Page 28 of A Crown of Tears and Treason (The Curse of Silver Secrets and Cruel Shadows #1)

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

EVIE

“ A mbush,” one of the warriors rumbled over the chaos as he rubbed the caked blood from his face and the shaved sides of his head with a reddening cloth. “They sent their mind-controlled reptiles down from the hills. They’ve gotten bigger and meaner. If the prince hadn't been there, they would have slaughtered all of us.”

I struggled to keep my composure and my head behind the hood. If Zandyr had saved them, he was alive. The gods couldn’t be so merciless to take him away after he’d protected his entire Clan.

The Serpents could control reptiles, big and mean ones, apparently. My shin stung with the memory of the snake’s fangs.

Zandyr had said my attackers weren’t from around here. Had he been talking about the Serpents?

So many questions and not a hint of an answer–or of Zandyr.

“Why do we always have to camouflage ourselves as questionable peddlers?” Adara whispered from underneath her own cloak. All of her anger from before was gone, as if nothing had happened.

But it had and I remembered.

She grimaced at the crates she and I carried, filled with ointments, bandages, pain relievers, and the steaming buns Goose had just taken out of the oven when we’d left in a hurry.

Bloodied and scarred hands kept reaching inside the crates.

“They should see their future queen,” she went on. “You’re safe among Zandyr’s warriors, wounded or not. They have sworn loyalty to him with their lives.”

It was easy for her to say. She wasn’t part of the reason so many people had come back with lifelong scars and even harsher memories.

“I already said you didn’t need to accompany me,” was my only muttered reply.

“They came from the northern side. Swarms and swarms of them, the bastards,” another warrior said. He laid down on a gurney, alternating between drinking straight from a liquor bottle and pouring the amber alcohol onto the massive wound on his thigh. “I’ve never seen the prince so ferocious. He obliterated one of their generals when the fool said he should bring back what he stole. There isn’t anything left of him to bury. Thank the gods for The Dragon.”

What he stole? Had…had that Serpent general been talking about me?

Phoenix Peak’s gates had been opened and wounded warriors still filtered through. Blood Brotherhood civilians stood behind the entrance, giving them gauze, food, and prayers. It seemed everyone in the Capital had gathered today to help those who had protected them.

The healers rushed around with herb pouches and satchels filled with stones that had symbols seared onto them.

No sight of Zandyr in the chaos.

My fingers glided over the small vials of blood on my uniform.

Zandyr’s blood. He’d bled to protect me.

A hollowness was quickly filling my chest.

Zandyr had to be alive. He had to. No Serpent could take down the mighty Dragon.

I told myself I was worried because of the uncertainty of my situation. I couldn’t stay here, not without Zandyr and whatever protection his name gave me. Would Adara help me escape back to the Protectorate? I wasn’t sure I’d be safer there.

One of the warriors on the gurney had darkening, raised veins crawling up his right leg from two large bite marks. My stomach roiled as the guilt beat at me.

“Cut it,” he hissed at the healers looming over him. “Cut it before it gets worse. Now!”

One of the healers raised the ax in his hands.

I ripped my gaze away as the warrior bit onto a piece of leather. The hiss of the ax through the air, the crunch of the bone, and his shattering roar ghosted after me in the crowd.

War.

This is what a Clan war looked like.

Loss and blood and stolen limbs.

In the distance, I spotted a familiar golden head, and I raced toward him like my life depended on it.

Ryker washed a wound on his arm, the water in the bucket quickly turning crimson.

“He lives, Lost Daughter,” he said before I even breathed his way.

He’s alive, he’s alive, he’s alive .

“Where is he?”

“He heard The Calling as we were marching back,” Ryker said, not looking at me. “No Blood Brotherhood member can ignore it. It’s a miracle he fought it long enough to stay by our side to make sure every single one of us got back safely to Phoenix Peak.”

A Dragon always protected his own, above all else.

I sucked in a breath. “Zandyr finally found something to lose.”

“Some would say that whatever he’s found should have remained lost.” His glistening eyes slashed toward me before narrowing on a group of Citadel guards hurrying toward us.

Screw Ryker and his slights. I had no time for them today. “I heard some people die during the ritual.”

“He won’t,” Ryker said with absolute certainty. “He’s more likely to take down the entire mountain with his power than die on top of it.”

The hollowness waned, relief taking its place and making my traitorous heart soar.

Zandyr was alive.

He was coming back to Phoenix Peak.

The gods did show mercy occasionally.

“Does Allie know you’re here?” I asked, eager to change the subject when Ryker’s eyes seemed to notice the abrupt change in me.

His hand stilled in the water. “She knows I’m on a mission.”

So no, Allie did not know Ryker had been risking his life to protect his Clan’s borders. “What is it with you Brotherhood members and secrets?” I asked.

“They’ve kept us alive and thriving so far. Why stop?”

“Secrets can get people killed.”

“Or saved.”

The group of guards split down the middle to reveal the glistening sight that was Kaya. She floated in the middle of the crowd, a dream of silk and jewels that lit up the gruesome gathering. Her worried gaze brightened as she spotted Ryker, who sighed as she rushed our way.

Well, at least she attempted to rush. Her arms were burdened by the billowy sleeves and she struggled to lift her long skirt, even with Vexa’s help.

Kaya looked ready to attend a ball, not help out the injured, but each person she passed looked at her with small, open smiles.

“What happened?” she asked. “How could they come from the northern side, isn’t that–Oh! Hi, Evie!”

I widened my eyes. “Don’t say that out loud.”

Kaya’s perfect brows furrowed. “Why? It isn’t your real name. I mean, it is, but–”

“Everyone here is wounded because Zandyr came after me and the Serpents retaliated.”

Ryker scoffed. “You think very highly of yourself.”

“That’s rich coming from someone who introduced himself as Commander ,” I hissed.

“The Dragon planned on killing Fabrian before he knew you still existed,” he grumbled.

“These people don’t know that. And they hate me after what happened at the temple,” I said.

“Evie,” Kaya whispered and laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. “If anyone here truly thought you were responsible for what happened, do you think they’d trust you more if you stayed in your house, ignoring their problems? Or here, helping to treat the wounded?”

Adara pursed her lips in annoyance, as if she hadn’t suggested the same thing minutes ago.

I wanted to help, I did. Kaya was right. But still, I hesitated. All those accusing gazes on me…

“Trust me,” Kaya said. “I’ve been raised to make people love me. You will be the queen. Your people need to see you, feel that you’re on their side.”

You show them you’re the best damn queen they ever had , grandpa Constantine’s voice resounded in my mind.

Show . I needed to show them.

With a trembling hand, I untied my coat. As it fell around me in a pool of gray wool, the chaos around us turned into a hush. The vials on my uniform glistened as hundreds of pairs of questioning eyes turned to me. They felt like a million little pricks all over my skin.

Crowds and attention still made me want to melt into a puddle. But I had to get used to it.

To this.

The scrutiny.

The curiosity.

The stares .

“It’s good that you’re wearing our Elite uniform,” Kaya whispered.

Shoulders straight, I turned. Nobody moved. They just kept looking .

Kaya placed a warm hand on my shoulder again.

“So good of you to come and help the warriors,” she said, loud enough for the entire Capital to hear.

Silence.

I stood still, even as my insides quaked. There was hostility in the gazes aimed at me; whether for me personally or the Protectorate Clan I came from, I couldn’t tell. But I was the only First Family member here. I had to bear all the animosity from the past centuries.

Maybe if Zandyr had been standing by my side, they would have looked away out of respect for him, if nothing else.

But he wasn’t.

He was bleeding on the sacred stones in the mountains to get his magic.

My heartbeat turned frantic.

He would survive it. He had to. He was The Dragon.

Kaya cleared her throat, grabbed the crate from my hands, and turned to the closest healer. “Master Sylvannis, our future queen has brought supplies. How can we aid you?”

Sylvannis’ long, black beard bristled as he looked at me.

The silence turned suffocating.

“Over here,” Ryker’s gruff voice cut the stillness. He stood up and handed me a piece of cloth, eyes digging into mine. “I heard you’re good with knots.”

There it was.

The seal of approval from the famed Blood Brotherhood Commander, a powerful member of their Clan.

It might’ve been my imagination or the sudden rush of gratitude flowing through me, but I felt the crowd relaxing.

I nodded at him, mouthing, “Thank you.”

“Don’t,” he said, barely moving his lips. “Let them hate you for a good reason if they must, not because of where you come from or whispers on the streets.”

“So dramatic,” Kaya said, clearly more at ease now that nobody stared daggers at me. “Next we can go help the healers prepare extra ointments. Restoring so much blood will leave them exhausted.”

I nodded as my fingers worked in well-rehearsed patterns to tie the fabric around Ryker’s palm, where a ghastly gash took up half of it. “I still have to tell Allie.”

I appreciated Ryker’s gesture, I did. But I didn’t want to keep any other secrets from my cousins. Ever.

Ryker shrugged. “Do it. She doesn’t care if I live or die.”

From the blushes I’d seen on Allie lately whenever his name was brought up, I doubted it.

Kaya carried the conversation, growing more excited by the second. “Oh, and then we can go to the kitchens and distribute food and tea. Let everyone see–”

“Kaya,” a sickly sweet voice slithered our way.

Kaya instantly stiffened, face draining of color. The crate slipped from her hands. I reached out and caught it right before it hit the polished stones.

“My sweet child, I’m so happy you came to aid your Brothers and Sisters.” Valuta slunk next to us, a glossy layer of gold and too many gaudy jewels adorning her thin fingers. She was just as dressed-up as her daughter, but Kaya made the gems and sparkle on her seem elegant. Valuta looked like she’d rolled around in gemstones and forgot to shake them off.

Kaya gulped and forced a shaky smile on her face. “Hello, mother.”

“You need a bit more blush, darling. Make those cheeks I gave you really stand out.” Valuta’s dark gaze swung my way, narrowing on the crate. “So it’s true, the Protectorate Lost Daughter is here to serve us. I just had to come down and see it for myself.”

The information had reached her fast. Too fast.

I glowered her way. “I thought you came here to help. Same as me.”

“But I am. Every single day.” She gestured toward the guards flanking the area. “Offering protection so we can treat our wounded warriors. But it’s nice that you brought…sweets.”

“They need to regain their strength. Can’t eat protection.”

“Can’t live without it, either, can you? Though I know the Protectorate, despite its name, has some serious issues when it comes to protecting their own.”

I clenched my jaw. What she’d said wasn’t entirely untrue, was it?

Valuta hummed in satisfaction and turned to Ryker, her smile widening. “Commander, so good to see you. How are the Northern Realms?”

“Fine,” Ryker grumbled, not bothering to look her way.

“Really? I heard there were some issues with the other Clans. I hope the war doesn’t come near Vexhold. My ancestral runes can only help keep us safe so far.”

My grip tightened on the crate until my fingers turned white as bone. I stared at Valuta, then at the guards under her and Banu’s control. Thousands of them, all armed and menacing.

My thoughts raced back to Zandyr’s words.

I’d thought them strange back then. Now I understood the clues he’d sowed.

“There is no war,” Ryker said tightly.

“My mistake. Best wishes to your betrothed, I hear she’s a handful.” She turned to Kaya, who had morphed into a stricken statue. She didn’t seem to even dare breathe. “Come, darling, let’s make the rounds so that everyone can see you.”

She grabbed Kaya’s elbow and guided her away, Vexa trailing a safe distance behind them with a worried expression on her face.

I watched Valuta grin and wave at everyone, her poisoned tongue now dripping honey.

“That woman is dangerous,” Ryker said.

I didn’t need Ryker to tell me.

I finally understood how deadly she could be.