The moment I called my powers back, guilt always lingered. It reminded me of my father, of when he had forced me to do things against my will as a child. The comparison made me sick to my stomach. I didn’t want to be anything like him.
But I had to compel Tezya. The guy was stupid enough to go marching into Lux alone for her. I could see everyone’s reasoning in having me do it, but now, I was on the top of his shit list along with the dual-colored hair girl.
Peter patted my shoulder as he took the empty seat to my left. “Any news?” he asked.
I shook my head. If anyone heard anything about Scottie, I’d been kept in the dark. I looked up at Dravenburg who was talking to a few soldiers in the camp. It was still odd to see Luxians and Tennebrisians living together and knowing they had been for decades, even weirder that a mortal was overseeing them. They all coexisted peacefully, even with the three humans.
My eyes wandered to Savannah. She had an ugly green creature on her shirt again, the material stopping just shy of her pants, revealing a thin band of bare skin. She tucked a wavy strand of her hair behind her ear, the lavender color reflecting inher gray eyes. That’s when I noticed she was glaring at me, and I’d been stupidly staring at her like an idiot.
“I guess she hasn’t forgiven you for cheating in your fight,” Peter leaned in to whisper in my ear.
“I didn’t cheat,” I said and forced myself to tear my gaze away from her.
“Try telling that to her. She’s looking at you like she’s planning your death.”
“I don’t care what she thinks.”
“Uh-huh. Sure,” he replied as he pulled a croissant out of his pocket and started eating it.
I was about to retort back on—one: why the fuck he was carrying around a piece of bread, and two: I really didn’t give a shit about the human—when Tezya entered the tent. A hush fell over everyone as they stared at him. It was the first meeting he was attending since he came back without Scotlind.
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even look at Kallon, Dovelyn, or me as he slumped into a seat next to the mortals.
Dravenburg tapped his fist onto the wooden table. “First things first. We need to relocate. The girl is held captive by the Lux King, and she’s seen enough to damage us. Even though she doesn’t know the exact location of the camp, she can give away enough insight that it’s only a matter of time until they find us here. We need to move out before they do.”
“Scottie wouldn’t give up any information,” Kallon spoke softly.
“She can be compelled,” Peter said and everyone turned to look at him. “The Lux King has a compulsion user by his side. He has a way to hook her up to monitors and go through her memories.”
Dovelyn nodded in agreement, but I was studying the Fire Prince. His head remained down as he stared blankly at the ground. He was so still, so unmoving.
Dravenburg interjected. “Exactly. We have to expect the girl will give away every advantage we have. The King most likely knows the prophecy is about Tezya, and that we possess what we need to see it through.”
I straightened. I forgot all about our original mission, how we went to Lux for information on how to kill the King. Dravenburg gestured toward Kallon who pulled a ring out of her pocket.
“That’s it?” someone asked. “This is going to help us defeat the Lux King?”
“It’s a damn ring. The woman I love is being held captive all for a fucking piece of jewelry.” It was the first time Tezya spoke. His words were slow as he enunciated each one. No one spoke as the quiet swept through the tent and lingered.
“We’ll get her back,” Savannah said after a moment.
“How? You won’t even let me fucking try.” His eyes were bloodshot as they found mine, as he remembered me compelling him. Well fuck. He turned toward his sister, rising from his chair. “Your vision is going to come true. Are you happy now? She’s at your father’s side just like you said. Goddess fucking knows what he’s going to do to her until she breaks.”
I had no idea what the two siblings were talking about or what they thought Scottie would do, but as I looked around the room, everyone seemed just as confused as I was.
“Tezya, I didn’t wish for this to happen.”
He sighed heavily. “I know, Dove, but you didn’t stop it either. You didn’t question it for one second. You didn’t care what would happen to her. You have Brock and that’s all you wanted. Scottie was yet again at the mercy of your scheming.”
“And what should I have done? Brock was dying! Scottie saw that and decided to help. Do you wish he wasn’t back with us? Do you wish the King still had him?”
“No,” he said softly, defeated, as he crumbled back into his seat. “No. I just don’t want her in his hands.” He was quiet for a moment as he stared at his palm. “I can feel her. Just brief moments of panic and pain. I don’t know how or what they’re doing to her, but we’ve lived through it enough, Dove, to know it’s fucking hell. I can’t speak to her. I can’t reach out through the bond, but Ifeelher. Do you know what that’s like? To feel the pain and agony from the person you love, but you’re so fucking helpless to do anything about it?”
“I know what you want to do, Tezya, and it’s not smart,” Kallon whispered.
“You don’t need to risk anyone. Just me. Just fucking release his compulsion and portal me into Lux. That’s all I’m asking.”
“That’s out of the question,” Dravenburg said.
