Everyone is gathered with a serious look on their faces, and they’re allstanding.That doesn’t bode well.
All the excitement drains out of me in an instant, my smile vanishing as we step into the room.
“What’s wrong?” Slade asks, his gaze falling to his Wrath.
Ryatt passes Slade a rolled scroll.
“It seems Queen Kaila has grown tired of waiting for a written reply, so she’s sent her advisor to Fourth Kingdom,” Ryatt says, a grim look on his face. “Her brother Manu will arrive in two days’ time.”
CHAPTER 42
AUREN
We’re out of time.
I know it, and everyone else in this room knows it too.
I’ve held us up. The only reason we’ve stayed here for so long is because they’ve been patient with me. Slade’s been supporting me, letting me work through things at my own pace, even at the detriment of his own kingdom.
“If Manu arrives at Fourth and finds out you’re not there, it will raise questions, and they could start searching, which risks someone finding Drollard,” Ryatt states.
“We can stall him for a few days at most, but any longer and he’d grow suspicious about where you were,” Lu puts in.
I feel everyone’s attention shift to me, and I swivel my attention to Slade. “We need to go.”
It’s not a question, but he nods anyway. “Are you ready for that?”
This facet of control over my magic might be new, but I can do it. Ever since I faced the fae beast side of me, I’m not afraid. I’m not going to explode into a fit of gilded rage.
That is, not unless I want to.
All I have to do is continue to practice my control, and I’ll be able to master my magic. Iwillmaster it. Because I just got my first real taste of touch during the day, and I’m not going to give that up.
So there’s no answer other than the one that I say. “Yes. I’m ready.”
There’s a collective thrum of support that sounds in my ears, and then the group seems to launch into action.
“Right. Hojat, is Digby cleared for travel?”
“I stay with her,” Digby says stubbornly, and my lips tilt up.
“His ribs are still on the mend...” Hojat begins carefully.
“I stay with her,” Digby repeats on a gruff grunt. “Ribs are fine.”
Hojat sighs and then gives a reluctant nod. “I’ll need to bind you, and you’ll have to be buckled in carefully. As soon as you get to Fourth, you need to rest.”
Digby waves him off. “Fine.”
Slade walks further into the room, and I perch myself on the armrest of the chair while he plans with the others. “If we ride hard and high, and only take a few breaks, we can get to Fourth in four days.”
Judd shakes his head. “The timberwings are going to be frothing by that time.”
“We’ll push them, but not too hard. But if we take longer than four days...” Slade trails off.
Lu crosses her arms in front of her, her face thoughtful. “I’ll write back—make sure they know we’re on our way but that they’ll need to stall Kaila’s brother.”
Slade nods. “We’ll need food packs and to make sure all four timberwings have a quick hunt before we go. And we’ll need to update Os so he knows we’ll be at the castle when he arrives.”
