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“Who’s Tannethe?” Roza asked, her gaze flickering between us.
I opened my mouth to explain, but Raenisa beat me to it. “Tannethe is obsessed with Theron and wants nothing more than to jump back on his prick and kill Kael along the way.”
I rolled my eyes. “Pretty much.”
Roza shook her head. “You are all so fucking weird.”
Theron grunted and turned the conversation back to the battle. “I didn’t expect Tykas to be given any command. He’s practically the family’s whipping boy.”
“Their allies may be thinner than we thought.” Roza pursed her lips. “We need more information on how the other houses are leaning.”
“Let’s just get through this first,” Theron said. “How much calvary again?”
“About half a company, probably closer to a hundred, mounted on vanira.”
“They’re positioned on the south wall to prevent us from fleeing back into the desert,” I growled.
Raenisa nodded in agreement as the door opened again. Zerek stepped inside, looking surprised to see Roza there.
“They’ve run up a flag signaling they want to negotiate, Lord Marshal.” I watched how Zerek, using his title, affected Theron’s bearing. He wasn’t just a man with his friends anymore, but a leader, a commander in charge of thousands.
Theron sheathed his sword, his armor thick and shining in the early morning sun as if he were Atar himself. “Come on. Let’s go see what the snakes want.”
We reached the walls, and the sight before us was like something out of a nightmare. Enemy forces sprawled before the city, a sea of banners, soldiers, and weapons. A golden serpent on a blue background—the Vennorin House sigil—fluttered atop several flags, leading the host. The sheer size of their army made my stomach churn.
“The Vennorins have always favored grand displays of force,” Theron muttered, his eyes scanning the battlefield. Herrath joined him at the wall, swaying on his feet before a pulse of magic went through the air and his stiff bearing returned.
Roza stood beside me, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. “This is going to be one hell of a fight.”
Teodosija arrived, followed by Haemir and Gavril. Haemir caught my eye, his expression carefully blank. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking as I stared, hoping for some sort of sign or signal that his opinion had changed. Gavril joined my side, bumping me with his shoulder and breaking my focus.
“Hey, sis.”
I didn’t have a chance to reply as Raenisa addressed Theron. “What’s the plan, Lord Marshal?”
Theron turned to look at me. Our eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between us. I gave him a curt nod, signaling my agreement. We would stand our ground and protect the city at any cost.
Tension built among our ranks. The atmosphere was thick with mistrust, neither sure what the other would do. Theron stood at the head of the group, his expression calm as he exuded authority. I shivered, the memory of seeing him silhouetted against flames as Caurium burned flitting through my mind. But now he wasn’t razing a city, he was protecting it.
“I want the guards on the walls, their family insignias on their chests—“ He began.
Teodosija cut him off. “And have your people turn on us? No.”
Haemir shifted, his voice a low rumble. “The rebels are taking the more defensible position, in control of the inner keep and palace. It’s better for us, Teodosija.”
She raised her voice in objection again, but Theron held up a hand, stopping her. “Do you want this alliance to work?” He asked sharply. “If you do, then you need to trust my decisions. I know what I’m doing.”
Teodosija’s fierce eyes met his and, for a moment, a standoff between the two formidable leaders was palpable. But she relented, nodding stiffly.
“The Vennorins have signaled they want to talk,” Theron said, drawing our attention back to the impending battle. “I’m going out to meet them.”
Haemir’s voice was low, cautious. “It’s a trap. They’ll kill you.”
Herrath spoke up. “Whether or not it is, Theron has to go. Elves only respect strength. If he hides behind the walls when they offer to parlay, he’d be seen as unfit to lead.”
Roza’s lip curled into a disapproving scowl. “That’s idiotic.”
Zerek chuckled. “Welcome to the world of Elven politics.”
