Chapter 57
JACE
“You did what?” I slam my hands down on the table separating me from Serena.
“My reaction exactly.” Zadyn leans by the council room door—arms crossed, a scowl on his face.
“Is this some kind of fucking joke?”
“Yes. My sense of humor’s gotten much darker since the last time you saw me.” Her eyes roll. “This is called compromise.”
“You are not going with him! It’s out of the gods-damned question.”
“You and Zadyn seem to forget that this is my decision. Not yours.”
“Masochism doesn’t suit you, witch.” I shove off the table, raking a hand through my hair and staring up at the ceiling.
Gods, give me strength.
“Look, I’ve thought about this long and hard, and this is the best solution. We avoid a war if I go with him. All you have to do is bend the knee.”
“Oh, is that all?!” I fight the urge to pound my fist through the wall. “If you think I will ever call that black-hearted mongrel king—if you think I will surrender Derek’s kingdom, go against my honor, my blood-oath to my king to grovel at that bastard’s feet…you don’t know me. At all.”
Serena stands there, a crease between her brows. “I won’t see Derek’s kingdom destroyed because of me either, Jace. But sometimes self-preservation is worth the price of your honor. Honor doesn’t keep you alive. It’s usually the thing that gets you killed fastest.”
A long silence hangs in the air.
“Swearing my allegiance is out of the question,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Then we figure out a way to end him before it comes to that.”
“I’m assuming that look in your eye means you have some sort of plan?”
Her shoulder lifts. “I’m going to kill him.”
I laugh. “That’s cute. Real fucking cute.”
“I’m serious. If I marry him, I’ll be close enough for him to let his guard down. I can find the star and cut off his access to the portal.”
“What makes you think he won’t lock you up in blood ore chains the second he gets you alone?”
“Because I won’t allow it to happen. As long as I’m giving him what he wants, he won’t lock me up.”
“And what’s that? World’s best pussy?”
I wince as soon as the words leave my mouth. My skin heats to the point of discomfort. I can’t even peel my eyes off the floor to meet hers. “I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry, I’m so—”
“No need to apologize to the whore trying to save the kingdom.” A bitter smirk plays on her lips. Zadyn lets out a long breath, shaking his head as he stares at the ground.
“Serena,” I say, moving to her.
Her hand shoots up, stopping me. “I don’t have the time to be offended by your crude comments. So just save it.”
You managed to do it again, asshole. Managed to widen that gap that you so beautifully installed between you in the first place.
I drop the hand reaching for her as she starts again, “And as a matter of fact, I do have a few ideas.”
“What ideas?” Zadyn crosses to us, perching on the table.
“We need all the power we can muster. Which means you have to do something you might not like.” She glances at me.
“I’ll do anything.”
“You need to marry Sorscha and perform the Bloodfast with her.”
It’s like being doused in ice water. I take a step back, my heart sinking.
“Before you say no, hear me out. If you do this, both you and Sorscha will inherit Derek’s gifts.”
It’s bad enough that Serena never answered my proposal before she left. Now, apparently, it’s just getting swept under the rug like it never happened.
“She’s right,” Zadyn admits.
Of course, you’d like that, wouldn’t you, I refrain from snapping.
“That gives us two more major weapons. Then we write to the other kingdoms and try to gather whatever aid we can. Once Kylian is done with Aegar, he will reach for them as well. I’m guessing they’ll be more than willing since this affects them too.”
“Hyrax is already in. Eaton guaranteed his father’s aid,” Zadyn provides.
“And what if all that isn’t enough? What if this goes wrong? Be realistic for a moment. Two weeks is not much time. Not at all.” My words are a plea, a plea for her to see reason—to see how losing her again would be the end of me.
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Zadyn. I will end him with my bare hands if I have to. And I will do it before he can take this kingdom and the others. But I will not sit by and watch my home, watch my family burn.”
The fire in her lavender eyes is staggering. So is her unwavering resolve.
Forcing a swallow down my throat, I nod.
Because what choice do I have but to follow her lead?
This is not the girl I plucked out of the Bone Forest. The girl I spent months sharpening into a weapon. This is not even the girl who kissed me under the stars at solstice.
The person before me is a warrior. A queen.
Resolute and determined.
How can I refuse her? How can I do anything but worship at her feet?