Page 135 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

“What choice do I have? Be a prisoner in my own home? I’m the one who’s been out there and seen what we are up against. Making an arse of myself is a small price to pay.” I wanted him to be on board. Each of us had to be, or this would all fail. We didn’t have time for a single weak link or to replace him.

“You don’t know that they will fail if you do not go back.” Drystan pleaded, searching my face.

“I do know. They are crumbling. We have to bring this cure back, or we will fall into ruin faster than you know.”

“So she says,” Drystan muttered.

“No, I saw it with my eyes, brother. Nyx is the last of the Asra line. The most powerful dragons remaining outside of these mountains. He’s the head of their dragon council. They all bow to him. And he is breaking. If he can’t recover from his grief and lead the dragons, the King will have no hold over them, and the kingdoms will be defenseless.

“But more than that, I told you that the fae there are not free to choose their own path. I want to bring change to the kingdoms, let fae make their own choices, but I don’t just want to help them. One day, I want to do the same for our people. I thought I was free until I left this place, and my eyes were opened. We make our own choices here, but when it’s always within the council’s limits, are the choices really ours? We aren’t free, damn it. Many of the younger generations don’t even know what exists beyond the mountains. They are taught not to even wonder. This is not just about the outside. I want to save our lands, too.”

“And you can’t do that from here?” he challenged.

“No, and even if we could, we need to go back and fight. Nyx needs us and our combined power. You have not seen the power a dragon with a ryder can summon, and there aren’t many left. They need every single one available if they are going to have a war to fight. We only got a brief glimpse of the undead, then they went underground. Since then, there have only been a few skirmishes with mere handfuls of the thousands-strong mass of undead we saw that day. There is no telling where or when the battle will be, but it’s coming, and when it does, we have to be there to fight alongside them.”

I looked into his eyes, hoping he’d see the truth in mine. “I’m not doing this for Kiera. I’m doing it because it’s the right thing. If the Twelve Kingdoms fall, we won’t hold out long here.”

“It could be many years before that happens. A generation even.” Drystan wasn’t unkind in his words. Concern bled through them. “You know I’d follow you to the ends of the earth and do anything you ask of me, but I have to know it’s not just for a female.”

“Even my mate couldn’t sway me to a cause I didn’t believe. You have to trust I am of sound mind and do this willingly and if you are doing this with us, you have to be too. I don’t want youthinking negatively of Kiera. She offered to stay for me you know, and she would if it was what I wanted.”

Drystan nodded, exhaling. “I love you, and I want to love her. It’s not anything against her, but it’s hard to see you lose so much respect among our people. Every day, you tarnish your image more and more. Tarnish our family name. Drag Father through the mud.”

“I act alone,” I argued.

“You know that’s not how it works.” He put his face in his hands. “I worry how our parents will be treated once we’ve gone and are labeled as traitors. Especially if you behave more and more like an anarchist before you leave.” There it was. The real weight on his shoulders was our parents.

“I understand your concern. I will do what I can to keep their names clear of this.”

“I worry how Mum will be after we both disappear in the night. You didn’t see her when you didn’t come home, Jax. It was a mess.”

Guilt stabbed at me.

“If you want out of this, please tell me now. I cannot replace you, but I don’t want to make you a traitor if your heart tells you to stay.”

He shook his head. “I could never turn my back on you.”

“You can’t let duty seal your fate. If you think our parents need you and you want to stay here, please say so.”

He shook his head again. “If the kingdoms are on the brink of falling and we are next, then I’ll do better to fight now than have a few years of peace.”

I reached my hand out for his. “I love you and I can’t promise you we will win, but we must try. For all of them, our parents included.”

“I trust you.” He placed his hand over mine, and I squeezed it.

“I love Kiera. You should get to know her properly. She isthe most intelligent fae I’ve ever met. I’ll willingly put my life in her hands.”

“If you trust her with your life, then I trust her with mine, too.” Drystan bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

FIFTY-TWO

KIERA

“Ihave fresh herbs ready to be dried for the apothecary stores. Where would you like them?” Drystan asked, ducking into the healing tent.

“This is a surprise.” I smiled, wiping my hands on my apron and taking the basket brimming with herbs tied into bundles small enough to allow them to dry quickly and evenly.