章 66: Chapter 66

Worried as he was, all thoughts of Tishasanti fled as the door closed and the three of them were alone in his chambers.

"I'm so sorry!" Teia burst out, throwing himself into Penli's arms again, hard enough they nearly toppled.

"What in the world do you have to be sorry about?" Penli asked.

Teia looked up at him with wet eyes. "That you've gotten so hurt. That you had to kill those men. That you went through so much and you barely know us. And all we could do was stand there."

"I see," Penli said softly. "No need to fret, poppet. I've done far worse for far less. At least this time the battle was of my choosing—and I knew all along what I was in for, nothing that's happened was all that much of a surprise." He brushed a strand of hair from Teia's face and kissed him softly, then reached out to draw Sendaar in and kiss him as well. "I thought you both hated me after that day in the hallway. Most people do not remain after they see the brutality I can mete out."