My chest tightens. I hope to Divine it doesn’t come to that. Hope that Os, Lu, and I can somehow stop the fae fuckers from getting into Fourth.
Somehow.
Turning, I open the top drawer in Slade’s desk and shuffle through some pages before finding the one I need. I pass it to Osrik. “That’s the schedule for the soldiers who should be at our outpost at the border. See how many are stationed at Cliffhelm right now and what their strengths are.”
He comes forward and takes the paper.
“We need to leave immediately. I don’t know how far behind we’ll be from Lu. Dusk is in five hours. Can you make it work?”
“I got it,” he says before turning and striding out of the room.
I search the next drawer down and then yank out a file before looking back to the Premiers. “I need you to send urgent missives to Second Kingdom. Warn the prince,” I say. “Hopefully, Judd and King Thold can destroy the port ships before the fae get to Breakwater, but Third will need to be alerted too. I don’t have any faith that Queen Kaila will actually help, but her people should be told of the incoming threat. In the meantime, we’ll get down to Cliffhelm and do everything we can to keep them from breaching Fourth’s border.”
“And we’ll prepare for the event that they do,” Warken vows solemnly.
But Isalee shakes her head, ignoring her husband and looking at me. “How can you expect to stop an army that has already wiped out two kingdoms?” she asks with a shake of her head. “You’re brilliant soldiers, but it’s going to take more than three members of a Wrath to stop them. They don’t just have thousands, they’re alsofae. Which means they have far more magic than us, and our king is nowhere to be found. They could have him for all we know.”
I swallow hard. “If they have him, there will be hell to pay,” I say darkly. “But we’ll have to defend Orea as best we can without him.”
She pulls in a tight breath, and I can practically feel the turmoil emanating from this proud woman. Hardly anything ever ruffles her, but this time, even her indomitable bearing has been shaken.
“How?” she presses again. “How can we stop them?”
How? A fucking miracle.
I glance down at the folder in my hand. Inside is a roster of every one of our soldiers who has magic, including a detailed report of how that magic can be used offensively and defensively. “I don’t know yet,” I answer her honestly, gaze flicking back up. “But I’m going to try to figure out a way. And if I can’t…we’ll delay them for as long as we can.”
Going around the desk, I take Isalee’s hand and give it a squeeze and then pat Warken on the shoulder. Out of everyone, even the other Wrath, I feel as if the Premiers and I share the same level of dedication and unflinching loyalty to this kingdom.
We have given our hearts to Fourth, so this threat is crushing.
It’s one thing to defend our land against other Orean kingdoms. But a fae army isn’t one we ever anticipated, and yet, we have to face it head-on. All of us. Every kingdom.
Orea, as divided as it may be,hasto do this together.
The three of us exchange a heavy look, with worry filling up the spaces between us. We know that this might very well be the last time we see each other. After this, our kingdom—ourworld—might be overtaken. But I’m going to do everything I possibly can to try to prevent that. To come up with a plan to stop this.
I asked Slade to give Orea a chance, and now I have to figure out how to give it one too.
Looking at them both, I give a firm nod. “For Fourth.”
Their answering voices are solemn but resolute. “For Fourth.”
When I head back for the barracks, that vow repeats in my head over and over again. Everything I’ve ever done, ever strived to do, was to protect this kingdom. To defend our people. And I will do that. I will find a way, even with these odds stacked impossibly against us.
I will do it, even if it costs me my life.
For Fourth.
CHAPTER 9
OSRIK
I stride down the hallwayand open the door. As soon as I walk into the room, I register the sound of shouting—mywoman shouting. I’m already halfway across the bedroom before I recognize the other person in the room who’salsofucking shouting.
Atmy woman.
One look at Rissa, and I see that she’s standing up, hands fisted, face all blotchy with anger. I get instantly pissed.
