Kyr’s nostrils flared. “Those prisoners do not belong to you. They are League property. You have absolutely no right to them.”
Before anyone realized what he was doing, Darling snatched his helmet off and threw it to the ground so hard, it bounced three feet high.
Maris’s grip on Ture tightened. “Damn his temper. How can you love someone so much and still want to put your foot up their sphincter?”
Ture had no idea, and Kyr held the same shocked expression he was pretty sure marked his own face. While everyone around them, including Kyr, was rendered speechless and spellbound by Kere’s real identity, Ture’s shock came from the stupidity of Darling revealing himself to the one person who could seriously screw up his life.
But what made Ture want to choke Darling most was the fact that Zarya had been tortured for a secret he’d just callously revealed. She should have saved herself the misery and given it up the first day they were taken.
Fearlessly stupid, Darling went straight to the wall on the right and leveled a killing glare at Kyr. “The hell you say. They are my people, not yours. You sent your army into my territory and took not just my citizens, but my consort. How dare you!”
Kyr gave Zarya a look that said she hadn’t bathed in a month or more. “She’s not your consort.”
Darling shook his head in denial. “She wears my ring and was officially bound to me when we were children—something sanctified and approved by your predecessor.”
Zarya gasped at his unexpected disclosure.
Ture gaped. Was any of that true?
“By all laws,” Darling continued, “she is my consort. And five minutes after I get her home, she will officially be my wife.”
Kyr arched a daring brow. “So you’re declaring war on us, then.”
Yeah, there was no going back now.
But Darling was nothing, if not a brilliant politician. “Interesting concept. I would say that you declared it on us when you marched your army into Our empire and destroyed Our property, and kidnapped Our citizens. And now We’re answering it. No one seizes my people. I don’t care who you are.”
“The League was invited in by your own council who wanted you removed from power.”
“Were you?” Darling asked with a hint of laughter in his voice. “That’s not what I heard. In fact, I have the entire CDS who will swear they never asked for you to intervene. That you took it upon yourself to attack us.”
Kyr slammed his hand down on his desk. “You have no idea what you’re unleashing right now, verikon.”
Ture had no idea what that word meant, or the language it belonged to, but from Darling’s reaction, it was obvious he knew it well.
And it wasn’t a compliment.
“And neither do you, ciratile. You ever try this shit again with me and mine, and I will rape and plunder the village, and burn the motherfucker to the ground…” He looked around at the bodies on the floor. “And as you’ve seen here today, there ain’t nothing you bitches can do to stop me. Talk is cheap. Pain is free. And I’m peddling the shit out of it. So you come on and get some.”
Kyr laughed as if he relished the thought. “War it is. Good luck, Your Majesty,” he sneered that title. “No one will ever support you in this. You’re about to find out what happens to nations that fight alone.”
Nemesis jerked his helmet off and moved to stand beside Darling. Ture’s jaw went slack. Nemesis was the Andarion prince and heir, Nykyrian Quiakides?
Get the hell out of town. Who would have ever guessed that?
Stunned even more, he held his breath as Nykyrian shook his head. “You would be wrong there, Zemen. Not only does he have the full backing of Nemesis and the Sentella, he has that of my people. From both sides. Human and Andarion.”
“And you can add mine to it, too,” another Sentella member said as he exposed his face. Again, Ture gaped at the sight of the Exterian prince, Caillen. “The Exterians fear nothing, and I’m pretty sure the Qillaqs will back us, too. After all, they love a good fight. The bigger, the bloodier, the better.”
None of the others exposed their faces, but they stood shoulder to shoulder behind Darling. “The Tavali will always fight for and back the Sentella, especially against the League.”
Oh yeah, this was going to be one bloody war these people were starting.
And all for a woman he’d called a fool for her belief that someone could love her enough to rescue her, never mind start a war over her capture.
Wow...
Kyr took a full minute before he spoke again. “All of you will regret this.”
Darling smirked. “The war is on. Can’t wait for our first dance.”
An instant later, the screens went dark.