If looks could kill, Ben and Arch would be on the floor.
“Fern,” she says, a look of relief crossing her face before she locks it down. “You okay?”
“As can be expected,” I say, raising a shoulder.
She glares at them over my shoulder again just as more than one of their tails curl around my lower legs. I’m surprised they aren’t shoving them down my robe where Raquel can see, and the thought that they are restraining their instincts makes me bite my inner lip.
“There was an uprising. I imagine you weren’t told.” Her rich brown eyes are cold.
“I did hear. Is it going to engulf Sylrya?”
Her eyes flick over my shoulders again, obviously unsure how much to share.
She nods curtly.
“Shit,” I curse angrily, worrying for my neighbors, for my contingent, left without a solid leader. My second in command Lora is talented but still green, in my opinion. I sigh internally. Only one way to stop being green: with the red splashes of blood.
“How did you leave things?” Raquel asks.
She’s asking how much Lora knows; how prepared we are to join the battle.
“Did my best. She has all the knowledge... This was his contingent?” I question cryptically. I hear Arch rumble low in his chest and I shiver.
“Yes.”William’s. “Got out of control.”
I swallow. “Because of me? Being selected as a bride?”
She nods curtly.
“The bats responded harder than expected to the uprising. They wouldn’t drop it. Other villages rose up.”
Secondary militias, either not associated with us, or rather loosely associated.Shit. No wonder the situation got out of hand.
An odd pain jumps in my stomach as I sigh, rubbing my forehead.
“Flower?” Ben asks, hand going to my side.
“Flower??” Raquel repeats, giving me an angry look.
My head snaps up and I give her the stink eye.
“Can you send reinforcements? At least to help evacuate? We have many young and old in our Sylrya.”
She shakes her head grimly. “I cannot. We have to hope she can handle it.”
I swallow hard, nodding. “Alright. Um... keep me updated, if you can?”
She looks at Ben, Arch, and Theo, grimacing. “We’ll see.”
I nod again as she turns off the call.
Arch’s tail wraps around my thigh and he tugs me, causing me to turn to face him, directly behind me.
“Who isshe? Who ishe? Why will that woman not help Sylrya?” His voice is even but urgent.
I bite my lip, thinking. His hands land on my upper arms but they are not firm and angry. They are gentle and I bring my gaze upward to meet his grey eyes.
“We cannot figure this out without all the information, Fern,” he whispers.
