“It would seem some sort of congratulations would be in order, but we don’t have time for that at the moment,” Orion snapped. Damien seemed to hold me tighter at his father’s words.
“What are our orders, Father?” he asked.
Typically, we would go out with the troops, myself included. I’d proved repeatedly how I wasn’t the type of woman to sit around and wait while the men went out to steal all the glory in war. It wasn’t even about the glory; it was my right to protect my freedom and to protect those that I loved. I failed once, and I would be damned if I did it again.
“The four of us,” Orion paused, a smirk gracing his lips before turning to Damien, Luka, and I, “are going hunting.”
13
EVA
“Hunting?” Luka asked as he took a step forward, arms crossing over his chest. I took a second to look at him, unable to read his face. The atmosphere of the room had changed. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen that wasn’t coming.
Orion mimicked Luka’s carefree demeanor. “Yes, hunting. Did I stutter, boy?” He looked sharply at Luka, who only raised his hands and took a step back. If those two fought, it would only end when one of them was dead. They were far too headstrong to concede to anyone. “We have information on the men who launched the attack, but it would seem they’re untraceable. They simply… vanished.” As he said the word, his hand waved in the air as if clearing smoke.
We gathered around a large table scattered with maps of Angoria, Helia, and the detailed terrain surrounding the two. Angoria was our closest neighboring kingdom and, as such, was one of our greatest allies. They had come to our aid during The Great War when The Horde had attacked us, and they helped us rebuild so we would offer them the same courtesy.
Damien still held me in his arms, but I stepped out of them, trying to put some distance between us. I walked over to the maps and glanced down. “How did we receive this information? How do we know they vanished?” I felt my father’s keen eyes on me, studying me. There was no doubt that he was experiencing whiplash from our conversation last night. I was suddenly self-conscious of our relationship, how easily I was swayed by my decision to stay away from Damien just because he was a good fuck.
Shit. That wasn’t fair to say, but it wasn’t wrong either. What if I was just caught up in the moment, theromance? I nearly rolled my eyes at my thought.
“An Angorian general was able to dispatch a raven right before the attack was launched. It delivered the message to the barrack on Angorian and Helian borders,” Orion told us. “It would seem that they had sent out a group of their own trackers to intercept the men, but they weren’t able to pick up a single trace. Not that their trackers are shit, but you know ours are better. They stated the group contained a high-ranking official with at least one accompanying soldier, possibly two, but the details that we have are unclear.”
“Three men started this attack?” I questioned. The probability of that was highly unlikely, but if it was true… How powerful were the people we were hunting? It sure as hell wouldn’t be easy, and that was good because fuck doing anything easy.
“Yes. They came out to make a scene, distract the guards while their troops snuck up at the walls surrounding the city.” My father seemed troubled by this notion, and I was too. Helia was well-guarded, and our troops were some of the best on the continent, but being prepared won’t do anything if the enemy is using distraction tactics.
Luka walked over to trace the map, one hand laying on the table. He may have been an asshole, but he was a damn good tracker. Orion taught him himself and was proud of his protégé. He’d only wanted the best to be blood-sworn to his son, and he made sure that Luka fit the description. I felt bad for him because I knew what training with Orion was like, but Luka didn’t seem to mind all the drama as long as he bettered from it. “Did anyone recognize them?”
“No,” Orion scoffed. “Which is either a lie because they were scared, or these men truly are a mystery. Someone has to know who the fuck they are though, and no one just vanishes out of thin air.”
Damien studied the information for a moment. “So how are we supposed to hunt them if they’re gone? We have nothing to go on.”
“I can find them,” I said. “Just drop us off where the trail let off.” Luka and Damien turned to stare at me, but Orion held satisfaction in his eyes. This was what he wanted. I was the fucking best, and I knew it, therefore I would get the job done. Plus, my ego was much too large to allow me to fail.
The power that being an elemental granted allowed me to enhance all my senses and increase them dramatically. I didn’t know how it worked, but I didn’t ask questions. I’d take any advantage that I was given in this life. Hell, I’d be a queen someday, but I was a skilled warrior first. Mother and father made sure of that. As did Orion.
“You’renotgoing,” Damien said, gripping my arm harder than necessary. I jerked myself out of his hold to look at him as anger flared inside.
This bullshit was already starting, and I needed to squash it before he thought he could actually tell me what to do.
“Like hell I’m not. I will not sit here while you men traipse around in the damn woods. I’ve done this before, and I’ll do it again. You know you need me.” My face dared him to disagree with me, but he wouldn’t because he knew I was right.
Fire burned in his eyes. Maybe he was stupid enough to question me, but his father interrupted him before he opened his mouth. “She’s going, Damien,” he said as he started walking toward the door. “And if you intend on keeping her as your own, you can’t lock her up in a tower and expect her to be waiting for you when you get back.”
* * *
The walkback to my bedroom was filled with a sense of dread that pooled in the pit of my stomach. I knew Damien was pissed about what his father had said in the throne room, but I couldn’t deny that it was anything but the truth. Maybe that was what infuriated him so much. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking this was one of the many reasons that I never dared to be with him. It would change who we were and how we saw each other. I’d fought by his side in battles before, and this assignment would be no different. What did shock me, though, was the fact that Orion spoke up on my behalf. Either he was truly desperate, or he could see how it would break me to be kept behind.
Damien was silent the entire time, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was arguing with himself, just as I was. Was he thinking this was a mistake? ThatIwas a mistake? I shook my head in frustration, and he noticed as we walked into my room. He slammed the door in Luka’s face, and to my surprise, Luka didn’t dare follow us in.
Here we go. In three… two… one…
I stood in the middle of the room, watching him pace back and forth. Surely he was going to wear a hole in the rug. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for the scolding to come, but I was ready. I would fight for my right to stay by his side. If war was coming, and I sensed it was, everyone would be called to arms.
“You can’t go. You can’t,” He finally said after a long beat of silence. The sound of a plea was laced through his words.
“You can’t possibly be serious?” I scoffed. He only stared at me with those piercing blue eyes that held nothing but his truth in them. “Youareserious, aren’t you? Why in the world would I stay here when I can be out there making a difference? What changed?” Those were the wrong words to say as I felt them slip from my mouth.
