Page 4 of The Forgotten Throne

Chapter Three

Do You Trust Me?

I left the room and headed down the hall towards the front entrance to the cavern.

“Vasin, get ready to head out. We are going with Zan to Sheca.”

“Why do I feel like this choice is not met with approval?”

“It doesn’t matter if my guardians agree with this choice. I am Queen and I’ve made my decision.”

“Not that I don’t approve of you doing such a thing, but might I ask why they disagree?”

“Didn’t plan on giving them the chance to argue with me. We don’t have a lot of time and it’s a half a day’s flight to Sheca. I need to meet with them and be back before everyone leaves in the morning. I refuse to make them leave their home without me doing so right beside them.”

“Admirable, yet I still believe hearing out your appointed guardians might be wise.”

I knew he was right, but after dealing with the Clan Leaders, I just didn’t want to have to justify every choice I was making as I was making it. If I was the queen, shouldn’t I be able to make choices and have them do what I say?

“Cassarah, don’t think you can run from me,” Jade hissed as he easily caught up with me. “This is a reckless move, and you know it. We know nothing about these people other than what Zan has told us. Need I remind you that he tried to kill you the first time you crossed paths? What happens if you’re too far away and I can’t get to you in time?”

Halting once we reached the entrance, I turned to face him, only to bump right into his chest. Flustered, I took a step back, but he followed my movement, not letting me get any space from him. My whole life I’d been raised to be a noble woman, and they did not show their irritation or other extreme emotions. But I wasn’t a noble woman anymore. I was a queen. “Stop that,” I snapped and tried to shove him back.

Instead, he caught my hand and held it to his chest. “No, not until you give me a good enough reason for you to go with only one person as backup. Zan might be your guardian, but he has been Shecan far longer. I can’t say I trust him with you alone just yet.”

“I know I’m new here too, but I have to agree with the reaper,” Paxton piped up. “Just because you made it through the events of last night, doing reckless things, doesn’t mean it should be a pattern.”

“I’m not going to justify myself when everything worked out. They’re all alive and standing in front of me,” I argued, scowling at Paxton.

Abbott stepped up to my left, drawing my attention. When we first met, I mistook him for a knight, with his long golden hair and light blue eyes. He had a gallant air about him. He was the best swordsman in all the clans and one of my teachers. He was one of the more mild-mannered of my guardians but that was not to be mistaken as soft. That man could be a drill sergeant when he wanted to be. More than once, I’d been pushed to my limit and then some with his style of conditioning, but the moment I accomplished what needed to be done, he was my biggest cheerleader.

“Little phoenix, tell me you didn’t do all the things he says you did last night,” Abbot begged, his eyes filled with worry.

“That depends on what he said. If it was anything to do with jumping off a dragon, killing Lord Everett, and saving three of you and two dragons—yes, I did do those things,” I answered. “If I hadn’t done those things, you, Cole, and Izel might not have survived. Lord Everett was going to kill you along with Tahir and Ifra, and I couldn’t let that happen if I had the ability to do something about it. You all are as important to me as I am to you. What I need most from everyone right now is a little faith in my choices.”

Internally, I wanted to flinch at how I’d just sounded. It was as if my mother had taken over my mouth and spouted out things. I meant all of it, but there was no need for me to say it so harshly.

Jade let go of my hand to grip my chin, lifting my face until our eyes met. “Is that what you think this is about? You think we don’t trust you?”

“I mean, that’s what I was saying—,” Paxton said, but was cut off with what sounded like a punch to the gut from someone. “Right, shutting up now.”

The longer Jade held my gaze, I knew he saw that was exactly what I was thinking, even if I didn’t want to.

He let out a huff and dropped his hand, backing away. “I can’t talk to her when she’s like this. She’s all yours, Cole.” Opening my mouth to stop him to explain myself, he held up a hand. “No, little bird, I can’t be the one to speak reason to you right now. I’ll let one of the others try.”

His words felt like a dagger to the heart. I didn’t understand why they hurt so much as I watched him head outside.

“Mouse,” Cole whispered, placing his hands on my shoulders.

Pulling my attention from the direction Jade walked off, I met a pair of deep green eyes that belonged to my friend. When we first met all those months ago on the balcony of my bedroom where my life forever changed, our friendship did not start off well. As a matter of fact, he hated me and did everything he could to make life harder for me in the first few weeks. Then we realized there was far more in common between us than we thought. Like Abbott, he’d been with me since the beginning and he shared my love of history and languages, letting me share with him everything I learned in those early days. He was one person I knew would never lie to me, and I could see by the scowl on his face that the choice to go alone with Zan wasn’t a good idea.

“You can’t go with only one person as back up, Cassarah,” Cole stated, using my given name, telling me he was dead serious. “Being Queen means that you can’t take risks that will put your people in more danger. If they don’t have you looking after them through this war, there’s no hope for our survival. The Clan Leaders have already proved they aren’t up for the task. Please think this through with that brilliant mind of yours.”

I let out a puff of air in frustration. When he put it like that, I knew he was right. “Fine, Abbott and Izel can come along. I need people who aren’t going to overreact if the Shecans say something crazy.”

“Thank you,” Cole murmured as he cupped my face and kissed my forehead. “I would rather have you take us all, but I get what you’re trying to do.”

With that settled, we headed out onto the wide ledge where Vasin and Ifra were waiting. Jade was working on the harness that Vasin wore. It acted like a saddle to ensure that I didn’t fall off him when flying. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of knowing what that felt like, and I preferred not to have a repeat of that if I could help it. The others lingered by the entrance, giving me space to talk to Jade as Zan started to put Ifra’s harness on.