I’m willing to give her my firstborn child at this point.
“Maireth has long put her faith in the prophecy, Kael—it's the only god she believes in. But… there is one thing she believes in more than anything.”
I know what he’s going to say before the words have even formed in his throat.
“She believes The Lightborne will bring the realms back into harmony—topple illegitimate kings and queens, take down The Decay, and give her what she’s always wanted: resources and dominion over the continents,” Eldric says matter-of-factly.
“So, what you’re saying is…”
“Maireth will want access to Elyssara, yes.”
Fuck.
“No!” Seren cries. “You have used her enough!”
Therion looks pained watching Seren break. “We’re already rescuing her, returning her to you,” he soothes quietly. “We just need her in our possession to get Maireth’s alliance.”
“Your…possession?” Seren hisses through brimming tears.
Therion winces, and I can see that he’s struggling.
“Seren, we need her. We need her safe. We need her away from Maldrak. We need her with people she loves. Having her with us means Caeloria—the biggest army in the known realms—will offer aid to take down both Maldrak and Thalmyr to put Elyssara on her rightful throne,” I try to explain without emotion.
Seren scoffs, but I can see her acquiesce just slightly under my logic.
So, I push. “You heard Eldric—we do not have the numbers or resources to take on both Maldrak’s Marked army, and Thalmyr’s Royal Guard full of Starborn. We need help, Seren.”
She thinks for a moment, dropping her head, and I can see the way she searches for a shred of calm. Another option. She slowly lifts her face, teeth bared, before spitting, “She would’ve helped willingly, you know. Weallwould have! But you betrayed her!”
I snap.
“Who would you have picked, Seren? If Ronyn and Elyssara were in that situation and you had to choose who lives or dies in an instant? Huh? What wouldyoudo?”
She goes to speak, the words forming in her mouth, but I can’t stop—I’ve had enough. I can’t contain the fury that spreads like wildfire through my veins. The dark of my shadows blooms outwards, quiet and certain. Everyone stills, but I can’t stop.I won’t.
“Youwouldn’tpick, Seren. You just wouldn’t make a choice—too much of a coward to make impossible choices for those you love. You’re a sheltered little girl, with naïve views on what it takes to fight for a kingdom—it takes sacrifice, pain, loss, grief, and making choices that may as well be a blade through theheart. I’ve lost everything to this war, little girl! So, don’t for a fucking second think you’re the only one who knows loss!”
Seren’s breaths come in shallow pants, raw emotion bubbling under her skin.
But the dams of my restraint have burst.
“I fucking love her, Seren,” I breathe, the words a whisper on my lips. “We’re Starbound. I will love her until the Stars claim me. Every second without her is like the air being stolen from my lungs. I would rescue her for no other reason than loving her. Not to gain. Not to win. Scorch my throne from existence for all I care. I loveher.”
Tears track down her cheeks, a desperate, guttural sob tearing from her, and Ronyn throws his arm around her, nestling her into the crook of his shoulder.
Jax, with a softness I’ve never seen from the brash woman, speaks tenderly to Seren, “We’ve fought for ten summers to rescue Nalya. Kael has mourned her, grieved her, missed her, longed for her—his little sister.Ten summers. Imagine knowing your baby sister suffered for that long, and then finally having the chance to have her back. Would you not make whatever choice you could to have her in your arms again?”
Ronyn closes his eyes, and drops his head back, as if praying to the Stars themselves. Something akin to understanding dawns on his face as he looks back to Jax. A look that tells me he understands.
He doesn’t say anything—just squeezes Seren tighter and nods, as if agreeing to a truce.
Merrik cuts through the tension with observant diplomacy, “What do we need to do to get her back, son?”
“We need to know everything there is to know about Kryntar Castle and Maldrak’s Marked soldiers to build a strategy to get to her,” I say, my tone assertive and clear. “Eldric, find passage to Caeloria immediately—we’ll have to gamble that we’ll haveElyssara back by the time you get to the capital to speak with Maireth.”
“And if not?” Eldric questions.
“Bluff.”
