The tether between us snaps taut, imbued with fierce determination and fury, and the oak door of my chambers slams open.
Her wet hair clings to her temples, wild and untamed, Starforged Blade gleaming in her grip like a promise of violence. The woman is fucking stunning, even—especially—in her rage.
“You knew this entire time who you were. WhoIwas. And you still let me walk around like a fucking fool while everyone else knew the truth!” She spits the words like the taste of them disgusts her.
There’s no question, just a cold, direct statement of her betrayal.
I steel myself to answer, but she forges on, not waiting for me.
“Did you ever plan to tell me, Kael?” She lets out an exhale that borders on a whimper and her voice breaks, “Or did you get some sort of kick out of keeping me in the fucking dark?”
I rise out of the chair, and reach for her, “El?—”
“Don’t fucking touch me!” She pulls back from me as if scalded.Repulsed.
“I just wanted you to see it for yourself. Zerynthia, Thornewood, my people,” I drag my hands through my hair, the last weeks on the road, of keeping myself together, of withholding so much, catching up with me. “I wanted you to see why we’re doing this. Why we need you.”
“And why the fuck should I believe anything you say,Your Majesty?” She drops into a low mocking curtsy, and looks at me with those piercing, emerald-green eyes.
“Just hear me out, El. Please,” the words come out pleading, but I don’t care. I’ll get on my knees and fucking beg if I have to.
She pauses for a moment, exhaling loudly and wiping at her eyes.Her voice softens, the rage dissipating into something rawer, more vulnerable. “Did you ever think, just for a heartbeat, that maybe I deserve to know what I’m fighting for?” Her gaze bores into me, as if seeing inside my chest, before she adds, “Who I’m falling for?”
Fuck.The words crash into me, carving away the last scrap of restraint and self-control I have left, because despite everything, I’m falling for her, too.
“You deserve to know everything,” my words come out like a whisper.I’m a fucking liar. I can’t tell her everything. She’ll never look at me the same.
“So, tell me,” she begs, eyes pleading. “You told me I needed to see Zerynthia for myself. That I needed to understand. So help me understand, Kael.”
I close my eyes, preparing to relive the worst night of my life, dredging up memories that I’d long since buried. But she’s right—I owe her this much.
“You want the truth?” My voice is hoarse. “I was exiled from The Shadow Wastes for the murder of my parents.”
Elyssara flinches, as if I’ve struck her. Her lips part—like she wants to say something, but the words catch.
“They were already dead when I found them.” The words scrape against my throat, like shards of glass I thought I’d swallowed years ago.
Her fingers twitch at her sides. The scent of embers sharpens in the air.
“Maldrak was standing behind the guards when they rushed in. Playing the role of shocked noble—he was the fucking executioner. He played me.”
A spark hisses from the tip of her blade. But it’s not rage anymore. It’s something worse.
She believes me.
She stares at me, as if uncertain what to say, so I continue.
“He put me on trial in front of the entire court and painted me as a kinslayer.” Elyssara is still silent, staring at me, leaving space for me to breathe, to remember. “Almost every member of that courtturned their back on me after that... except for those here—those on the council. They know the truth. They knowme.”
“Why not just kill you?” The words sting, but she looks sincere.
“He wanted me to watch while he took everything from me—my parents, my sister, my kingdom. He wanted to see me suffer.”
Elyssara takes a deep breath, composing herself.
“Is this the plan, then? Kill Maldrak? Get revenge? To hell with everything else?” She asks, exasperated.
“My plan is to restore Zerynthia. To carry on my father’s legacy. To finish what he started.” I say with conviction, reciting the words I’ve said hundreds of times to the war council.
