Page 11 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

“Explain to me,” he said through gritted teeth, “why when it is Sorin going for Scarlett or Briar going for Ashtine, no one says a word. All plans are paused, and everything is dropped to accommodate them. But when I wish to do the same for someone that no one is going after, it is up to someone else as to whether or not I am allowed to go.”

“I am sorry, Callan,” Eliza said, pity filling her grey eyes as she watched him.

“Do you say that because you feel sorry for me, or because you will not do a godsdamn thing to help me?” Callan sneered.

“You need to speak to Scarlett about this.”

“And if I can convince her?”

“I think you will be hard pressed to do so, but if she agrees, I will not be the one to stand in your way.”

Callan stood and watched the children run around the Coventry Estate.

There wasn’t much time. He had worked out a plan to catch Scarlett off guard.

He would show up ready to leave. That wouldn’t give her much of a chance to debate things with him.

He would go and get Tava because he couldn’t just sit around here, behind these Wards, and do nothing while she was risking her life.

What kind of king would that make him? What kind of king did it make him that he ran at all?

But that plan also meant he needed to say goodbye to Eva.

He’d spoken with Lynnea again, and he had just come from speaking with Hale. The Toreall King had sworn to watch over her as if she were his own sister when Callan had explained what had happened and where he was going.

“When it comes to it, Toreall will stand with you,” Hale had said. “Know that when we are all back on our thrones, we have an alliance.”

Callan wasn’t sure when the last time was that the three mortal kingdoms had been so united, but knowing that at the end of all of this, that alliance would stand?

It made this even more imperative because that alliance would only stand if Drake was also back on the throne.

If the Maraans retained even one mortal throne, the alliance of two kingdoms would not be enough, especially with Rydeon separating Windonelle and Toreall.

Of course, nothing would be enough if the Fae Courts fell.

“Hi, King Callan.”

Callan looked down to find Tula looking at him, a wooden sword in her hand.

“Hello, Tula. Do you know where Eva is?”

Tula nodded her head, blond curls bouncing with the movement. Her baby blue eyes were studying him, and he wasn’t sure how a child so small made him want to squirm under her scrutiny.

“Do you know where Rayner is?” she asked.

“I do not.”

“Oh.”

She continued to study him, and Callan found himself shuffling his feet awkwardly. “Can you take me to Eva?”

“Sure!” she exclaimed, her eyes brightening. She reached up and grabbed his hand, tugging him along behind her. She had sheathed the sword in a small sword belt she had buckled around her little waist.

“Your necklace is very pretty,” Callan said.

Tula looked up at him again, her smile wide as she reached up with her free hand, fingering the adornment. “Thank you. Scarlett and Sorin made it for me, but Rayner made it extra special.”

“Oh?”

She nodded her head, her face going serious. “So he can always come to me if I need help. Like on the ship with the bad flying men.”

Callan had heard that Rayner had been particularly savage that day. There were rumors that he had pulled out organs with his bare hands. He hadn’t realized that had been because of Tula.

“He said he has to leave for a little while,” she said. Her tone had faltered, but there was a look of determination on her little face, as though she were willing herself not to cry.

“He will be back soon,” Callan said reassuringly.

“Do you know where he is going?”

“To get Princess Ashtine. She needs his help,” Callan answered.

Tula didn’t say anything else, appearing to get lost in thought about what he had said. He didn’t have time to contemplate that though when she pointed across the gardens to where Eva was playing with a jump rope and a couple of other children.

“Thank you, Tula,” he said, releasing her hand.

“You’re welcome,” she sang in that way that little girls do.

Eva saw him when he was halfway to her, dropping the jump rope handle she held and racing towards him. He caught her as she leaped up into her arms.

“I thought I would not see you until dinner,” his sister said when he lowered her back to the ground.

He crouched down to look into her face. Taking her hands in his, he said, “Something has happened, and I am going to be gone for a bit.”

A frown formed on Eva’s mouth as she processed what he said. He reached up to tuck a strand of light brown hair behind her ear, brushing a small blue and yellow insect from her shoulder as he did so. “Where are you going?” she asked.

“Lady Tava needs my help.”

“Is she all right?”

“For now,” he replied, squeezing her fingers in his. “But King Hale and Lynnea will look after you while I am gone.”

“How long will you be gone?”

He could see the tears welling in her eyes, and it had him second guessing himself. “Hopefully only a day or two, but I cannot say for sure.”

“But you will come back for me?” she asked, a tear slipping free.

“Of course, Eva,” he said, tugging her into his arms. “I will come back for you.” He ran a hand down her hair, feeling her tears soaking into his tunic.

“Part of being a king is making hard choices,” he murmured.

“When our friends need help, we must help them, and part of being a princess is being brave.” He pulled her back so he could see her face.

He swiped his thumbs across her cheeks. “Can you be brave for me again, Eva?”

She nodded as more tears slid down her face. “But what if … What if you do not come back? Who will take care of me, Cal? I do not wish to live with King Hale.”

“Scarlett will make sure you are taken care of, Eva,” Callan said, pulling her back into his chest. He knew she would.

Even if she was furious with him for doing this, Scarlett would watch over her.

“I promise you will not be forgotten. You will be taken care of, but Tava and I will come back for you.”

“Are you going to marry Lady Tava?” she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

“Yes, Eva,” he replied, running his hand down her hair again. “Yes, I am. And when this is all over, the three of us are going to live happily ever after. Just like in the stories Mother used to read to you.”

“Tava still reads them to me,” Eva whispered.

He closed his eyes at her words, sighing into her hair as he stood, bringing her up with him. “Do you want to stay here with your friends?” She shook her head against his shoulder. “Where would you like to go?”

“Home.”

“I can take you back to the estate—”

“Home,” she interrupted. “I wish to go home , Callan.”

“I know, Eva,” he said thickly. “Soon. I promise we will go home soon. This will all be over soon.”

And in one way or another, it would be. Maybe it wouldn’t turn out like he’d just promised her it would.

Maybe he wouldn’t come back, but he’d let her live inside a bubble of happiness for as long as he could.

Enough of her innocence had been lost in that throne room when she’d had to watch the murder of their parents.

He’d do whatever it took to keep her from growing up in a world ruled by the Maraan Prince that had done that to her.

So he’d go get Tava, and then they would stand with the Fae.

The very beings who they’d feared for centuries.

He might hate Scarlett for taking Tava across the Edria, but if fighting alongside her would give Eva that future he’d just promised, then that’s what he would do. Even if he wasn’t around to see it.