"I'll allow her to stay," Henry said at last, his voice steady, but low enough that it didn't carry past the stone walls. "But on one condition."
Lyander raised an eyebrow. He already knew what was coming.
"You'll watch over her," Henry continued, eyes sharp. "She's your responsibility now. You brought her here—whatever trouble she causes, it's on you."
Lyander exhaled slowly. "So I'm her babysitter now?"
A flicker of dry amusement passed over Henry's face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. "Think of it as damage control."
Lyander leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He'd been waiting for Henry to approve her stay—just a few nights, long enough for him to dig deeper, to find the item he'd been searching for.
Still, he had to ask. "You're sure about this? Didn't you say my presence alone could stir unrest among the others? Much less a human who seemed to hide many things."
