Chapter 39 #2
“We better end this, and soon,” Lyriasthe sighed, slumping back in her seat. “I don’t want to die. I don’t want to see countless others die. But I understand now that sometimes violence is the only way to force peace.”
Sylaira reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “Thank you for showing me that too.”
Lyriasthe nodded, but the muscles in her face remained tense. As did Sylaira’s. Neither of them had been on a battlefield—physically, at least, when it came to my mate’s visions. Neither had swung a sword in defense of their realm.
And now, they were forgoing everything they’d believed to help save it.
But weren’t we all?
Heavy footsteps pounded the hall, and I whirled toward the entry, hand flying instinctively toward the dagger strapped to my thigh.
With powerful strides, Oshenai barged into the room, pausing at the threshold.
Raindrops dotted his shoulders and locks of white hair.
Like he’d just emerged from the depths of the ocean and was ready to crack his maw and swallow us whole.
“Issaraeth,” he boomed, but his attention flicked over every one of us. “I believe you owe me an explanation now.”
I flexed my fingers and forced composure over myself. “Thank you for joining us, Oshenai.”
He lifted a stark white brow. “Now that you’ve had time to discuss how to handle me?”
Fuck.
“I do not take kindly to being deceived.” His eyes narrowed on me, then on Maelsar. “While my faith is absolute, my belief in you four is not, especially after what I witnessed.”
I hooked my thumbs together at my forehead and bowed from my shoulders. “Forgive me, Chieftain. After our ordeal in Sivy, we are finding it hard to trust those outside our circle.”
He scrutinized me as I dropped my hands. I resisted the urge to look away, to hide the new color of my eye. I’d only met the male a few days ago, but the changes in my appearance were far more noticeable than I liked.
I braced for Oshenai to mention it. Instead, he speared straight to the point of his visit. “Your mate mentioned that the Koron placed those threads in your skin. And then you chose to remove them without their permission, I assume.”
I exhaled, long and slow, before replying. “Not by the Koron’s hand, but by his order, yes, they were placed there. And yes, we chose to defy the crown and remove them.”
“Why would he demand such a thing?” Oshenai asked.
I tilted my head. “Did you not hear?”
“Hear what?”
“About the trial by light.”
He dropped his arms with preternatural slowness. “I did not. Why was the Goddess’s judgment needed?”
“House Elyriane and House R?viel had a disagreement over my mate,” I explained, skipping over the details about my betrothal and how I’d attacked my future father-by-law for hurting Sylaira.
“Zarethiel called for a trial by light. The Koron made it clear that under no circumstances was I supposed to win.”
Oshenai frowned, disgust twisting his features. “Meddling with the will of the divine. Shameful.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Maelsar’s subtle nod. The chieftain’s faith might be the thing that pushed him toward us instead of away from us.
“Indeed. I did my best to let him win, including sustaining several injuries. However, our Radiant Mother is not to be made a fool, and by Her divine order, She declared me in the right of our conflict. For that embarrassment to House Elyriane, and also to the Koron, he ordered my magic locked away,” I continued, playing into the holiness of the trial.
“And we’ve had two keepers to ensure that we didn’t try to remove them,” Sylaira added, lifting her chin. “Which was why we waited until we had the privacy of the manor to attempt it.”
“Althirion and Nymirae. You instructed my warriors to keep them away. Now I understand why.” Oshenai took a few steps toward the table and scanned the map. “And how do I believe this isn’t a ploy to use my warriors as your personal army?”
I smothered a wince—because that was exactly what we needed to ask of him.
If we could frame it in a way that made it more theological and less political, perhaps he’d be more amenable to it.
Or if there was something we could offer him in return.
If we’d only had a few minutes more to discuss what that could have been…
“Because I wouldn’t abandon my duty to this realm,” I stated, dropping back into a chair beside Maelsar like I wasn’t afraid of the threat he posed. “While removing the collar from my magic might appear that way, I can assure you that it is in fact quite the opposite.”
“How?” Oshenai questioned, mirroring me and taking the seat at the head of the table and steepling his fingers.
“The realm is under threat, from within and without. We need strong, powerful leaders to ensure the survival of our race. If my sister and her husband choose to hide behind the walls of Thalvireth Palace rather than take action, so be it. But I will no longer be passive in this fight.”
Oshenai studied me like he had the intuition of a Seer and could discern any deception from me. I remained locked with him, unwavering in my resolve.
“I am quite appalled by their decisions. Mates are the highest blessing from our Radiant Mother. More so than your ice-blue irises or your Sight,” he said, indicating Sylaira and me.
“My duty is to her above all else. Keeping the realm alive means keeping her alive to me,” I told him.
He nodded, picking up a marker at Eloi and moving it toward the wall. “We have a Seer in the Hatha Islands as well.”
Maelsar choked, quickly covering it with a cough. “You do?”
“We do,” Oshenai confirmed, shooting me a pointed glare. “I know it was your duty to hunt them down for many years.”
“It was.” Anxiety nipped at my nerves. Perhaps he believed our actions unholy, in direct violation to the way the Hathi practiced their religion.
“We kept her hidden and her magic carefully guarded. She is not as powerful as many, but she Sees enough,” Oshenai tossed out like he was baiting the waters.
“Like what?” Sylaira asked, studying the islander with new focus.
“Tell me one of yours and I will tell you one of hers,” he said, a subtle challenge in his tone.
Unease drifted down our bond.