"He's right, Fi," Kristan intervened, glancing briefly toward the orc, who smiled at her. Her cheeks flushed. "You already have so much to handle. I can help him."
"Kristan…"
"We can perform a tracking spell," Leone said, sounding more energized than before. "We just need a strand of Mama's hair. After that, Drak can track her."
"And me!" Kristan stepped forward, determination shining in her eyes. "If he goes alone, your mother won't listen to him. Besides, if Merith sees an orc with me, she might realize she was wrong about our people and break the curse."
Despite her determination, every instinct in me screamed to refuse. Kristan had never even held a blade, yet here she was, asking to walk straight into danger. I didn't doubt her courage—but I feared for her safety.
"I’ll protect her with my life, akra’yn," Drak promised. "Don’t worry."
To unsettle me even further, Kristan took my hands and smiled.
"You always told me to stop being a fearful little mouse," she reminded me, her voice soft but unwavering. "Let me do this for you. Please."
I looked at Drak, then at Leone, and finally at Kristan. In her green eyes, I saw the strength I admired so deeply. She was willing to risk everything—for me, for all of us.
"All right," I conceded. "But you'll do exactly what Drak says. Don’t take risks. Your safety comes first."
Kristan smiled broadly, her entire face lighting up. I noticed Drak’s eyes widen, his breath catching briefly at the sight of her smile.
"I promise."
"Great. Now that this is settled, let's cast the spell," Leone declared.
And so, we began the journey to find my mother—and rescue my father.
Chapter 28
Malek
Letting Fiona go was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Every step she took away from the village carried a piece of my peace with it. The training field, where we shared our last kiss, felt cold and empty. My body still bore her scent—the delicious, lingering trace of our mating—but her absence left a void nothing could fill.
I didn't have time to mourn the fact that my mate had gone to the enemy kingdom.
Fenric’s invasion hadn’t just claimed lives; Oksha had lost nine warriors, and three females had been wounded. The attack had destabilized the clan.
The assembly gathered around the bonfire, the flickering light illuminating faces marked by pain. Kroshak stood at the center, his posture grave yet steady. The screams of the previous night had given way to a heavy silence.
“Fenric used the guards of Ceilte to attack us,” Kroshak said. “His goal is to destroy us and spark another war, placing the blame on Alasdair.”
A murmur of rage rippled through the crowd. As born warriors, we felt humiliated to have been caught off guard in the dead of night. Even for High Fae, the strategy had been dishonorable.
"They came in Alasdair’s name?" Grok’an asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
"No. Leone, the heir, and Fiona—" I hesitated. I still didn’t know how they would react to the mention of my krash’uknow that the truth was known. "They confirmed that Fenric is a traitor. They didn’t know about the attack."
Kroshak intervened. He didn’t need to raise his voice to silence the doubts swirling among everyone.
"Fionnuala made a blood bargain with the Ruk’hai, and they have mated. And the heir of Ceilte guaranteed that Fenric didn’t act on his father's behalf."
"And we are expected to take the word of a kir’shakur?" Akali snarled, one of the wounded females, spitting the question with venom. Her pain was evident, but rage sharpened her voice. "Trust those who have been hurting us for years?"
Distrust spread quickly. Heads tilted in agreement, and the murmurs grew louder. I couldn't blame them. Before I met Fiona—and even Leone—I had believed the same.
"I trust Fiona," I answered without hesitation, meeting the fury in the female's eyes. "You know I would never lie to you or put you at risk. I’m asking you to trust me one more time. Fiona is my mate, the krash’uk of the Okshai, and she stands on our side."
That declaration, more than any oath we had ever sworn, silenced the crowd. A Ruk’hai didn’t choose his krash’uk lightly. I had chosen Fiona to remain by my side for eternity—or until death led us to the Otherworld.
