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Chapter eighteen

HYACINTH

We were once again sitting around the table in the House of High. Though, this time, there was no feigned hospitality. The silence in the room amplified the tension that felt as if it would snap at any minute and take all of our nerves with it.

My fingers tapped impatiently against the wood as I kept my gaze glued to the window, avoiding all the eyes I could feel burning through my skin.

Landers slid his hand over mine, intertwining our fingers as he pulled them into his lap.

I glanced over at him and he gave me a small smile of reassurance as I pushed a curl behind my ear and shifted on my cushion.

His eyes nervously shot between Mara and me, his hand tightening around mine as I watched the muscle in his jaw tick.

Something was off. I knew that now with complete certainty after how he had acted in our rooms and I couldn’t place it.

But I could feel it in my bones—this wasn’t just about the war.

This was about him.

All I wanted was for him to talk to me, to open up and let me in. But recently, it felt like everyone was slowly pushing me further and further away from them.

My gaze darted to the doors at the back of the room, and I straightened my posture as the Elders entered.

Each one was cloaked in deep purple robes, their hoods casting shadows over their faces.

We rose from our seats, bowing our heads in reverence as they made their way around the table and settled onto their cushions with a quiet rustle of fabric.

My heart raced as I lowered myself back to the ground and watched them pull back their hoods.

We needed them to agree to our plans.

I needed them to stand behind me on my decision to wake the Fallen Ones.

A messenger stepped forward, a scroll between his hands, and I sucked in a sharp breath as he began to unroll it. An Elder’s hand shot up into the air, the same one that had spoken before and the entire room when wholly still, not a single one of us daring to breathe.

“Ithia is proud of her traditions,” the Elder started and my heart careened into my stomach. “But we must listen to when the winds shift and whisper of new ways to come. It is time the Yaldrin learn to protect themselves, learn to protect their homeland.”

A grin slid onto Mara’s face as Rilus and Sashi blanched, rage cutting into the lines of their hard expressions.

The Elder continued, his voice rough and weathered with age.

“It is our decision, Takaris, that we will do what you have asked. We will give you access to our realm and we will allow our people to train, but we will not force them. Those who do not wish to train, will heal the wounded. As for the Fallen Ones, if you believe in this plan, Takaris, we will welcome them into our realm.”

Landers stilled beside me, his body tensing as the words settled into the silent room. My eyes flashed to Andrues for guidance. I didn’t know how to respond—if I was allowed to respond.

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.”

Andrues made it through the front doors first, pushing them open wide enough for us to see Elric pacing back and forth on the grass, his hand gripping the pommel of his sword like usual.

We raced down the steps toward him and his eyes darted up from the ground, relief and what looked like stress flaring in his irises.

“What has happened?” Landers snapped, sliding his hand into mine and pulling me closer.

“Brakan is in Locdragoon and he knows Dukovich is alive. Wren is interrogating him now, but we need you back,” Elric said, the words rushing from his mouth as Landers’s grip on my hand tightened.

I didn’t recognize the name, but from the look of absolute horror on the three men’s faces, I knew it wasn’t good.

“Call Nithra,” Landers said, turning to me. “We need to get home, now.”