“Fine.” He gave her a very quick hug then stepped aside. “Good enough?”
“No.” Reaching up, she yanked his hair. “You are ever my insolent boy. You’re too much like your father.” She spit on the ground. “Bastard that he was.”
She stepped away from him then unfroze everyone. “Tell them that we will await you outside. When you’re ready to march, let us know and we’ll show you how our army travels.”
That he already knew. It was a lot faster than even the elfin portals or dragon wings.
Hence why no one wanted to fight the Tenmaruns. They weren’t just lethal. They were terrifying.
“Who was that?” Tanis asked as she joined them, with Halla in tow.
He glanced over his shoulder at them.
Ryper flashed an annoying grin at him. “Yes, Dash. Whowasthat?”
“Shut up.” He shoved at his brother, then turned toward Tanis. “That was NaomiOgimachi. The empress or queen of Tenmaru.”
Tanus frowned. “Is she an empress or queen?”
“She’s whatever she wants to be,” Ryper said.
Baldur joined them. “What is she doing here?”
Dash gestured toward the gate that separated them from his mother’s forces. “Lending us her army.”
“But why?” Baldur asked.
Ryper flashed him another annoying grin before he stepped away, laughing.
I hate you, brother.Ryper was enjoying this just a little too much.
Dash took a second to consider the best answer. “She’s agreed to uphold her oath to the High King. Not to mention, she has a personal grudge against Meara.” He saw the curious frown on Tanis’s face, so he explained it with the truth. “Naomi’s son, Yukata, was killed escaping from Meara.”
The sympathy in her eyes was so sincere that he actually felt it. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not as sorry as Meara will be if Naomi gets her claws into her. I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop that beat-down.” Nor was he sure if he wanted to. Honestly, he’d love to see his mother give that bitch what she deserved.
Unlike him, Naomi didn’t have a contract with Meara that prevented her from killing the centaur queen.
Tova joined them. “Have any of you happened to peek over the wall this morning?”
“No, why?” Dash asked.
“You should probably go see the size of the army Tenmaru has brought. Are we sure they’re here to fightforyou? ’Cause if they’re not, it’s going to be a bad day for anyone standing at your side.”
Scowling, Dash headed for the parapets with Tanis following behind him.
He climbed up and then froze at the terrifying sight.
Shit...
Were there any soldiers left in Tenmaru?
Marthen appeared by his side then clapped him on the back. “Looks like someone wants to keep you safe, Majesty.”
Dash was aghast at his mother’s army. “Just don’t with me, Marthen.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t want to be a centaur right now.”
