Page 25 of Reign of Stars and Fire

“We’re going,” Hagen said. “I’m not sitting here if my son is in danger.”

Valen rose. “Elise, you stay—”

“Don’t even start, Valen Ferus. We’re going.”

“We have Livie here.”

“Yes, and she is well guarded in these walls, and your mother told me to call for her if needed. She was mentioning blood moons and darkness to you. Seems everyone feels the unease.” Elise folded her arms. “I’m not planning to go to battle, but I will not sit back and let Ari or Gunnar be at risk when they would never leave me.”

“We’ll call for your folk. It isn’t a long journey anyway,” Malin said, a hand on Elise’s arm. “Prepare and plan what you expect to do in the isles in the meantime. But even if they did not arrive, it would be a battle between the Kryv, Inge, Hob, or Dagny on who would not let Livia out of their sight.”

“I’m going as well,” I said. “My Kryv is there. Ash might think he’s off to an adventure, but I’m not losing another one.”

Malin wrapped a hand around my arm. “I’m with you.”

“Is it even worth me asking you not to go?”

“No.”

“Then you must swear to me,vowit, if there is danger, you put our littles over me, and you protect them.” I pinched her chin between my fingers. “Swear it.”

Tears lined her lashes, but eventually she nodded. “I swear.”

I kissed her sweetly. “Tova will enjoy being queen for a time. Livia is safe here. We’ll see to it she is well looked after. As Malin said, if Lilianna is not here, Dagny will devour her, and will likely use it as a way to convince Luca they need another.”

Elise seemed torn, but nodded. There was no simple way to leave their heir, but there was an undeniable sense that something was amiss in the South. We wouldn’t leave our people, not with veiled threats against them and our kingdoms.

A dreary side of bearing the burden of a leader meant stepping into the path of danger to keep what sliver of peace we’d all won.

They would go for the sake of their daughter. To protect the world they’d fought for her inheritance. The same as we were doing for our young ones.

“Get some sleep,” I said. “Tomorrow, we prepare to leave for the South.”

Chapter10

The Golden King

Wraith kepta steady pace through the trees. Silence seemed to be his conversation level of choice. Not ideal when a thousand thoughts, questions, and comments all rattled about in my skull. Still, I bit the tip of my tongue to keep quiet until the harsh tang of blood filled my mouth.

“I can practically hear your thoughts they are so busy.” The stranger broke the quiet and chuckled. “Interesting her heart fell for a man of endless words.”

“Why is that so interesting? And I don’t have endless words. Proof of my ability to be solemn and dull has been made the entirety of this journey through the wood. Where are we going exactly? What I thought were the trees outside of Ruskig now look quite new and different.”

He chuckled again. “As I said, endless words.”

“Saga enjoys my words,” I murmured.

“We’re here.”

Wraith stopped at a thick hedge. A hint of sweet struck my senses, a clean breeze of rain and damp grass. Before I could question anything, he tugged back the hedge to reveal a vine covered wooden door. A gate, really. The brass knob was polished and in the shape of a raven taking flight.

Wraith dragged his fingertips over the raven knob. “The fate king knew his sister was often taunted for her ability to shift.”

“Folk dared taunt their princess?” My mouth set in a hard line.

“Children can be cruel whether they hold titles or not.” He gripped the arch of the brass raven’s wing. “After Lord Tyr died, the king tried to fill his stepfather’s shoes as best he could.”

A deeper pang of longing carved through my chest without the constant ebb of fear she held in her eyes, but the ferocity she carried even if she was afraid.Gods, I missed that bleeding woman. It was colder without her touch. Beautiful as this strange wood was, without her it was harsh and lonely.