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“She is in all the ways that matter,” he admits. “I was raised under her care for most of my life.”
I don’t know why, but that softens me a little. “She adopted you?”
“We’re not here to talk about me,” he retorts, grinning.
“I’m not letting anyone into this village,” I confess. “Not until I know you aren’t here to—”
“We’re here to talk about Nesta and the war she’s just started,” Ada interrupts, struggling to remain polite. “If you don’t want to convene with us in a more private setting, free of potential dangers and eavesdroppers, then you’re wasting my time. I’ll just inform the Shade prince that I’m going to kill his mother, and we can be on our way.”
I scoff. “You traveled for two weeks to admit to murder?”
“We traveled for two weeks to warn you in person and share our information,” she clarifies, glancing at each of us. “The new Shade queen should have arrived at the Dweller’s contact point with Lyell this morning. We’re splitting this task in hopes that we can stop Nesta before she kills the rest of the Shade village.”
Nesterin steps forward. “She’s gotten worse?”
“She’s gone mad,” Ecaeris murmurs. “Lyell has been in the Mongrel village for weeks with the next Shade queen and a few other men. If he fears—”
“Then we have to kill her,” Nesterin completes the Mongrel prince’s sentence, his expression grim. “Greer, we need to bring them in.”
“What can we do to help you?” I ask. “I want to know what you’re expecting of us.”
Ada peers so deep into my eyes I feel as if she can see my soul, and I don’t like it.
“Have you spoken to Spiran?”
I bristle. “Once.”
She frowns. “Then I’m expecting a hell of a lot more from you than I am from anyone else in this village.”
“Excuse me?”
“We have too much to discuss, and exactly zero of those topics should be talked about in the open.” She takes a step forward. “Do you understand?”
“Ada,” a green-eyed man warns.
She holds her hand up. “I know, but she can be hesitant and unfriendly anywhere.” She flips her hand over, a ball of water suddenly sitting in her palm. “I can prove to you I am a Mongrel and so much more. However, I will not ask again to speak with you in private. That storm isn’t the only thing we share in common. I have people I’m trying to protect, too. Yet, I left the comfort of my home in hopes that I could save more than my own village. May we talk somewhere less open?”
“No,” I reply, keeping my expression neutral.
“Yes,” Ellisar states over me. “I, the Howler prince, welcome you into our village by authority of my mother, Orianna Warsong, the Howler Queen.”
