Chapter Forty
The awkward silence that lay between the mage-priest and I was broken by the arrival of Tahlia and the second food tray. My eyes seemed to seek Tahlia of their own accord. Even though it was late, she was still dressed in a set of my spare linens. Her tousled dark hair and the unraveling of one of her rolled up tunic sleeves were the only indication she might have been sleeping.
I felt a pang of guilt at the sight of her. She should be resting safely at home in her own bed, not dragged into an impromptu council in the midst of a siege. Still, her lips curved in a smile as she saw me, giving no indication of the resentment I feared for dragging her into such danger. I found myself smiling back in spite of myself.
Talib walked beside her, carrying another tray of food. I fel
