3. Order of Attack
3
ORDER OF ATTACK
ELDRIN
A fter a long while sitting by myself to sort out my battling thoughts and emotions, Merlara finally dares to join me. She wraps her cloak tightly around her slim form, sits down facing me, and leans against a sizable boulder. Her gaze practically bores into my skull.
I have a feeling she wishes to talk, but I’m not sure I want to speak to her. I turn my attention away from her and gaze off in the direction of Wyn, Oakes, and Jaden, feeling disconnected from everything.
They were quiet, but I know they made love to help our beautiful mate to relax and sleep. I envy their ability to soothe her. I wish I could have joined them, but I must remain focused on my goals. Then, when I have made everything safe for them, I can enjoy Wyn’s love, grow my brother-bond with Oakes, and possibly explore a deeper connection with Jaden.
But today is not that day.
My mind is spinning. Everything is out of control. Why does it feel like I’m the only one trying to fix it all?
Merlara coughs, and I whip my head back to glare at Wyn’s former keeper. Even at five hundred years old, she still appears in her prime.
I bristle when I look at her. The bladesmith used Wyn as a servant in a foundry. All those years Wyn should have lived in Ryven Castle with me. I would have been there to protect her, wouldn’t I? Would I have seen her, sensed she would be my fated mate, and kept her safe? I will never know.
I remind myself that it wasn’t Merlara that abducted Wyn as a baby, but she did obey my father’s orders and kept Wyn out of sight all this time.
“Go on, Your Highness,” Merlara encourages me with a cocked brow. “I know you have something on your mind that you wish to say to me.”
“How dare you use my mate as a slave all these years?” I spit out.
“To be fair, she wasn’t your mate then.” Merlara shrugs. “What was I supposed to do? Say no to your father, my king ? He had my mate killed to prove his seriousness.”
I blink and allow my anger to cool. “I… I’m sorry he did that. I would never…”
“I don’t believe that you would,” Merlara agrees. “At least, not now, not when you have Wynstelle by your side.”
I take another look at Wyn, warm and fast asleep in my advisors’ arms. “Did you ever care about Wynstelle?”
“Always.” Merlara sighs, gazing up into the morning light. “More than I should have. She was a captivating child, always curious, playful, and generous. Even when we had little to eat, she would always offer some to the flower faeries.”
“Wyn has a kind heart.” I rub my face in frustration. “I worry that it’s too kind for what we will have to do.”
“I worry about the same.” Merlara tightens her cloak around her again and notes the guards posted, looking outward from our temporary camp for any potential threat to us. “Should I take her away and keep her safe again?”
“No!” I jump to my feet defensively, insulted by the implication that I cannot keep my mate safe. I loom over Merlara, my hands clench at my sides. “Don’t you ever suggest that again.”
My guards look over with concern, ready to rush to my side.
Merlara holds her hands out in a placating motion. “Forgive me. It was only an idea. Apparently, one you are not fond of.” She darts her gaze briefly at Wyn, still asleep, and notices Jaden’s piercing glower directed at us. “I thought you might want her far away from this danger.”
“I do!” I throw my hands in the air in surrender. “But if I let her out of my sight, they could find her, use her, and hurt her. I would have no control and no way to protect her.”
“You barely have control now,” Merlara dares to argue, “even over your own emotions.”
I huff deeply over and over, reining in my chaotic emotions. She’s right. I am a mess, but I don’t need it pointed out to me. “Hold your tongue. I may allow Wyn liberties with me, but that kindness does not extend to you.”
“Understood, Your Highness,” Merlara says as she bows her head. “I was only concerned for your well-being in the coming conflicts.”
I clench my jaw, preventing myself from lashing out at her again. Instead, I turn on my heel and storm away, calling to Jaden, “Come. We need to plan.”
Jaden gingerly disentangles himself from Wyn’s arms and rushes over to me. “I am curious about what kind of plan you have come up with.”
“I don’t have much, except for the order of attack. First, deal with the ghouls. Second, Turgon’s entranced soldiers. Third, King Nathaniel. And then…” I suck in a breath, my veins icing over at the thought.
“Then you wish to remove your father from the throne,” Jaden finishes for me with a quiet voice.
We both know it will come to that, but it’s dangerous for anyone to admit the deed out loud. It’s dangerous to attempt it. My father has centuries of training and experience on his side.
I nod with a grim expression. “You know I don’t want this. I don’t want to kill anyone. Not even him, even after all he has done to my mate and to the realms. I don’t want to be king—not for decades or centuries yet. But he has left me no choice but to try.”
“I understand your anger, but we need to be smart about this,” Jaden cautions.
I narrow my eyes at him. “You still believe I’m the young fool you trained for all these years, but I’m not. I have something worthwhile to fight for now.” I focus on Wyn’s sleeping form, cradled in Oakes’ arms. “I can’t afford to make a mess of things.”
“No, you can’t,” Jaden says, not hiding the warning in his voice. “We can’t put her in more danger, either.”
“I don’t think we can avoid danger anymore, not that we ever really could. Wyn has been abducted twice already.” I raise an eyebrow at my security advisor, challenging him in turn. “You yourself didn’t evade that fate, even with your extensive training and skill.”
“I was distracted when she went missing,” Jaden grumbles. His face is pained as he obviously remembers how he was captured by the human rebels while trying to save Wyn. “You don’t need to remind me how horribly I failed her.”
“But we fucking need to be reminded!” I snap and grit my teeth. “This entire war is going to ruin all our lives—the elves, the humans, all the creatures under our protection. But mostly, it will affect Wyn and her relationship with us. How can we go on happily with our mate bond when our realms are at war?”
“No. We can’t live our lives if this war happens. We won’t be able to hide either,” Jaden agrees and rubs his face in frustration.
Satisfied he understands why I’m so focused, I return to our strategy. “Now, on to the ghouls…” I tap my fingers on my leg, trying to think of a way to stop their destruction in the mortal realm.
“They can’t survive in this realm much longer.” My advisor frowns, and says hesitantly, “Maybe simply we let them die off.”
“No. I don’t want them to die,” I say firmly. “This isn’t their fault. I know you hate that they attacked Wyn, but they’re being manipulated by a spell, then and now. They are victims in all this, too.”
Jaden’s strong jaw flutters with irritation. “You didn’t see how they ripped her apart.” He takes a deep breath and concedes, “But you are right.”
“We need to break the spell now before any more humans get hurt.”
“I don’t see how. This magic user is powerful, as Mage Neven mentioned. And if I had to guess, I’d say the same Mage Weaver who bonded Wyn and Twyla in their changeling probably performed the ghoul spell.”
I glare at Merlara across the camp. “Do you think she knows anything about the Mage Weaver?”
“Unlikely.” Jaden shakes his head, then scratches at the whiskers on his chin. “Wyn must have been brought to Merlara as a baby after the changeling spell was cast.”
“Hmm.” I let that line of questioning drop. “Any suggestions how to round up a bunch of enchanted ghouls without getting us all killed?”
“The only thing that might work is your influencer magic, but I doubt it will make a dent in whatever spell is on them,” Jaden grumbles.
“I can’t stand this!” I shout, waking Wyn and Oakes.
Wyn scrambles into Oakes’ arms, thinking that there’s a potential threat. Then her gaze falls on me while I’m still fuming.
“What happened?” Wyn asks as she staggers to get up and make sure I’m alright.
Guilt floods me. I shouldn’t be stressing her out more than she is. Her human constitution is more fragile than elves.
I hurry over to her and sweep her into my arms. With my hand, I cradle her head to my chest. “I’m sorry I startled you awake, but I just can’t wait any longer to save our realms—to ensure your safety.”
Wyn wraps her arms around my waist and pulls me close. “I understand. Let’s go save our worlds.”