Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Neve
“The Asterans have passed our borders and violated our treaty, and the human queen is missing,” Eyri stated, adjusting his spectacles on his nose —a nervous habit. “Surely, there is a better course of action than war.”
Neve stayed silent, letting his council discuss it among themselves.
There was only one choice now.
The humans had made it so. His niliave had made it so.
A thread of hate tightened around his hearts, battling with the bond. She’d caused this. He rubbed at his chest, focus turning to the prior general.
Warrin tossed his hands in the air. “And what would that be?”
“Anything that our people won’t pay in blood,” Eyri challenged, his voice rising slightly. The king’s studious cousin shuffled the missives on the table as if to compose himself. “There has to be another way,” he murmured softly.
Neve wished there was another way.
The silvering prior general sagged in his seat before crossing his arms. “I want there to be another way. War isn’t something any of you have lived through.
” He nodded his head to Neve. “Despite what you’ve been through, sire, war is like nothing you’ve ever lived.
I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but we can’t allow the saloes to continue their games.
They must be stopped before they devour our kingdom whole. ”
“Does anyone else find it interesting . . .” Neve tried not to scowl at Bacti.
There was something about the smug pretty male that made his skin crawl.
Bacti steepled his lavender fingers and rested his elbows on the iridescent crystal table.
“. . . that our dear queen was kidnapped at the same time our king was almost killed?”
Neve didn’t flinch or show any emotion.
Other than Flyka, Olwen, and Eyri, no one else knew the extent of the queen’s crimes.
His court could only speculate. It would have been easy to throw the valles to the wolves and have her hunted throughout Loriia.
But he didn’t want some murderous vigilante taking her life before he got his hands on her.
There were questions she needed to answer.
No, her death didn’t serve him right now.
She deserved suffering. And he couldn’t wait to exact it from the little human. His mate would feel what he felt—the hopelessness, the pain, the fear, and the betrayal.
And . . . there was the grim fact that it had been Neve’s choice to marry a human.
He’d brought the viper among them. His position as king was precarious as it was.
Making the queen look like a victim for the time being was the right choice, or all of this could blow back on him—a pretty little human shaped noose around his neck.
“What are you insinuating?” Neve asked, his tone dark and dangerous.
Bacti had the good sense to drop the smile off his face and lean back in his chair.
He held his hands up, lantern light playing about his face.
“Just that the attack on our beloved kingdom was coordinated. Someone close to you was able to hurt you and take the queen.” He slid his gaze toward Flyka and then Eyri, before slyly meeting Neve’s gaze again.
“I think there is more at play here than meets the eye.”
What a clever little devil.
In one fell swoop, Bacti had managed to cast suspicion on Neve’s closest advisors and friends.
It was a good thing Neve truly knew who tried to assassinate him.
But his council didn’t.
He slowly rose to his feet and pressed his palms onto the table. “It’s true, I was attacked in my own home, and the reilleve was abducted. She must be found and brought home before the Asterans cause any more damage.”
Eyri stopped writing and laid down his pen. “Do you think the Asterans will retreat once we’ve discovered the queen? Alive?”
All gazes turned to Neve.
“I do not know,” he answered.
His late father’s closest councilor, Eira, brushed her snow-white hair from her face, dark gaze looking worried. “Either the humans facilitated this or someone else is pulling the strings.” Her weathered face creased even deeper. “I think I prefer the devil we know.”
“And we know for certain the woman found along the border wasn’t the queen?” Warrin questioned gruffly.
“We reviewed the reports of the body. We don’t believe it was the queen.”
He’d seen the sketches himself. The blend of colors on her legs wasn’t right. It wasn’t Dahlia, but a lookalike.
“What if she’s all cozy in the Asteran palace?” Bacti cut in. “What if this is all just a ruse?”
Neve hung his head, praying to keep his composure. “Then we will find out soon enough. But for now, the queen is a victim. Leave me.” He glanced at Warrin. “Wait outside. We must discuss the war efforts.”
The older giant nodded, bowed, and swept from the room, followed by everyone but Flyka and Eyri. The door clicked shut, and the king all but collapsed onto his simple throne. He pressed his palms against his eyes and took in several deep breaths.
“Please tell me you have word of the queen?” He dropped his hands and stared blearily at Flyka.
“Not quite. It’s as if they have disappeared.” Flyka toyed with the tip of her dagger before sheathing it and meeting Neve’s gaze with a frown. “The nonnae that fled with the queen knows how to hide. I traced her to the border near the Sapphire Mines, but their trail went cold there.”
“Did she make it over the border?”
“I don’t think so,” Flyka replied.
“Why?” Eyri asked. “It makes sense for the princess to return home and to her parents.”
He thought back to the interaction between the Asteran monarchs and their traitorous daughter.
It didn’t seem like there was a bond between them.
Not that he remembered much of anything other than being so angry at taking a human wife.
He had begun to admire her resilience, strength of character, and tenacity.
Somewhere along their journey, he’d lost the hate for the saloes, and started to fall in love with her.
You’re pathetic. You can’t even think of her name without crumbling.
“There’s more at play than meets the eye,” Flyka commented. “Plus, Serenity is traveling with them. Certainly, a bird of that size would be noticed by someone. Not one of my spies has had a report of an astrylle following a human.”
Eyri pulled his glasses from his face and pinched the bridge of his slim nose. “How does a nonnae know how to disappear into thin air? Loshika is a healer, not a spy.”
Neve stared at his cousin. It was almost like staring in the mirror, except Eyri was softer around the edges and his hair was more navy than black. That’s what he liked about his cousin. Eyri was the compassion to Neve’s strength.
“That is the very question I have been asking myself.” Flyka bit her bottom lip, eyes narrowing in concentration. “They must have had help.”
The declaration settled over them like a heavy blanket.
“Who were her friends?” Eyri asked softly.
Neve blinked slowly. Friends? He couldn’t think of anyone except Loshika. Flyka arched a brow at him, and he flushed in embarrassment. Had he been that wrapped up in his kingdom that he didn’t know whom his wife associated with?
“She spent much time with the servants. Dahlia was constantly skulking around the palace. She made friends in the kitchen, stables, scullery, and laundry. Her lady’s maids liked her well enough too,” Flyka drawled.
“So, it could be anyone,” Neve growled.
“We don’t need a witch hunt on our hands,” Eyri commented, stacking his notes from the meeting.
“Agreed.” He huffed and shot a look at Flyka. “I presume you already have your army of spies at work?”
“I do. We’ll find her.”
“And if she’s in Astera?”
His Haunt smiled at him, but it wasn’t pretty. “Then I’ll drag her back by her hair if I must.”
“And if she’s in Loriia?”
“Then we’ll find her soon enough.”
“Put up posters,” Eyri volunteered, stoppering his ink.
“We don’t want anyone branding her a criminal before we can get to her,” Flyka replied.
Eyri rolled his eyes. “Obviously. Spread posters of the queen in the south. Don’t say who she is, just that she’s a missing person that is important to the crown. Offer a fortune for information. Surely, if she’s in Loriia, Dahlia will be caught by a helpful citizen.”
Neve closed his eyes at her name, his rage, hurt, and need all stirred up together.
“And if someone from the palace recognizes her?” Flyka retorted. “It will change everything. Right now, people believe her to be the victim. What happens if they find out she’s the problem?”
“We don’t post them here. Our people won’t be traveling to the south due to unrest. It will be safe to post them there.
Plus, they can speculate all they want. The truth is that the humans have invaded and are blaming us for the queen’s death.
That should take up most of their attention at the moment.
People rarely look past what is presented to them,” Eyri explained.
“An astute observation,” Neve commented.
Eyri shrugged. “It’s just facts.”
The Haunt huffed. “Fine, but we brand the nonnae as a traitor.” Flyka traced a line down her cheek. “She’ll be noticed with such distinct scars.”
Neve pursed his lips, some of his anxiety abating. He wasn’t alone in this mess. He nodded to his cousin. “I have some things I still need to discuss with you. Come to dinner tonight?”
Eyri slid his spectacles on again and nodded. “I will be there.”
Neve pushed away from the table and left his friends in the council room. He nodded to Warrin, who fell into step with him along with two warriors. “What do you have for me?”
Warrin cast a glance at Flyka who ghosted quietly behind them—his constant companion since the assassination attempt. The old general turned his attention back to Neve.
“Olwen arrived with another hundred warriors. They pushed the Asterans back south but not completely across the Roan River. Some took shelter in the Sapphire Mines. They didn’t pursue them. Combat in such close quarters is too dangerous.”
The lanterns flickered softly against the shiny black onyx walls as they reached the nearest intersection that led down to the training yards. Neve took a right toward them. He needed to blow off some steam. He felt like he was about to explode.
“Wise. Anything else?”
Warrin blinked his silver eyes slowly and released a long breath. “Humans aren’t the only ones we need to be worried about.”
Neve’s jaw flexed. “The Northerners.”
“Precisely. They weren’t happy about the marriage in the first place, and now with this mess, they want someone to blame. The chieftain’s son is stirring them up.”
“And that someone is me.” He knew this was coming. They’d been fighting him since he was crowned. “What would you suggest?”
“Someone needs to treat with them. Preferably you, but I know that’s not a possibility at this time. They are a threat that needs to be dealt with before it is too late.”
The old general wasn’t wrong. He couldn’t ignore the Northerners. “Then you will go in my place.”
Warrin’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he nodded once in agreement. Always the good soldier. “It would be my honor, sire.” A long pause.
“But?” Neve urged.
“But I’m just an old battle-ax. Eyri is much better suited for diplomacy, my lord.”
“True, which is why I need him here. I will head for the battle front . . . and soon.” He stopped and clasped Warrin on the shoulder. “The Northerners do not need a soft touch. They need a hammer to the skull. You will be my champion.”
The older giant slowly smiled. “That I can do, sire.”
“I know. Take whomever you need. Squash any challenges. May you be successful.”
Warrin bowed low, his long white braid sliding over his shoulder and almost touching the floor. “And may you defeat the human scourge at their own game.”
Neve bared his teeth in a feral smile. “I chose peace, and they repaid me in betrayal and blood. I will bring vengeance down upon them that their ancestors will feel.”