"You were not there, Bala. You have been at home while Nyssa and I have pushed ourselves to our limits and gone further than any other person in our world would have. All forthem— to follow what they asked us to do. So yes, I took a crown from the Infi because I wanted one less thing to have to worry about taking my family away from me. They aremine. It was either die on that dais or bind them to me. Tell me you would have done differently."
Bala shifted on her feet.
"Tell me you would have had a better plan."
No one spoke.
And Dorian was starting to break.
"I did what I had to do," he managed. "I won't let you shame me for the decision I had to make that night."
The room remained quiet as Dorian sank into his chair and pushed his hands through his hair. Nyssa looked up to the ceiling in an attempt to stifle her tears.
"So, what's next?" Lex asked, looking around the room.
"We have to take the Scrolls back to Lake Oriens," Nadir said, still staring at the parchment. "They have to be secured."
"Is that actually the safest place for them, considering the Infi found them last time?" Bala asked.
"You mean along with you and Draven?" Nadir snapped.
"Oh, fuck all. Everyone take a fucking breath," Nyssa commanded. "I am done with this fighting. No one is better than anyone else in this room because of what we have been through. We have all endured our own darknesses and no one is shaming anyone for any of it. Bala is right. This is larger than our inner squabbles. We all count. We are all important in this. Every decision any of us have made is for our continued freedom—“
Her eagle flew through the door and landed on her good arm.
"The arguing isfinished," she practically declared.
Everyone watched her as she stopped in the middle.
And suddenly, she was the largest person in that room.
Back straight. Chin high. Broken arm clutched to her stomach and other bent at the elbow. Her eagle eyed the rest of the room—the great bird stretching taller than the top of Nyssa's head as it sat on her forearm. Dark golden wings shimmering in the firelight.
Nyssari Eaglefyre. Princess and Eyes of Haerland—
No.
This was Ari Storn.
"Nadir will take the Scrolls back to where ever he feels they should go," she snapped. "If that means the Lake or up to the Nitesh, I don't care as long as that Red Moons scroll is safe until the next of us can perform it. Whoever is going with him can be decided later. I know what is happening at Savigndor and I can tell you everything. But what I don't know is what is happening at Magnice. There has been no word since they started sending companies after us. What we need right now is information on what is going on there. Commander Storn—“
"Yes, Princess," Nadir said as he lifted his head.
"Traders should go there to find out. I want to know if our brother has started executing people for information about us. Reverie—“
"Yes, ma'am," Reverie stood.
"Do you have any knowledge about the villages? Anything at all?"
Reverie shifted. "Not... Not really, but I can travel there if I need to and see a friend."
"Great. It has been one cycle. I imagine cleaning up at Magnice is starting to slow. He'll send his own army down here soon looking for us. The moons rise tomorrow. The Noble from the camp I destroyed will be traveling back thinking I will be there for him to take to the Prince. I don't know what will happen when he gets there and finds out it is destroyed, but we have to keep our eyes on the seaandthe dunes. We are fighting the war on two sides right now whether we want to or not. Until we can win the villages over, that is our reality. We—why are you all smiling?"
Because they were.
Small smiles, but smiles nonetheless.
She huffed and ignored them.
