The air thickens.
Tension palpable.
They don’t like this.
But whether they like it or not is none of my concern. I’m not here to manage feelings, I’m here to win, and take back what’s mine.
I want my woman, my war and my throne, and I’ll meet the Final Gate before I back down.
“And Maldrak’s fate is mine,” Morrathys’ voice rumbles through the group. “No one touches him. He deserves eternal suffering in the echo-plane.”
The silence is deafening, everyone holding their breath.
Slow nods of understanding move through the others.
Understanding ofwhy.
We’re all warriors—we’d demand the same fate, too, if we’d been trapped in an echo-plane of endless suffering for a decade.
But Ronyn slices through the silence with a welcome reprieve.
“Magic is overrated, anyway. Kael with two god metal swords is better than most Starborn—no offense,” he says to Therion. “I do just fine with my bow.” He pats his quiver affectionately.
“We need a plan,” Seren says, ignoring Ronyn.
But I’ve been planning since the Gateway of Threads closed behind Elyssara.
“I already have one,” I announce.
Therion huffs a sharp breath, agitated. “I’m fucking General of War, Kael. Let me help.”
But I can’t.
Not after Zak. Rhyven. Torvyn.
Not after everything.
So I push past his hurt.
“We infiltrate under a Shadowweave cloak, and find The Shield’s Apprentice. Nalya said we need to find him—he’s on the inside. He’s one of ours,” I say, speaking of the rebels we command across Aevryn. “From there, we cull everything that stands between us and my woman.”
My woman.
My Starbound.
My love.
“We’ve tried a Shadowweave cloak before, Kael,” Therion argues.
But he’s wrong. This isn’t the same repeated plan.Because this is the first time my Starbound is on the inside.
“It’s different this time,” I say, curling my mouth into a snarl. “Maldrak has always known when we’re coming. The Decay tips him off, or the watch towers, the outposts. But this time… we haveher,” I say, tipping my chin towards Mavyrn. “She can place us within the castle walls.”
Jax sucks her teeth, shaking her head like she already hates this plan. “Even if that’s true, Kael, Maldrak always has at least one hundred guards posted around the castle. How will we get through?”
My restraint snaps.
“I don’t fucking care! We cut through them—Ronyn takes the high ground, Morrathys uses my shadows, it frees me to wield both swords. There’s more at stake than ever. This is the best chance we’ve ever had, and I’m not backing down. So if you’re not with me, stay in the Belt. I won’t make you fight. But I’ll ask you to.”
