Clover pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I had no desire to be in the Desert Kingdom, and I owed him nothing.”
Amelia glanced at her brother. “I know you were only a child,” she told him, “but that was a cruel thing to ask of her as her future king, and while I appreciate the sentiment, I’m forced to carry the guilt too.”
Gods, Clover and Amos were going to hell. At least they’d be there together.
“No one regrets my decision more than I do.” The deep sadness in Amos’ voice reminded Clover of his letters all those years ago. He had to forgive himself, but she didn’t know how to help him do that.
A bell next to the door rang in a merry pattern, and Rennick removed the steel beam to open it. Callum popped his head in. “Is everything all right?” He took stock of the room, pausing on Amos’s red cheek.
“You three go ahead,” Amelia told Clover, Rennick, and Callum. “Amos and I will be there shortly.”
Clover hesitated, not wanting him to face Amelia’s wrath alone. He tipped his head toward the door, signaling for her to leave. Against her better judgment, she followed the others back into the dining hall.
Amos knew his sister was upset, but for fuck's sake, she didn’t have to hit him. “I don’t need another?—”
Amelia wrapped her arms around him, cutting him off mid-sentence. He froze with his arms pinned beneath hers, unsure what to do.
“I know you meant well,” she said, releasing him. “All I wanted growing up was a family. I used to dream someone would show up to claim me. Knowing Clover was made to leave her own because of me is a hard bite to swallow.”
Fuck. What a way to make him wish she’d hit him harder. “I regret it every day.”
If only she knew how much.
“We’ll make sure she and her family are set for life,” Amelia promised, with an awkward pat on his shoulder.
Amos almost laughed. Clover wouldn’t even let him buy her dresses. “I tried. She refuses every time, but she and I will work it out later. We need to discuss our situation.” He motioned between them. “You’re the only family I have left, and I’d like to get to know you better.”
Amelia hugged him again, and he stiffened under her affection. He hated hugs unless it was Clover.
“You’re not a hugger, are you?” she teased.
He tried to move, but she held on tight. “I despise them.”
She laughed and let him go. “I’d like to get to know you, too.” He smiled then, and she returned it tenfold. She pushed him toward the door. “Let’s go eat before my mate hauls me over his shoulder in front of everyone.”
Amos followed her into the dining hall, feeling just a little lighter.
28
Amos studied the map laid out on the table in the Hydra’s meeting quarters. “Do you think they’ll target the other oases?” He pointed to a spot on the map. “The last report suggests they’re moving north.”
“We’ve already alerted the warriors in the North Oasis to prepare,” Sariah informed him. “You,” she said, using finger quotes, “sent an order to the royal battalion there to prepare for an attack.”
Amos lifted his head to look at her. “How were you able to get a message to Rainer that fast?”
“We have your royal seal,” Ruth reminded him. “Alice asked Jennifer to draft the message.”
“Did you tell Jennifer about the Hydra?” He straightened. She’d be pissed he’d kept it from her if she learned about it from someone else.
“Yeah, we told her all our secrets,” Ruth deadpanned. “No, Alice didn’t tell her about the Hydra, and Jennifer didn’t ask many questions.”
Amos wouldn’t have to hide the Hydra from her much longer because there wouldn’t be a Hydra to hide. They’d just be warriors in the royal battalion. “Good.”
Clover rested her elbows on the table. “When will Rainer and Isabella be back?”
“Anyday now,” Lester said. “I left right after the grain supply attack, and they’d planned to leave a day or two after. They just needed to tie up a few things with the new council.”
“North Oasis needs to take as many prisoners as they can,” Clover said. “The more we have, the more likely we are to break one. Any information helps.”
