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“We need to evacuate your realm, move everyone to Locdragoon and those who are capable, need to start combattraining,” Andrues responded, pausing to gauge their reactions before continuing. “For the least loss of life, the brunt of our armies need to be on Ithia’s border with the rest hidden within your mountains. Healing camps will be set up in Locdragoon, with the remainder of our army on the border between Locdragoon and Ithia for any Hanth or Marzog that make it through our forces. For those that are too young to fight or heal, they will be taken underground into the Mines of Nethkar for added protection.”

“The Yaldrin have never left these lands.” Sashi’s voice sounded frantic as her eyes darted between the three of us across the table.

“You expect us to willingly hand over our realm to you simply because you asked?” Rilius spat, and I could see the anger that was beginning to boil beneath the surface of his skin.

“I am not asking,” Landers growled.

“Takaris,” a frail voice sounded to the right of me and the room fell into utter silence as an Elder placed his palm on the table.

Shock rippled across the faces of the High Priest and Priestesses at the sound. From what I had read about their traditions, the Elders never spoke in front of anyone outside of the other Elders. They only listened and spoke with each other in private to make their decision, then wrote it down for a messenger to relay. The Elder took in a shaky breath as he looked at me.

“Do you have faith in this plan, child? Do you believe that it is the only way to protect our people?” he asked, his voice thin and raspy.

“I do,” I responded, bowing my head in respect.

“Then what is it that ails you? I can feel the heaviness that weighs on your soul.” The tips of my ears began to heat as a lump formed in my throat and I forced myself to swallow it down.

Landers’s eyes burned into the side of my face as my eyes flickered to Andrues for only a second before saying, “I want to wake the Fallen Ones.”

Chapter sixteen

HYACINTH

Tensionpulledattheseams of the room, my eyes following every stride Landers took as he paced back and forth in front of me. His hands were clamped tightly behind his back while I gnawed at my cuticles, waiting for him to say something—anything.

I had never planned on mentioning the Fallen Ones, but when they asked . . . I just knew keeping it from them was not going to win us any allies.

When the meeting had come to an end, Andrues immediately found any other place to be while we waited for the Elders’ answer to our request for aid. The current of unease that crackled around us was palpable.

Landers finally glanced in my direction and fell into the chair across from me, running a hand through his hair. The muscles in his jaw flexed as he propped his chin onto his fist.

Now that he was staring at me, I wished he would stop. Wished he would go back to his pacing and look anywhere else.

“You’re mad at me,” I stated, tucking a curl behind my ear as I forced myself to meet his gaze.

“Yes,” Landers responded simply, giving a shallow nod.

“Do you want me to leave?”

His brows furrowed at the question. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged my shoulders, pulling my eyes away from his as I plucked on a loose seam in the blanket covering my legs.

“Do you want me to give you space? Or go back to Locdragoon?”

Landers was quiet for a long moment and I could feel his gaze still flowing over me. I lifted my eyes back to his as he let out a weighted sigh and dragged a hand over his face.

“No, Hyacinth.” He leaned forward as he said the words, resting his elbows onto each of his knees. “I am capable of holding two emotions for you at once. I can be mad, while still loving you just the same.”

The corners of his lips tilted up as he said the words, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. A deep breath filled my lungs as I pushed myself off the couch, closing the distance between us in just a few steps. I straddled his lap, my arms wrapping around his neck as I rested my forehead against his. The warmth of his body seeped into mine, comforting and familiar.

“Thank you.” I breathed as his hands found my waist, sliding his arms around my back and pulling me closer.

I didn’t know if he truly understood that the way he loved me healed parts of my soul I thought could never be mended.

“I should have spoken to you first before bringing up the Fallen Ones and I’m sorry for that.”

He pulled his head from mine, running a hand over my jaw as his thumb traced my cheek. The sadness in his eyes that I was becoming all too familiar with flashed behind the emerald and my hands shot to both sides of his face.