“The Asterans have passedour borders and violated our treaty, and the human queen ismissing,” Eyri stated, adjusting his spectacles on his nose —a nervous habit. “Surely, there is a better course of action than war.”
Neve stayed silent, letting his council discuss it among themselves.
There was only one choice now.
The humans had made it so. Hisniliavehad made it so.
A thread of hate tightened around his hearts, battling with the bond. She’d caused this. He rubbed at his chest, focus turning to the prior general.
Warrin tossed his hands in the air. “And what would that be?”
“Anything that our people won’t pay in blood,” Eyri challenged, his voice rising slightly. The king’s studious cousin shuffled the missives on the table as if to compose himself. “There has to be another way,” he murmured softly.
Neve wished there was another way.
The silvering prior general sagged in his seat before crossing his arms. “I want there to be another way. War isn’t something any of you have lived through.” He nodded his head to Neve. “Despite what you’ve been through, sire, war is like nothing you’ve ever lived. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but we can’t allow thesaloesto continue their games. They must be stopped before they devour our kingdom whole.”
“Does anyone else find it interesting...” Neve tried not to scowl at Bacti. There was something about the smug pretty male that made his skin crawl. Bacti steepled his lavender fingers and rested his elbows on the iridescent crystal table. “...that our dear queen waskidnappedat the same time our king was almost killed?”
Neve didn’t flinch or show any emotion.
Other than Flyka, Olwen, and Eyri, no one else knew the extent of the queen’s crimes. His court could only speculate. It would have been easy to throw thevallesto the wolves and have her hunted throughout Loriia. But he didn’t want some murderous vigilante taking her life before he got his hands on her. There were questions she needed to answer.
No, her death didn’t serve him right now.
She deserved suffering. And he couldn’t wait to exact it from the little human. His mate would feel what he felt—the hopelessness, the pain, the fear, and the betrayal.
And... there was the grim fact that it had been Neve’s choice to marry a human. He’d brought the viper among them. His position as king was precarious as it was. Making the queen look like a victim for the time being was the right choice, or all of this could blow back on him—a pretty little human shaped noose around his neck.
“What are you insinuating?” Neve asked, his tone dark and dangerous.
Bacti had the good sense to drop the smile off his face and lean back in his chair. He held his hands up, lantern light playing about his face. “Just that the attack on our beloved kingdom was coordinated. Someone close to you was able to hurt you and take the queen.” He slid his gaze toward Flyka and then Eyri, before slyly meeting Neve’s gaze again. “I think there is more at play here than meets the eye.”
What a clever little devil.
In one fell swoop, Bacti had managed to cast suspicion on Neve’s closest advisors and friends.
It was a good thing Neve truly knew who tried to assassinate him.
But his council didn’t.
He slowly rose to his feet and pressed his palms onto the table. “It’s true, I was attacked in my own home, and thereillevewas abducted. She must be found and brought home before the Asterans cause any more damage.”
Eyri stopped writing and laid down his pen. “Do you think the Asterans will retreat once we’ve discovered the queen? Alive?”
All gazes turned to Neve.
“I do not know,” he answered.
His late father’s closest councilor, Eira, brushed her snow-white hair from her face, dark gaze looking worried. “Either the humans facilitated this or someone else is pulling the strings.” Her weathered face creased even deeper. “I think I prefer the devil we know.”
“And we know for certain the woman found along the border wasn’t the queen?” Warrin questioned gruffly.
“We reviewed the reports of the body. We don’t believe it was the queen.”
He’d seen the sketches himself. The blend of colors on her legs wasn’t right. It wasn’t Dahlia, but a lookalike.
“What if she’s all cozy in the Asteran palace?” Bacti cut in. “What if this is all just a ruse?”
