Rion turned back to Sive. “How did you escape Vairik? How did you get out of the mountain?”
“It’s a story for another time. I’m told I can be of assistance?”
“Can you really help my daughter?” Avalon asked.
Sive gave him a gentle smile. “I can, as I helped Lady Eimear and so many others.”
“Do you know what’s in the catacombs?” Rion ventured to ask.
Sive finished crossing the room and paused beside the table. “Weapons we’ll need in order to put an end to this war.”
“What kind of weapons?” Alec pressed.
“The kind that will change the course of our future and call upon allies we haven’t worked alongside in a very, very long time.”
“The Guardians?” Arianna questioned.
“Among others.”
“I don’t understand,” Alec said. “What allies?”
Sive smiled again. “Do you really believe we’ve lived on this continent for thousands of years and never had any contact with intelligent beings beyond ourselves and the humans?”
“I—” Rion couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his brother at a loss for words.
“Get a team ready,” Eimear said, looking straight at Liam. “Take your best warriors and proceed with caution.” She turned to Arianna next. “It’s time to wake your sister.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rion
Rion watched Liam rise, the male steady on his feet despite the uncertain task assigned to him. A task that quite literally had their future riding on it.
Alec spoke to him first, working through who would accompany the male and who would stay behind. Rion imagined a few of Liam’s most trusted would remain with Arianna while a few more would guard the youngling Alec had kept hidden from the world. Not that Rion blamed him for keeping the youngling a secret.
Rion couldn’t fathom how Alec managed it. If he was ever blessed in such a manner, he wasn’t sure he’d even be functional. The sheer about of restraint it would take to even be away from the female carrying such a precious gift.
Rion’s gaze drifted toward Arianna. She stood, following her father and Sive out the main door. Arianna only paused to glance at him once. He wanted to follow; hell, Ellie might actually need him present given that he was the only one she’d responded to so far. But he needed to address something else first. If Liam went underground and never came back—Rion clenched his jaw.
He wished he had confronted their issues sooner, but Liam had made his stance clear back then. But there were different truths now. Maybe this time would be different. He could hope for that much, right?
Rion stared at the door where Arianna had disappeared, his heart pounding all over again. The desire to protect Arianna threatened to drown him. It tore at every instinct in his body to remain seated. But Arianna had her father, his personal guard, Raevina and her warriors, too. She’d be okay for an hour. She’dbeen okay without him last night. The knowledge sent a spear straight through his already bleeding heart.
Liam finished speaking with Alec, then disappeared out another door. Rion tried to make his exit seamless, but his heart was racing. Eimear met his gaze, a gentle smile on her face. Her single nod of encouragement was all he needed to follow Liam through that same door.
Memories swam through him as Rion walked down the familiar halls. They’d been so young. The two had only spent a handful of years together before nearly a century had torn them apart. But those few years had meant everything. Liam was the first real bond Rion had ever formed. Liam was the first friend that had defended him out of loyalty rather than family obligation. Rion knew it didn’t make sense. He knew he should let go, but the hard reality was that Liam now stood in a high position within the palace. If they survived this war, the pair would see one another constantly. If he didn’t make amends now, he’d have to do it later. That’s what he told himself, anyway.
Dread swept through him as he recalled Liam’s final words. Rion had spent years in Nàdair without ever running into the male. For good reason, too. Upon Rion’s return after Caol’s death, he’d taken the time to do some research. Liam’s father had died the same night as the High Lord. He’d been one of the males Rion’s magic had torn to shreds.
A stone sank through Rion’s heart. Everything had made sense then. Liam’s hostility, his unwillingness to so much as communicate. An eight-year-old had learned his best friend had stolen his parent’s life. Then that friend had vanished and been labeled a monster by society.
He was also responsible for the death of Liam’s friends. There were probably others, too.
Of course, Rion had heard Liam’s name over the years. He was a young male who’d risen through the ranks quickly. Almost as quickly as Rion. But whether by request or fate, the two had never been assigned anywhere near one another. He imagined Liam made a point to avoid him.
Rion followed the male’s scent down another side hall. Perhaps it would be easier to leave things as they were, but Rion had to know. Even if Liam told him to burn—A blast of greenery swept over the floor and Rion’s magic yanked free from around his body, bursting through the thin wall in a split second.
He stepped back, sinking into a stance. Pieces of broken vines littered the ground. Movement above snagged his attention as more crawled from a corner in the ceiling. They shifted, then shot for him at speeds that had Rion cursing. One piece nearly managed to wrap around his wrist before another burst of Rion’s magic rendered it nothing more than flecks of green dust floating through the air.
