Dreading what was inside, Dash opened it and read Ronan’s report. As he’d already expected, Keryna was behind his sister’s death.
What he hadn’t known was the fact that his kingdom had been invaded. “So, Meara has officially taken my throne and army.”
Ryper screwed his face up. “At least she thinks that. But I’m sure Aderyn and Kronnel still have control of your forces. While I don’t trust Kronnel anymore than you do, Aderyn is one of us. Her troops will be standing by to fight to the death at your command.”
Awesome. “How is Meara still alive? She shouldn’t be able to invade my kingdom without theaþaswereattacking her.”
Ryper wrinkled his nose. “Technicality. Her brother received an invitation from you to bring his army in.”
“I never issued an invitation to a centaur.”
“It was a good forgery. One that passed the scrutiny of theaþaswere. As such, Meara accepted the invitation on behalf of her brother.”
That infuriated him. The whole point of writing a contract on the flesh of anaþaswerewas to ensure it was always kept. Whoever broke the contract would be hunted down and killed by one of their agents.
The only way to break the contract was to kill theaþaswerewho wore it, which was next to impossible, or to find a loophole like the one Ryper had just explained.
Dash wanted to beat someone over this. “Where’s Dove?” he asked.
“Behind you.”
Dash tensed at that deep, gruff tone that no one ever expected to come out of the elfin bastard nobleman. Not because he wasn’t tall and rugged as hell, but because he normally didn’t speak. To anyone. Getting a single word out of him often took a royal proclamation.
Two was a miracle.
Dubhdara hadn’t just been screwed over by Meara and her court, he’d been shafted first by his mother and the elfin race. Mostly because his royal elfin mother had refused to name his father. That refusal had cost her everything, and her son almost as much. Both in reputation and standing as she’d been executed for her treasonous affair, and her bastard son had been relegated to being raised by his disgraced relatives who’d hated the sight of him, as they blamed him for their penury and stripped titles.
It was why Baldur had sent him to Meara as a hostage when Dash had been handed over. Dove had never forgiven his mother’s husband for that, and Dash didn’t blame him.
But it was good to see his old friend. Holding his arm out to Dove, he offered him a smile.
Dove took his hand and pulled him in for a brotherly hug. He pounded him so hard on the back that it took Dash’s breath.
“We were getting ready to head back when Marthen told me you were here,” Ryper said. “Good timing.”
“I don’t know about that.” Dash stepped away from Dove. “I feel like I’m chasing my tail.”
Ryper shook his head. “I’m thinking we were intentionally sent out to chase geese.”
Dash frowned. “Meaning?”
“He thinks the wand is still in Licordia.” Chrys flew to Dash’s shoulder. “Ryper wants me to go and see if I can find it.”
Those words hit him almost as hard as Dove’s greeting. “I don’t understand.”
Ryper inclined his head to the parchment. “Think about it. If you wanted to buy yourself time and stay hidden until it was time to cast a deadly spell, what better way than to send your enemy off in search of something you still have?”
Dash cursed. “It was all a setup.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. Why else pick Pagos of all places?”
Ryper was right. “I should have thought of that.”
“Your mind is on other matters, and we understand. Easy to miss things when your emotionally compromised.”
Dove cleared his throat. “I’m sorry about Renata.”
Dash didn’t respond. There wasn’t anything to say. The pain was still too raw to deal with.
