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“Good afternoon,” I greeted, not waiting for any responses before I strode directly over to a little credenza which housed tea and biscuits for the meeting.
I noted it was the queen and all her advisors, along with her parents, sitting around a very large table with the same carving that was on the door. Various weapons were perched along the dark walls. This room also had a balcony, which was the only way the tail of the queen of Dra Skor could fit into the war room. Even with a balcony, this room had a darker feel. Likely the weapons on the wall and the seriousness of the huge table before me.
I poured myself a tea and stood leaning up against the wall. Relaxed. Unflustered.
I gave the room a smile before taking a sip of my tea. “I’ll just be over here waiting for the rest of you to decide whether or not I can be trusted.”
Jagen choked on a laugh and Zaire narrowed his eyes at me, while Malachi bobbed his head.
“I believe we were just discussing what the lakes being changed back means, Prince Keiran,” Amory said nicely.
I kept my position leaning against the wall near the balcony doors. “It means your lakes were damaged, stymied from working properly. I personally suspect poisoned. Whatever was put into them, severed the connection with the Enchantment of Dra Skor.”
Careful,the queen sent me.
“Yesterday it took us shocking the lake with our magic, as well as a shifter speaking telepathically, to reconnect that bridge of sorts,” I finished with a shrug, as if it was not a big deal at all and the lakes hadn’t been stuck for nine years.
“You saidpoisoned?” Jagen asked.
I gave him a nod. I knew this was coming when I had said it. But rather than have Esta take the heat for keeping this secret, it was time it was all out in the air. As awful as it was, I would rather them be angry at Wylan while not able to shift into an army of warriors. So they could be angry now and hopefully by the time they could shift again, things would blow over. “Yes. Almost a year ago, my brother and I, with the help of our queen, found out it was likely my father was responsible for the disease.”
Multiple gasps were heard. The screeching of a chair.
“And yet we are just supposed to trustyou, his son, with our lakes?” Zaire asked, his forehead and neck protruding with veins.
I took another sip of tea before answering. “If I were trying to hurt Dra Skor, why would I work to change them back? I never would’ve come. I would’ve just left you weakened.”
This time it was the former king who demanded, “So why did you come?”
I decided honesty was best. “I loathed my father. The entire realm is better off without him. I am a better man without him. I helped form a rebellion within Wylan to usurp him and didn’t quit until it was successful. Unravelling the evil he forced upon the realm is the best way I can further destroy his legacy. He will not be remembered or written about in history books as anything other than the fool he was.” I swallowed and allowed my magic to slither along my skin. I had meant every one of those words.
The former king of Dra Skor seemed to consider that, his eyes never leaving mine.
“So you think it is the telepathy and this shocking of the lakes? That combination?” Amory asked.
I gave her a nod, glad for her saving me from an awkward silence. “I do. It takes Wylan’s Enchantment to shock the lake, and heal it, and it took Dra Skor’s Enchantment being actively used at the same time to fire the connection between the lake and the shifters. Since you cannot actively shift right now, the way your Enchantment is still working is through the telepathy in the shifters.” I paused. “All three times we were able to clear the water, someone was speaking telepathically to us when it occurred.”
“So you think you’ll be able to change back the other lakes?” Morana asked, and I noted the way her eyes traveled along my body with approval as she did.
I normally enjoyed that, but at this juncture it just felt awkward as hell. What was her deal? Was she just attracted to Emric and me because we were from a foreign country? “I do. It will take time though. And shifters being willing to stand in the lake with us, as happened at The Pit and The Drak.”
“What does this even mean?” Otis snapped. “So we get the lakes clear. This possible poison removed. It doesn’t mean we are truly healed if our shifters are still stuck.”
“Not so stuck,” I offered nonchalantly.
“I’m sorry?” the former king snapped.
“The queen was able to see her hand yesterday, for the briefest of moments. I haven’t entirely figured out how that happened yet, but rest assured, I didn’t stop until my father was dead, I didn’t stop until your lakes turned, and I won’t stop until she can shift again.”
The entire room shifted to look at Esta.
He speaks the truth,Esta admitted.I just didn’t want anyone to get their hopes up. I did see my hand when the lake turned back.
“How soon can you try another lake?” Esta’s father asked.
I turned to look at Esta. “As long asthe queenapproves, a few days. Whichever lake she would like me to try next.”
The queen approves,Esta snapped, and I was certain it wasn’t at me, but rather for everyone else in the room.Furthermore, if any delegates from Wylan are attacked, considering what they were able to do yesterday, I will consider it an act of war.
