“We do it Seren’s way. We kill Haldron during the trial. End this war before it ever starts. You’ll get your family back, I’ll give them a place to live in Suomelin, and you’ll turn yourself over to me to face the consequences of murdering my family. It’s a much neater ending for everyone, wouldn’t you say?”
Anguish lit his features. “You can’t guarantee?—”
“And neither can you. But we can try.”
Brogan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Seren will never survive that trial. Haldron will make certain of it. And he may not know who you are yet, but it’s only a matter of time before he does.”
“How did you learn? Only two people knew my name in exile and I’m sure both would be willing to die for that secret.”
Brogan nodded. “One of your father’s guards—Ulf—confessed under torture that you’d been Sealed to Pendara. After that, it was a matter of finding the right Sealed man. Only Madoc and I knew your name after that … but if I was able to find you, others can too. Haldron has many spies.”
Ulf?
The disgust I had in Ragnall had no bounds. He was a mercenary, but damn if a man with Brogan’s knowledge and skill wouldn’t be an asset in the future. Yet a man without loyalty was more trouble than he was worth.
“It doesn’t matter. Seren’s plan is sound. I’m staying. And rather than argue with her, I’d suggest you learn not to underestimate your daughter. If you’re here to help, then help her. Otherwise, you’re a waste of breath.”
A few beats of silence passed, then Brogan nodded. “I won’t sacrifice any of my family, Your Grace. We have to get them out of the House of the Veil. And my tribe deserves better than to suffer for our actions. They’ve suffered enough, wouldn’t you say? They’re innocent.”
Innocent was an exaggeration, but I focused on those moments after the skinwraith attack—when I’d seen children and women, elderly people, crying or dead. Injured. Men who’d tried to help their families and failed.
And then turned their wrathful savagery on me.
“There are innocents among them, yes,” I admitted at last. “And they may not acknowledge me, but I will protect all the people of Lirien as best I can. I’m not my father, Ragnall. I never will be. This wasn’t a role I wanted or prepared for, but I won’t hide from it or from Haldron, either. I’m no coward.”
Shame burned openly in his eyes. “All I wanted was to be left in peace.”
I stepped closer. “Then you shouldn’t have started a war. But this may be your chance to redeem yourself. Once and for all.”
Chapter 35
Seren
Amahle and Ciaran were silent as we made our way from the Bellwether toward the House of the Veil.
Under any other circumstances, there would have been chatter between us. Light banter, maybe even reminiscing over old times. But now, each of us wore our worries like a shroud.
Rykr and Thorne had stayed with my father at the Bellwether to plan. The book Giulia had given me on Emberstone had come in handy, but my father also knew more about the city’s layout than I’d realized.
But there were two more people whose help we needed—unlikely allies who cared about the tribe and who might have a role to play today: Seth and Darya.
With her expert knowledge of Emberstone from years of living here, Darya might be able to help us figure out where Haldron might be keeping Esme. And Seth … Amahle and Ciaran were convinced he truly loved our tribe, pointing to the way he’d protected Rykr after the skinwraith attack.
Trusting Seth could be a huge misstep. We couldn’t afford to tell them all we knew, just enough to help us and our tribe. But what if they didn’t believe us about the danger?
And then there was what my father had revealed about his role in the murder of King Magnus and his sons.
… except one.
I swallowed hard, my heart falling all over again.
One prince, replaced by an impostor.
One golden-haired Ederyn, chased into the Dreadwood unwittingly.
Could it be possible?
But my heart already knew the truth. When the news of the king’s death had reached our encampment, I’d felt the depth of Rykr’s pain—gods, that’s not even his name.
