We agreed not to involve Lyrik. He may have contributed greatly to the camp explosion, but we could not guess his sole motivation. Given Aspen’s treason, we wouldn’t risk trusting him with such information.
Apart from our mission, the man didn’t need to know more. Certainly not where Rhys was concerned, or that he’dpaid this forest a visit, including when he cornered Aspen in the enclave.
Nicu understood this. As expected, a flurry of questions sprang off his tongue. Each one, Aspen answered with all the transparency he warranted, then awaited his verdict.
My liege fell silent, his posture uncharacteristically stiff. Foreboding cramped my ribcage. While he had due justification to be wounded, I never imagined Nicu to be merciless or unforgiving. As far as I knew, he hadn’t been challenged in that way until venturing from home.
But then he spoke. “Rhys hurt you.”
Aspen blinked. “He hurt you more.”
“Not any more. I won’t let him.” Then Nicu leveled his chin. “And neither will you.”
Bricks tumbled from my chest. Aspen’s mouth parted, her poise unsteady as my liege reached across the table to clutch her hand.
“Remember?” Nicu intoned. “We protect each other.”
Her throat bobbed. “I remember. And I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t keep that promise.”
“But you did. And everyone is sorry for something.” His countenance softened. “You’re family. I love you.”
Aspen choked. They shot from their chairs and snatched each other in a hug.
Pride stitched across my heart. While Nicu would need more time to accept the gravity of her betrayal, he also comprehended more. Her mother had been threatened. Aspen played a double agent, thwarting Rhys’s plot over time. That tactic spared villages from being ambushed. Ultimately, she met the king’s demands to keep everyone who mattered safe, regardless of the punishment.
All humans did foolish things. That was one of our most honest truths.
It did not mean we were forsaken. For those mistakes led to our most valuable lessons.
The clan would be tougher. For now, my hopes intensified as Nicu grinned at me over Aspen’s shoulder.
He knew better than anyone. Resentment poisoned a mortal’s soul. But forgiveness set them free.
***
Between the three of us, we set a deadline. The missive we sent to the clan regarding the camp’s alternate location following the explosion, in addition to our request for backup, hadn’t been answered yet. Autumn hawks flew fast, but they did not traverse a kingdom instantaneously. Therefore, if we hadn’t received a response in two days’ time, we would send another raptor.
Next, we decided how to approach Lyrik. Not to tell him about Rhys’s presence at the camp or Aspen’s connection to the king, but to forewarn the rogue about our clan’s impending arrival.
Although Nicu vouched for Lyrik’s honor, my liege supported the decision to withhold certain details. “He’s masking something,” Nicu murmured in a confidential tone.
Lyrik was hiding something. The Royal Son declared this with certainty, which implied he’d spent more time with the Lyrik than Aspen or I had guessed.
I would inquire what these two remotely had in common. However, our clan had proven that opposites attracted.
Not that they were a pair. Not in the slightest.
Seasons forbid. Nicu deserved the epitome of a devoted mate.
In any case, Rhys had slipped and indicated to Aspen that he knew the squatter in our midst was a male. This must have arisen because Rhys watched Aspen confront Lyrik about Nicu minutes before the king accosted her. That clarified Rhys’s misstep, ruling out any precarious connection to Lyrik. Still, therogue withheld details about himself, a choice that couldn’t be dismissed.
We found the alchemist foraging for tree sap. Although he didn’t care for this news, the knights’ intentions to slaughter villages changed his outlook. And because one of his mixtures had aided us, I felt confident the Crown would be lenient regarding the contents of his alchemy chamber.
This, provided Lyrik didn’t make himself scarce when they arrived. The man was hardly predictable, which was another reason we elected not to say more.
At lunchtime, Nicu sang in the communal kitchen and gathered plates while the rest of us chopped vegetables.
After feasting, Aspen and I halted in private at her door. Relieved by today’s outcome, I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Tonight—”
