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I neared closer. “Who has the power to break the wards?”
His expression turned grim, and he shook his head. “The wards occasionally falter. Especially with the amount of negative energy in the area.”
Was he lying to me? I stared at the map again. There was something he wasn’t telling me. “What do you mean by negative energy?”
Prince Maedras placed his hand over mine. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, wife. I will take care of it.”
I frowned and pulled my hand away. “I can’t help but worry. My family is there.”
“There’s been a lot of death and destruction in that region. They saturate the ley lines with it.”
That was easy enough to explain the wards faltering. But it didn’t explain why they didn’t fix them. Unless...
“Why don’t they just cleanse the ley lines?” I played dumb. “Or fix the wards?”
Prince Maedras sighed. “It’s not that simple. The ley lines in that region are unstable. And the wards... well, they’re old and need to be replaced.”
It made little sense to me. Wards only got stronger with age. The only way they faltered was if something overpowered them. But no one was that powerful. Not even the Great Dragons.
And the last war ended almost 400 years ago. The ley lines should have been cleansed already. Elves wouldn’t be so careless.
Were we at war then? Is this why the border was breached?
I looked down at the map again. My heart clenched as I saw the name of the place where my family was stationed.
I swallowed hard and met his gaze. “I don’t understand,” I said slowly. “And you think that whatever is causing the unrest will come this way?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a tired sigh. “It’s only a matter of time before they do. We need to be prepared. We have contained the situation for now. But I’m sending a contingent of troops to help them out. There hasn’t been a death in Lanthove for 380 years and I don’t want that to change. This is just a security measure.”
“What about you?” If he or another member of House Finardsil left for the border, the situation was more severe than he told me. “Are you going to stay here?”
A gleam appeared in his eyes and he straightened up. “Bers is there in my stead. I trust him to do what is necessary.”
For now.
I frowned but said nothing. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t argue with him. Not yet. Not when I didn’t know what was going on.
His eyes softened. “I know you miss your family.”
I nodded and swallowed hard. I missed them. “They are doing what is necessary to keep Manzimor safe,” I whispered. “But I wish there was another way.”
Vulnerability flickered in his eyes before he schooled his features back into neutrality. “As do I, my princess. As do I.”
I looked down. “If only I knew more. The idea of war frightens me.”
Prince Maedras cupped my chin and forced me to look at him. “You needn’t worry, wife. There’s no need for you to concern yourself with such things.”
His hands were warm and strong. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to feel safe. But Prince Maedras loved his games of politics and war. He was always so sure of himself.
I wasn’t ready to give in to him just yet. “How can I not worry when I don’t know what is going on?”
I allowed tears to roll over my cheeks. Vulnerability might soften him up. It might make him reveal more information.
It worked.
He let out a weary sigh, and he brushed his thumb over my cheeks. The heat of his skin was soothing against my own. “We are not being invaded. That I can promise you. And I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe. To keep everyone safe. I give you my word.”
His words replayed in my head. We are not being invaded. That I can promise you. And I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe. To keep everyone safe. I give you my word.
