LOREN
”Understood.” And Loren did. He had already resolved not to make any decisions on his own from now on or to do anything beyond what he was told, so when Wessex basically ordered him to do so, it was easy enough to agree. It wasn’t like he had much choice in the matter. She was in charge, and he’d already made so many mistakes that it was all too easy to imagine himself making more. Easier to let someone else handle it, assuming he could trust her judgment any more than he trusted his own.
However, something about the queen’s self-righteous and likely totally justified anger bothered him. They might need him. Though he disagreed with that, since they’d gotten through many LongNights without him, as had been made abundantly clear to him. And Caido might not care what he did in the past, only what he could do now. But he did, and he cared about the actions of more than just himself.
So as Wessex got in Loren’s face, and he remained cool in the face of her words, one thought surfaced, a conversation he’d had with Roana before his disappearance, and the discussion he had with the queen herself in the Manor. It was regarding Wessex’s past actions, not Loren’s but it was important all the same. Delah wasn't the one who needed to answer for her actions in Loren's mind, but the jury was still out on Wessex.
And while it was likely an inopportune time, well, he wasn’t going to follow the orders of someone who’d broken a promise even before she made it. Although not a hint of what he was feeling showed on his face, and his voice came out in the same empty tone he’d been using this whole time, there was a flicker of something dark and ugly in his eyes. ”Roana told me you threatened her children.”
It wasn’t an accusation, just a statement. Still, it seemed to ring in the air between them even though he’d spoken it quietly.
Loren wasn’t the only one who needed to prove himself worthy here.
However, something about the queen’s self-righteous and likely totally justified anger bothered him. They might need him. Though he disagreed with that, since they’d gotten through many LongNights without him, as had been made abundantly clear to him. And Caido might not care what he did in the past, only what he could do now. But he did, and he cared about the actions of more than just himself.
So as Wessex got in Loren’s face, and he remained cool in the face of her words, one thought surfaced, a conversation he’d had with Roana before his disappearance, and the discussion he had with the queen herself in the Manor. It was regarding Wessex’s past actions, not Loren’s but it was important all the same. Delah wasn't the one who needed to answer for her actions in Loren's mind, but the jury was still out on Wessex.
And while it was likely an inopportune time, well, he wasn’t going to follow the orders of someone who’d broken a promise even before she made it. Although not a hint of what he was feeling showed on his face, and his voice came out in the same empty tone he’d been using this whole time, there was a flicker of something dark and ugly in his eyes. ”Roana told me you threatened her children.”
It wasn’t an accusation, just a statement. Still, it seemed to ring in the air between them even though he’d spoken it quietly.
Loren wasn’t the only one who needed to prove himself worthy here.
But don’t be weary if it’s broken
Families are like that—
they’re split up and always torn.
