Page 72 of Where Broken Wings Fly

“I would first like to say thank you all; King Ronan, Queen Tonn and her King Corail, and King Nevan, for being here. We do have a last minute guest.” Raegan motioned to the throne-room doors, which opened upon his small gesture.

Leading them all, chin held high and shoulders square — yet shaking — was Diarmuid. Following him, quietly and with a wish to remain that way, was a young pixie who I assumed to be his consort, and Rory.

I nearly leapt from my seat with joy at seeing a familiar face, but I pinched my lips together and simply blinked at Rory, hoping he could see the excitement in my face. He tipped his chin ever so slightly as he passed, taking a seat with Diarmuid and the others at the far end of the table.

“Please, all, welcome the Regent King, Diarmuid.”

The silence in the room was palpable as eyes swivelled between Ronan and Diarmuid.

Raegan cleared his throat again, snapping the tension into a thousand shards as pixies found the ability to breathe once more.

“I have gathered you all here to speak about the growing threat of the Rachainn.”

Mutters erupted around the table, sparked off initially by King Ronan who scoffed and rolled his eyes, followed up by King Nevan and his wings that grew rigid at the mention.

The only people who didn’t look so shocked by the declaration were those that had seen or reaped the consequences of the Rachainn. Queen Tonn and Tadgh, myself, Niamh, Shea, Raegan, and even Diarmuid who set a strong angle to his jaw as he frowned at them all.

“Son, this is absurd–”

“You will let the boy speak, King Ronan,” Queen Tonn hissed like a snake, some of the tendrils of seaweed twitching as she made abrupt movements. “My people were not slaughtered within my own territory just so that I could sit here and hear you make out like it was imagined!”

I started to chew on the inside of my cheek.

“We know of the reach of the Rachainn all too well,” Diarmuid began, his voice growing with every word. “They struck our kingdom not a week ago, taking it upon themselves to raid our dragon den.”

King Ronan shot upright, his fisted hands slamming the table. “It is not your dragon den, amadan.”

“Amadan?” I whispered to Niamh.

“A fool,” she whispered back.

Both of my eyebrows rose just as Diarmuid began a slow climb to his feet. “They choose our kingdom to nest in. As such they are our responsibility. And we failed them.”

King Ronan tutted as if only such results could be obtained by the people of Cluaineach.

Raegan was losing the world to live in the corner of my vision, his jaw feathering, one hand pressed to his brows.

Queen Tonn made a low snarl that I imagined was capable of taming sharks. Once she had earned everyone's attention, she softened her face and looked at Raegan. “What is it that you would have us discuss, young Prince?”

Raegan looked more like a young foal amongst stallions than he ever had as he tried to clear his throat again. “We’ve sat back and let them have their fun for too long. It is time for us to rally, as one people once more, and take the fight to the Rachainn.”

Unfortunately for Raegan, not a single pixie save for those closest to him held back a bitter laugh at his declaration. Pinching my face tight, I frowned at the monarchs around the table who would laugh with such ease at a reasonable suggestion.

I was so angry, actually, that I slammed my own hands down on the table and leapt to my feet before I had any idea what I was doing. Niamh tugged at my shirt sleeve just as everyone looked to me, a mix of disgust and confusion in their eyes.

“You all laugh,” I groaned, trying my best to even out my hoarse voice, “—at a reasonable suggestion from the one person here who was brave enough to make it!”

King Ronan, far from the kind King that had welcomed me a week prior, scowled at me. “You have no right to speak in such a way to us. You have no right to even be in this meeting. What would you–”

I probably shouldn’t have cut off the King of Choilltean, but I did. “I have no right?” I tipped my head and cackled, starting to wonder what exactly was in the medication the healers had been given me as strength renewed in my soul. “I was there, Your Majesty. I watched as the Rachainn rained terror down on the streets of Choilltean. I witnessed as they dropped down from the sky and made an attempt on the Prince's life. I saw the wounds that they were capable of inflicting on dragons. And as if that is not enough, I saw the havoc they wreaked on Uisge. I counted the bodies with my own eyes. I listened to the whispers of the dying. I watched light leave innocent eyes. So forgive me if I believe that perhaps, of everyone in this damn room, I have the most right to speak of the Rachainn.”

Whatever had fueled me to have such an outburst died out, leaving my body limp as I slumped back down in my seat. Adrenaline rushed over me as I dared a look around the table, seeing the shock on Killian’s face followed by the awe on Raegan’s.

King Ronan said nothing.

Queen Tonn did, though. “She speaks the truth. It is only because of the human that any of my people survived the attack, my own son included.”

I sort of wished she hadn’t said anything, because the shock and disgust on each of their faces shifted into admiration in the blink of an eye, forcing me to look away and down at my hands.