I twisted my head and there he was. Holding me. Tears tracked lines down his face. The thick stubble lining his face was days old. A large rough muzzle brushed my hand and there was Pab. Another sob escaped me as I clutched him, clutched them both.
My breath came in deep rasping gasps.
‘I promise you, it’s all right.’ His voice was raw, as though he hadn’t spoken in days. ‘It was a bad dream. You’re fine. I swear to you.’
I couldn’t form any words. I clung to them both, breathing in their scents and feeling the hard strength of Matthias’s body as he enveloped me. I blinked. There were others in the room, a bedroom from what I could make out.
‘Is she all right?’ Skye’s tone was worried, concerned.
‘She is now,’ he said, his hand smoothing my hair, and my heart calmed, the tingling in my limbs dissipating. ‘It was a bad dream. It’s all over now. She’s back with us.’
He kissed the top of my head. ‘It was only a dream,’ he said into my hair.
My eyes closed briefly, and she was there again. Mama, dead yet awake, caked in my sister’s blood.
‘Just a dream.’
I nodded, digging my fingers into his shirt and taking a deep breath.
‘A dream.’
I should tell him. Tell him the truth. It wasn’t a bad dream. Ihadbrought Mama back. Shehadattacked Enfys.
And I’d buried every part of my damned gifts from that moment on.
CHAPTER 23
Tick tock. Tick tock, Asmar. I have such plans for how you’ll use her freshly spilled blood.
— FRAGMENT OF A NOTE KING MATTHIAS DISCOVERED ON HIS PILLOW
Skye’s hand’s shook as she read the letter out loud for the second time. I rubbed my thumb and forefinger over my still pounding head.
‘Pah,’ Glesni said, sitting back in her chair. ‘Romero can suck Vyrus’s hairy balls. It’s a pile of shit.’
Keya batted her on the arm and leaned forward. ‘You know every Asmaran stands with you, Matthias. He’ll have to stamp over the corpse of each and every one of us to get your throne.’
Matthias slipped forward in his chair. White knuckles gripped mussed-up locks of dark hair. He looked up, a long, tattered breath escaping his pale lips. A weak smile spread as our eyes met, and I lay my hand on his knee, pretending I couldn’t see how the others exchanged pointed glances at the gesture.
‘Evella bless you, Keya. That means a lot. But as your king and protector, I’m hoping to sort this so there are no corpses to step over.’
I shivered at her words. War and all its horrors. The corpses. Mountains of corpses. I rubbed my chest as though the mere word rousedthe violence within.
‘Can you read it again, please, Skye? Just the end section.’ Asher perched on a long library table.
Skye cleared her throat as Matthias took my hand, and I allowed the comfort of his simple touch to soothe my aching soul. It had been a long week since the attack and the first day I’d been steady enough to leave my rooms. After the explosion, there had been no trace of the Vyrium-laced smoke. The heady mix of delirium and my shattered sight made me wonder if I’d imagined it. Whatever it had been, whoever, they’d wanted to kill the Elmswoods.
‘“With our allies Seth gone and Sarus unresponsive, King Romero Thorne the Fourth has already gone above and beyond to secure the borders of the Shuteran continent,”’ Skye read. ‘“I’ve written to Amala and await her response, but I’m certain she’ll understand this is the most logical step. The Alliance has died, Matthias. A decade ago we were ten nations, united in our dream of peace. Now, only four of us stand. No one is asking you to give up your throne?—”’
‘Like fuck they aren’t,’ Glesni interrupted, shaking her head as the room collectively shushed her.
‘“No one is asking you to give up your throne, but if we willingly sacrifice our right to make the ultimate and final decisions to Romero, then we stand as a stronger force against Carush. Drufaera has always held the best pieces in this game. They store more Vyrium than the rest of The Alliance together. I’m afraid I rescind my offer to send guards and Anomalies until you agree. Otherwise, we’ll have no other option otherthan to view you as rebellious as your father. Our hands will be bound. We will put a forced abdication in place and you’ll lose everything. Please do not take this as an unwarranted threat?—”’
A loud snort of disgust had us all glaring at Glesni. I think she rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.
‘“But I ask for you to show the sense your father lacked. I admired Raul, but he put morals before logic. He carried the weight of the world’s wrongs on his shoulders and paid the ultimate price for his rebellion. If you continue to follow in your father’s footsteps, then the Elmswood line will end with you and your siblings. I look forward to your timely response. King Cai of Trespia.”’
‘That spineless shitball can look forward to my foot right up his hairy arse.’
