I handed her Krait’s crumpled note and said, “He would. So, help me?”
She opened the door wider and ushered me inside—I was thankful for a confidante and someone to talk my plans through with.
I needed to make a statement to the people of the Sahlms.
Their King could loathe me for it. The risk was worth the reward.
Chapter 26
Krait
“What a shit idea, Krait.”
Elsedora was fuming. I’d never known her to be riled so easily.
“She’s manipulative and naive,” I tried. Sybilla’s words had crept under my skin yesterday and uncovered a sore of festering guilt that I’d not realized was still open.
“She is the Last Daughter of Isleen—the person you have, for centuries, had me scouring the realms for. Why are you trying to send heraway?”
“I’m not trying. Iamsending her away.” I shrugged. “We’ll find another option. She is useless to us if she can’t help us secure water rights.”
Speaking the lie made my jaw tighten, and I knew that El of all people could see through me.
Her eyes narrowed, and a gust of wind blew back my silk cloak. The breeze was a welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat. We stood on the main balcony of Umber House. The courtyardbustled with people preparing for our formal announcement of an alliance between Luz and Sahlmsara.
“You know well that what you just said is utter horseshit.”
It was.I didn’t know of any other way—my whole life I’d been led to find her. Why did she have to come in such a provoking package?
Ropes were being strung between stakes to prevent anyone from getting too close to the balcony. We needed Sybilla unscathed when she left my realm tomorrow.
El sighed. “You’ve come too far to give up now.”
“It will be alright,” I reassured her.It wouldn’t.
Freya’s name on Sybilla’s lips had felt wrong, like a disrespect to the memory of my late wife. Maybe I wasn’t willing to face that closure yet, or maybe Sybilla had just reminded me that I’d done too little to protect Freya.
Either way—after a few glasses of amber liquor and hours of seething, I’d wanted Sybilla far away from here until I could piece together what could be done. Her two advisors in Luz seemed capable of keeping her alive. I’d made my decision, and I doubted retracting it now would matter.
Sybilla was bullheaded and proud. She wouldn’t have taken kindly to my written rejection. I’d committed to sending her back into a viper’s den in Luz. My throat constricted at the thought of it.
“I can assure you that you won’t fulfill the prophecy any faster by sending her away and calling off your betrothal. Are you confused about how heirs are made? Do you need a lesson?”
“Elsedora.” My voice cracked. “I can’t. Alright? I can’t.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, Krait...”
Fuck. I didn’t want her pity.
I shook my head and tried to flee, but her arms snaked around me, and she pulled me into a squeezing embrace that was more suffocating than comforting.
“I can’t breathe, El.”
“I know.”
“Let go,” I grunted.
“No, not until you stop this self-loathing bullshit,” she shot back.
