Vissy shook his head in denial. “Cyrus, no?—”
“It’sKingCyrus to you,” I snapped, unable to take the familiarity he showed in one breath when he betrayed me with the next.
His head reared back, and he looked at me as if I was a stranger—but he was the stranger here. This was a man I had shared everything with. Even Asteria! I had loved him more truly than anyone else in my life. I would have done nearly anything for him.
And yet, here we found ourselves.
“You cannot be trusted any longer. You’re no longer my brother, but a traitor to the crown. One whowillbe dealt with.” I fumed, staring at him with lightning flashing in my eyes.
He stood slowly, straightening to his full height as he stared back at me, eye to eye. His chin firmed as he clenched it tight, and his golden eyes flashed dangerously.
“So be it.”
* * *
The conversationwith Vissy haunted me as I prepared to leave. Which of them was it, I wondered, who plotted against me so. Or was it all of them?
Weylin remained at the border, far from where he could cause trouble, as I waited for him to make a move I could justifiably imprison him for.
Daneiris and Zerlina were undoubtedly up to something, but I didn’t think either had the ability to coordinate something so complex. They thought too small. Daneiris’s temper tantrum with Asteria had proven that, and Zerlina wouldn’t dare risk her crown.
Vikal was clearly frightened. He was a weak boy and much too attached to his human. He was unable to see the bigger picture. Unable to grasp the true place of the Fae and the humans in the grand design. He would learn, surely. It would be my responsibility to show him the way. But he was too feckless to have been sneaking around and plotting to any extent.
Kian… I always viewed Kian as meek and bookish. He could fight, certainly, but he clearly preferred not to. To be fair, I didn’t fight much either before now. There was no need as crown prince, but being king was altogether different. Kian was several steps from the throne, but did he aspire to it? It hadn’t seemed like it.
Then again, I hadn’t expected his defense of Vikal and his pet, either.
One of them was certainly to blame. Maybe Weylin, even surrounded by my loyal soldiers, had found a way to communicate without their notice. There were ways out there for those who were motivated to find them.
“King Cyrus,” Aelius greeted me, with proper deference for once in front of my men, as I stepped outside.
“King Aelius.” I nodded in response. “Are we ready?” I asked, looking out among the troops amassed in preparation to march.
“We are.” He smirked, an almost giddy smile taking over his face. “I, for one, cannot wait to see how this pans out.”
Nervous anticipation filled me at the thought. I wished I could see Asteria’s face when she found out.
I made my way to the front of our combined armies, Aelius and Tariq joining me. I had to ensure they still felt like the kings they believed themselves to be, after all. It wouldn’t do for them to notice the true scheme in play.
When I made it to the front, I let my wings unfurl, flying up so everyone could see me. Aelius’s gold and purple-scaled dragon wings looked out of place between my pink and Tariq’s red feathered Pegasus wings. For once, I was proud of my wings despite the color. I had always wished for a more masculine palette than the bright pink House Tynan had.
But now, I embraced the flashy color, knowing that I stood out thanks to them.
“Fae of Dusk, Dawn, and Day!” I called out with a charming smile firmly upon my face. “Today, we leave for a very important mission. While this may seem like an easy task, the repercussions will be felt across the continent.”
The rumble of the crowd as they got excited made my smile grow wider. It was pleasing to see their enthusiasm.
“We are working toward a new future for Celesterra!” I shouted. “One where we controlour owndestinies! Where Fae rule with the authority we should have been given all along. When you reach our destination, each and every one of you will contribute to that future! Every human taken will feed our magic and renew our land. Every house destroyed will make a mark that cannot be denied. We will show Sunrise what happens when you support our enemies, and we will make the enemy to the south sit up and take notice. Our strength and power won’t be denied; your strength and power will only increase!”
The crowd cheered, and I soaked in the praise as they chanted my name. This was everything I’d ever wanted. Acknowledgment from these soldiers may not be the same as from my family, or even Asteria, but they could fill the void well enough.
“Under my—our—” I caught myself, nodding to indicate the two kings slightly behind me on each side. “Leadership, you will see a new age! But first…”
I trailed off, leaving them on tenterhooks as I smiled and then shouted as dramatically as I could manage, “You must all fight for it!”
The loud cheer that went up blended into a cacophony that had Aelius and Tariq raising their brows.
“Well, you certainly know how to work a crowd, at least.” Aelius’s half-hearted praise made me roll my eyes.
