Chapter 49
Aella
We’d convened in the meeting room just after dawn so Darrow could give his report on what he saw from the Sebeska.
He had only pulled his mind from the bird ten minutes ago, after spending nearly two hours merged with it.
I watched him drink water and rub his head.
Right now, he wasn’t blocking me, and I could sense his pain.
He’d warned me it took a while to get re-oriented, so I tried to wait patiently.
“Sariyah and about a dozen other fae are tied to posts in the city square at Balzour. Some of them are children, but I have no idea of the purpose.” He massaged his temple. “None of the leaders were out in the open for my bird to find, only guards who didn’t speak about any plans.”
“It’s a trap,” Prince Armin said. “They likely forced Aella’s friend to write that note.”
I moved to stand a few feet away from him and gave him an imploring look. “She’s your cousin. Are you really going to leave her and other innocent people to die? There are children, too.”
He grimaced. “I’m aware, but she’s also Kaius’ granddaughter. If he’s determined to cement his place in power, he’s going to need her for a political match.”
While my gut churned at the thought, I doubted it would happen.
“She’s a quarter Andalagar. He was ready to execute Zelthor, his nephew, for being half of a Paxia native race, so do you really think he can look past her bloodline?
She’s not a pure elf like he’d want. He’s more likely to push his son to remarry and produce a new heir. ”
The prince’s brows drew together. “That is a point to consider. He wasn’t pleased when Sariyah’s parents married, especially since my grandfather, King Amarius, gladly approved the match.
Kaius didn’t speak to his son for a couple of years after that.
” He turned toward Darrow and clasped his hands on the table.
“What do the village defenses look like?”
“There are two hundred Karganoth soldiers and another eighty Therressian. They are stationed in and around the town. We would need a sizeable force to counter that, which will leave our borders less protected. They could take advantage, and we’d lose many more innocent lives than the ones at Balzour,” my husband said, giving me an apologetic look.
I searched for an ally—any ally. Lord Jacthor wouldn’t meet my gaze, Faina fiddled with a wood carving she’d brought with her, and Loden had found the map on the wall particularly interesting. None of them would even acknowledge me.
“Surely, you’re not abandoning her friend that quickly,” Meilani said, speaking up after waiting for the others to take their chance. “There must be something we can do.”
The prince shook his head. “We can’t afford more significant losses right now, and with her in the open, stealth won’t work, either.”
My gut churned, recognizing that losing Lillian had made them extra cautious. “I know it’s dangerous to go, but we can’t ignore this.”
“I’m sorry, but there is no choice,” Armin said.
“Fine.” Anger coiled within me. “I’ll go by myself.”
Darrow shook his head. “You know I won’t let you do that, Aella.”
I pointed a shaking finger at him. “Since I’ve come here, I’ve done everything you asked of me.
If you needed a portal open, day or night, I did it without hesitation.
When we needed to rescue Zelthor, even though the danger was far worse than what we would face at Balzour, I helped.
So many times I repelled the enemy by land and sea.
Every bit of that, I did despite Veronna being an enemy my whole life.
Now, you all turn your backs on me the one time I ask for something in return. ”
“You’re right,” he said, shaking his head. “But I still can’t let you leave. The dark elves will either kill you or use you for their own purposes. I won’t allow either to happen.”
Meilani stood, flipping her dark curly hair over her shoulder.
“Won’t allow? Are you protecting a possession or a person?
Can you tell the difference? Your whole cursed line always thinks of yourselves and never about what your women actually want.
I can understand Prince Armin’s reasons for opposing this, but yours should be to stand with your wife, regardless of the danger.
You’re a damned fool just like your father and brother! ”
“I do care about her.” Darrow gave his brother’s wife a frustrated look. “As much as possible, and I won’t risk her life on this.”
“Oh, maybe right now you’re desperate to keep her safe because you’ve failed to make her love you yet. On some level, you may even care a little, but it won’t last. Don’t make her lose her closest friend so she has no one’s shoulder to cry on when you eventually reject her feelings.”
She shot me an apologetic look and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her. The only reason Meilani had been here was that her husband was in Juvarn, and she wanted to support me. Usually, though, she didn’t attend the meetings and preferred to be anywhere else.
Tears pricked my eyes, both at my worry for Sariyah and the reminder of where my marriage would eventually lead if I weren’t careful. “If it were your best friends, you’d leave them to die, too?”
He said nothing. I tried to walk around him, but he stepped sideways and blocked my path.
“If you keep me here, I swear I will never forgive you,” I said, voice trembling with fury. I meant every word of it and made sure he felt it down the bond. “If Sariyah dies, I swear the only portals I’ll ever open again will be to go to Earth and back.”
I wasn’t so spiteful that I’d doom the whole planet.
“Dammit,” he swore, hopelessness in his eyes. I didn’t care because he should have taken my side, as Meilani said, but he refused to find a way to help me.
Prince Armin gave me a stern look. “Aella, be reasonable.”
“Be reasonable?” I asked, rounding on him. Royalty or not, I wasn’t holding back. “I’ve left my people to die while helping protect everyone you all care about as best I can. Sariyah isn’t the only good person in Therress, but still, I haven’t said a word about saving anyone for me until now.”
Loden sighed. “She’s right. As bad as the situation is, it might not be impossible if we are willing to put certain assets into play.”
“Do you have something in mind?” I asked.
He looked at Darrow. “Is your sebeska still near Balzour?”
“Yes. I have Tullar waiting nearby in case I need her again.”
“Good,” he said, rubbing his chin. “There’s a way we could get in there to rescue all the innocents, and have enough forces to do it without sacrificing our border security, but we must make some uncomfortable choices.”
“What do you mean?”
Loden glanced at me. “I assume you’re willing to do whatever it takes, Aella?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Good.” He turned to Faina. “Would you be willing to help Aella, even if it’s risky?”
Darrow’s sister lifted a brow. “Do I get to kill anyone?”
“Most likely.”
She looked at me with a grin. “Anytime Loden acts this hesitantly with a plan, it’s a combination of fun and very dangerous, but likely to succeed. If you’re up for it, I’ll join you.”
“Thank you,” I said, grateful she was willing to help. I only wondered what kinds of ideas my newly discovered cousin had formulated in the past that switched us from outright refusal to save Sariyah to readily agreeing.
“With luck, we’ll have your friend back by tonight,” Loden said, giving me a reassuring look. Then, he laid out his plan.