Page 10 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

Callan

C allan Solgard rushed down the halls of the castle following the directions he had written on a piece of parchment.

He had overheard Commander Greybane telling Magdalena that Razik would be going to the continent to get Sawyer and Princess Ashtine after Prince Briar gave himself over to Alaric in exchange for the female he loved.

But this exchange did not involve just Briar and Ashtine.

It also involved the Tyndell siblings in exchange for the twin babes growing in Princess Ashtine’s belly, and if Razik was going, Eliza was likely going.

He’d heard about that, too. That Eliza had become Razik’s Source.

From what he’d gathered over the last several weeks being among the Fae and Avonleyans, having a Source was rare and coveted.

But it was also necessary for an Avonleyan to refill their power reserves quickly.

This was part of the reason King Deimas and Queen Esmeray had separated the Fae from the Avonleyans all those years ago.

Except that the Avonleyans claimed they had put the Wards up to protect their kingdom and had to cut themselves off from the Fae as part of the cost.

To be honest, Callan wasn’t sure what to believe anymore.

The history he’d been taught during all his lessons was turning out to be wrong, or at the very least, not entirely accurate.

But none of that was what had him rushing to catch the fire general before she left.

He wanted to go back to his own continent.

He wanted to find Tava and keep her from her father, Lord Balam Tyndell, a Maraan Lord.

The male wasn’t even her real father. No, she and her brother were the last remaining descen dants of Dalton and Octavia Middell, the last king and queen of Rydeon.

Drake was the rightful heir to the throne, and Tava was the kingdom’s princess.

And Scarlett had let them go back. Had taken Tava and Drake back herself when she’d Traveled Prince Briar across the Edria Sea.

Callan came to a stop outside a door and double checked the notes on the parchment to make sure he had the right rooms before he rapped on the wood.

A set of guards had stopped him at one point, but as soon as he’d told them his name, they’d let him pass.

He hadn’t questioned why. Just thanked the gods for giving him this small bit of fortune as he’d raced along the corridors.

The door swung open, and Callan found himself face-to-face with the Hand-to-the-Avonleyan King.

Razik looked him up and down once, his signature bored annoyance on his face, before he stepped aside without a word to let him enter.

Knowing Eliza was his Source explained why he was likely here, but it was still somewhat surprising to find him in her actual rooms. There had always been such animosity between them.

Callan could hear noises coming from the adjoining bedchamber, and he turned to Razik. “Is she going with you?”

The male cocked his head to the side, his bright sapphire eyes unnerving in the way they studied him. “She is.”

“Good,” Callan replied, moving to the doorway. Before he stepped through, Eliza met him at the threshold, a pack in her hands. Her brows flew up when she nearly ran into him.

“Callan? What are you doing here?” she asked, recovering quickly from her surprise and brushing past him. She threw the pack at Razik with force, the male catching it with a faint smirk, before she turned back to give Callan her full attention.

“I want to go with you,” Callan said, planting his feet. He was prepared to argue with the general until she relented. Not the smartest plan, but the only one he could come up with in such a short amount of time.

“You want to go with us to get Princess Ashtine?” she asked in confusion.

“No. I want you to take me with you to our continent, and if I cannot convince Tava to return with me, I will stay there.”

Eliza’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Callan,” she sighed, her hands coming to her hips as she stared at him. “You cannot simply return to the continent. Not after everything we’ve gone through to keep you alive.”

“Drake did,” Callan argued. “Tava did. Briar did. They all went back to the continent even though it jeopardizes their lives.”

“Lord Tyndell will not allow harm to come to Drake or Tava,” Eliza said. “And Briar went back to protect the female he loves and his children . Did you even think about Eva when you came up with this idiotic idea?”

“Of course I did,” Callan snapped.

“Really? You did? So, what is the plan then, Callan? Are you dragging her back to her death with you?”

“I spoke with Magdalena and Lynnea—”

“Magdalena is employed by the Greybanes. She is not a nursemaid. And Lynnea is scarcely past her first bleed. You cannot be serious,” Eliza interrupted.

“Eva is safer here,” Callan said.

“As are you,” Eliza countered.

“But Tava is not safer there!” he cried.

Eliza clicked her tongue at him, crossing her arms. “So this is a repeat of Scarlett, then?”

“This is nothing like Scarlett,” Callan snarled.

A brow arched. “No? You are not racing off after the woman you think you love to— Do what exactly? Protect her? How do you plan to do that against Maraans?”

“I saved your ass from a Witch, didn’t I? I believe I even killed more seraphs than you did that day.”

Eliza stilled, her arms falling to her sides.

The look she sent him made him want to take a step back from the female, but he forced himself to stand there and hold her stare.

“You think that because you fought and survived in one battle, you are ready to face them on your own? You were fighting with powerful Fae at your side, not to mention the Avonleyans with us that day. Yes, you saved my life, but battles are not about keeping score. We have each other’s backs because we fight for the same cause, not to use it against one another in an argument. ”

“I am sorry, Eliza,” he started. “I did not mean that—”

“Have you spoken to Scarlett about this?” she cut in.

“No,” he ground out from between his teeth. “She did not speak to me before taking Tava back across the sea. According to her, going to trade herself for a babe was Tava’s choice. This is mine.”

“And by agreeing to it, I will take the fall,” Eliza retorted. “I am the one who will be reprimanded for allowing you to go.”

“For allowing me?” Callan repeated. “I am a king. No one allows me to do a godsdamn thing. If you refuse, I will find another way.”

A huff of amusement sounded, and Callan turned. He’d forgotten Razik was here, which was a feat in and of itself.

“Scarlett is the only one who can let you out of these Wards, your Majesty ,” Razik drawled. “So it would appear you will indeed need the princess’s approval.”

“She is a queen,” Eliza snapped at him.

Razik shrugged. “She is not my queen. She is my kingdom’s princess.”

Eliza muttered something under her breath that Callan could not hear, but the corner of Razik’s mouth tilted up at whatever he heard.

“If Tava can be allowed to make her own choices, I should be given the same courtesy,” Callan said.

“It is not me you need to convince,” Razik replied. “But I agree nonetheless.”

“You do?” Callan and Eliza said at the same time.

“You left Cyrus and Neve across the sea to keep the mortal kings safe,” Eliza said, rounding on the male. “Now you are suddenly fine with Callan giving himself over to them?”

“I was not going to use them in negotiations without their say in how they went,” Razik said. “They are, in fact, royalty. Just as Cethin and Scarlett are. If they choose that path themselves, that is their right, just as it was Drake and Tava’s.”

“You do not get a say in this matter,” Eliza snapped at him.

“This isn’t politicking. This is personal , which you have already stated to me you do not factor into your decision-making.

” The male arched a brow at her, his arms folding across his chest, but he didn’t say another word.

She turned back to Callan. “I know you care for her, Callan. I see that. I know it is different than Scarlett, but you cannot just go back there and give yourself over.”

“I am not giving myself over,” Callan interjected. “I am going to get Tava. It would be expected. She is my betrothed.”

“I think the ruse is up,” Eliza muttered, her hands fisting in the sleeves of her tunic.

“It is not a ruse. Not any longer.”

“Does Scarlett know this?”

“I do not know. However, I doubt the knowledge would have changed her actions,” he answered bitterly.

“True,” Eliza agreed. “But you put your entire kingdom in jeopardy by doing this.”

“Only if I am caught,” Callan argued.

Eliza huffed a humorless laugh. “And if you are? Who will save you, Callan?”

“Who will save Drake and Tava?”

“Lord Tyndell will not let anything happen to them,” Eliza repeated. “For whatever reason, he has protected them for the last two decades. I can only imagine he will continue to do the same.”

“To use them!” Callan said, his desperation rising. “If no one else will go aid them, then I will.”

“And your kingdom?”

“Will stand with them,” Callan said instantly.

“You are not on the throne right now, Callan. You have no forces to command. I do not understand why you do not get this.”

Before he knew what he was doing, Callan was advancing on Eliza.

“No!” Eliza cried out, flames flying from her palm, but not at him.

At Razik.

Callan hadn’t registered the snarl that had come from the male.

He looked over at him to find his eyes shifted to vertical pupils and the faint outline of scales creeping along his flesh, but he had stilled, shielding against her flames.

Eliza was tense, her eyes darting between him and Razik.

Callan immediately took a step back from the fire general, but the rage he felt was still flooding through him.

He couldn’t even call it rage. It was desperation at this point.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm everything he was feeling and push it down.