Rolling my eyes at their lack of humor, I tried to explain. “I don’t know. We’ve made a city here, a home. People feel safe enough to breathe here. Miska seems to be getting along and making friends, even dragging Reggie out with her. Plus, I have you guys, and I know we’ll find a way to save the rest of The Hand and bring them back. That’s what matters to me, everyone here and our family, not the cranky or rude royals. I’ll protect this home with my life. So, if they don’t want to be allies, well, they can burn, and anyone who threatens us can join them …” I shrugged, letting the sentence trail off.
“That’s actually really sweet,” Cameron said around another mouthful, nodding toward Samkiel. “Minus the part where I just pictured a dozen realms on fire. But it was nice, nonetheless.”
Samkiel shook his head and smiled softly at me before rubbing at his brow. I knew the headache had to be bad if he was showing outward signs of it. “Dianna will not be lighting anything on fire. She was actually on her best behavior, not a single flame in sight. Even when we were met with weapons or closed doors everywhere we visited. Lord Iver was the only one who spoke to us face to face, and a part of me wished he hadn’t.”
“Iver?” Cameron asked.
“Yes, he now rules Shorerock.”
A small whistle left Cameron’s lips. “I assumed Lord Orble would have lived forever.”
“As did I,” Samkiel said. “Apparently, this is his son.”
Cameron frowned and sat back in his chair.
“Vena was nice.” I shrugged. “Well, mostly.”
Cameron’s brows went high. “Vena? I haven’t seen her dunes in ages,” Cameron said, taking another big bite of his sandwich.
I snorted softly and said, “I hope you’re speaking about hersanddunes.”
Samkiel rolled his eyes. “You two.”
Cameron grinned. “Hey, I am innocent this time, I swear. We only went with The Hand one time. The weather was amazing. You’d think it would be hotter with how close they are to their small sun, but I enjoyed it. What about you?”
I had to admit I loved Highsand, at least what we saw from overhead. It had a rolling landscape of dunes and desert as far as the eye could see, dotted with pyramid structures that would put the ones we had in Eoria to shame. It would have been gorgeous if it weren’t for the screams of people fleeing to their homes as I flew overhead. The hundreds of guards who had rushed out and Vena screaming at us from the highest point of her gates were also detractors, but besides all that, it was marvelous.
“From the short time we were there, yes. It reminded me of home, only their sand sculptures were far larger than ours. Gabby would have liked it if Vena wasn’t such a bitch.”
Cameron laughed again. “The lords of this realm are not ready for you.”
“At least she attempted some dialogue.” Samkiel scratched at his ear. “It was behind locked and guarded gates, but it was something. I just wish they understood that I am trying to avoid war. I want that at all costs.”
“Everyone in this room knows Nismera will not give up that throne without a brutal and bloody fight,” I said.
“Fighting here will only end with thousands, if not more, dead. There are other ways to win wars. Meeting with houses and gathering loyalties are the first steps to claiming victory without ever lifting a blade. There are ways to subdue an enemy before war ever starts. War should be the very last option. It’s violent, bloody, and destructive, and innocence is its greatest casualty. They may see me as weak, but I won’t risk the innocent. Not for her.”
“I know, and I am always on your side. I’m just saying you have a heart, baby, but the beings you’re dealing with do not. My concern is how far bitch goddess is willing to take it and what the cost will be.”
He forced a smile. “Let’s hope it doesn’t go that far. Maybe speaking to them will ignite change or at least give them something to ponder. Maybe they just need a few days to think about my offer.”
“Maybe,” was all I said. He seemed beaten down these last few weeks with every royal we visited, and I wouldn’t add to his disheartenment.
“Well, I personally think the royals have always been a bunch of dickbags,” Cameron said, breaking the tension. “Except for you, of course.”
Samkiel rolled his eyes as I snorted and nodded toward Cameron as he finished the rest of his sandwich and changed the subject. “Why do you look gross?”
His face and clothes were covered in dirt, and I knew I would be cleaning as soon as he left the room. Cameron glanced down at his dirt-speckled shirt, the cream color more of a brown now. The same dust covered his slacks, and his boots were caked with mud. His hands were the only clean spots on him, probably because he washed them before making his sandwich. At least, I hoped he had.
“I’ve been in the city with Thane and his buddies.”
“Thane?” I asked.
“Yeah. Has a huge burn scar along his right side and short hair. You guys saved him and a bunch of others from Ovinor.”
Ovinor was the small cliffside village we went to weeks ago. I’d almost forgotten about it. I guess it was understandable, given that we were dealing with the uptick of Otherworld creatures attacking any village or small town on their path or traveling across the realms in an attempt to secure alliances.
“Oh,” I said. “Sorry, I didn’t get names, and that was weeks ago.”
