23. CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 23

DANIELLA

Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting at the dinner table in front of a lavish breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, biscuits, gravy, pancakes, and more. Larina and Shadow also sat at the table, literally, legs crossed in front of tiny pieces of diced fruit.

“What is this called?” Silver dangled a square of bread from the trip of his fork.

“French toast,” I said, buttering a piece of toast.

“French? I thought this was supposed to be an American breakfast.”

“I think the creator’s last name was French, but he was American.”

“So shouldn’t it be French’s Toast?”

I shrugged. “It beats me.”

Silver shoveled the toast into his mouth, and I started to relate what happened in Nerethien. The others listened, pushing food around their plates, never interrupting me. It wasn’t easy reliving those moments, but it was my second telling of the events, and I found that my heart didn’t pound as hard and fast as when I’d told Kalyll the first time.

“As you can see, nothing but capable,” Kalyll said when I was done explaining how I’d transferred us to the forest near Mount Ruin.

“Indeed,” Kryn said, sounding impressed.

“Runik was legendary, Dani,” Naesala said, her pale eyes narrowed. “Many feared him.”

“It was luck, really,” I said.

“I doubt that. I think your powers are off the charts.”

Silver paused mid-sausage. “Off the charts?”

He had such a liking for human idioms and sayings, he always perked up when he heard one.

Cylea, who had spent more time in my realm, always took it upon herself to educate him. “It means that something is outside the normal range, which makes it hard to measure.”

“Got it.” Silver brandished his fork, then stabbed a pancake with it.

“Cardian,” I started hesitantly, “said that I must be as powerful as Varamede and that he…” I trailed off. This felt too much like bragging, but it wasn’t. I was just puzzled by the idea and actually wanted someone to say it wasn’t true.

Except no one said anything. They just looked at me with frowns and cocked heads, even Kalyll seemed to be reevaluating me.

“Never mind.” I broke a piece of toast and poked my sunny-side-up egg with it, making the yolk run all over the plate. “You don’t have any ketchup, do you?” I asked Naesala as a way to distract everyone from this uncomfortable conversation.

A squeeze bottle materialized in front of me.

“Thank you.” I proceeded to squirt a generous amount on my egg.

“What’s in the name of Erilena is that?!” Silver asked in a combination of awe and excitement at this new item.

“Only the most hideous condiment ever created,” Kalyll said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “How dare you? If I had known, I would have never…” I sighed with exaggeration. “I believe I’ll have to reevaluate our relationship.”

He smirked. “I will endeavor to like ketchup for you. Anything to keep you happy.”

“Honestly.” Cylea’s fork clattered to her plate. “Do we have to endure your sickeningly sweet love affair?”

“Yes, do we?” Kryn asked.

“Oh, c’mon,” Silver mumbled through a full mouth, “like you don’t wish for the return of your own sickeningly sweet love affair?” His clear eyes cut to Arabis.

Kryn sank in his chair, going uncharacteristically quiet. Had something happened while they’d been away in Nerethien? Arabis also seemed mollified. Hmm, it seemed something had occurred.

“I think it is our turn to relate our side of things,” she said, swiftly changing the topic the same way I had. “We were stationed in the Unseelie capital for a few days, after all, and we noticed some things worth mentioning. Also, we need to discuss what to do next. We can’t allow Cardian to remain in power. I’m sure we can all agree on that much.”

“Certainly.” Kalyll steepled his hands over his plate. “Tell me, are Cardian and Mythorne proceeding with their preparations for war?”

“They are,” Arabis said. “In fact, troops have already been dispatched to the Winter Court. Though I’m sure, the Winter King is already planning his unconditional loyalty and alliance speech. I doubt he will fight Mythorne’s army.”

“I disagree,” Silver put in.

Arabis waved a hand in the air. “I know you do.”

“And as a member of the Winter Court, shouldn’t my opinion weigh more?”

She rolled her eyes and conceded nothing.

Silver went on. “King Naeduin’s wife might be ready to write that speech to Mythorne, but the king is a proud bastard. He has gone along with a traditional alliance with the Unseelie Court because he has autonomy and full control of the land and its resources. Now, Mythorne wants more, and Naeduin would become nothing more than a figurehead. If he’s allowed to stay, that is. No,” he shook his head, “I have a feeling he will choose to fight.”

“Fighting will only squander those precious resources you’re talking about,” Arabis said.

“I don’t disagree with that. I just think that Naeduin would rather squander them than let Mythorne have them.”

It seemed that Arabis could not argue with that comment. Instead, she sighed and stared at her plate in defeat.

Kalyll’s hands remained steepled as he listened without interruption. His eyes were narrowed, and behind their darkened quality, I could see a million thoughts speeding by.

“We have been in touch with your uncle,” Jeondar said, taking over.

Captain Loraerris was in a precarious position, and it was a wonder Cardian hadn’t thrown him in a dungeon. The male had to be artful at diplomacy to be able to convince Cardian he accepted him as king.

Jeondar continued. “Of course, he remains loyal to you as do others, and they are doing their best to delay things. Cardian’s orders were to send troops to the Summer and Spring Courts as soon as they were ready. Clearly, there have been delays due to conflicting commands from you and Cardian, which is fortunate, I suppose. They will not be ready to depart for another week. We have dispatched news to my father as well as the Spring Court king and queen, so they can be ready. I know for a fact that my father will fight.”

He appeared conflicted on the matter, which I could not blame him for.

“For him,” he went on, “it’s not a matter of resources and power. He fears what would become of our realm if people like Mythorne and Cardian are allowed to take control without opposition. I fear for our people, for the inevitable loss of life and the horrors war will bring, but on most days, I agree with my father. In Nerethien, you can feel the people’s fear in the air. They walk with their heads bowed and swallow their words when they see injustice. They are beaten down by their rulers’ evil, by the threat of retaliation should they speak against those in command. That is no way to live.”

I swallowed thickly, fighting the tears that rose to my eyes. In our history books, we had enough stories of such things and the horrors that came with allowing egotistical, evil people to rule.

“The Spring Court will also fight,” Cylea said.

Kalyll turned slowly to Kryn, a questioning look in his eyes. “Why have we not heard of the Fall Court?”

Kryn sighed heavily. “Because our father is an asshole.” His face lit up bright red, and he appeared both angry and embarrassed.

Leaning back on his chair, Kalyll waited patiently, giving Kryn ample time to formulate an answer. When he next spoke, he ripped off the bandage with a bombshell.

“Earl Qierlan, finding that he couldn’t marry his daughter to a prince, will now marry her to a king.”

I let out a gasp. Mylendra was going to marry Mythorne?

Kalyll formed a fist and his jaw tightened. “I assume he is forcing her.”

“He is,” Kryn confirmed. “She would have gladly married you, but Mythorne? For all her faults, she is not crazy. I tried to talk sense into him. I used your transfer token to go to Thellanora last night, but his mind is made up. He has struck a pact with the Fall King. They think Mythorne will look at them favorably and let them go on as they have, but they’re deluded. Father plans to visit Nerethien and make his proposal tomorrow.”

“You see,” Arabis told Silver, “the Winter King is hoping to prevent a war.”

Silver turned his mouth upside down. “If Mythorne thinks nothing of this proposal, King Naeduin will fight. Mark my words.”

“Is Mythorne looking for a bride?” I asked. “Or is throwing females around to see if they stick to some jerk a thing here?”

Naesala laughed as she daintily wiped her mouth with a cloth napkin. “That would be entertaining to watch. Demeaning, but entertaining.”

I ignored her and so did the others. “Is it even safe for them to go there?”

Kryn huffed. “I warned him they could end up in a dungeon, but he’s so stubborn and thinks so much of himself, he can’t conceive the possibility.”

A grunt came from Kalyll. Something in his expression as well as a spark in his eyes told me he’d had an idea.

“What is it?” Jeondar asked, noticing the same thing I had.

Kalyll slowly turned to the Sorceress and asked, “That elixir of yours—the one that helped Kryn impersonate me—tell me all about its attributes.”

“No! Absolutely not,” I protested for the hundredth time. “I just got you out of there. You’re not going back.” I pointed a finger at him as he paced in front of the large wooden desk.

“Once more, I agree with Dani,” Arabis said.

We had left the breakfast table and were now in Naesala’s study. She had left us to argue, saying we were giving her a headache. I didn’t blame her. We’d been in here for an hour, trying to dissuade Kalyll.

“You can’t take such a risk.” Jeondar stood next to a tall bookcase and spoke with his usual composure. “You need to stay in Elyndell and get back on the throne. You can stop the deployment of the Seelie troops and keep the Summer and Spring courts from war.”

“Only for the moment,” Kalyll replied. “War will still come to them. To all of us. This isn’t an opportunity we should squander.”

“No one said anything about squandering the opportunity,” Kryn said.

Rubbing his forehead, Kalyll sighed and took a seat in one of the empty armchairs. “For the last time, I’m not letting anyone take my place. It’s too dangerous, and I would never ask you to—”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering,” Kryn said, nearly shouting.

In one swift, abrupt motion, Kalyll rose to his feet and actually shouted his next words. “I am your king, and you will obey.” His voice was so deep, several octaves lower than his natural tone, that for a moment, I expected Wölfe to make an appearance. But, though his eyes flashed for an instant, his features didn’t turn razor-sharp.

No one dared speak, not even me.

“I will pose as Mylendra, then,” Cylea said.

Arabis shook her head. “No. I will. No offense, but my power might prove more useful.”

Cylea threw her hands up in the air. She resented her simple power of plant healing. She would’ve likely preferred being able to turn people into empty husks.

“Yes, Arabis can—” Kalyll started, but I interrupted him mid-sentence.

“I will go with you.”

Kalyll’s head whipped in my direction, and I could almost see the protest hanging from his lips. But he bit it back, and though he clearly didn’t want me to join him on this mission, it seemed he remembered the promise he’d made me.

“You two are insane,” Silver said. “But I respect it.”

The others gave him a dirty look.

“What?” he said. “I do. I like knowing that my king and future queen are honorable, that they are willing to make sacrifices, and don’t only expect others to take the bullet.” He winked at me, proud of the use of another human phrase.

It was easy to see the others holding back their protests. They were not only frustrated. They were angry, and I understood why. If Kalyll died doing this, his death would bring about everything he was trying to avoid. Cardian would remain king. The Seelie troops would march to the Summer and Spring Courts while the Unseelie Court threatened the Fall and Winter Courts from the north. The war that would ensue would likely destroy Elf-hame, and whoever survived the atrocities of the conflict would end up living under a reign of terror.

But if Kalyll didn’t do this, the outcome might very well be the same. Mythorne wasn’t backing down now, even if Kalyll retook the throne. War would still come. Elf-hame would still suffer.

So yes, I understood why Kalyll wanted to take this chance, why he wanted to infiltrate the Unseelie Court while pretending to be his father, Earl Qierlan.

And if I had to change my appearance once more, this time to that of the woman who almost became Kalyll’s wife, I would do it because nothing and no one would keep me away from him.