“What are all these?” I recognize Damien’s voice as his body casts a shadow over the lands I’m trying to examine.
“What do you want, Delecroix?” He seems on edge from my harsh tone, but his feelings aren’t a priority of mine and he’s interrupting my peace.
“There’s something I wanted to run by you. I’ve thought about it for weeks now, and I want to go extract Kane.” My head snaps up to find him standing like a soldier waiting for my order.
“The realms are on lockdown.No one is getting in or out.”
“I can,” he quickly insists, pulling his shoulders back slightly. “I’ll convince those at the border that I was taken as a prisoner but escaped. They won’t know any better.”
“It’s too risky.” I shake my head dismissively and turn my attention back to the faded maps.
“Please!” His hands slap against the table and a breath later, I have him pinned against the wall with my forearm.
“Watch yourself,” I warn with a low growl that makes him lean his head back.
“I have to do this! Forher.” Pain flashes across his face and I release him, taking a step back.
“There will be no one to save you from my father this time.”
“I know that. I’ll go alone and if the worst happens then I accept my fate. But I have to at least try. I owe her that much.”
I could deny his request. I could stop him from risking his life, but it’s his choice to make. I know what it feels like to carry the weight of disappointing her. She’ll hate him for going and she’ll hate me for allowing it. But I promised her I would be better and allowing him to make this decision for himself is the start of that. Maybe now she’ll understand why I didn’t want her in the Throne Room the day of the attack.
“You can go in two days. Once you cross the threshold into the realms, I won’t be able to help you.”
“Thank you,” he nods before rushing out of the room like he’s worried I’ll change my mind if he stays any longer.
“You’re really sending him to Strellesia?” Artemus asks in his judgmental tone that I loathe.
“It was his decision.”
“You don’t really think he’ll make it back here alive, though. Do you?”
I turn to him and immediately see the invisible wheels turning in his head. “Are you asking me if I agreed to it as a way of getting rid of him?”
Artemus shrugs before turning around to look out the window. “It wouldn’t be the most inconvenient thing for you.”
“What exactly are you getting at?”
He turns back around, waving his hands in the air as he speaks. “I’m just saying that a certain someone might look at you differently if her ex-dragon lover was no longer in the picture.”
“If you’re insinuating that I’ve simply agreed to this rescue mission as a way of clearing the board, you’re wrong.”
“Perhaps. Though, I suppose it would just be a bonus if he didn’t come back.”
“If he doesn’t come back, then neither does Kane, and that outcome will only destroy her.”
“I know,” Artemus admits, lowering his head. “She’s lost too much already.”
“She has. Which is why he has to come back. Whether or not I want him here doesn’t matter. And for your information, I don’t need to clear the board because I’m not playing.”
“We’ll see how long that last,” he mumbles under his breath before slipping out of the room.
First Amaya and now him? I’ve kept my distance and so has she. It’s clear that whatever feelings I may have for her are one sided. She’s barely even looked at me since returning from the Infinite Sea Territories. Whatever is going on between her and Damien has nothing to do with me and I plan on keeping it that way.
A knock on the door pulls my attention, and it’s as if the universe is laughing at me.
“Hey,” she says softly, pushing the door open.
