I nodded. “How did they trap dragons?”
“Three realms banded together,” he explained. “Thalir, Skaldir, and Sanguir—the only time we ever united like that. The others refused to get involved. Thousands perished to draw two seals, blood magic on a scale we’ll never see again. The cowards who sat it out benefited from our sacrifice anyway.”
A sharp knock shatteredthe peace.
Kairos pulled back, his jaw tightening. He pressed a kiss to my forehead then lifted me off his lap and stood.
“Enter,” he called.
The door slammed open.
One of my guards burst in, breathless. “My king. Message from the northern scouts. Vaelrith’s been hit by Skaldir forces.”
My stomach dropped. Vaeris had warned me.
Kairos hardened. “Casualties?”
“Unknown. The survivors claim that the whole village is…gone. Some sort of rune attack.”
This is my fault.
“How many soldiers are occupying the village?”
“None. Apparently, they all fled.”
Kairos seethed. “I want two warbands ready in ten minutes. Tell Uther to meet me in the courtyard.”
The guard nodded and sprinted out.
Kairos turned, and steel materialized from air. It clinked into place, piece by piece. Shoulder plates, chestplate, gauntlets. They sealed over his tunic in a ripple of mist. His hair whipped back as the last piece appeared in his hand: a helm with horns curling like a ram’s.
He looked every inch the warlord, but I’d seen him bleed. Seen him unable to heal while a binding rune tore him apart, and he was riding into battle sleep-deprived. What if he fell in battle while I was here?
Kairos headed out, and I followed, my heart in my throat.
The halls were a blur as I trailed his quick strides. Outside, warriors were gathering. Mairen stamped against the ground, their forms shifting. Kairos barked orders, and fae moved—mounting, shouldering weapons, rallying beneath crimson banners.
I touched his gauntlet. “Kairos.”
“Go inside,” he growled. “Keep researching the seal.”
My throat tightened. What could I even say? That the thought of him riding into battle pained me? That I kept seeinghimbleeding on the floor while he couldn’t heal?
I closed my grip on his arm. “I want to go with you.”
“It’s not a good idea.”
“If they’re using runes, I can break them. Disable their defenses. Whatever they’re throwing at your warriors, I can destroy it. Give you an advantage they won’t see coming.”
He was quiet for too long.
“Your warriors are watching. They saw what happened at the summit.” I glanced at the males nearby, their faces blank. “They’re wondering why you’re risking so much for a girl who causes disasters. Let them see what I can do in battle.” My voice shook slightly. “That I’m not just someone who breaks things. I can save people.”
I couldn’t stand sitting in this castle while villages burned because of me. If I was going to be the reason people died, the least I could do was try to save the ones still breathing.
The slits of the helm burned, mist roiling at his shoulders.
“You stay at my side,” he finally growled. “Not one step away from me. Understood?”
