Chapter 77

Arden and Xavier lead Lucia and me down the tunneled corridors to the King's meeting chambers where Damion and Leif were said to be meeting with the other captains. I say a quick grateful prayer to the gods that everyone who would need to hear the information we discovered are already gathered in one place.

We're stopped outside the meeting chamber's door by a burly set of guards who step in front of us to block off our path as we approach.

"No one is allowed through these doors," the taller of the two shifter guards grunts out irritably, "A planning meeting is taking place and the King is not to be disturbed-"

"Do you really not know who this is?" Xavier demands pointing a long finger over his shoulder at me.

The guards' eyes turn in my direction with a bored look, "Can't say that we've met." He grunts.

"This fine lady here is our King's *Bonded*," Arden tells him with a hard look, "Do you really want to be the one to explain to the King why you wouldn't let his Bonded in to see him?"

The shifter guard blocking our way blanches, hurriedly stepping out of our way. One of them trips over his own feet in his rush to move away from the door.

"Apologies, my lady," the larger of them mumbles and both of them dip their heads in a bow. Shock ripples through me when their arms strike across their chests in the salute of respect I had seen given to Damion on more than one occasion.

"That's what I thought." Xavier grumbles under his breath with a glare.

I elbow Xavier in the side- feeling bad that he's giving them such a hard time for just doing their jobs- and he lets out a satisfying "oomf" when I do.

"It's really fine," I tell the now penitent guards, "Thank you."

Arden, Lucia, and I follow closely behind Xavier as he gives two firm knocks on the door before pushing his way through the planning room's entrance. The deep echoing voices that had been arguing amongst themselves taper off to a dead silence as we make our way into the room. There are eight shifters sitting around a long table, a pile of maps spread out among them, in the midst of what appears to be a heated discussion.

In the ensuing silence, all eight pairs of eyes turn toward us.

My gaze immediately finds the set of familiar black eyes of the male sitting at the head of the table. I'm beginning to wonder if there will ever be a time when my body won't react to seeing him. My heart proves that point by stuttering over itself at the mere sight of the sharp angles of his serious face. His tousled black hair is slightly out of place now as if he'd been tugging his hands roughly through the strands since we'd parted ways only a few short hours ago.

He cuts an intimidating image, his size imposing even where he sits among his captains. All of the cold aloofness vanishes from his face when he sees me standing in the doorway. He immediately pushes up from his seat at the table, rushing to cross the space between us in quick strides.

As he moves, his black gaze catalogues every inch of me as if searching for signs of injury.

"Lily?" He asks, concern etched into the lines of his face, "What's happened?"

I step around my guards to meet him, "I'm sorry that we're interrupting your meeting, but we came across some information that couldn't wait."

"What is it?" Leif asks, standing from the table as well. The other captains follow his lead and stand with him, each of them regarding me curiously.

"When we left Elfhame, elder Elandorr gave me some of my father's old journals," I say, looking between Damion and Leif, "Lucia was reading through them this morning and found something regarding the Unseelie and Seelie attacks. About what they're looking for in the mountains. Why they keep coming back."

Damion's dark brows draw together, his expression shifting from *my* Damion to that of the Shifter King right before my eyes, "I'm listening." He says.

___________________________________

We spend the next hour going over the information that Lucia stumbled upon in Calden's journals. About the information Calden had overheard while working as emissary for the elves among the Seelie Courts. A few more chairs are pulled up to the table as we spend the next few hours after that going over maps and making plans in regards to the new information.

None of the captains protest me or Lucia being there, taking everything in stride without difficulty. I'm surprised when Lucia interjects a few times with information about the Seelie armies and strategies that prove helpful as plans are thrown out and pieced together. Lunch is delivered while we work, and while he speaks to his captains, Damion piles a plate for me with enough food to make my stomach hurt just by looking at it. Arden and Xavier snicker at the horrified look I shoot him that Damion ignores, gesturing for me to eat.

As the afternoon drags on into the night, Damion tugs me into his lap. I protest at first, but ultimately give in when no one at the table bats an eye at the sudden change in seating. Under the table, Damion's large hands massage up my legs as he listens, pulling me close into his chest. Hints of exhaustion line his eyes, though he keeps it hidden behind his stony facade. As a plan of action is finally decided upon, guards are sent out to prepare teams of messengers.

When everything that can be done for the night is completed, Damion sends us away from the meeting hall to catch a few short hours of sleep. He sends me off with a quick press of his lips on my forehead, and in spite of the exhaustion I feel, I protest.

"Get some sleep, darling," he bends to tell me in a low voice against the shell of my ear that sends shivers down my spine, "I have a few more things to go over with Leif, but I won't be able to think clearly if you're here. My berserker side is more concerned with your well- being than anything else and if you're sitting here dead on your feet from exhaustion, it will take up all my attention."

"What about you?" I ask, concern tightening my voice, as I fight back a yawn. "You also need to rest."

"I will," he promises with an amused tilt of his dark eyebrows.

I shoot him a skeptical look before forcing myself to my feet and turning to Leif I say, "Don't let him work too late."

The red- haired shifter snorts, "You should know by now that that's an impossible request, but I'll do what I can."