She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ve already eaten.”
“Anxious about tomorrow?” he asked, pouring the ale into his mug.
“We all are, I think,” Meran said. “Speaking of which, I suppose I should help your mother and Delphina with provisions.” She stood. “Though I doubt they’ll let me do much.”
“They’re very territorial of the kitchen,” Rell said.
Meran laughed. “That’s a good way to describe them. Perhaps they’ll let me peel a potato or scour a pot.”
“Good luck,” Rell said.
They watched her walk away. When she was out of hearing distance he turned to Rell. “You three looked cozy. What were you talking about?”
She didn’t look at him. “Icarus.”
“What about Icarus?” His words came out sharp, the demon’s name leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.
“Meran agrees with me. We can’t completely discount his interest in my transformation.” She swirled her spoon in her porridge, still refusing to meet his eyes. “He may even be able to help us.”
As he’d suspected, she hadn’t dropped the subject. Siban snorted. “Help us? Have you gone mad?”
She did look at him then, her eyes narrowing and her mouth drawing into a thin line. “They agree.”
“I’m quite certain Luc would disagree. Have you forgotten the torture he endured at the hand of Icarus? Or how about Ravyn, whom he speared with his talons? For every Bringer who supports your claim I can give you two who do not.” Rell didn’t reply. He slammed his fist on the table. “Is my time in the Shadow World so easily dismissed?”
“That’s a cruel thing to say.” She refocused on her food, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I will never forget that time.”
“Then why do you insist on believing there is something more to Icarus than there is?”
“Because I need to,” she hissed. Snatching up her bowl, she stood. Her eyes burned into him. “If there is a chance he was once human, he will need our help.” She stepped over the bench. “Nobody should be forced to live as something they were not meant to be.” She shook her head, her expression laced with what looked like disappointment. “It makes me wonder why you fought so hard to save me.”
“You are not like Icarus.”
“Can you be so sure?” Not waiting for him to reply, she spun and stomped toward the kitchen.
He watched her stiff-spined retreat, knowing their difference over Icarus would not be solved by Gregory’s and Meran’s support. The demon had caused too much devastation and showed no remorse for it. Rell and the demon were nothing alike—even if she claimed otherwise. She couldn’t be. She was his Rell. Damaged, but strong. The Bane hadn’t broken her and he’d be damned if he’d let Icarus weave his web of lies and draw her back into the darkness.
“You seem vexed.” Delphina set a bowl of porridge in front of Siban and began clearing the dishes left by the other Bringers. “Though I suspect you have a lot on your mind with the upcoming journey.”
“Yes.” He dipped his spoon into the hot gruel. “We all have much to worry about these days.”
He took a bite but the porridge turned sour in his stomach. No longer hungry, he stood and picked up his dish.
“I’ll take that if you’re finished,” Delphina said. “Just pile it on the tray.”
“Thank you.” He did as she asked. The woman smiled at him and then went back to collecting the empty serving dishes. In an effort to lighten his mood, he attempted small talk, something he was neither comfortable with nor good at. “How did your talk with Jacob go?”
She set a stack of bowls on the tray and beamed at him. “Couldn’t have gone better. He said I could buy whatever I needed for Lady Rell’s gown. Said he’d be happy to pay.”
“Jacob is a generous man.”
“Yes he is.” She blushed slightly. “But then, everybody at the manor is. Makes each day of livin’ here a gift.” She hefted the tray. “Well, best get on with my chores. We’ve got a quest to prepare for.”
“Yes we do.” He tipped his head in a quick bow and walked from the hall, heading for the armory.
Inside, Magnus and another Bringer named Trace sat sharpening the weapons they had gathered from Jacob’s storage and those the Bringers had brought with them.
“What can I help with?” Siban picked up the axe Luc had found in the Shadow World and examined the edge. “This blade is already sharp.”
Trace motioned to the two identical daggers lying on the table where the axe had been. “Immortal weapons don’t appear to need sharpening.”
“That will come in handy during battle,” Magnus said. “That Bane hide is thick.”
“I remember.” Siban set the weapon back on the table.
“Grab one of these.” Magnus motioned to the pile of swords. “And a sharpening stone. They all need a good edge on them.”
Remembering his own blade, Siban pulled his sword from its sheath and took a seat on a short stool. With the stone in his right hand, he ran it along the edge numerous times and then flipped it over to do the other side. After he finished, he picked up a thick dagger from the pile and did the same. Neither of the other men spoke. Each of the Bringers sharpened two knives to Siban’s one. Trace’s nimble fingers slid along the blades, testing each edge and then tossing it into a pile.
The three worked through the day, only stopping for the noon meal. Once all the blades had been honed, they checked the sheaths and harnesses for tears or weak stitching. Throughout the day Bringers trickled in to claim several weapons each. For his efforts, Siban developed a blister on his thumb and his back ached from hunching forward. By the evening meal, the weapons had been doled out and a small bag of provisions had been given to every person leaving on the quest. When Siban entered the Great Hall, the smell of roasting meat surrounded him. A low grumble from his stomach answered the tantalizing odor.
Most of the group was already assembled, including Rell. She sat between Jade and Ravyn, and from what he could surmise, the three were talking about the interior of the Shadow World. Siban took a seat near Rhys and was instantly presented with a heaping plate of food by Willa.
“Thank you.”
“Eat up.” She patted him on the shoulder. “It might be the last hot meal you have for a while.”
“Cheery thought,” Rhys said.
Small talk flowed around Siban but he ate in silence. The group seemed more sedate than usual, the gravity of tomorrow’s trip obviously weighing on more people than just him. Halfway through the meal Gregory stood and walked to the head of the table.
“Before we retire tonight, I wanted to say a few words.” He leaned a fist against the table and looked at the group. “I know I don’t have to tell you how perilous tomorrow’s journey will be. I think it’s evident in everybody’s expression.” His gaze tracked to each of them. “It is imperative that we stay together as much as possible once in the Shadow World.”
Siban glanced at Rell, whose eyes were fixed on the king with an intensity that belied her anxiety. Despite their disagreement, he wished he was sitting next to her so he could ease her worries.
“We don’t know what to expect once we enter the Bane’s domain.” The king made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Though some of us have knowledge of the interior and the workings of the demons, it is wise to expect the unexpected.”
The crowd remained silent, though Siban noticed that Jade shifted to lean against Luc. He wrapped his arm protectively around her. Once again Siban looked at Rell. She sat ramrod straight and unmoving. After dinner he would go to her, let her know he was there to protect her—to give his life for her, if it came to that.
“As all of you know, one of the unexpected turns we’ve had already is Icarus,” Gregory said.