Rowan took an involuntary step back. “What the fuck?” he breathed.
I swayed on my feet, my gaze sweeping across Thorvin’s land. “You stubborn ass Lords,” I swore under my breath.
“As your mate, I hope I am excluded from that generalization.”
I stomped toward the Keep, every step sending my senses spiraling with grief. The land didn’t just look dead, itwasdead. I didn’t dare place my fingers in the ground, not yet. Not until I got a better read on things.
Rowan hurried behind me. “Evie.” There was a warning note in his tone.
“Stubborn, foolish, selfish men,” I muttered to myself. “Thorvin let his land die because he didn’t trust me not to take his territory for myself.” I stopped and speared Rowan with a glowing gaze. My eyes cast a haze over his skin.
Rowan’s eyes were soft but concerned. “They are less powerful than you.”
“So?” I demanded. “They’re also a hell of a lot dumber.”
Rowan snorted and gently took my arm. “Taking their land will weaken their standing with their people.”
Anger bubbled in my veins. “Do you see what we’re standing on, Rowan? Can you feel the earth’s grief like I can? I offered to help weeks ago, and your Lords treated me like I had the plague. Instead of accepting and maybe drawing up some sort of agreement to make them feel better about this, Thorvin allowed the land to die.”
My voice broke as I swept a sharp hand out. “All of this isgone. Those trees. This grass. At least a foot of dirt, all the earthworms and grubs, and all the insects and snakes that keep the world turning are gone. I can sense their remains rotting below. He allowed the magic to poison the land because he was afraid of losing power.” My voice deepened, magic booming around us. “TELL ME WHY I SHOULD NOT STRIP HIM OF EVERYTHING.”
A sharp wind blew around us, whipping my hair into a tangle around my face. Magic snapped over my skin, hot and wild. Rowan took my other arm and peered into my eyes, his own glowing that strange new color. “I cannot justify what he did,” he said softly. “But I do understand the urge to cling to the only thing you know, the only thing protecting you from the evil things in this world. For people like Thorvin, that is his power.”
I had to take a few cleansing breaths before I could speak again. “His people are not limited to humans and paranormals. Lords are stewards to this land. He has broken his covenant with earth.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you discouraging me?” Tears thickened my voice. Agony and grief rose around me.
“Evie.” Rowan huffed a breath. “I’m not discouraging you, only asking you to show some restraint. Your power is growing in leaps and bounds, and if you come here and strip his land from him, none of the other Lords will agree to work with you. Diplomacy, as shitty and unfortunate as it may be, is the only way I’ve been successful in dealing with some of these asshats.”
His words got through. Somewhat. I was still staring at him, my magic lending a faint blue and silvery glow to his skin. His eyes turned wary. “Evie?”
“I’m thinking.”
He stroked a finger down my cheek. “Take all the time you need.”
I chewed on the side of my lip. “Why are you so reasonable?”
He laughed and brought me in for a hug. “Trust me. I really don’t want to be.”
“But someone has to do it?”
“Can you see Soren or Caelan being reasonable?”
I snorted. “There’s always Ethan.”
“The bastard has a kill first, ask questions later rule. He’s quite maddening when we’re trying to negotiate anything.”
“I thought Thorvin might be reasonable.”
A long pause. “Thorvin is driven by intellect. Sometimes, when someone is extremely smart, they suffer from what’s called analysis paralysis. Knowing him, he saw exactly what happened and threw himself into research on how to fix the problem. He probably has twenty potential solutions and can’t pull the trigger on any of them.”
“And he couldn’t call me, either, because I was in the pool of potential solutions.”
“Exactly.”
“Everything is dead, Rowan.” I stepped away from his embrace and touched my heart. “I hurt. Right here. I feel theland’s agony. There should be repercussions. There have to be repercussions to stop this from happening again in the future.”
