Chapter Sixty
The Caged
Everyone filters into the council room, taking up what little space there is.
And by everyone, I mean everyone. Every single one of my friends, close to twenty guards, and even Mama Collette who winks at me.
I’m standing next to Scarlett, her limbs buzzing with nervous energy as she watches Emery talk to a guard I haven’t seen before.
I nudge her arm and she looks over at me, offering me a sheepish grin.
It’s been two weeks since we lit the pyre. Two weeks since I said goodbye to my son. Nithe is convinced his father had something to do with it, and I don’t blame him. He was the first person I thought of.
But it’s also a possibility that he just wasn’t healthy. Maybe he wasn’t meant for this world. His blood was black. His veins were black. He was darkness made into a person.
But he was also my son. He was my child.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her as she stares at me intently. Concern crosses her face. She’s been treating me like glass, as has everyone, but I have been adamant about moving forward. About moving o n.
“I have this weird feeling that this isn’t going to be a pleasant meeting.
Why else would everyone be here?” She whispers.
I shrug and look around. She’s right. Why else would the entire palace be present.
Except for one person. “Where is your father?” I lean to my left, my shoulder brushing Nithe’s ribs. He lifts his hand and squeezes my arm.
“Probably waiting to make a grand entrance.” He snorts, his hand sliding down my arm to thread his fingers through my own.
He hasn’t left my side. He’s been a constant, a crutch for me to lean against. And I will always be grateful for it, but the hole that was in my heart when I left Noterra has reappeared.
And the numbness I never wanted to feel again is back, making everything feel as if it isn’t important.
Everything except killing Tobias.
“You don’t know what this is about?” Enzo asks from Nithe’s other side. He shakes his head. “Well it has to be something important.”
The doors open and Davenport strolls in, guards following him like he’s afraid for his life. He catches my eyes as he walks to the head of the table, the slight narrowing of his gaze tells me he’s not exactly thrilled.
“It has been brought to our attention that our border has been breached.” Gasps erupt around the room and Nithe pulls me closer to him, but I step out of his grip.
“Five hundred men are now camped right past the border wall, readying themselves to strike. A thousand more stationed right against the border on Noterra’s side.
As of right now, they have not come closer.
They have only breached the wall.” He looks around, his eyes landing on me.
“We have a choice to make.” Everyone follows his line of sight, staring at me.
“What choice?” I ask, my voice clear for once.
“We can stay and fight, or we can begin evacuation protocols.” Silence spreads along the room as all eyes stay on me.
“How many men do we have in Rakushia ready to fight?” I ask no one in particular. It’s Nero that answers.
“We have less than a hundred at the palace. We had close to four hundred at the border, but we lost over one-hundred and fifty during the siege last night. In the neighboring towns, we have a total of a thousand men at our disposal.”
“What about our armies? Where are they?” I ask.
“The core of our army is in Labisa, they would not make it here in time.” My eyes water as I absorb the information, trying to figure out the right answer.
“How many civilians?”
“Ten thousand.” Davenport answers. Ten thousand. Oh gods. “What will it be, Your Majesty?” My heart stutters in my chest as I run through all the numbers, run through the very little battle strategy I have. As panic courses through my veins.
There is only one choice. We won’t survive an attack.
“Begin evacuation protocols. Get every civilian out of here.” Nithe exhales in relief, the only affirmation that I made the right call.
“Get every ship loaded and ready to depart. Everyone needs to be gone by this afternoon!” Davenport yells into the crowd as everyone starts bustling around.
“General! Every single civilian needs to get on a ship. Have them depart for Labisa, have them go the long way. We don’t want Noterra to see the ships headed right towards them. ”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Nero bows and runs out of the room, giving me a sidelong glance as he passes. The room empties aside from my friends and I. Davenport collapses into the chair before looking at me.
“You need to be on one of those ships.” He states dryly.
“I’m not leaving until everyone else has gone.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I will not get on that ship until everyone else is gone.” I repeat. “I will not be responsible for leaving someone to die.”
“We can’t fight them, Elaenor. We can’t protect anyone, not without our armies.” Nithe says.
“I’m not saying we fight; I’m saying we wait , or at least I do. I am not leaving anyone behind.” I repeat.
“Don’t be a martyr.” Davenport scoffs as he looks at me with disgust.
“I don’t want to die, that’s not what I am saying.”
“No, but you will if they get to the palace.” He adds.
“They won’t kill me. He won’t let them.” I admit. It’s the truth. He won’t kill me.
“Elaenor, he’s right.” Enzo speaks up. My head whips in his direction. “You have to go.”
“ No .”
“If they make it to the palace, none of us are surviving.”
“He won’t kill me.” I repeat, again.
“You can’t know that.” Enzo scoffs. But they don’t know him. Not like I do.
“I do. Trust me.”
“You are out of your depth.” Davenport states. I look around the room, doubt filling everyone’s eyes. I turn to Nithe.
“You are the one who keeps telling me I’m powerful.”
“Yes, but I also keep telling you you’re untrained.”
“So train me.”
“We have hours before we need to evacuate. We don’t have the time.” He shakes his head. I grit my teeth and step away from him.
“Every civilian gets on that ship, and then all of you. Once Rakushia is empty, I will board. And not a second sooner. That is an order.” I snap, my tone venomous as I look around the room.
Everyone stays silent as they stare at me, until one by one they depart the room.
Nithe is last, and all he does is shake his head before walking out.
How did I go from protecting our people to being called a martyr for wanting to ensure they are actually protected?
I exit the room and am immediately thrown into a rush of people.
I stumble and barely catch onto the wall to prevent getting run over.
Once the coast is clear I cross the hallway and exit the front door.
At least twenty horses are saddled outside the wall, waiting for riders.
Multiple carriages and wagons behind them, prepped to transport people.
“Your Majesty.” I spin and see a couple of guards walking over. “All transports have been prepped. The royal carriage awaits you and the king consort.”
“Thank you, but I’m not leaving until every single person has been evacuated.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” They head towards the wall, and I follow after them, crossing through the open gate. I can feel his presence, my palms tingling.
“Where are they going?”
“Wistervale, they’ll board the ships from there.” I nod, staying silent.
“How close are they to being at the palace?”
“If they leave now, they could be here in a few hours at most.”
“Is—” My voice cracks. “Is he with them?”
“I don’t know, Elaenor.” I turn and look up at my brother, his green eyes bright and clear. “You need to go.”
“No, don’t start this fight again. You heard what I said.”
“Yes, and I get why you are staying, but you shouldn’t.”
“You and Nithe need to stop treating me like I am incapable of doing anything.” I snap. I’m tired of feeling like a child—like someone who has to be protected.
“We aren’t. We know you are capable of whatever you set your mind to, but you don’t have your starlight under control. You are weak—”
“Do not call me weak. Just because I can’t fight, doesn’t mean I am weak. And if you and everyone else would take a second and stop treating me like I’ll break, I might actually learn how to protect myself.”
“Elaenor—”
“No. I am so godsdamn tired of this, Enzo. So tired of being told what to do. Tired of being sheltered and lied to. I will be the queen my mother would be proud of. I will find a way to kill Tobias. I will end this. But I can’t do it alone and I need you to get your head out of your ass and help me.
” My voice cracks and I swallow the lump growing in my throat.
He stays silent for a second before he sighs.
“What do you need me to do?”