Chapter 10 Raine
Raine
Raine instinctively got out of his chair, moving closer to Frelina when he caught Loche’s masked men and Iviry’s brawny band of Fae storming toward the house, but it wasn’t the chilling gust of wind when they opened the door that iced his blood, nor was it the fear in the soldiers’ eyes.
It was Frelina’s closed mind and the way she rose from the couch, moving to stand beside Amalise, crossing her arms in the same way as the blonde, as she gave Raine a quick shake of her head.
A shiver of unease traced his skin, but he stopped the urge to drag Frelina into one of the bedrooms and ask her what was wrong.
Or apologize. Or beg.
Or whatever would stop that cold, sticky feeling clawing at his chest.
As Raine took a step toward her, Merrick’s hand flew out and gripped his wrist, holding him back and instead allowing Iviry and Loche to meet their men gathering a few feet ahead of Frelina, while Zaddock moved into the spot behind Loche’s right shoulder, and Venko took Loche’s other side.
She’s not going to go anywhere with you right now, Merrick warned, and while his thought was firm, there was something sad accentuating the words.
Something Raine didn’t want to hear the Death Whisperer allude to.
Something that told him there might not be another time when Frelina would go with him.
Well, she might not have a choice. Raine ripped his hand free, although he gave in to Merrick’s sharp look and remained by the couch.
His eyes flickered over the guards, who were finally closing the door, to Frelina and Amalise and Ardow, who’d just joined them, leaning on the wall behind the masked men.
Good luck telling her that, Merrick shot back. I’ve learned these sisters will do whatever they please, and you’ve been an absolute bastard.
Didn’t Raine fucking know it.
Well, it’s not been fucking easy. Raine glowered at Merrick as one of Loche’s men stepped forward, the drops of rain sliding down his birdlike mask shimmering in the firelight.
It’s not been easy for her, either, brother. Merrick gave him a final look before turning toward the door, and when Raine followed, Frelina’s big eyes met his for a brief second, the forced smile on her face not brightening them in the slightest.
Fuck, it was worse than he’d realized. Because that smile? That was her trying to move on—that was her trying to push him away. He could feel it somehow. Could see it in her tense shoulders and vacant gaze as she also focused on the soldiers.
Raine wished he could take another turn fighting Merrick.
Fuck! He wanted to tell Frelina everything she’d told him back on that battlefield. He wanted it to be as easy for him as it was for Kerym to decide to move on—that he could just shift his entire energy to focus on the little wild creature standing by the wall.
But how did one move on when the last person they loved had died in their fucking arms?
He hadn’t been able to protect her…
What if he wasn’t able to keep Frelina safe either?
“Am I cleared to speak freely, regent?”
Raine struggled to focus on the soldier when Frelina shifted her weight behind him, but when fear trickled into Loche’s features as he nodded for his man to go on, he finally pushed the other thoughts aside.
The soldier shot a glance at the Fae males beside him—they were all as tall as Merrick and nearly as wide as Raine—and for the first time, Raine tried to look at the other males in this group from the outside.
Merrick, even pale and holding on to Lessia as if she were the last thing in this world, looked fucking terrifying, his teeth scraping against his lips as he eyed the men.
Kerym, leaning casually against the counter with the witch sisters on either side, had eyes so sharp Raine knew it felt like he was staring right through you.
Even Iviry, nearly the same height as Loche, perhaps only an inch or so shorter, with her straight back and intelligent features and her long copper hair tumbling down her back, making her look almost ethereal in the dim light, was intimidating.
And her guards? While Raine didn’t know them, he knew of them, and they were all good males, but they looked damn nightmarish. Probably one of the reasons Iviry had selected them for her closest circle… Few, if any, would try anything with the five of them surrounding her.
Raine also knew the scowl he himself bore wasn’t especially inviting. He almost scoffed but managed to swallow it at the last second, although he could tell the ones around him noted the subtle jerk.
No wonder these humans were hesitant to work with them.
Iviry and Loche have a formidable challenge ahead. Elessia’s thought brushed his mind, and Raine turned to look at her, glad to see that some of her coloring had returned from the heat of the fireplace. We need to stand by them, show our support in any way we can, because if they don’t succeed…
Raine didn’t respond, but his eyes flew back to her sister, and while he wasn’t able to catch Frelina’s gaze, he knew in his heart Elessia was right. Not just for Ellow and Vastala, but for the half-Fae. For the shifters. For anyone who’d never fit in or been accepted.
Raine swallowed as he made himself listen again.
Maybe Elessia had been right in what she’d once told Merrick. This was bigger than just the people in this room. This was bigger than Raine. Than Frelina. Than… Solana and what had happened.
As Loche’s soldier cleared his throat, Raine vowed to himself that even if he could never promise Frelina all the things he hoped to—he would do whatever he could to make her world a little bit better, even if it was with the last breath he took in this realm.
“There have been several attacks in Ellow,” Loche’s soldier said as silence fell across the group. “The… We had a ship come in this morning, Loche, and…” The birdlike mask dipped, and Raine’s skin pebbled.
“Tell me,” the regent forced out through gritted teeth.
“They destroyed the castle, regent. With some of your people inside.”
Raine was impressed that Loche didn’t stagger, even as his eyes filled with raw pain.
“How many?” he demanded as he cast first Zaddock a look, then Venko, who both seemed to understand his silent ask.
Venko walked over to Ardow and kissed his cheek, then picked up his cloak and joined Zaddock, who lingered by the door to listen to the final information before likely going to inform the council.
“A dozen townsfolk and two soldiers who tried to get them out.” The soldier wrung his hands.
“The other attacks were in smaller villages. All in the night, and in each case, the houses and taverns just… caved in. As if the stone itself made it happen. No one died in those villages, but people are afraid.”
“The Oakgards’,” Merrick mumbled as he locked eyes with Lessia. “It’s what they did during the battle. It appears as if they can mold nature—stone and wood and water.”
Raine blew out a harsh breath. He’d heard of the earth wielders, as the Oakgards’ called themselves, from Kerym and Thissian’s travels. They were not only desperate then but truly dangerous.
“That’s not all,” one of the Fae males interrupted. “It’s happened in Vastala too. We didn’t think much of it—only that it might be accidents, bad builds… but it’s happened too frequently, too spread out.”
“When?” Iviry said as she shared a look with Loche, and Raine was glad to see that the two leaders shared common ground on this at least, even if the love that should have driven it appeared to have been pushed aside.
“In the past weeks, we’ve counted twelve so far.” The male looked to the human soldiers before continuing. “We agree it seems to be accelerating. With the destruction of the castle… it appears they’re scaling up.”
“They’re almost ready, then,” Kerym said.
“They must be trying to distract us—spread us out thin,” Merrick added.
Iviry turned to them, her eyes bouncing between Merrick and Kerym before finding Raine’s. “Seems a plausible tactic, since they can’t know how many of us they’ll face in battle. Especially now, with Rioner gone.”
Raine mumbled a low agreement before stating, “We can’t let them. We need to stay together.”
“But we also need to protect our people,” Loche snapped. “I will not leave them to die.”
“Neither will I.” Iviry stepped closer to the regent, another moment of understanding passing between them, one that had Iviry’s eyes round for a moment before she gained control over her features again.
“We should use this as a moment to bring the people together,” Lessia said quietly.
Even with her soft tone, all heads turned her way—some, like Loche’s soldiers with their eyes peeking through their masks, with fear in them; some, like Iviry’s men, with hesitation.
But her little show earlier must have instilled enough respect that they remained quiet while Lessia continued speaking.
“Use Raine’s eagles to warn the guards still on Ellow and Vastala and ask them to spread the word of what’s coming and how we must fight back.
Then send delegations to all the harbors, and get anyone who can hold a weapon onto whatever ships and boats remain, bringing them to where we plan to fight.
For the ones who can’t, leave a group of your soldiers—give them instructions for where to hide.
But hopefully, having all the activity in the sea will draw them out. ”
Merrick stared at Lessia as if she’d fucking invented liquor, and it wasn’t only Raine who looked away as he kissed her far too passionately for this setting, before shooting her a grin and adding, “Keep some ships behind, hidden so they can accompany the ones coming from Vastala and Ellow. If the Oakgards’ try anything while they’re traveling, they’ll be in for a wicked surprise. ”
Loche looked from Lessia to Merrick, and his slow nod of agreement seemed to surprise Iviry, from the way her forehead twitched.
Still, the latter quickly smoothed out the wrinkle between her fiery brows as she said “Agreed.” With a nod to her men, she added, “Go tell the others. Get ready. We’ll need to leave tomorrow. ”
Venko followed the soldiers out after a quick look at Loche. Ardow seemed to hesitate, but then the man sprang from his seat, following his lover, with Amalise and Zaddock falling into step behind him.
“They’ll get the council informed,” Loche said when Frelina stared after them. “Then… I guess we need to deal with the prisoners tonight after all.”
He looked about as excited as Raine felt, but could anyone blame him?
Raine had heard from Kerym all about Loche’s mother being the shifter leader and what she’d said to him, and she didn’t seem like a woman someone wanted to try negotiating with.
“We’ll need them on our side,” Lessia reminded everyone, although it wasn’t just Raine’s brows that flew up when she added, “But we can’t risk anything. If we can’t trust someone… we’ll leave them behind.”
Loche inclined his head. “You’re right.” He met Merrick’s eyes briefly. “We’ll require your help with the Oakgards. We need to know what they know. With any means necessary.”
Merrick stared back at the regent before shifting to Kerym, who bowed his head, and then to Raine, who also made himself nod.
Torture… his least favorite thing. Especially fucking sober.
But he’d promised Frelina a better world. And even if she didn’t know of his vow, he’d do whatever the fuck he could to live up to it.
“Better not waste any more time, then,” Raine muttered as he stepped toward the door.
Lessia and Merrick shakily got up from the couch, and even though neither of them complained, something sharp pierced Raine’s heart when they had to lean against each other to be able to shuffle forward.
“Iviry,” Merrick called as the copper-haired leader went to take the lead toward the murky cellars where they’d left all the prisoners—the one where all walls were laced with Vincere, as it apparently had kept the shifters from changing forms and getting out during the war.
As Iviry turned around, she couldn’t hide the worry shooting across her face, but Merrick ignored it as he continued.
“We need to get to Vastala as soon as possible.” His grip on Elessia’s shoulders tightened for a second. “We’ll come back in time for the battle, I promise you that. But… we need to go.”
Iviry was quiet for a second, and Loche was the one who ended up responding as her eyes flew across the group, the same worry Raine shared darkening her blues. “Take as much time as you need. We owe you everything.”
“I’ll stay. I know Kerym needs to go with them,” Raine surprised himself by blurting out. “But I’ll… stay and help. So will Frelina. We’ll make sure everyone knows you have our support.”
Frelina’s nostrils flared, but before Raine could defend his reasoning, Elessia spoke up. “Thank you. Frelina, I… I need your help to represent the half-Fae. I… I would stay, but if I… if something happens, I won’t be too helpful anyway.”
“Elessia,” Frelina said, and there was so much pain and love in that one word that tears clouded Raine’s eyes, and a sound that twisted like a knife in his heart escaped Merrick.
“I know,” Elessia whispered as she hugged Merrick closer. “But you can do this, Lina. I know you can.”
Raine couldn’t help but reach out for the younger sister when she pushed off the wall, but Frelina shook off his hand, instead nodding as she sidled up beside Iviry.
“She’ll take your place in the council.” Iviry eyed Frelina first, then moved her gaze to her sister.
That strange mixture of awe and something else that Raine had seen touch her eyes before when Iviry stared at Elessia murked it.
“I… we have a water wielder that has similar powers to those that Rioner had. You may take him with you so you can travel fast.”
“Thank you.” Elessia’s voice was stronger than it should have been for someone who was preparing for her death—setting everything up for a world she had fought so hard for but might not end up seeing.
Once again, Raine struggled against the emotions choking his throat. And even though Frelina tried to escape him, he firmly clasped her hand in his, and he made sure his thought pierced the wall she kept up to prevent his mind from connecting with hers.
I’ll be right there by your side, Frelina. I know I’m a fucking idiot, but even if it costs me my life, I’ll make sure you’ll live to see the world your sister envisioned.