I call my Storm Command to me. Jordan and Elise have an exchange of the wide eyes when I announce where we’re going.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Princess?” Jordan asks.
“The best I’ve had today,” I growl. “Let’s go.”
It takes half an hour to get there but my anger just gets worse. For him to turn up to my quarters in the middle of the night was one thing, but to take the compatibility test when he couldn’t even stay upright…
My Storm Command wears full body armor every day now. They pose a commanding force marching through the archway into the military compound. It’s their job to know every part of the city so they don’t need to stop for directions. They escort me into the heart of the soldier’s barracks to an imposing building made of sandstone.
The soldiers standing guard do a double take.
My demand makes them jump. “Where is Commander Rath?”
They both bow. One of them points. “To the right along the corridor, Princess. It’s the door at the end.”
I don’t wait for my ladies to close the gap. Instead of surrounding me along the narrow corridor, they form two lines, one on each side of me, giving me full access to the door ahead. When we reach it, Jordan knocks and pushes it open without waiting for a response.
“The Storm Princess,” she announces, wise enough to step immediately out of my way.
The room is twice the size of my bedroom. Maps cover the walls, and chairs are scattered throughout the room. An enormous desk the size of the one in the War Room rests under wide windows on the opposite side.
My brother leans against the table, his posture relaxed. I haven’t seen him since the Heartstone Ceremony but he’s been busy acting as proxy for Baelen, looking after Rath land while Baelen is busy with the trials. Macsen gives me a wide smile. “Welcome, sister.”
Baelen sits on one of the chairs in front of the table, his head in his hands. I don’t care that he winces with every thud of my boots across the wooden floor.
“Baelen Rath, what is wrong with you?”
“Don’t shout, Marbella. My head hurts.”
“Oh your head hurts? What about your reputation? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to sit across from those… those…monsters? And to think that I actually made them afraid of you. And then you blow in like a stale breeze without a sensible word to give me.”
“I had to protect you.”
“How was that protecting me?”
He jumps to his feet and towers over me in two seconds flat. Getting up so suddenly was clearly a bad idea because he flinches and grips his head. He sways, groans, but manages to focus on me. “Think about how dangerous the chair of truth is for us.”
“But… I wouldn’t ask you any difficult questions.”
“Marbella, please, give me a scrap of mercy. I can’t say out loud what I’m thinking when I’m around you. I’ve been drinking for two days hoping that I could defeat that chair.”
“One day,” my brother interrupts. “You’ve been drinking for one day to defeat the chair.”
Baelen glares at him.
Macsen isn’t deterred. “The first day’s drinking was for reasons he won’t tell me about, but he got the idea for beating the chair after that.”
I plant my hands on my hips. “Well, it worked.”
Baelen presses his palm to his temple. “A bit too well.” He sinks into the nearest chair. “Ah, my head.”
I whirl to my brother. “Macsen, please pour a bucket of icy water over Commander Rath’s head. It seems to need numbing.”
I stalk out of the room, my fury remaining strong until I’m halfway home. Then it dissolves like ice in the sun. I don’t want to admit that Baelen’s right. Acting the fool is far better than saying something he doesn’t want to say in front of the Command—especially something that could hurt me.
My anger has evaporated by the time I reach my quarters. It’s replaced with worry about the results of the test. For all I know, the Heartstone Chest could have spat Baelen’s heartstone back at him and he could be out of the trials.
That’s what I want… isn’t it? I don’t want any of them to be compatible because then I’d be the last elf standing and the curse would be over.
For what might be the first time ever, I look forward to taming the Storm that afternoon because it will stop me thinking about the outcome of the test.
