Page 56

Andrues gave me a soft nod and I cleared my throat.

“Thank you,” I said, willing my voice to stay steady. “I know that this decision wasn’t easy to make, but I promise you”—I placed a hand over my heart—“we will do everything in our power to keep your people safe.” I bowed my head before turning my eyes to Rilius and Sashi.

“It seems as though our fate has been decided,” Rilius clipped, struggling to restrain the anger I could feel leaking from him.

“What do you need from us?” Mara interjected and Sashi’s eyes narrowed on her.

Landers leaned forward and I silently praised the Gods. “We need you to start preparing your people to be moved. The captain of my guard, Elric, will be overseeing our army coming into Ithia and managing all of the war camps. I will send a general with him to help train the Yaldrin that choose to fight.”

My eyes wandered to the Elders as Landers’s commanding voice faded to a hum in the background and wondered just how old they truly were. Wondered how many wars they’d lived through watching their people get slaughtered and still not made the decision they’d made today. My mind spun, trying to understand why.Why now?What made this war any different than the ones that came before.

Perhaps it was the realization that, this time, there might be no coming back from the brink—no chance of survival if they did not change their ways. I could see it in their eyes, a weariness that went beyond mere physical exhaustion. It was as if their very souls had been drained from the weight of countless generations that rested on their shoulders.

I wished I could tell them that this war would be different. That innocents wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire, that families wouldn’t be torn apart and communities wouldn’t be destroyed. That they would be able to live the rest of their days in peace.

But I couldn’t.

I couldn’t promise anything other than what I had: that I would do everything in my power to keep their people safe.

A sharpness in Rilius’s tone pulled me back into the conversation to see the blood rushing to his face as Mara shook her head in annoyance.

“I will not train in the same war camps as women and children. I am the High Priest, I will lead my people into battle,” Rilius spat as Landers chuckled.

“When was the last time you held a sword,your Grace? Do you own one?” Mara asked, raising a brow as I pushed my lips into a hard line to trap the smile that desperately wanted to form.

This isn’t helping.

Rilius would fight us at every turn if we let him and if he fought us, Sashi would stand behind him. As if reading my mind, Landers slammed his hand against the table, silencing them.

“I have seen women and children fight with more bravery and courage than you have shown in your entire existence. This is war, Rilius, and if you do not train you will be the first to die.” Landers lifted a single finger toward him. “When blood is being shed, you will not care who comes to save you, you will only pray to be saved.” Landers’s words were so sharp that Sashi leaned away from him, flinching at the sound.

A knock sounded on the doors at our backs and I turned my head as Cai took an unsure step into the room.

“Leave us,” Rilius barked at her. “We did not call for you.”

My head snapped toward him as I shot from the ground but before I could open my mouth Andrues was already speaking, his voice low and menacing.

“I advise you, High Priest, never to speak down to a woman in our presence again. You’ll learn quickly, we encourage their violence.”

My head tilted to the side, my eyes locking onto Rilius’s as a grin slid over my lips, daring him to say another word. I held his stare for a long moment before turning back to Cai.

“How can we help, Cai?” I asked, taking a step toward her.

Her eyes shot to Rilius, hesitating for a moment before refocusing on Landers. “There is a man named Elric here. He says it is urgent that he speaks with you, your Grace.”

Landers’s back straightened as he glanced over to Andrues and I then turned to the Elders.

“I apologize,” he said, placing a hand over his heart and bowing his head. “But we must handle this.”

Andrues and I mimicked his movements as Mara stood.

“Take care of what you need, I will reach out if there is anything on our end that changes,” she said, bowing her head in understanding. I gave her a grateful smile before turning and following Cai out the doors.

“Where is he?” Landers asked as we weaved our way out of the House of High.

“Just outside, I did not have permission to allow him inside these walls,” she answered, nervously looking up at Landers.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing in an effort to ease her. “Thank you, Cai. That was a good decision.”