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“Wait,” Rekja said, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Join us for dinner. If this is the one and only time we will meet before war breaks out, we should use that time wisely. Don’t you agree, Father?”

Eryndan gave him a look. “You are your mother’s son.”

Rekja smiled back at him, but when Eryndan glanced away, I caught the wounded expression on his face.

“Fine,” Eryndan said. “We will discuss this civilly over a meal. And when you travel back to the fae lands, you can tell the fae king that I listened to your explanation.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

One of Eryndan’s guards showed us to a set of rooms. We filed in, and I swept my gaze over the main chamber. It was huge, with rich tapestries decorating the walls, a grand hearth, and a large window overlooking the courtyard. Several doors led to private rooms for sleeping and bathing, and I caught a glimpse of a wide four-poster bed through one of the doorways.

My throat was so tight I could barely speak. “I’m sorry,” I murmured to Telean as we stepped inside. There were no words for how badly I’d blown our chances.

“Do not apologize. It’s not over,” Telean said. She hobbled toward a bedroom to the right.

Asinia shot me a questioning look. I just shrugged. She jerked her head at Cavis, and they disappeared into another room.

Lorian was prowling around the room, his skin sparking once more.

I kept my voice low, conscious of spies. Lorian would hear me with those fae senses of his. “The Gromalian king is too cozy with Regner. We need to do something about it.”

“Both kingdoms are mostly home to humans. And even if he attempts to deny it, Eryndan knows there’s something unnatural about Regner. He also knows it wouldn’t take much for Regner to decide that if Eryndan won’t give him his armies, he’ll simply take Gromalia and enjoy those armies himself.”

“Then why won’t he ally with us?”

“I don’t know. He has always loathed the fae. As far as I’m aware, we haven’t given him any reason for such a deep hatred.”

I stalked to the window, looking down at the courtyard below us and the strange statues placed throughout it. “Is there anyone from Eprotha in the area? Anyone important?”

“An ambassador from Eprotha is due to arrive tonight after dinner. I’d planned for us to leave before he was announced.”

I glanced over my shoulder at him, the beginning of a plan coming together. “You said Demos and Tibris were in Eprotha. Near the Gromalian border.”

Lorian nodded.

The thought of actively putting my brothers in danger made me want to lose my stomach. And yet both of them would scowl at me if they could hear my thoughts.

“Demos is recognizable.”

“Yes. There are flyers with both of your faces across the kingdom, along with any hybrids who escaped. Including Asinia. And you.” A spark left his skin and darted into the air. The fae were powerful, territorial, and snarly at the best of times. And Lorian was their prince. Being here, in Eryndan’s castle, was clearly making it difficult for him to keep his control.

“Should I be worried?”

He met my gaze. “About this?” He raised his hand, and another spark flew into the air. “No. I would tell you if I was concerned.”

I nodded, letting it go. I trusted him.

“If Demos and the others were seen crossing into Gromalia, would Regner’s men chase them down?”

“Likely. Historically, the Eprothans have simply told the Gromalian guards at the border that they’re searching for escaped hybrids, and they’ve been allowed entry.”

“You and Marth wore Gromalian uniforms when you were in Eprotha.”

He slowly nodded, and I could see him figuring out what I needed. “We have plenty of contacts to get various attire. That is likely the easiest part of whatever you’re planning.”

I crossed the room to the desk and found some parchment, scrawling my note in code. “I need you to get this message to Tibris.” Lorian took it, and our hands brushed. That strange awareness burned between us, and the gleam in his eyes told me he felt it too.

“Aquilus will get it to him within a few hours.”