“Departed?” I frown as I had no clue he’d left. “Where did he go?”
Mattya visibly blanches and starts stammering, while Axel elbows him in the ribs.
“He, uhm, well, he—uhm, left…”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Axel butts in, rolling his eyes at his brother so hard I can see the whites. “He left for Ryawarath a few hours ago. He said he has an extraction operation in Annerough.”
My ears perk up at the sound of that. What the hell is Blaise doing, going back to the border town where he found Aimee in?
“Actually, his factual words were:Got to kidnap a sunshine for kitty cat,”Axel continues unperturbed.
“Axel!” Mattya hisses, tugging his brother’s arm.
“What? That’s what he said. The Fae girl sent him to retrieve her friend.” Axel shrugs as if this conversation is boring the hell out of him. I like this spunky kid.
So Blaise is now Aimee’s errand boy, and he didn’t even have the decency to inform me of his plans. My teeth clench in dismay. I should give himan earful, but I already know he won’t give a shit. It’s clear where his allegiance lies. He might be my second-in-command, but he is her friend above all else. Or at least I hope it is friendship that guides his actions and not something more.
Jealousy prickles my skin like heated needles before I contain it.
Fuck.
“I see. And what news do you bring me?” I ask, changing the subject. It’s better for all our sakes if I don’t dwell right now on Blaise’s actions or hidden motivations.
“A missive from Reweroth, my King.” Mattya hands me a rolled-up scroll sealed with the human leadership crest. “From Lady Celine and Lady Kahlya.”
I snatch up the scroll and dismiss them with a flick of my fingers.
“You can go now.”
I don’t lift my gaze from the piece of parchment I’m unfolding, but I listen to their retreating steps and bickering.
“Why do you always have to be so blunt, Axel?” Mattya whisper-yells at his younger brother as they walk down the hallway.
“Why do you have to be such a pussy, mmm?” Axel answers, and I snicker at their antics before returning my focus to the letter in hand.
With the Fae and onpyrs banded against us, it’s painstakingly clear a realm-wide war is upon us, and I need to secure an alliance with the humans. They’re extremely closed off and private and have never officially taken a side between the Fae and vampires since they fled to their island across the Vrokdiff Sea, forging their kingdom.
But the time for neutrality has come to an end. It’s either fight or await impending doom.
No middle ground anymore.
As I read the handwritten words in a flourished calligraphy, my shoulders sag in both relief and annoyance.
The human queens—no, leaders, as they don’t like to be called queens—have accepted meeting in person to discuss a potential coalition. But they want me to bring the Foretold One. They’ve extended an invitation to me and Aimee to join them in Reweroth.
Non-negotiable.
They want to see a united front between the prophesied saviors of Imiryion before they agree to anything further. We either go there together, or I don’t go at all.
The problem is we’re anything but united at the moment.
My molars grind against each other in frustration.
How is this cursed female getting under my skin so badly, not only in matters of the heart, but now in politics as well?
I have no choice but to break the silent treatment and ask her to join me in this endeavor.
I’m not worried she’ll refuse. She wants her sister gone; that much I can begrudgingly admit.
