“King Dolian sought a deal with the siren queen,” Xander says into the silence I let linger. “In exchange for killing Conrad so that he could become king, he agreed that any child—anyoffspring—sired between the coupling of his brother and the queen would be recognized as mortal royalty.” Nox’s chin draws down to his chest as he shakes his head, and Daje runs a hand over his own. “It shouldalsobe noted that King Dolian wears a ring controlled by Queen Amari,” Xander adds, which doesn’t seem to help Nox’s mood, the silver in his eyes glowing brightly when I look over at him. “So not only do we now have a siren legionandmortal army that can pass through the Spell, but the siren queen has the ability to control them both.”
“Wait,” Daje says, rubbing his temple with one hand. “I need more context. What ring? Why can the mortals and sirensalsopass through the Spell?”
This time, Xander gives me a look that relaysIshould be the one to answer those things. So, for what feels like the hundredth time, I cleave myself into two parts. One part holds my grief and regret behind a shield of my own making, attempting to hide it from the other part who launches into an abridged version of my time spent in the Mortal Kingdom. I leave out certain things, like how I was branded and Simon’s torture, how the king touched me. The murder of Sterling and his wife. The moment in the tower. But I tell them how I was forced to use my magic through the power of the ring. How I had healed battalions of the king’s army and the queen’s legionaries, which leads to the admission that King Dolian had forced me to heal him too, something Xander did not even know.
My shield falters as the memory spills out, as I tell them I had been trying on my wedding dress when the king came in and commanded me to use my magic. I stumble over my words, hottears gathering in my eyes, but Nox effortlessly steps in. Maybe he does it to save me from myself, or maybe it is because he can’t stomach hearing that I was preparing to wed the king, but he begins his own retelling of his experiences in the Mage Kingdom.
I listen intently as he talks about waking from a deep sleep after I was taken. Of how he had been weakened and left without magic. He recounts his attempt to rescue me, and how he had been thwarted by Stephan. I use the moment to tell him all I had learned about the traitor and how he was related to King Dolian’s advisor. Then he speaks about the council, about Kallin’s treachery and Galen’s betrayal. How a magical shard in his back had hindered him, blocking his magic, and how he was poisoned. I can tell he is censoring himself just as I’m sure he knows I did the same, but something insidious in me grows roots when he doesn’t mention Haylee at all. Still, we trade stories long enough for the sun to sink low in the west, and in the aftermath of it all, a heavy quiet lingers, the tension thick as honey.
Daje is the first to speak when he asks how many battalions and legionaries I’ve healed as the firelight gleams off of his tawny skin.
“I don’t know,” I answer, looking to Xander. “Towards the end, I just didn’t…”Care. But I can’t say that, so instead, I let him answer. I feel Nox’s magic rise, my eyes going to where his knuckles have turned white from the tight fists he holds.
“If my count is correct, you healed a large legion of sirens, and close to fifteen battalions,” Xander says, and I don’t miss the dread in his voice.
“And how many are in a battalion?” Nox asks.
“On average? About eight hundred men, give or take.”
Gods above. I exhale and again look to Nox. But his focus is entirely on Xander now.
“How could you allow that to happen?” Goosebumps break out over my skin at the flare in Nox’s power. Even Daje’s eyes widen at the feel of it. “Did you eventryto help her? Or did you just stand by, ever the king’s lackey?”
“Nox—”
“Really?” Xander interrupts, throwing a hand out in Nox’s direction. “You heardeverythingshe said. I was bound by my oaths just as terribly as she was by the ring’s magic.”
Nox’s voice drops to something dangerous and low, and shadows begin to creep towards us over the dead leaves scattered on the forest floor. “You could have donemore,” he growls, the power thrumming from him drawing my own.
Xander laughs, running a hand through his hair. “You have no fucking clue what you’re talking about,Your Majesty. Because you weren’t there.” My voice catches in my throat as both men stand. “I dideverythingthat I could to help her within the bounds of my blood oathandthe oath I made to my people.”
“And that is where you fucked up. Because Rhea is worthmorethan every person in that kingdom combined.”
“Stop it,” I rasp, moving into the space between them.
“Oh, it’s easy to say that,” Xander mocks, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows before curling his hands into fists. He’s only an inch or so shorter than Nox, but they’re built similarly, years and years of physical training honing their bodies into weapons. Even so, Nox has magic, and there is no amount of training or skill that can beat that. “Not so easy to act on, though.Is it?”
I gasp as shame crosses over Nox’s face, there and gone in a blink, before he takes a single menacing step towards Xander. I send a silent plea to Daje for help, but he looks just as stricken as I do.
“You can blame me for thinking I didn’t do enough, butyouweren’t the one who had to watch her suffer every single dayas the king attempted to destroy her piece by piece.Youdidn’t watch the light leave her eyes—”
“Xander,” I warn, my voice shaking as my heart pounds against my ribs. Nox’s eyes meet mine briefly, the devastation in them squeezing the rest of the breath from my lungs.
Xander composes himself enough to say one last thing. “Imayhave been able to help her more, butyouweren’t there for herat all.”
The shadows Nox has pulled halt their movement, as if suspended in time. He stands utterly still, jaw clenched as he glares at Xander. I try to string together enough words to form a sentence in protest, to remind themboththat things beyond their control were at play, but gods, I can’t think straight.
“Guys, I think I hear something,” Daje says as he finally lurches up from his seat, looking out into the forest just barely lit with waning sunlight, just beyond where our horses are tied to the trees. They whinny in what feels like warning, and my throat tightens as the distinct sound of swords being unsheathed breaks up the slight crackling of our fire.
“You’re surrounded!” A voice calls out, male but higher pitched. “Return the king’s betrothed, and the rest of you go free.”
Xander frees the sword strapped at his hip, palming it confidently as Daje steps up to his other side. Nox moves close to me, arm brushing against my shoulder. “Not going to happen,” Xander shouts back.
“Commander, such a disappointment to find you mixed up in this.”
“I’m afraid I’m all kinds of disappointing.”
Daje snorts.
