I would stand up for Kyella. No—I would stand at her side as she stood up for herself.
“I support you,” I stated, accepting that this is what she wanted. “I won’t stand in your way, rather I will stand at your side every step of the way.”
Her mouth snapped shut as she turned to look at me in shock. “Truly?”
I still understood Myrin’s point of view, but I knew first hand the damage Malakai wrought, just like Ky did. I couldn’t imagine someone telling me I couldn’t get revenge for the death of my parents. I couldn’t imagine anyone dictating what I could and could not do at all.
She deserved this, and I would do everything within my power to ensure she was ready to claim victory. It would take a whole hell of a lot of dedication in a very short matter of time. While I wished we had a year or longer to get her ready, we would just have to make due with what we had. Mere days. A week at most, perhaps.
“As will I,” Kolvar’s deep voice rumbled from behind Ky.
All of our eyes turned to Elijah at the same moment, waiting to hear what he would say.
I was preparing myself to go toe to toe with him to make him see reason, but he merely lifted his head and nodded as he looked at Kyella with respect, and damn me, maybe a little fear in his eyes.
“If that is what you wish.”
Did he really just fold?
Ky’s voice was thick with emotion still as she whispered, “It is. I know the risks, but I cannot stand by while others risk their lives for this. Ineedto do this.”
For some reason, it hadn’t seemed real until now. Rationally, I knew we were about to head to war, and we’d never had the conversation about Kyella coming or going. Perhaps we were living in a bubble of happiness, and no one had wanted to ruin it. But this was our reality now…
We were all going to war.
Lives would be lost, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to ensure that it wouldn’t be one of ours.
Chapter Sixteen
Kyella
My heart felt like it had been to hell and back in a short span of time. To feel like I was being forced into a prison, by the people I’d come to respect and care for, in a place I thought to be my home… It was pain like nothing I have ever experienced.
When I spoke my truth to my men, I expected a blow-out fight from them. I more than deserved to be on the frontlines, not confined to my room like a child. They were beyond protective and possessive of me, and while I loved that about them, I thought that protectiveness would become a thorn between us. It was apparent they merely wanted me to be safe, but we all had to trust in each other’s abilities and the support of our army.
There was a fine line between protective and controlling, though, and my heart felt at peace seeing them understand that. While I wish they had seen it sooner—like as soon as Myrin mentioned her wishes to them—they still hadn’t strong-armed me into doing what they wanted. Nor had they put up much of an argument when I bucked the Empress’s orders.
Elijah’s words were true, and they touched something deep within my heart. He was right that I would sacrifice myself for another—I couldn’t change who I was, but I had to face the very real possibility that it could happen. It wasn’t that I was blinded to the reality of what we would face in this war, but I was new to this, and the different perspective was helpful.
Thinking the potential situations through and processing what I would do made it feel more real, and I hoped it would prepare me mentally for what was to come.
“Okay,” Elijah repeated again, seemingly for himself as he nodded, his gaze passing over Kolvar and Dakath. As his gaze turned to me, he asked, “Shall we go see Myrin together?”
Sidelining me wasn’t my men’s idea, and I knew that. Even though I hadtheirsupport now, I knew I needed to face Myrin and let her know I would not stay behind, no matter what she said.
Part of me was still shocked about the entire situation cropping up out of nowhere. I would have expected Myrin to voice her concern much earlier than now, right before the army is set to begin sailing.
What caused her to come to that decision today? Was it because I was captured?
“Ky?” Dakath called out, making me blink and come to.
“No,” I answered Elijah while taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders. “I need to do this alone, but thank you.”
I’d find out where Myrin was coming from, and while I respected her greatly, I wouldn’t leave until I made it clear that I wouldn’t be controlled. I had free-will, and I was exercising that right.
Dakath’s warmth surrounded me a moment later as he cradled my head to his chest. “Please don’t be upset with us. I’m sorry we didn’t stand up for you earlier, but we won’t make that mistake again.”
Melting into him, I wrapped my arms around his waist and looked up at him. “I know in my heart you didn’t mean anything malicious by it. I know you merely want to protect me, but you can’t protect me from everything.”
