“I believe I am, Your Majesty.”
Evelayn reached out and touched his hand hesitantly. He looked up, his amber eyes sending a thrill through her veins.
“Yes, you may call on me. If I live to see that day come.”
Tanvir turned his hand over so that his fingers slid between hers, sending a wave of warmth up her arm. “You will.”
“Do you think I’ve made the right decision—to trust Caedmon?”
“I do.” Tanvir squeezed her hand. “And I will be there beside you. If he plays us false, I will carve his heart out myself.”
“If he plays us false, we will all be as good as dead.”
Tanvir shook his head, squeezing her hand even tighter. “You can do this, my queen. Take all the pain, all the rage and hurt, and channel it. Use the power you have access to and kill Bain. No matter what game any of the Dark Draíolon may or may not be playing, you can succeed. I believe in you, Evelayn.”
She squeezed back, her gaze on their entwined fingers. She wanted to see where this led … what it would feel like to be courted. She wanted to live in a world where she had to plan festivals and celebrations, instead of battles.
“I hope you haven’t misplaced that belief,” she said to their hands.
“I haven’t.”
Evelayn looked out at the swans, now far away, across the lake, and let herself hope.
THE FIRST COURSE OF FRESH, SLICED FRUITS DRIZZLED with a deliciously sweet sauce, and warm, crusty bread, had only been on the table for a few minutes when the doors at the end of the dining hall burst open. All eyes turned to the male who rushed toward the queen with a note clutched in his hand.
“Word from Ristra, Your Majesty,” he said breathlessly.
Ceren watched in trepidation as Evelayn stood and took the missive. The little bit of color she’d regained in her cheeks the last few days drained out again as she dismissed the runner.
The parchment crinkling as she opened the letter was the only sound in the room; everyone’s focus was riveted on the queen.
Finally, Evelayn looked up, her eyes going to Tanvir’s first, then to Ceren, then to the table as a whole. “Bain’s army is on the move toward Ristra and brings a force larger than he ever has before. Our battalions require immediate assistance.” The note crumpled in Evelayn’s fist.
Even though Ceren knew this moment would come, knew that it would happen at any hour, dread still coated her body like ice and made the little bit of food she’d eaten turn to lead in her belly.
“General Kel, please convene my council at once.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He nodded, then pushed his chair back to stand and hurry out of the room, other members of her council who had been at the meal following quickly in his wake.
Evelayn straightened to her full height and looked over those who remained, including Ceren and Quinlen at her side.
“Do not fear what is to come. I will protect my people and my kingdom. Bain will not succeed.” The words were a ferocious growl, a promise that was so convincing even Ceren felt her own terror ebbing slightly, though she knew the challenge that lay ahead for Evelayn.
“May the Light be with you all,” she said, and then inclined her head to her subjects seated at the table.
“May the Light be with you,” was repeated back multiple times as she strode out of the room to meet with her council and put her plan into action at last.
Quinlen took Ceren’s hand and laced his fingers through hers beneath the table, holding on to her just as tightly as she held on to him.
“May the Light be with you,” she whispered thickly when the door had shut, taking Evelayn away from her sight, “and bring you safely back to us.”
There was no breeze, no movement to the air whatsoever. The heat swelled up from the ground and pressed down from above, creating a suffocating morass of humidity. Lorcan truly hated summer. It was too hot, but even more than the heat, he hated feeling that slight loss of power that tilted in favor of the Light Kingdom during spring and summer. His father believed that by defeating Queen Evelayn and claiming the Light Kingdom’s power for himself, he could put an end to the shifting balance of power and keep it all for himself, year-round.
And though it had seemed far away, so very far away, when this war started a decade ago—when Lorcan was still a youngling—it was now so very, very close. All their plans were close. They moved silently through the forest. And though he didn’t care for éadrolan or the heat of summer, Lorcan couldn’t help but be grateful to at least be free from the unnatural grayness of the Undead Forest. He hoped never to go back to the accursed place.
They were a silent group moving through the trees toward the appointed place. His father, King Bain, was behind him, as was Lothar. The two priests he’d brought were in front of the princes. Always, even with a limited number of defenders, the king wished to be the most protected. Even more than his own sons. Caedmon was in the lead, guiding them through the path he’d discovered when he’d been sent to scout out éadrolan for this ambush. The other two generals brought up the rear, protecting the king’s back—just in case.
If what Caedmon had told them held true, they were getting very close to where the army would be traveling through the forest to defend éadrolan from the decoy attack on Ristra. Then it only remained to get into position to spot the queen, fall in behind her, and kill her—finishing Bain’s plan and sealing the Light Kingdom’s fate once and for all.
Caedmon made a signal from ahead and they all paused. When Lorcan held his breath, he could just hear the muted sound of horses and people moving through the forest in front of them. Caedmon had led them truly and now was their chance. A rush of adrenaline spiked through Lorcan’s body as Caedmon gestured again. They stalked forward to fan out and take their positions, the prince’s father staying back with the two priests until the queen had been spotted. Lorcan itched to change into his other form—it would be so easy to take to the sky and find her. But he was also vulnerable as a bird and could alert the army to their presence. Most Draíolon knew what animal forms the royals could take, and hawks weren’t as plentiful in éadrolan as they were in Dorjhalon.