Titus’s jaw clenches, his face becoming rigid. I hold my palm to his cheek until he relaxes.
Now, it’s all clear to me. “Everett needed us to grow frustrated. He needed to turn you—a loyal warrior—against Galen. Scorned men flee, vengeful men plot. Everett said you’d be king because he needed you to steal Galen’s crown. Drinking from me will make you strong enough to kill a king who has indulged in bloodlust. The only way to win the war for the runes is if we remove Galen from the picture.”
Titus looks down, his gaze sweeping the floor, absorbing my words. He flips his palm over and studies his hand. He knows they will be soaked in blood again.
But there’s more. It’s not just about stealing a crown. “Everett’s helping you get an army, because we will need one to keep the runes safe. Oh gods, the humans, the farm. It’s all planned to give us an army bigger than my father’s. So Sable can’t win.” I cover my mouth.
“Hey, hey, slow down,” Titus grabs my shoulders and hugs me. The mate bond’s purr quiets all my fear.
“What humans and farms?” Tristen leans closer.
I take a deep breath, then I tell them about the farm I helped build this morning, a guise for building a human army. I tell them of Sable and her plan to kill my father, how Galen knew and is plotting with her.
Titus listens quietly, taking it all in.Tristen suddenly slaps his thigh; his shadows swirl with excitement. “That’s why Galen sent Ember, Ryker, Nero, and Cyrus to Lunestra! Think about it, Titus. Galen knew Sable would have opposition when she takes over, so he planted half his army near the border so they’d be close enough to aid her, but far enough away not to cause concern until the perfect moment.”
“Wait, back up.” I blink rapidly. “Who are Ember, Ryker, Nero, and Cyrus?”
“They are our family,” Tristen replies defensively.
Titus nods.
Why didn’t he tell me about his family? He didn’t trust me. He thought I’d hurt them. “I’d never use them against you,” I whisper.
“I know that now, but when we first met, I didn’t. You told me to get Tristen out of here, but then we roped him in. I didn’t want my other siblings to be caught in the crossfire. Especially with Sable lurking around.”
My tongue scrapes my inner cheek, desperate for moisture, but nothing comes. I can’t gulp, so I just nod. “I understand. Really, I do. You have to protect your family.”
“You are part of my family now,” Titus presses, his voice dropping, commanding me to listen.
Titus offers me more details, “They were raised with us. We’ve always been together; however, Galen sent a lot of his troops to Lunestra when the war ended. Following the instructions, our family went there, and Tristen and I went to Blackthorn. We couldn’t understand why Galen sent them to Lunestra. If the war ended, why send your army to conquer more fae lands?”
“Galen would be a fool to provoke the night court.”
“Court or kingdom?” Tristen’s brows arch in honest curiosity.
I lower my voice, fearing that just speaking the Night Court’s name will bring a bad omen upon us. I look over my shoulder, ensuring Tristen’s shadows conceal us. “Those beyond our borders refer to our lands as the two kingdoms of the fae. You have my father’s kingdom of Solaria and the kingdom of Lunestra, whose king or queen isn’t known. But before we started adopting your titles of kingdoms and crowns, the fae lands were divided into two courts.
“Solaria is the Day Court. Lunestra, the Night Court, is sheltered by the mountains, The Cradle of Darkness. Their peaks are tall enough to block out the clouds. Beyond the mountains lies a magical veil. For none can enter and those inside rarely leave. If they do they can never return home. The veil stops everything.”
“What are they hiding?” Titus inquires, furrowing his brow in thought.
I tilt my head. “Many things. Or so I was told as a child. I heard they protect the gifts and tools the gods left. Their land isone of peculiar, magical beauty. I heard their trees make music; they communicate. Their flowers glow at night. The fae there are thought to have different origins of magic, strange powers, because they eat from the lands rich with god magic. But these are stories; I do not know what truly is held there. All I know is there is no way inside that veil.”
“Dragon eggs?” Tristen offers. You can practically see the money in his eyes. If a dragon egg were found, he would be richer than most kings.
I shrug. “That is one rumor since many of the fae and dragon riders had relations. However, that rumor is centuries old; who knows if dragons existed? There are no dragon bones.”
“That’s because dragon bones disintegrate once the dragon dies,” Tristen argues. He sounds like an excited boy who wishes to go on an adventure.
“Or clever words spun to hide the fact there were never dragons,” I argue.
“I’m going to assume everything we thought was a fairytale was once true,” Tristen responds with a gleam in his eyes.
“I… I would agree,” I answer. “It’s hard to change how we think.”
“Did Galen ever mention Lunestra to you?” Titus asks.
I shake my head. “I think it is safe to assume Tristen’s idea is correct. Galen placed his army there as a precaution to help Sable. Above all, Galen always expects something in return. He’s warning her that he’s close enough to strike if she betrays him.”
