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“Maude, Daughter of Sylvi. Heir to the Kingdom of Flame.”

10

The hard sound of Bryn’s boots clipped through the barren halls of the Palace of Wind and Embers as she made her way to the war room. She passed her soldiers, who were stationed every ten feet, inspecting their uniforms and postures.

As she got closer to the war room, Bryn could hear her father screaming at whatever poor soul had crossed him that morning. She could practically see the flames grow in his eyes, and she hadn’t even entered the room yet.

She pushed through the heavy granite door and entered the war room just as the King picked up a chair and threw it at the wall, where his steward had been standing a few seconds before he ducked to avoid the missile. King Helvig was an imposing man, standing well over six feet tall with muscle that had been honed over decades of training.

On his brow lay the golden Flame Crown, the spires twisting up like flames licking the air, and rubies the size of her thumbnail crusted the bottom edge. His honey-tinted hair had been cut to the nape of his neck, where a small knot lay. Freckles dotted over the bridge of his nose and gave him a disarming, boyish look that the nobles bought into when he flashed his smile and talked them into whatever scheme he was planning.

She halted, bending low at the waist in front of the King, and then pivoted to her spot against the wall. From here, she was able to see the entire map of Ahland that doubled as the table, as well as each person in the room.She nodded to the General who was sitting at the head of the table, a gilded goblet of wine already in hand during this late morning meeting.

The General of the Kingdom of Flame’s armies and brother to the King was a thin man in comparison to his brother's bulky form. He had long, rusty hair that resembled the bricks of the buildings in the city hanging loose behind him, pin-straight and dirty. His lanky form draped over a chair as if he didn’t have any care in the world.

He was a cruel man who had delighted in torturing those he believed stepped out of line. Anyvitkithat were found and arrested were brought to him to see where they had “stolen” theirgalderfrom and were never seen again.

Bryn shut down any opinion that might show across her face as the King addressed her.

“Lieutenant General, we thank you for gracing us with your presence.”

She bit her tongue. Bryn had learned over the years that she was better off taking the verbal abuse before it escalated. She only looked over her father’s angry state and knew that whatever news he had received had to be about Maude.

Her sister's name echoed through her, accompanied by the brief flash of pain and anger in her chest that always followed any thoughts of her. Bryn did not usually allow herself to think of her sister too long, knowing that the spiral she would land in would keep her in bed for days before she could bring herself to move again. She pushed her emotions from her mind for the moment and listened in on the news the King was so angry about.

“She escaped the soldiers you sent after heragain,” King Helvig screamed at his brother.

“She was traveling with a larger group, and they crossed into the Lamenting Woods. We could not follow them,” the General responded,lazily tipping his goblet to his mouth. “She will show her treacherous face again soon.”

Bryn stiffened but did not allow her face to betray any more reactions.

“She has crossed into the Kingdom of Rivers, I know it. We kept her cornered in Logi for all these years, let her play at being a street rat for a time, but kept her close so we could pick her up when we needed her, andyoulet her slip away.”

King Helvig shouted the last word at her uncle, and she winced at the booming volume his voice carried through the stone room.

“We don’t know that she has gone to the enemy kingdom, only that she disappeared into the woods.She cannot hide there forever; we only need to wait her out.”

“You’d better be right, brother. She was headed for the Kingdom of Light; she must have heard rumors about thedalkr Helaand intends to find it.”

“She could not possibly be so naive as to think she would ever get close enough to you, Your Majesty, to ever be able to use it, even if she did find it,” the General admonished from his spot opposite the King.

“You are a fool if you think she would not be tenacious enough to try,” the King growled. “If you cannot deal with this, I will have the Lieutenant General take over your position before you can utter another asinine comment.”

“My position passes to her only in the event of my death or my resignation, and I don’t plan on resigning.”

The King said nothing, letting the threat hang in the room. Before the General could say another damning word, King Helvig turned to Bryn, who was trying to blend in with the wall behind her until this meeting was over.

The King, inspecting her uniform before he spoke, said, “Tell me: what report do you have about the dead captain that was found by the city square.”

Always a demand, never a question.

“We found that the man had drowned, Your Majesty.”

“Drowned,” he deadpanned. “In the desert.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Is this some kind of joke to you, girl?” He growled, the gleam of malice in his eyes sparkling as he surely dreamt of punishments for her.