CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The key has been stolen. Rumor has it Nyxteria landed in the Land of Light and Life.
—Correspondence from Sea Spear to White Hawk.
Anxiety snaked its way through my chest as I was ushered into the Gilded Fortress. Hours after Kresida escorted Bayne to the castle, I’d received the same summons.
A long, round table glimmered like a mirror in the middle of the room, cut from the center of a massive tree, hundreds of rings spiraling into its center. Ronan and his two commanding officers sat across from Isla and Bayne, whose eyes found mine immediately. I scanned the room for Vulcan and Drystan, but no sign. I slid into a chair next to Nerissa.
Bayne’s gaze held mine for a mere moment, his face tight as he let a glimmer of feeling slip past the wall he’d thrown up.
Warning.
He threw it back up as he pulled his gaze to the golden-haired queen seated at the head of the table. Ronan and Isla met my eyes, and though I didn’t share that intimate conscious connection with them, wariness hung in their gazes.
Across the hall, three mystics entered, one I recognized from the Eye of the Wood. I scanned his eyes, searching for that unsettling bit of living silver, but found none as he took his seat. Behind him, Khato, the master of spells, shuffled in, giving me a soft smile. I returned it as best I could, despite the unease pitting in my stomach.
A moment later, Carina quietly entered from a door in the back and scurried into the waiting chair. She kept her brilliant Ravindra gaze down, not daring a look at the others. It was hard to believe Carina came from the same family asanyof the commanding elves in the room. The petite elf glanced at me beneath her round spectacles before they darted to her mother.
“I’ve gathered you all here, as I have important news to share for the future of the Rising,” Queen Antares began, her eyes sliding to Ronan.
“My scouts report that the waters of the Juniper Sea have finally begun to calm after the unprecedented Sending. They may not yet be safe for the Sultiran ships that carried you here from Odessa, but we’ve made a few successful passes with Lotrennian ships to the southern coast.”
The crew of theEvectastraightened in their seats, and my heart quickened in my chest at the information. If Lotrennian ships could make it, theEvectawould have no trouble at all. I glanced at Ronan, noting the flare of hope in his eyes.
“That being said, I’m unable to spare the ships needed to carry all of the Rising forces back to Sultira.”
“Why?” Isla blurted out.
“The dark king sails for Northern Lotrennia,” the queen responded, leveling a hard gaze at Bayne.
“We must send enough forces to prevent him from moving troops inland,” Queen Antares continued, “Ashen and ground troops alike. I will not risk the lives of Lotrennians to simply transport your forces back.”
The mystics nodded to each other, glancing briefly at the commanders.
“My scouts also report Rising forces gather in Southern Sultira,” she continued, nodding to Ronan.
I blinked. How had she gathered this information? Ronan searched her eyes, as if wondering the same thing.
“I sent aid to the Rising at Odessa, as requested by Commander Merik, and offered you sanctuary here in my home. We savedall of you.” She stressed the last words, eyes snapping to mine before pulling back to the rest of the group. “I’ve gathered you here to call in the debt that is owed.”
My stomach churned. I hadn’t thought about this… That she would demand something in return. I glanced at Ronan from across the table, his face lightening a shade as his azure eyes met mine. Though Bayne still held the curtain tight against our connection, I could sense a quiet wrath rising in him.
“Before I go into details about what I require, I have news to share that I think will be of some value to this group. Rumor has spread through Aedrialis that Queen Galena is with child.”
Dread unfurled in my chest. If rumor had already spread in Aedrialis… The queen’s eyes slid to my own, before looking at Ronan.
Color leached from the ex-queensguard’s face, horror rippling off his shoulders. Nerissa stiffened next to me, though she didn’t let a wink of emotion shatter her disinterested countenance. He should have told them.Gods, I tried to tell him.
Ronan’s commanders shifted, angling themselves toward their leader. They both knew Ronan’s true connection to the queen, the reason he’d tried to rush the attack on Aedrialis last spring.
“And as you all know,” the queen continued, smiling at the tension she’d spun through the room, “wives and children of King Saros typically don’t last long.”
Ronan clasped his hands together, trying his best to keep them from shaking. Isla’s movement was barely perceptible as her arm slid closer to his. She knew he needed contact, needed someone to keep him grounded and remind him our salvation lay in the enemy’s hands.
“Saros will be distracted in the coming months. All the more reason for the Rising to attack soon.” She nodded toward the Rising commanders.
“Based on the numbers reported, we feel confident we can beat Daimos back in the coming months. I am willing to send Lotrennian ships to escort the Rising troops back to Sultira, to reconvene with the rest of the Rising as soon as the Bonder retrieves the next Bellator Bone.”
