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“Are we allowingallthose who accompany the rulers into the cave?” she asked, stepping up and taking her rightful spot at the highest carved seat along the north wall.

“They will be suspicious if we don’t allow their mages and vampires-in-waiting to join,” I replied.

Omaera nodded and glanced at Zandren, but the bear was busy scratching his monstrous behind against a stalagmite and groaning in delight.

“Silly old bear,” Omaera murmured, smiling at the shifter.

“And if Anysa ends up being in cahoots with Howar and Lerris?” Maxar asked. “Off with her head?”

Killing a monarch carried a death sentence of its own. Even if that monarch was being accused of high treason. If Omaera wanted to follow proper protocol, Anysa would be given a trial, then sentenced to life in prison in Hell. As would Howar. Lerris, however killed King Donovar, and in theory would be sentenced to death if he lived long enough to stand trial. My mate wasn’t planning to let that happen though. She wanted him dead, trial be damned. I couldn’t really blame her.

And as much as my chest still ached over my cousin’s betrayal, I didn’t want to see him executed. He was my family. My king. And for several centuries—my best friend.

“Does magic act the same here as it does outside?” Omaera asked. “Or is it like Hell where that borromium or whatever the fuck it was called stopped our magic from working?”

“Borromium can only be found in Hell, babe,” Maxar said.

“Magic is normal here, if not slightly enhanced,” I replied. “I’m sure you can feel the magical charge in the air?”

Omaera nodded.

We walked her through the plan several times, where we would all bepositioned, where she would stand, how she would address Howar and Anysa, and when we would serve the tea. I pretended to be Howar, which sat about as comfortable inside me as a splinter under the fingernail. Maxar was Anysa, and Zandren was Ryden.

“So we just skirt the black hole that’s about as inconspicuous as an elephant in a train station bathroom?” Omaera asked, her attention back on the bottomless pit in front of us. “What’s to stop Howar from just tossing me in?”

“Us,” Zandren said softly. “Eventually, you kind of just forget its there. It’s just—”

“Part of the décor?” she replied with a snort. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Her head shook. “Once all this Lerris and Howar bullshit is done, let’s build a big fence around this thing so nobodyaccidentallytrips and falls for eternity.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” we all said at the same time, sharing similar smirks between us.

After we ran through that scenario and similar ones several times, we exited the cave and went to the woods and the base of the mountains where we pointed out all the places an attack could come from. Zandren got momentarily distracted by a rabbit, and bounded off after it, returning a few minutes later, licking his chops with blood on his nose.

“The thing to remember,” I pointed out, “is that anybody of royal blood can open the cave. That includes Lerris. I suspect he will incapacitate anybody he views as a threat and enter on his own, or with those he’s rallied to his side. So we will be outnumbered.”

Zandren scoffed.

Omaera ran her hand over the bear’s head. “I don’t want anybody to get hurt. At least not anybody who is on our side.” Zandren glanced up at her. “And that includes your father’s lieutenants.”

“We’ll have King Ryden make sure his lieutenants shift and stay far enough away that Lerris can’t sense them and mindfuck with them. As for the mages …” I glanced at Maxar. “I know you don’t know Anysa, but you’re a mage. You’re part of that … species. Surely, you must have some idea where your monarch’s allegiances lay.”

“Well, I don’t, dude,” Maxar snapped back. “I steer clear of the Council and Queen. They’ve got their eyes on me though, since my parents are genocidal maniacs and all.”

“Well, hopefully, the mages that accompany Anysa are capable of blocking any mindfuckery from Lerris,” Omaera said. “And as for the vampires that join Howar …” Her shoulder lifted. “They made their choice.” Her gaze pinned on me, her green eyes wide. “You don’t think he’ll bring Raver with him, do you?”

Along with the litany of things plaguing me, Raver becoming brainwashed by Howar was among the top five. I was already devastated over the fact that my cousin had betrayed me, that I’d upset my mate to the point where she wasn’t sure she could trust me, and certainly didn’t want to mate-bond with me. To see Raver show up with Howar and legitimately be loyal to him would be almost unbearable.

“I’m not sure,” I finally replied. “Raver took over my roll when I left Howar’s court to be with you. If I still held my position, I would accompany Howar to a meeting like this one. He would expect me to.”

Concern filled her eyes. “And are you prepared to do what is necessary if Raver ends up being on Howar’s side?”

Zandren glanced at me, waiting. Maxar cocked his head to the side, a smug smirk on his mouth.

I nodded once. “I am, Your Majesty. My fealty is to you, and you alone. If Raver is with Howar and Lerris, then he will need to be dealt with accordingly.”

A warmth that wasn’t there a second ago burned in her gaze, but also a sadness. She didn’t want me to have to take out one of my best friends anymore than I did.

“If we take down a few of these trees here, it will eliminate hiding spots for potential ambush,” Maxar said, having wandered away and closer to the tree line.