He lowered his gaze, his brows furrowing as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Matthew, we’re struggling. Guards are still waiting to be vetted. Myself and a few others have been lending a hand where we can, but we are severely understaffed. Thankfully, we’ve made some progress, but we are still behind schedule from where we should be.” He blew out a quick breath, his eyes losing their shine as he studied the map.
“Ravens come in daily, updating us on The Horde’s movement. Smaller pins depict the location of old camps and the larger show where they are currently. As far as we can tell, they aren’t headed to a single kingdom but spreading out along the southern border. It seems to be a near-perfect line.”
I looked down and noticed the formation. Except for a few pins, Luka was correct—they were damn near across the entire continent. “It’s a war formation,” I muttered, and Luka nodded.
“Exactly. Their lines are thinned since they are not traveling together, but they have been able to cover more land. The damage they are causing is catastrophic. Most of the camps are still near the southern border. We are in danger of losing access to our supply chains.”
“And what of the leaders? Are the rulers from other kingdoms still here, or have they made their way back yet?”
“No, they’re still here. It’s been difficult to keep them occupied while The Horde is making their move, but we’ve been monitoring them. Queen Ciena has been relaying information. She has…” He paused, a smile playing at his lips. “Unnatural abilities capable of seeking truths. And she has been using that to our advantage.”
Crossing my arms, I asked, “And where do we stand?”
Luka cocked his head to the side. “Most are sympathetic to the cause. Those who chose the wrong side last time—Hiryn and Chezir, specifically—have made their alliances clear since they are under new leadership. Both kings are relatively young and untrained but seem true to their word. Angoria, Morheim, and Druiston stand with us. All three have pledged the bulk of their armies should war break out again. Which leaves—”
“Kidora and Balurin,” I finished for him.
“Yes. With Kidora holding the trade routes, Lachlan has had spies whispering in their king’s ear—empty promises of untold riches should he assist in re-routing those supply lines to Lachlan instead.”
“Bullshit,” I spat, my anger rising.
“Which is exactly what we said when Queen Ciena told us,” Luka said, leaning back in his chair.
“And what of Balurin?” I asked.
He waved a hand. “Same shit, different century. You know how closely they worked with Lachlan last time. This new king shares blood with his predecessor and holds that in great reverence. They’ve always been bloodthirsty. He’s been making… remarks about Morheim under Ciena’s rule. How it’s fallen apart, and she’s running it into the ground.”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “And he thinks he would do a better job? If that was the case, why are his people starving? Why are they fleeing his lands to get away from his rule?”
Luka smiled. “Which is exactly what Ciena retorted when he tried to dig under her skin.”
“I knew I liked that girl,” I mused. “So, we can assume we have the majority?”
“As of now, yes. Though, I worry about that changing the longer we keep them sequestered. We need to hold that meeting no later than tomorrow before the rulers back out.”
I glanced back down at the map, at the dark stones along the bottom. “And what does the king think?”
Luka paused, his face falling as he thought over his words. “You saw him this morning,” he mumbled. “This is what he’s been like for two weeks. If he leaves his room, it is to come in here and yell at us for information, and then he tries to sneak down to the dungeons to threaten Damien.” Alarm rang in my mind, and I opened my mouth, but he quickly intervened. “Don’t worry, we’ve been able to intercept him before he’s made it down there. It doesn’t stop him from trying, though. Kalen, Renai, and I… Well, let’s just say we are glad you’re back.”
I moved toward him, clapping him on the shoulder. “I am too, friend. I am too.”
* * *
During the hourLuka and I waited in King Alric’s study, he never showed. Both of us had matters to discuss with him, so we set out together. We checked his rooms and the kitchens, since we knew for a fact he hadn’t eaten. We ran into Briar, and she claimed she was hunting for him as well and promised to let us know if she found him.
When our search came up empty, we split up. Luka set off to search the dungeons, a frown marking his face, while I checked Eva and Erina’s rooms. I selfishly selected this route in hopes I would find Eva resting, but I knew I would have no such luck. As I climbed the stairs, I let myself relax. Tension flowed from my shoulders and neck after days of being poised for an attack.
In Helia, I had found the comfort of home. Not only because I was with Eva, but because I had been welcomed with open arms. The king had hardly questioned me. He knew the depth of his daughter’s love had freed me from the curse of my father’s betrayal. I had carried it with me for so long it had nearly consumed me.
At the beginning of our courtship, if you could even call it that, I had simply been doing what I thought was right. I was selfish, impulsive. Hell, reckless even. I knew I wanted Eva the moment I saw her. She was dazzling and gracious, albeitslightlyterrifying.
I’d never considered why Orion had let me leave with her that day in the forest. When I had walked out of that clearing, his eyes had grown wide—shocked. It was no secret to my circle that he was a traitor, but I never would have imagined it was my father behind the mask. Perhaps that was how they’d found us so fast.
Using my mother’s estate had been foolish of me. I’d been under the assumption that anyone who knew about it, except my brother, had died long ago. My mother had heavily warded the grounds, enlisting a coven of witches to ensure it was kept secret. It was my safe-haven, my sanctuary, the first place I had ever made my own. After the war ended, I had shadow-walked right to the large rose gate and collapsed to my knees. The gods were merciful, our prayers answered. My father was dead, and I was finally free.
How wrong I was. Over the past century, I’d become complacent. Though I had monitored the darker dealings in Aethion, I had let the notion of my father’s death create an idle mind. It had been a mistake—one which had nearly cost me everything.
I had regrets about how I handled the situation. When I heard the whispers of The Horde’s presence from the shadows, I had acted first before asking questions. They had told me how important the girl would be in the upcoming war. It had been rash to take Eva, many things could have gone so very wrong. In many ways, they already had. I could have explained things instead of keeping that information from her. But who was I to her but a stranger? She would never have listened to me then. Gods, she barely listened to me now.
