The Sea King’s eyes gleamed. “Because I’ve got ships. I’ve got trained men. And I’ve got a long memory.”
He tilted his head.
“Surely, we can come up with a way to save such an unusually gifted mortal.”
The silence turned razor-sharp.
Kael’s shadows twitched at his back.
“You came to barter,” Kael said.
“I came to observe,” Thauren countered. “To see if the war is worth bleeding for.”
Kael’s jaw ticked. “And?”
Thauren’s gaze grew harder, he pressed the pads of his fingers to the table taking in the map. “And to see how desperate you’ve become.”
Kael’s shadows surged like smoke curling toward a fire.
Thauren didn’t flinch.
“I know how he operates. I know how he seduces —manipulates. Twists good things into weapons.”
There was venom behind those words.
Kael saw it then the crack beneath the sea king’s mask.
Thauren walked gracefully to the far end of the table and placed a single object down: a carved silver ring, shaped like a lily blooming beneath a crescent moon.
It glinted.
“ My sister,” Thauren said. “Elenwe.”
”As you well know—fell into his serpent coil.” He said coldly with a wink.
A ripple sparkled through the room, all in the room knew of the death of Elenwe and at whose hand it came.
Kael didn’t move.
“She was radiant,” Thauren continued. “Too kind for the world she was born into. She believed in peace, believed in even you.” He scoffed. “Then Alarik took her to that cursed ball. Used her as a symbol.”
Kael’s hands clenched.
“And you drove the blade,” Thauren said, voice hardening. “She should never have been there. He tainted her by bringing her into his schemes. He wanted to make her a pawn in his sick attempt at unity.”
Thauren stepped closer.
“I don’t care what the gods did to you. I know what they did to me. To her. I want his kingdom broken. I want him ended.”
Kael’s silver gaze locked on his.
“And you’ll help?”
“If I get what I want.”
“Which is?”
Thauren grinned.
