Chapter 25
Riding through the snowy mountains took longer than they expected.
What should have taken a day took three.
It was faster to cut through the Human Kingdom to reach Vale, the Mountain Kingdom capital, so they decided to stop and visit Nathaniel and Franny.
While there, a big storm hit, forcing them to stay in Friya for several days.
Clover would be lying if she said it was terrible. She, Sariah, Ruth, and Amos had found a cozy little inn, spending their days laughing and catching up with Nathaniel and Franny. It had been a while since they’d had time to talk without an agenda to be addressed.
Overhauling a corrupt kingdom wasn’t done overnight. It might never be done in Clover’s lifetime, if ever. Just because the people in charge were making changes didn’t mean the citizens would follow.
The effects of corruption in the Desert Kingdom ran deep, affecting most citizens, especially those society overlooked. Women were just the tip of the iceberg.
What Clover was most excited about was expanding schools and building more so girls could attend too.
She would ensure that all lowborn families were given the aid they needed so their children could attend as well.
Some lowborns were forced to pull their boys out of school at a young age so that they could work and help provide for the family.
The crown had a sickening amount of money they were meant to use to protect their citizens, not funnel it to the rich while the poor struggled and suffered. The fact that the past kings ignored their people’s needs was inexcusable.
But for a few days, their group put those worries aside and enjoyed each other’s company.
Clover felt Amos’ apprehension as they approached the Mountain Kingdom border. He hadn’t admitted how nervous he was to meet Amelia, but she could feel it anyway.
“Halt,” one of the border guards said, approaching their party. “Names and permits.”
Permits were required to cross all borders, but they weren’t difficult to get. They were free and used to keep track of who came and went across the borders.
Unless you lived in the Desert Kingdom. In the Desert Kingdom, women weren’t permitted to leave without a man to escort them, and the permits were expensive with too many hoops to jump through to obtain one. Because of this, most women and lowborns never left the kingdom.
Amos had obtained permits and false identification documents for Clover and her family years ago, and the Desert border guards nearest Dragon Village were Hydra anyway.
“Amos Stratton, Desert King,” Amos said, handing him his documents.
The guard took the papers and scanned them quickly. “Welcome to the Mountain Kingdom, Your Grace.” He waved their group through, and went back to his post.
They were just outside the Vale border when an arrow zinged past Amos’ head and embedded in a nearby tree. Amos and Sariah drew swords from their saddles, while Ruth and Clover drew their daggers.
None of them moved. Was it a stray arrow from a hunter, or an attack?
A small group of rebels appeared from behind the trees, swords raised as they ran at them from both sides.
Only one had a bow, and when he took aim at their group, Clover threw her dagger, driving it into his neck.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered that she’d just killed a person for the first time.
Everyone jumped from their horses to meet the rebels head-on. Clover used her other dagger to cut Eddy free from the sling on her chest.
“Protect Clover,” Amos bellowed, and if she hadn’t been distracted by the rebel running at her, Clover would have been hurt and furious in equal measure. After everything they’d been through, he still didn’t believe in her enough to fight beside him.
Ruth and Sariah ignored the new king, not even so much as glancing at Clover as they fought.
She could protect herself just as well as they could.
Clover wasn’t so prideful that she would refuse help if needed, but the rebels’ skill couldn’t hold a candle to the Hydra, and she was Hydra through and through.
The sound of metal clanging mixed with shouts and grunts and the squelch of blade meeting flesh as the groups battled. It didn’t take long before the rebels littered the ground.
Clover counted the bodies. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
There were only seven. Why attack with such small numbers?
Why would they attack them at all? There was no way they knew who Amos was.
The border guards hadn’t even known. She knelt beside the closest rebel to dig through their pockets for a missive or some kind of clue, but Amos appeared at her side to check her over.
Him yelling for the others to protect her surged to the forefront of her mind, and she slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
Amos’ brows bent. “I need to make sure you’re okay. Why does that piss you off?”
“You’re not checking Ruth or Sariah,” she snapped. “You didn’t ask me to protect them either even though I took out the archer.”
Realization hit him and he dropped his arms to his side. “I’m sorry.”
His apology took her off guard. She’d been prepared for him to defend himself or try to reason with her. “Thank you for apologizing.”
He reached for her again, but she moved away. “That doesn’t mean I forgive you. After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t see me as your equal.”
The sound of approaching horses cut off whatever he’d been about to say, and the four of them whirled to face the newcomers.
Clover forced herself not to react when she saw a mountain of a man sitting atop a fae shire horse, his expression severe.
He was ruggedly handsome with dark hair, lightly tanned skin, and light eyes that stood out in stark contrast, though from here, she couldn’t tell what color they were.
Dark stubble covered his defined jaw, and somehow, Clover knew this was the Mountain King.
Good for you, Amelia, she thought appreciatively. Rennick wasn’t as good looking as Amos, but no one was.
“Amos,” Rennick greeted gruffly, surveying the carnage. He dismounted, followed by the guards with him. “Is anyone hurt?”
Amos reluctantly looked away from Clover and glanced at Sariah and Ruth, who shook their heads. “No. We were ambushed, but the attack was unorganized and sloppy.”
“They’re Mountain rebels,” one of the men with Rennick said. He had a tall, muscular build, warm umber skin, and a shaved head. “Why would they lie in wait for the Desert King?”
“I don’t think they knew I was the king,” Amos replied. “The border guards didn’t.”
“Stay here and search the bodies,” Rennick told his guards. “I’ll take our guests to the palace and send warriors to help clean this up.”
The Mountain King turned back to the Desert group. He nodded at Sariah and Ruth, and when his eyes got to Clover, they flared then softened slightly. “Hello, Clover. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”
“What do you mean, ‘in person?’” Amos asked with an edge of warning.
Rennick’s mouth tilted with amusement, and he gestured to Eddy at Clover’s feet. “You’re not the only one watching your sister through your familiar. I should have known he was a familiar.” He gestured to Clover. “It was nice of you to bring Amelia’s friend. She’ll be relieved to see her.”
Amos cleared his throat, betraying his unease. “It was my pleasure.”
Rennick studied Amos and Clover closely, narrowing his eyes slightly.
No one outside of the Hydra knew they were mates, let alone married.
Announcing her as the queen to their kingdom would take careful planning.
For almost a decade, their people thought Jennifer was Amos’ mate.
Announcing who she was to him in front of the Mountain Kingdom guards would not be wise. Word traveled fast.
Eddy ran to Rennick and yipped. He bent down and picked up the fox, frowning. “Where is his sweater?”
“He doesn’t need one,” Amos grumbled, earning him a brooding glare from Rennick, who turned to his horse and dug a small sweater out of his bag and tugged it over Roland’s head.
“We’ll take you back to the palace.” Rennick said, giving Amos a knowing look. “I’ll introduce you to my mate.”
The palace was in complete chaos when they arrived. Rebels had attacked, breaching the south walls, and Rennick transformed before Amos’ eyes.
Rennick turned his wild eyes to Amos. “Find Amelia. I have to help my men. She has my best warrior protecting her and is probably hidden.”
Amos turned to his group in time to see Ruth and Clover disappear into the fray to help fight the rebels.
He started after them, but Sariah grabbed his arm. “If you drag her inside, she’ll never forgive you.”
Amos knew she was right, but fuck, Clover was his mate. He couldn’t risk losing her.
“She is as good a fighter as you are,” Sariah added. “There’s nothing you can do that she can’t. If she is to defend our people, you have to trust her to defend herself.”
Amos ran a hand through his hair and nodded. “Let’s go find my sister.” They ran toward the palace, dodging warriors and rebels, and when they approached the palace doors, Mountain guards blocked them.
“I am Amos Stratton,” he said. “Desert King. I’ve been sent by King Rennick to find his mate and ensure her safety.”
The guards didn’t budge, so Amos glamoured himself invisible then reappeared. The men stood their ground. Impressive, but he might kill them if they didn’t move.
Before he could, Callum burst out of the doors and slid to a stop. “Amos?”
“Rennick sent me to find Amelia.”
“I left her with Echo and Reyna.” His eyes glazed over for a second. “Reyna said they’re in a closet off the hallway near the library.” He turned to one of the guards. “Take him to the hallway and help him search every closet.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Callum nodded to Amos and ran into the fight. “My apologies, Your Grace,” the guard said to Amos.
“I appreciate you doing your job,” Amos said. “Lead the way.”