Tora or Tyra or whatever her name was shrugged a slender shoulder. “Maybe she will and maybe she won’t. The queens already decided toreevaluate. I tried telling them this years ago but they didn’t listen. I’m glad they’ve come to their senses.”
Bitch.
“Solveig was a good general before the incident. If she hadn’t been captured ...”
“You mean if she hadn’t let herself get captured.”
Wait, what?
“She didn’twantto be captured.”
That’s your only problem with what she just said?
“I know she didn’t want to be, but like I’ve said a thousand times, if she hadn’t been high and mighty, she would’ve known that she needed you there. But no, she had to prove a point that she’s better than everyone—better than you.”
Do not stab her, do not stab her, do not stab her.
“Her pride has always been a weak spot for her, and as much as I care for her, I hate to say that it finally got her hurt,” Latham lamented.
My pride?Solveig’s blood boiled. She was about ready to march out there with her weak-ass arms and show the two of them how strong she could be even given her current physical state. Before she could take a step the female sighed, big and exaggerated.
“You know you’ll make a better general. You’ve been doing so great these last few months. Ever since you decided to stop searching for her—”
The next words faded from Solveig’s consciousness as shock coursed through her body like a living current, freezing her where she stood. Her magic roared. Latham had made the call to stop looking. His decision. She’d been holding out hope that it had not been up to him, that there was some other reason he’d stopped, a force he hadn’t been able to overcome.
That backstabbing, lying,dishonourable son of a—
“I just wish it didn’t have to be this way, but I couldn’t have searched any longer.”
Her heart splintered.
“You went above and beyond what was expected of you. If anything, you looked too long.”
“Maybe . . .”
That was the last straw. She stepped out from behind the stable and came into view. They didn’t see her right away, close as they were standing to each other, so she spoke.
“How long did you look, Latham?” Her throat was still sore from disuse, the words coming out cracked and hoarse.
Latham jumped at the sound of her voice, his face turning a shade of red Solveig had never seen on him before. He started towards her as if to embrace her, but she took a step back and held out a hand.
“How long did you look, Latham?” she repeated. It didn’t go unnoticed that whatever-her-name-was had disappeared into the stables without a word. Solveig would deal with her later. Or not at all—she was nothing.
“Solveig, you know the protocol.”
“How long?”
Latham swallowed. “Sol, I searched everywhere, I didn’t eat or sleep for days, I ...”
“How long, Latham?” She wanted to scream, yell, rage at him, but her voice was so small. And even though she already knew, she needed to hear him say it.
“You don’t understand. It was mayhem here, the realms wanted action and with the news of the Fae coming, I had to step in and make a decision—”
“How long did you look for me?”
“I’m trying to tellyou why I had to stop. I tried to convince the council that we had to find you, but I had a responsibility to my people.”
She couldn’t hold it in anymore. “I WAS YOUR PEOPLE!”
