“We should notify the Charmers of our plans,” Kaori said, gesturing to Raven.
“Same here. I’ll need to ensure my forces are ready to march.” Isla stood, and the three of them exited without another word.
“Well, we have a plan.” Madeline lifted her mug to the rafters above our heads before draining her ale. She set the mug down with a loud thump when she was finished and grinned. “Nothing like the thrill of battle to make me feel young again.”
At that, Dez moved toward our table and began gathering empty plates and glassware. “Think you might have room for one more in your ranks?”
A sinking feeling brewed in my stomach. “Dez, no. Who will look after this place?”
“I have a new tenant. A barmaiden in need of work. She can manage it while I’m gone.” He moved to the bar and unloaded the dirty metal plates and mugs on the countertop. Dusting his hands over it all, he turned back to face us. “What do you say?”
“Can you wield a sword?” Madeline asked, giving him a once-over. She placed her hands on her hips and studied him with interest.
“I’m better with a battle hammer,” he said. When my mouth fell open at his response, he merely shrugged. “I wasn’t always a tavern owner. And this seems like a war worthy of my time.”
“Dez, please.” I stepped toward him and gripped his hands in mine. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
He raised a thick brow. “How weak do you think I am?”
“No, it’s not that, it’s—”
“Leena.” The way Noc said my name made me want to scream. It was quiet. Soothing. I didn’t want to be soothed; I wanted my friend safe in the confines of his tavern. “It’s his choice.”
I whirled in place and gave him my best glare. “Don’t take his side.”
“There’s no side to take.” He slipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “If you say no as his queen, I will stand by you without question. I will never contradict your rule. I’ll place men at his door to keep him from joining if I have to. But I just want you to consider if that’s the right thing to do.”
Letting out a wordless groan, I fisted my hands by my sides. I didn’t want my first ruling as the queen of Lendria to involve putting someone under lock and key. Even if it was for their safety.
Moving to stand in front of me, Dez placed both of his hands on my shoulders and ducked his head to meet my gaze. “Don’t make me beg.”
“You’d beg for this?” As I stared into his round eyes, I realized that maybe I didn’t know Dez as well as I thought. The time I’d spent with him before I’d run into Noc had been filled with flirtatious banter. I’d appreciated his boyish charm, his rugged looks. But every time he’d tried to form something deeper, I’d shied away. Bolted, really. I had been so scared of trusting anyone that I’d never taken the time to really get to know him.
And that realization wrecked me in a way I didn’t expect. Especially if he planned to join our war where his life would be at stake. Where the very possibility of getting to know the real him would be stripped from my fingers.
A rock had formed in my throat, and I forced it down with a hard swallow. “Just don’t die, okay?”
His wide, toothy grin dominated my vision. “Not on your life.” He wrapped me in a hug that lifted my toes off the floor, and then set me down. Looking over my head, he nodded his thanks to Noc.
Madeline strode up beside Dez and clapped her hand on his back so hard he stumbled in place. “I’ve got a spot for you in my ranks, assuming that’s fine with Noc.”
“Fine by me,” Noc said with a wave. “I’ll leave you to it.” He shifted toward the door and extended his hand my way. As much as I didn’t want to leave Dez to settle into his new role as soldier, I couldn’t deny him his choice. With Noc’s hand in mine, we left the tavern and made our way toward the makeshift camp. The troops had erected tents quickly, and with setup done, they were mingling around campfires and preparing to retire for the night. Evening was already upon us, and the first twinkling stars had appeared against the indigo sky.
Noc wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked. “Are you ready?”
“Is anyone ever truly ready for war?” The concept of preparing for it felt so foreign to me. Likely from my years of upbringing as a Charmer, where the very thought of fighting made us cringe. There would be no shortage of blood. Of death. And while I’d seen more of that during my time with Noc than my whole life, I still wasn’t sure ifreadywas the right word.
“I suppose some people live for it.” Noc tipped his head to the sky. “I’m not one of them. I’m not particularly ‘ready’ for this, either. I just hope we can stop Yazmin before everything comes crashing down.”
“Me too.”
For a while, we simply walked in silence. The air around us was thick with the scent of pine and moss, and it quieted the uncertainty within me. There was beauty here, even on the eve of battle. Peace. Crickets chirped a gentle lullaby, and the swaying pinesco pods clattering in the breeze carried over the muted conversations of soldiers. The last of the frost had melted during our journey here, and the grass beneath our feet was slowly inching its way from brown to green. We were fighting to protect this—the very world we lived in—because if Ocnolog rose, he’d burn it all to the ground.
Toward the back of camp and nestled against the tree line of the Kitska Forest stood a tent considerably larger than the rest. Noc stopped before it and peeled open the deep-blue fabric, ushering me inside. Rugs had been draped across the earth, and several round cushions were arranged around a low oak table filled with maps and parchment. Further back stood a makeshift bed of soft hides and plump, feathery pillows.
Raising an incredulous brow, I bit back a laugh. “What is this?”
“Madeline insisted.” Noc let the fabric close behind him. “It’s similar to the tent I used to sleep in as the prince of Wilheim before I died.”
