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“Let’s prepare for war.”
? ? ?
Commanders and lieutenants and generals were introduced throughout the tent, their names leaving my mind as soon as I heard them. Calloused fingers pointed at different parts of the map, tracing lines from city to unfamiliar city, the names of them being thrown about faster than I could memorize them. Aera and Southridge and Redwater. I did my best to keep up.
I was able to pick out Eserene and the Onyxian Mountains. That was it. Not even any of the towns or villages near Eserene. I swallowed back the shame and frustration I felt at knowing so little as the soldiers rushed around me, arguing over the best routes and strategies.
“Castemont is most likely taking this route. These are small villages that Kauvras didn’t bother with, meaning all of their citizens are ripe for the taking.” Miles’ finger moved through tiny dots on the map, from Taitha to Dry Gulch, through Carcalun and Sauveil and Millmouth before finally making it to Eserene.
“How many people would that be?” I asked, trying to keep my voice from betraying the panic I felt. “How many Vacants, if he uses the leechthorn?”
Summercut blew air through his lips. “Eight, maybe ten thousand total.”
“And how many soldiers do we have?”
Summercut’s eyes flashed to Miles before landing on me again. “There’s no way to know for sure, but I’d say roughly three thousand.”
Shit. That couldn’t be good. I nodded and ran my eyes across the outlined route. “He’ll have to go through the Onyx Pass,” I whispered, images of bloodthirsty animals barrelling through my head. “Can he even survive that?”
“He’s traveled the Pass before, multiple times,” Miles answered gruffly. “He has guards, and he’s well trained himself. As long as they stay on the path and there isn’t another…attack,like when you traveled through, he has a good chance of making it, yes.” My fist clenched on the table.
“It’s true then?” A low voice rumbled from the crowd of men, coming from a burly general with a jagged scar on his cheek. “You really killed all those beasts?”
I pressed my lips together, giving a shallow nod. “I did.”
“Holy shit,” someone whispered. The tent stirred uncomfortably as the men continued staring at me.
“I saw her rip the spine from a wolfhound without even touching it,” Miles declared. His voice raked nails down my back, my anger at him still sharp in my chest, still confused as to how he can be complimentary here in front of all these men and a complete dick to me when we were alone. “Three dozen beasts dead.”
Summercut whistled, his eyes squinting with a hint of a smile, his head shaking in disbelief. “How did it feel?”
I opened my mouth to answer before I realized I had no idea what I’d say. “I… I don’t know. I don’t really remember. I was just focused on, you know, not dying.” A laugh coursed through the small crowd of men.
“Remind me not to get on your bad side,” someone said, coaxing another laugh from the group. I gave a slight smile.
“Believe me, it isn’t a place you want to be,” Miles grumbled under his breath, so low that I wasn’t sure if anyone else heard it. Now he’s complaining about being on my bad side? What the fuck was his deal?
Summercut cleared his throat, once again looking to the map. “The issue here is time. I’m surprised they haven’t sent a search party this way yet.” His hand moved back to the map. “But the most important question remains. How do we get Petra to her rightful throne?”
“Mywhat?” My head flew forward, a blistered palm splayed on the table.
“Your throne,” he said, inclining his head. “As the Daughter of Katia, you have the most legitimate claim to the throne of Cabillia. To any throne in the world, really.”
“I don’t want–”
“You’re not going to have a choice,” Miles stated firmly. “Do you think that people are just going to let you fade back into obscurity now that they know who you are? Do you think that news of your arrival hasn’t already traveled throughout the entire continent, maybe even beyond? You’re the rightful queen.”
Some part of me knew this was going to happen. I’d accepted the fact that some people were going to look to me as a leader once I found out my true heritage. But as aqueen…
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced a deep breath into my lungs. I knew he was right. I could see it in the kneeling stances of the soldiers chanting. I could see it in the flashes of wonder that danced in the eyes of every soldier I’d spoken with. They believed in the Daughter of Katia beyond just her existence. They believed in her as a ruler. And the prophecy, the flames and wind that I was still trying to learn how to control… If they believed in all that, then by default, I supposed, they believed in me.
There wasn’t much I could do to get around the fact that I was expected to rule — Cabillia, Astran, somewhere. In that moment, there was no other choice than to accept the role and everything it would require.
I had absolutely no idea how to be the queen the people needed. But I could fake it, just like Nell suggested. I gave a small nod before opening my eyes again, the room pulsing with salty resolve, most of it my own.
“Petra, you have the power to shape this world into somethinggood,” Summercut began. “Your intentions aren’t evil like Kauvras.”
Even though his intentions seemed to be, I wasn’t sure Kauvras was actually evil. There was something in his eyes, something unhinged, unstable. The wild eyes, the outlandish words. Mad? Absolutely. But evil? Maybe not. Maybe just…unwell.
