Page 98 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

“I don’t understand why I couldn’t go with them!” Zaddock shot him a glare back, his entire body twisting with disdain. “You have those Fae bastards. Why do you need me?”

Loche closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find an ounce of patience within him.

Yesterday, he’d sent Amalise, Ardow, and Venko to meet the ship with Geyia and the half-Fae children they’d left behind when they went to find Lessia after that disastrous meeting with King Rioner.

He’d debated for days whether it was worth breaking up the group, especially in enemy waters, but… from what he’d heardfrom Amalise and the reports from Geyia and Steiner, some of the older Faelings could potentially be quite useful.

They would need them. He didn’t want to say it aloud, but while Kerym and Thissian were rumored to be powerful, he’d seen little of their supposedly feared magic the past few days when they’d sailed through Korina’s waters, heading toward Ellow and keeping an eye out for the rebels.

And Loche knew Meyah and her people were close. He could feel it in his bones, and his spies had also seen Meyah’s ships on the same path they were on.

The final conversation he’d had with Lessia and the others echoed in his mind as his eyes flew across the empty rocky isles flanking his ship.

“Rioner will not risk another failure,” Lessia mumbled.

“He won’t,” Kerym agreed. “He’ll come for us. All of us. It’s how he works.”

Merrick nodded slowly. “You’re right. He’ll attack when the rebels do. It’s what makes most sense. He won’t want to waste any more time, and he’ll bet on…” The Death Whisperer’s face hardened so much with pain that everyone but Lessia and Loche looked away. “He’ll bet on Lessia dying in the fight.”

Loche couldn’t help but let out a shuddering breath when Lessia didn’t argue, only stepped closer to the silver-haired Fae, letting him fold both his arms around her.

As if that would protect her. As if any of them could protect her from what was to come.

“So, how can we gain an advantage?” Loche asked when he couldn’t take watching the woman he still loved try to stay strong for another man.

Especially when he knew… Rioner would win the bet. Loche had known the Fae King long enough to know he wouldn’t give up, not until Lessia took her final breath.

“We’re doing what we can,” Kerym responded as his blue eyes landed on one of the copper-haired sisters who appeared to be eyeing him right back, from what Loche could tell. “If we can get the wyverns on our side, we have a chance. And… if we can get the rebels to stand down, we will win.”

“Don’t forget about Cedar.” Lessia’s eyes brushed his, but Loche had to look down at the hope that shone in them. “He might convince some of the Fae to, if not fight, at least stand down.”

The look Merrick, Kerym, and Thissian shared didn’t instill the same hope in Loche.

“We should find a spot to fight that’s favorable to us.” Kerym’s brother’s voice was soft, but it wasn’t a whisper. “Force Rioner, the Oakgards’ Fae, and the rebels to meet us where we are.”

Loche’s eyes found Zaddock’s, and for once, his friend’s weren’t locked on the blonde woman he followed around.

Nodding as Zaddock’s gaze darted north, Loche cleared his throat. “We have such a place. There is an island on the outskirts of Ellow. It mirrors Korina with its high cliffs, but there is a plateau on it as well. It’ll allow some of us to be out of the water.”

Merrick broke in. “That’s good. Rioner will use his water skills in this fight, so if we can strategically place a few of us on land, we can try to counter them. Although those Oakgards’ Fae wield earth powers.”

“Isn’t their magic impacted?” Kerym asked.

“We’re not certain how their curse works,” Merrick muttered, the iciness in his voice almost as chilling as the haunted look on his face. “I don’t think we can count on it. Besides… they are desperate. And you know as well as I do what happens with desperation in war.”

An involuntary chill had Loche raise his shoulders.

So many enemies. So many things that could go wrong, and so few paths to win.

They’d finally decided it was best for everyone if they drew Rioner and the Oakgards’ Fae who would fight beside him, as well as the rebels, to the spot outside Ellow. The rebels planned to attack Ellow anyway, and this was the best way to keep his people safe.

“Are you all right, Loche?” Zaddock’s voice softened.

Loche definitely didn’t prefer it to the grouchiness.

He’d let Zaddock down.

He’d let everyone in Ellow down.