Esmeray gasps, covering her ample chest with her palm. Everyone at the table diverts their gaze from the mother and son, pretending like they’ve not witnessed a moment that should take place in private.
I drop my gaze to my hands. His defiant words are like a vise grip on my heart. How can he feel even a fraction of what I do and brush a future with me aside so quickly. No matter how much he hurt me, my desire for him still makes me a willing participant in his torture. And he didn’t so much as hesitate to reject a possibility of forever with me.
Kyron takes a deep breath and quietly says, “She has sacrificed enough for her crown. I won’t be the next person who bends her to my will. We’ll unite the armies and pray to the Statera that it’s enough.” He meets my gaze and gives a slight nod.
My jaw goes slack.
The reason for his refusal is me.
He has always been adamant that I didn’t have to be shackled to the future chosen for me. During my time with him at Basecamp, he told me I had control over the choices I made. He even offered to defy Micah and keep me at the camp if that’s what I wanted. And again, he refuses to force me to conform.
Perhaps not all respect and trust in Kyron is gone. That part of him that wanted to give me freedom is still there. The part of him I first fell for. The part of him I still love.
He relaxes into his chair again, taking on the bored posture he wore before. “If no one has anything else to add, we’ll move on to discussing our military strategy.”
Everyone stays quiet, looking to the others around the table to object. No one will voice their opposition. How can they when he is resolute in his position? They would do better asking a mountain to move.
The prince gives a curt nod. “No? Good. Then let’s plan a war.”
Seven
The strategy meeting adjourns before midnight, with Stigian and Lucent alike exhausted. Every decision required extensive back and forth. It was a battle to gain slight dominance over the other. It took Kyron’s persistence, my father’s guidance, and the knowhow of Stigian’s leading warrior, to get a plan underway for merging the two armies.
The Lucent men remain talking at the end of the table while the room clears out. I stand, not in the mood to recap the day’s events. I place a kiss on my father and godfather’s cheeks, wishing them a good night. Zek moves to follow me, but I insist he remain for the rest of the meeting.
I step into the hallway to find Kyron and Esmeray glaring at one another. The prince clamps his mouth shut, cutting off their conversation. It’s astonishing that I never noticed how much he resembles her and Micah. The angles of their eyes, sharp features, and beautiful golden skin. Like the twin royals, he’s the epitome of LeFur royalty.
“Goodnight, Mother,” he says with a bow.
“This discussion isn’t over, Kyron,” she says in a low warning.
With a brisk pace, I make my way past them and to the grand staircase.
“I’m sure it isn’t,” he says, and his footsteps echo behind me.
It doesn’t take him long to catch up with his long stride, and we ascend the stairs to the upper floors together. Pushing aside the tension thathas lingered between us all day, I bask in our silence. It reminds me of our days walking back to camp after my training sessions. I always appreciated the tranquility after my body and emotions were put to the test. Today was just as grueling.
Of course, there was one moment that outshines the rest and left me with a question begging for an answer.
“Why do you think your mother is so persistent that you and I marry?”
Kyron shoots me a glance from the corner of his eye. “You don’t believe that she wants me to find happiness with the woman I share a bond with?”
“Do you believe that?”
“No.”
It can’t be easy to believe that the only parent one has doesn’t have their best interest at heart. We’re both familiar with the priorities of a sovereign. The kingdom always holds precedence above all else, even one’s child. It makes me grateful to be the daughter of a general and a mother who chose to spend her days caring for her children. My parents put me and my siblings above all others. Micah and Borin could never give me that kind of attention. I got the best possible childhood of any sovereign before me.
Kyron rubs the back of his neck and exhales. “My mother thinks you’re weak, and I can sway you away from your beliefs. To her, you’re the easy answer to getting what she wants most… to rule a unified Pliris.”
Anger bubbles inside me, crawling up my throat and heating my face. Of course, she would think I’m weak. I’m nothing more than a vessel for the power that is useless inside my body. She doesn’t consider me a superior being or even an equal partner in my bond with Kyron. If it weren’t for my status, she would press him to marry someone else.
I stomp up the stairs until we reach the fourth-floor landing.
Kyron grabs my arms and gently turns me toward him. “She doesn’t know you, Raelle. She doesn’t understand your compassion and dedication to see a kingdom where every person is equal.”
“You used to want that too.” I search his eyes for any indication that we still fight for the same cause. “You once told me you would do whatever it takes to tear this kingdom apart. You didn’t want anyone else to feel the pain you went through when detoxing from the power you siphoned from another.”
