Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Clay
Idid trust her.
So help me, I trusted every single word that fell out of her mouth, and each one filled me with more terror than I could ever admit.
I moved in an instant, wrapping my blackened fingers around her arm and practically dragging her out of the room after me.
Elaina followed only steps behind, hollering my name with a chastising tone as we rushed through the halls of the house.
Camilla didn’t protest or fight me, even as I felt the dampness of her tears falling onto my fingertips as I pushed open the door to my room and led her to the desk. I threw papers out of the way, spreading the large map of Athenia onto the surface and smoothing it.
“Show me where,” I told her, working hard to keep my voice steady even as it threatened to tremble.
“You...” She turned her wide brown eyes up at mine. “You believe me?”
I could only nod, fear stealing away my voice. I tapped the map purposefully, drawing her attention back down to it.
Elaina skidded to a halt at the doorframe, her eyes instantly scanning over Camilla before she came to stand before us.
“I don’t know,” Camilla confessed, staring down.
“Try,” I begged.
“I saw trees.” She frowned, brows furrowing as she thought. “We were in the woods. In the distance, though, I think I saw brick houses. Maybe. It was confusing.”
Elaina’s head jerked towards her. “You saw them? You had a prophecy?”
No.
A witch’s prophecy was more likely to come true than not. I refused to believe that Camilla had seen a prophecy of Thea’s death. I would not lose my Goddess.
There had to be another reason she knew this.
Camilla shook her head, releasing a shuddering breath. “No, I don’t think so. I haven’t been using my magic, and it felt different. I can’t explain it. It was as if—“
“Camilla.” I couldn’t keep the bite out of my voice as I slammed my index finger onto the map for a third time. “I need you to tell me where she is.”
There would be plenty of time for us to decipher what had happened and why, but only after I knew Thea was safe.
Camilla’s tongue darted over her lips, nervously wetting them. Without another word, she closed her eyes and took a deep inhale. Wrinkles formed on her brow as she concentrated, and as she pursed her lips, she leaned forward, pressing both of her palms flat on the map.
We waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And when Camilla lurched forward, lashes fluttering open and finger slamming down confidently, her wide eyes were completely white.
"There!"
Elaina gasped, rushing forward as Camilla fell weightlessly into my arms. She blinked rapidly, and her eyes returned to that dark color I knew so well.
“There,” she panted, struggling to find her balance once more. “She’s there.”
I met Elaina’s gaze over the top of Camilla’s head. Elaina’s face was startlingly pale, her lip quivering with worry. As gently as I could, I passed Camilla into her waiting arms, and she moved to support Camilla’s weight.
She was barely out of my arms for more than a moment before I started moving.
“Clayton!” Elaina cried. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get her!”
I glanced briefly back at the map. If I threw everything I had into my flight, I could get there in under an hour. I prayed that would be fast enough.
“We should make a plan first,” Elaina insisted, her eyes burning with passion as she helped lower Camilla into my desk chair.
“Trust me, I have a plan.”
Find Thea. Kill everyone who tries to keep her from me.
It was a fairly simple plan, but it would be effective.
I turned towards the window. The walk to the front door seemed too far. I’d save a few minutes if I just jumped straight into the air from here. Wasting any time at all was stupid while she was in danger.
When she needed me.
I had let her down once before, left her behind in that castle to suffer at the hands of Hyrax and Caldrius. I wouldn't let any amore harm come to her.
Elaina reached out to stop me, her own fingertips as black as mine. “You need to take reinforcements with you! You don’t even know what you’re walking into.”
She was probably right, but if the fear on Camilla’s face was any indication, there wasn’t any time to gather reinforcements. I needed to go to her now.
“Think like a king!” Elaina screamed when I turned towards the window once more and something inside of me broke.
That edge of my sanity that had been fraying more and more each time I had to balance my title with my love for her snapped.
“I am!” I roared back at her, raising my voice at her for the first time in my life, painfully aware of how wildly desperate I sounded.
“I am thinking like a king, Elaina. Athenia needs Thea right now. Not only is she the best asset we have in this war, but I swear to you right now that if that woman dies, I will destroy this kingdom myself.”
Her eyes widened as she stumbled back, not able to believe the confession that had just poured from my panicked lips.
But Gods, it was true.
As much as it shouldn’t be, it was. There was no point to any of this without her.
I didn’t want this kingdom or this crown without her.
I didn’t want to live without her.
And so without her... there would be nothing else.
I jumped from the window, glass shattering around me as my dragon tore out of my human form, and the sound of my wings beating in the air was like thunderous promises that I was on my way. I was coming for her.