Overhead, a fire sprinkler system tried to spurt water, but the system was a modernization that had been tacked onto the old, original stone ceiling. The grid of thin, exposed pipes had been too damaged from various explosions.
As a thin trickle of water dripped on his head, Julian looked up. “That’s not going to be enough.”
Yolanthe shouted, “Get fire extinguishers down here, people!”
Melly coughed. “Do you need to be down here anymore?”
“No. Let’s go.” He kept an arm around her shoulders and stayed watchful, just in case. He had seen too many tragedies occur when people let down their guard at the end of a battle. “It’s over.”
At that, she barked out a hoarse, rasping laugh and coughed harder.
“No,” she told him. “It’s not. Annis and Leopold are busily gathering the Nightkind council together. I predict they’ll all be here inside of two hours.”
He thought about that as they made for the staircase. “Well,” he offered after a few minutes. “At least Dominic and Justine are dead.”
She put an arm around his waist. “At least there’s that.”
They made their way back to Julian’s suite, where Xavier hugged them both and Tess gave Melly a wide, relieved smile.
Meanwhile, chaos reigned. Light Fae troops crowded in. People continued to pop into the stairway tunnel, until someone realized Julian and Melly had returned. Then instead of evacuating, they started pouring back through the tunnel entrance. A loud, excited babble of conversation filled the air.
“I’m never going to get my bedroom back again,” Julian muttered, as he watched the influx of jubilant, relieved people.
Xavier told them, “Evenfall still isn’t secure. We need to do a sweep.”
“We also have to take care of Dominic’s troops stationed outside.” Taking Melly by the hand, he hauled her into his office, which was marginally quieter.
Xavier, Tess and Shane joined them. Melly watched as Julian picked up the receiver from the phone set on his desk. He slammed it back down immediately. “The phone’s dead. Goddammit. They did cut the telecommunications cables.”
Xavier said, “With your permission, I’ll command the sweep. If there’s any more fighting, it’ll be minimal and the guards can take care of it. I’ll also coordinate with Yolanthe to make sure the Nightkind troops are purged of traitors.” Frowning, he paused to regard Tess.
Tess’s expression turned determined. “You don’t need me here anymore. I’m coming with you.”
Purged of traitors. Melly swallowed hard.
“Good, go take care of it,” Julian told the pair. He hadn’t let go of Melly’s hand, his fingers laced through hers.
Melly said to Shane, “It’s still daylight. We can handle that much better than the Nightkind. Send fifteen troops to help with clearing Dominic’s forces from the area around the castle. And we have to clear out some of the chaos in here. Would you make sure people are directed to go out of the suite, so they don’t linger to chat? And close the tunnel entrance as soon as you can.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Following Xavier and Tess, Shane stepped out.
As soon as they had left, Melly released Julian’s hand, stepped forward and slammed the door, shutting out the rest of the world. Julian followed her.
As she turned around, he pinned her back against the door panel with his body weight. Leaning both his arms on the door, he bowed his head next to hers.
Torn between holding on to him and running her hands over the surface of his scarred body armor, she tried to do both at once.
“You were hit,” she whispered. “You were limping.”
He shook his head, his cheek pressed against hers. “I’m all right,” he muttered in her ear. “What about you? Did you take any hits?”
“Not a single one. I’m uninjured.”
He touched her cheek, her hair, then gripped the back of her neck and kissed her with so much hunger, as if he hadn’t seen her for years. It reflected exactly how Melly felt. She was starving for his mouth, his touch, and kissed him back wildly.
Someone gave a polite tap on the door. He lifted his head and bellowed, “No.”
Dismayed muttering sounded on the other side of the panel.
Dropping her forehead onto his shoulder, she started to laugh. Oh, this day.
She told him, “I don’t remember when I last slept. Wait, it was in the bath, wasn’t it? I feel like I’ve been on a runaway train for a week now.”
“I know,” he said. “We’re going to put on the brakes. The council might be arriving, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to see them right away. I’ll convene a meeting tonight. As soon as the suite is cleared, I’ll order some food for you. We can clean up and take a nap.”