but again she would not let him. With another soft sigh, he squeezed her shoulder and went to join the others.
As she watched him go, her stomach twisted. Daigo’s tail whipped against her.
He’s right. You know that. If you expected anything else, you do not know him very well. Call him back. Give him a kiss. Wish him luck. Tell him you’ll watch over him.
“Tyrus?” she whispered as loud as she dared.
He didn’t hear her. She took a few running steps. “Tyrus?”
Jorojumo strode over to greet him, and Moria knew she’d lost her chance. She hovered there, waiting for Tyrus to turn, to look her way, so she could mouth an apology, smile, and tell him all was fine. He spoke to the warlord. Then they took their men and walked their separate ways, and Tyrus never looked back.