The bald man glared at the young woman as he shouted, “So you’ve said, Beryl, but we don’t have enough power without them—”
“The High Mage Council promised us protection!” another male mage bellowed.
“It isn’t safe there anymore!” a female screamed.
And the first one, the brunette female mage, raised her voice and screeched over them all. “The high mages are all selfish liars!”
‘Good luck, bro,’Justice said in my mind as he went to stand in a corner of the room.
“Mages!” I bellowed, kicking the door shut behind me. It closed with a loud boom, and the room quieted.
Striding into the group, I wound my way through the lower mages until I faced the woman who’d called the high mages liars. I offered her a tight smile and asked, “What can I do for you?”
The young woman was close to our age, within a few years. Her dark hair had been pulled back into a braid that was coming loose, and dark wisps framed her pale skin. She raised her chin and narrowed her blue eyes at me.
“Where are your guards?” she snapped.
I frowned, taken aback by her question and her attitude. I thought the enemy was the high mages, not me. “Here. At the castle, where they should be.” I scanned the crowd and found Noble, sighing with relief as he stepped to my side. I faced the young mage once more. “Why do you ask?”
“I told you the new king would be a selfish prick,” a woman muttered from my left.
I flinched, trying to control my anger. Nai’s sudden disappearance was wearing on my patience.
I kept my attention on the young woman, noting how her jaw hardened, and she balled her hands.
“Your wolves burned down our market, killed and injured dozens of mages, and then you withdraw your guards? If you leave us unprotected, it will beourblood on your hands.”
Uh … okay. I hadn’t thought about that when I’d pulled the guards from Dark Row, but why would we put guards in Mageville anyway? That wasn’t our land to police. And Dark Row burning down had been an accident … sort of.
I met Justice’s gaze from across the room, and his cheeks reddened.
‘Sorry, bro.’
‘It’s fine,’I told him.
“Don’t your people have magic? Can’t you all just use magic to protect yourselves?” Justice asked from his corner.
I nodded; he was saying exactly what I thought.
“Do you think any advanced mages live in Dark Row, boy? How stupid are you? Our magic isn’t strong enough for those kinds of things.” She glared at him. “Besides, we need to use what little magic we have to repair what your kind did—by burning Dark Row to theground.”
A twinge of guilt wiggled in my chest, and my gaze flicked to Justice, whose embarrassment deepened. I wasn’t going to let him take the fall for it though. Really, it was Declan’s fault.
“The fire was an accident, and if you’d show me some respect, you’ll see I’mnota selfish prick.” I glared at the woman who’d called me such. “I’ll send a dozen guards to help, but only for one week. Mage problems aren’t my problems. You have the High Mage Council you can petition for help. You know, yourown kind.”
The dark-haired woman nodded, but the frown pulling at her lips was disconcerting. “Some help they are in their fancy hidden realm. They won’t return our communications.”
My first day as king, andnothingwas going to plan.
Chapter Four
“You need to get some sleep.”Noble’s voice shook me from my reverie. I sat in a sleek leather chair behind an ornate mahogany desk, staring at the golden yellow wall in my uncle’s office—myoffice now. I skimmed over the four wooden chairs sitting against the back wall to the open door where my brother stood. This place held a lot of bad memories for me. Every time we got into trouble, we were brought here. Usually for a stern word or a beating.
“Honor’s with her. That’s good,” I said, ignoring his comment. I glanced at the clock hanging over the chairs and wondered if Nai’s aunt had delivered my message yet.
Noble cleared his throat and, when I looked at him, frowned. “Honor won’t let anything happen to her. You’ve done all you can. Getting some rest will help you to be ready to take on whatever tomorrow brings.”
How could I explain that going to bed without her felt like defeat?
