Page 30 of The Forsaken Heir
We joined Titus in the hall less than a minute later. Down the hall, another servant hurried along, Elle and Delphine trailing along behind, their robes cinched around their waists.
“Stop,” I commanded and waited for Elle to join us. She looked terrified.
“Aurelius? What’s going on?” she asked, reaching forward.
I took her hand without hesitation. “Come along. You’ll hear soon.
” I kept hold of her hand as we followed Titus and the other servant to the throne room.
The sounds of opening and closing doors, worried conversation, and hurried footsteps echoed all around us.
The entire house knew by now. How soon would panic fully set in?
My father sat in his throne, looking weary beyond his years, as the rest of the court stood around or trickled in.
“Father,” I said, my voice booming out above the dull murmur of conversation. “What’s the meaning of this?”
He held up a piece of paper and nodded. “You’ve heard true. It seems that House Laurent is trying to declare war on us for assassinating their eldest daughter,” he said, and pointed to Brielle. “The letter is signed by none other than Bastien Laurent, heir to the Laurent family.”
“Outrageous!” Benedictus exclaimed and slammed his palm down on the table for emphasis, then pointed at Elle.
“The girl is alive and well. Right here . This declaration of war is nothing but a lie to stir up angry sentiment among the other wolves. The Laurents want our wellsprings. It’s as plain and simple as that. ”
“Benedictus is right,” another man said. “We can’t let this go unanswered.”
“How would you answer this, Lord Corelian?” my father asked, his exhaustion evident in his words.
Benedictus stood and thumped his fist on the table. “We take the fight to them before they have a chance to mobilize. Lay waste to their holdings. Breathe down fire and leave nothing but ashes. That would be a start. After? We take their wellspring.”
Benedictus’s most fervent supporters shouted out their agreement. This had to stop. If mob mentality took over, things would get out of hand fast.
“Enough!” I bellowed above the commotion.
The furor ceased, and all eyes turned toward me, including my father’s.
“What say you, Highness?” Benedictus said. There was less caustic irritation in his voice than the last time he’d addressed me at court, but the derision in his eyes was still present. He wanted to fight—I wanted diplomacy. Benedictus knew exactly what I was about to say.
“Going scorched earth on the Laurents and their followers is not the way this needs to play out,” I said.
“Oh good.” Benedictus barked a laugh. “What do you propose we do? Send envoys? Ask for their pardon? Grovel and beg ?” he spat out the last words as if they offended his very mouth to say them.
I gestured to Elle at my side. “No, Benedictus, but we do have the woman they alleged we murdered. This is her family, and she should be involved in any decision we make, should she not?”
Benedictus and his followers looked like they wanted to argue, but they all knew it was a reasonable request. Plus, the hard look my father was giving his retinue made it clear it would be a bad idea to disagree with what I’d said.
Plastering a simpering smile on his face, Benedictus bowed his head to me and Elle. “What does Lady Laurent say about the situation?”
Elle swallowed once, her eyes darting around the room at all the faces looking at her for anything that wouldn’t lead to our eventual destruction.
The wolves outnumbered dragon shifters nearly ten to one.
Benedictus could bluster on about raining down fire on the wolves, but in the end, their numbers would devastate us if we truly went to war.
My father and I knew it, which was why we always tried to tamp down Lord Beatrix’s desire for open hostilities toward the Laurents.
“First and foremost,” Elle said after clearing her throat. “I don’t think anyone wants war. It would hurt everything more than helping.”
“Not if we strike first,” Benedictus said, giving another sanctimonious thump of his fist.
“True,” Elle said, “but what of the humans? Do you really think we’ll keep our secrets if giant dragons are doing battle with massive wolves in downtown Portland or Seattle?” She glanced around the room at the others, all who looked as though they’d just realized something unpleasant.
“Shifter wars were easier in the past,” she went on.
“Things are different now. I know many of you are old enough to remember the old hostilities. But today? Every human has a camera attached to the internet in their pocket. Within minutes, the military would know. I know we’ve got magic on our side, but with the weapons the humans have and the sheer number of them, we’d be decimated.
Even if, by some miracle, we joined forces—wolves and dragons working together—it still wouldn’t be enough. ”
“What would you propose?” Dad asked, a faint smile on his face.
“We show them proof,” Elle said. “Proof that I’m alive. We show it to everyone. That way, even if my direct family is lying, the other wolf families will see it too. If I’m alive and well, they won’t support open war.” She glanced around again, looking for support.
“Possibly,” Benedictus said. “But how? A video? They’ll say it’s edited or something. If you go in person, and they do want you dead, they’ll try to kill you on the spot before anyone else sees you.”
Like a bomb going off in my head, I realized what Elle was thinking. Looking at her, she winked at me and continued on.
“That is true, Lord Beatrix,” Elle said. “But in all this haste, we’ve forgotten what happens less than two weeks from today.”
A ripple of understanding moved through the room as everyone caught on to what she was saying. There was one place where we could make sure everyone saw Elle was alive and well. One place that was safe for shifters and fae of all different houses, regions, and species to get together.
“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Dad asked, rubbing his beard.
Elle nodded. “The gala.”