“Fifty soldiers,” she said, brows furrowed. “That’s not what we agreed to. I asked for—”
“We didn’t agree to anything yet. The situation has changed. I’m taking charge of our alliance. The Elvyn will agree to all my terms or they will forfeit the alliance altogether.”
Ailan paused spraying. “What happened?”
“I met your brother. He took me to Syrus and offered me something I can’t refuse.”
“You’re allying withhim?”
“No. He’s given me the options of war, surrender, or alliance, and I am choosing none of those. Instead, you and I are going to make a plan to work against him, and you are going to give me what Darius offered.”
Ailan’s throat bobbed, and the butterflies closest to her flickered orange. She resumed spraying the plant. “What did he offer you?”
She swallowed hard. “Lela.”
Another pause. Another flicker of orange. “Lela? You want me to…what? Leave El’Ara’s heart in the human world?”
“Yes.” Anxiety bubbled inside her, reflected in the spike of yellow on the nearest butterflies’ wings. To calm herself, she turned her attention to the plant life around her. She circled a potted tree, its base consisting of five slender, intertwining trunks. Its leaves were wide, flat, and bright pink.
“You know I can’t give you that,” Ailan said. “El’Ara needs its heart.”
Cora continued to circle the plant, steeling herself to explain the next part. “I know El’Ara needs its heart, and you will have it. The heart isn’t the land itself but themora. As Queen of Lela—”
“What do you mean Queen of Lela?” Mareleau marched toward Cora. “Are you…stealing my kingdom?”
Cora couldn’t bring herself to meet her friend’s eyes. “I’m not stealing your kingdom. I’m inheriting it. You and Larylis are going to abdicate. Teryn will inherit Vera, and we’ll merge our kingdoms into one. Furthermore, I demand Larylis and Queen Mother Helena live in El’Ara.”
Silence echoed back.
Finally, Cora forced herself to meet Mareleau’s gaze. She expected to find red butterflies all around her in a halo of rage, but instead, they only flashed yellow. With a deep breath, Cora opened herself to her friend’s emotions, sensing shock, confusion, and…
The emotions lifted.
Dispersed.
The butterflies deepened to a bold shade of green.
A bark of laughter escaped Mareleau’s lips. “You’re claiming Vera as your own and demanding that the Elvyn accept my husband and mother as citizens.”
“I am, and I will brook no debate on the matter. No one can remain in the human world who can contest my rule. Lela is mine.”
Mareleau blinked at her a few times. Then her lips curled into a trembling smile, and her emotions swelled with an unexpected warmth. Cora knew then that Mareleau had seen through her demand to her true intentions. Although Cora would be making this choice even if Mareleau hated her for it, she was determined that Mareleau and Noah wouldn’t be separated from Larylis and Helena.
Ailan wasn’t quite so moved. “You aren’t giving your friend a say in the matter? She hasn’t decided if she wants to live here yet.”
Cora lifted her chin. “No, I’m not giving her a choice, or you, and I have my reasons.”
“Explain them then.”
“As Queen of Lela,” Cora said, “I will have access to the magic that seeps from Centerpointe Rock into the human world. I’m going to utilize it.”
Ailan’s nostrils flared. “You can’t harness the magic.”
“I won’t. I’ll push it back.” She shared what Darius had told her, about the loophole he’d found in the prophecy. “One only becomes Morkaius after they harness the magic. So I won’t. I’ll go to Centerpointe Rock and use whatever temporary power I’m granted as Queen of Magic and push themoraback through the tear. With the veins of magic on this side of the Veil where they belong, you—or your strongest wardweavers—will seal the tear. Once it’s sealed, a new heart will be forged, and your mother’s wardweaving will no longer be incomplete.”
Ailan’s expression went blank, demonstrating her awe-laced shock. Then she shook her head. “I can see that as a possibility, but my people will never agree. You’re asking us to position you as Morkaius of the human world. Someone who could take everything from El’Ara.”
“I can’t take everything without harnessing the magic, which would destroy me. Pushing themoraback to El’Ara is my only choice if I want to survive.”
