Lara, Daphinia, and Caev brush past her, heading back into the main cavern.
And in the silence of their wake, dread pools in her belly. If she cannot find a way to win over the witches at Seren’s conclave, there’s no way they can face Nymeris and Caeloria and win.
Not if the witches remain for sale.
Not if Lara walks into that room still believing neutrality is strength.
But there’s another truth that turns her blood to ice: Nyrielle is alive. She’s the Queen of Nymeris. And she knowseverything.
Every weakness.
Every fracture.
Every fear.
Everything.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Beware the love that blooms too late
For timing yields to neither fate
Teddy doesn’t remember closingthe door.
He only remembers the moment before it—Rubi’s voice. “Ilyra.”
The name sits wrong in his skull, like a blade driven in sideways. He drags a hand down his face, breath slow, controlled. Too controlled, even for him.
The room is pristine. Unmarked. But it doesn’t stay that way for long.He snaps.
The table goes first. Not in a fit of rage—in precision. One clean strike. Wood splintering under his fist like it was always meant to break.
He’s trained the fucking enemy.Given them tactical plans to attack Dravara, defend against Caeloria. Trained them with weaponry. Built an unbeatable war strategy. Taught them to run into the fray, unafraid and unyielding.
He trained them. Every formation. Every weakness they’ll exploit. Every angle a blade can slice.
Therion Ashborne, General of War of Zerynthia, has built the army he’ll face on the battlefield.And worse still—he built it well.
The chair goes next, fracturing in half under the force of his boot.
He taught them how to win. And now he’ll watch who they use it on. Somewhere beyond his chambers, soldiers are preparing to slaughter Dravara using strategies Teddy himself has perfected over decades. Men and women will die by instincts he placed into their hands.
The silence that follows is worse. Not peace—far from it.Calculation.
He can see them.
Hundreds of soldiers standing in perfect formation beneath Elarion’s sun.
His voice barking commands.
Again.
Again.
Again.
He taught them discipline before they knew confidence. Taught them how to hold a shield wall. How to break one. How to turn hesitation into momentum and momentum into slaughter.
