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“Shit,” Drayce swore softly.
“But there is also a chance the request is genuine. That leaves the Empire with the option of engaging in a two-front war that draws Erya into assisting her allies. With our resources spread thin between Caspagir and Ilon, the Empire launches a surprise assault on Stormbreak Point.”
Rayne paused and chewed on his bottom lip, his brain quickly turning over all the angles. He was missing something. It felt big, but the idea didn’t solidify in his brain. He had too little information to work from and nothing useful with regard to the Empire’s plans.
“So, Caelan may or may not be walking into a trap when he goes to Caspagir,” Drayce murmured. He sat up, dropping his hands between his knees. “Do you think he knows?”
Before Rayne could answer, they all jumped to their feet at the sound of the front doorknob turning. They turned to see Caelan enter, his expression a heavy mix of worried and weary.
Rayne had always been struck by how handsome Caelan was with his bright sky-blue eyes and fine, delicate features nearly lost under long locks of black hair. All those good looks had been tempered by how very young he was.
Tonight, though, standing in his doorway, his twenty-three years had caught up with him and then some. He was pale and lines of worry dug into his brow. Full lips were pressed into a hard line that only eased when he managed a wry smile. “Yeah, Caelan knows.”
“Listening at doors now?” Rayne said stiffly and as he’d expected, mischief sparkled in the man’s blue eyes, but only for a second.
“That’s how you get your best intel,” Caelan mocked. He closed the door and trudged across the room, his shoulders slumped. He gave Drayce’s arm a shove and he dropped on the sofa. “I wasn’t listening long. I wanted to hear if you’d come up with anything I hadn’t.”
“And?” Rayne prompted.
Caelan shook his head. “She never mentioned the potential for a trap, but she’s clearly worried.” Caelan lifted his eyes and pinned Rayne with a dark look. “And you know she never appears worried.”
“True.”
“Something about this has her spooked or distracted. Something she’s not willing to tell me. The only thing I could come up with is that she suspects this might be a trap.”
“What do you think?” Eno inquired.
Caelan held up a hand in front of him. “It could be a trap.” He lifted his other hand to the same height. “Or it could be a true request for help.” He bobbed both hands before his chest as if they were scales weighing what they knew, but in the end neither side won, and he dropped both into his lap. “I want to believe they want our help, and I think she does too. While relations have never been particularly warm, we have established regular trading ties. We’re civil to each other. But I’m not a fool. Caspagir’s interests will always lie with Caspagir first. If the Empire is making them tempting promises, why not tie me up and toss me across the Empire’s border?”
“Because Queen Amara would use the Godstone to unleash a fucking nightmare on their heads,” Drayce argued, winning a sweet smile from Caelan.
It was a pretty, romantic idea, but the queen was not the type to act hastily, even for her own flesh and blood, and it was clear from Caelan’s drawn expression that the prince knew this as well. Rayne didn’t doubt that it would be her first choice, but there was more to consider. Besides herself, Caelan was the only other Talos who could protect the Godstone. He was the only one other than the queen who could wield the power from within, and the bulk of that control wasn’t supposed to kick in until her death. If Caelan were killed and the queen had no other heir, what would happen to Erya?
And what would happen to the Godstone with no chosen protector?
Yes, there were government leaders who could step in and take charge, but so much of Erya’s protections were tied to power from the stone.
“When do you leave? It’s gonna take a few days to pull everything together—” Drayce started but cut off his words at Caelan’s head shake.
“In about five hours.” He sighed. “We leave at three in the morning.”
“What?” Drayce squawked, jerking upright on the sofa.
“She wants us slipping out under the cover of darkness. This isn’t an official visit. We don’t want anyone to know that I’m in Caspagir.” Caelan turned his head toward Rayne. “She’s going to activate my double, have him moving around the castle and making some appearances in public so any Empire spies think I’m still here.” The prince turned his attention to Drayce. “It would be helpful if you were seen with my double. Since everyone is accustomed to seeing us together in public, it would help to sell him as me.”
