Chapter 26

26

K yree stared at the Reine city gates. Her heart hammered. She’d known without a doubt that she was going to come back here. And having Hudson next to her was exactly what she’d needed. That boost of confidence and courage. The support. The hope.

They’d raced to beat Hudson’s men there, to get ahead of them so they could get the men in for the fight. Kyree gulped.

“Nervous?” Hudson asked.

“She wasn’t exactly happy the last time she saw me.” Kyree scraped her nails over the sensitive line where skin met scales. The balance of pleasure and pain keeping her grounded in the moment, not letting her mind wander to fears that hid in the corner, just waiting for a time to pounce.

“Either of us,” Hudson added. She took Kyree’s hand and gave her a tight squeeze. “She’ll be pissed.”

Kyree laughed lightly. “How do you know? She could be sappy and in love.”

“Honour? Never.” Hudson scoffed as she started forward, dragging Kyree with her.

I guess it’s now or never , Kyree thought. They moved into the gates, the guards stationed there immediately nodding toward Kyree and letting them through. Since when did she have that power? Kyree held onto Hudson’s hand, keeping it firmly in her own. She wasn’t going to let go so long as she had a chance.

“Where do you think she’s at?” Kyree asked, mentally cataloguing every place that Honour might be at that particular moment in time, even if she didn’t know.

A loud hoorah reverberated through coral swimways. It sent a shiver up and down Kyree’s spine. She didn’t want to think about what it meant, but based on what she’d seen Hudson do with her men, she could guess.

“She’s ramping up the men.” Hudson’s lips curled upward, a satisfied and excited look on her face. Kyree had seen that look before. She’d memorized it, because she’d given it right before they’d made love. “They’re preparing for war.”

Kyree shuddered in fear. Goosebumps ran up her arms, and her scales itched with it. She didn’t want to go to war. She wanted to hide away in the deep soundings, bring Hudson and Honour there, and never resurface so long as she could. Even though she knew that was pointless. Neither Hudson nor Honour would allow it—in fact, she wouldn’t allow it herself. But that didn’t stop her desire to hide under a rock and ignore the fact that the chances of them living were slim.

“Come on.” Hudson pulled hard on Kyree’s hand. She swam fast, but Kyree’s longer tail propelled her forward quick enough to catch up. “She sounds like she’s almost done.”

“Done?” Kyree furrowed her brow. “Done what?”

“Telling them they’re going to win.” Hudson’s voice was a hushed whisper.

Kyree’s heart thudded hard. “Does that mean they’re leaving?”

“Shortly, yes.” Hudson increased her speed. “We need to catch her first.”

They really did. They had to tell Honour what Nylah had shared with her. Kyree cringed. This wasn’t going to be a good conversation. And it definitely wasn’t going to be easy. But they had to make Honour believe them, they had to convince her that Soulara could be saved, that the humans could be defeated. There had to be a way around this war, some way that they could win. Some way that they could all be together in the end.

Right?

The flash of Honour’s tail was a balm to the fire burning in Kyree’s soul. If just seeing Honour could do that, what would actually talking to her do? Those nerves ramped up again. Honour wouldn’t let them talk. Kyree followed Honour’s trail, tugging sharply on Hudson’s arm and changing their direction entirely.

“Where…?” Hudson trailed off, no doubt having spotted Honour’s colors. “Ah.”

Kyree pushed harder, faster. She had to catch up. She had the advantage of a longer tail, but Honour and Hudson trained for this every day of their lives. Kyree didn’t. She was soft by comparison.

“Honour!” Kyree shouted, but her voice faded behind her. “Honour!”

Honour stopped sharply. She flipped around, her arms spread out to the sides as if in a starfish position. She looked ready to attack. Her lips thinned, and a deep line formed in the middle of her forehead. She was pissed. There was no mistaking it, and there’d be no avoiding it either.

“Get out!” Honour roared.

“We can’t,” Kyree started, her voice losing its gumption and vanishing into the water surrounding them. “Nylah found Soulara. And I know where she is.”

“What?” Honour sped into Kyree’s space and took Kyree’s breath away.

“She’s sent me another message through the animals.” Kyree swallowed the lump in her throat. “Through the soul stone. Soulara and Autumn have found a way to help us locate them, and where the humans will be. They’re planning to attack full force and wipe out our entire world.”

“Sh-she’s still okay?” For a moment, the anger and fury that raged in Honour’s face slid away to reveal relief and emotion raw and real. And then just as quickly the mask of the general slid back in place.

The sight was worse than the anger and rage, and the empty mask couldn’t hide the whirlpool of horrors swirling in her eyes.

“We can save her,” Hudson spoke up from beside Kyree. Kyree reached out and tangled her fingers with Hudson’s, squeezing them in thanks.

Hudson tightened her grip in response.

“There aren’t any troops available for a rescue mission.” Honour’s voice had a hardness Kyree hadn’t seen before. She followed Honour’s gaze as it locked onto her and Hudson’s gripped hands.

Instinctively, Kyree loosened her grip, feeling Hudson’s fingers slip away.

No.

Catching Hudson’s fingers before they fully disengaged, Kyree gripped on tighter and raised their joined hands, watching as Honour’s eyes lifted with them.

Honour blinked and met Kyree’s eyes.

“Yes. Us.” Kyree’s chest filled with pride as her voice came out hard and steady. “We are an us. But we want you to be part of that, too.”

“It’s hardly the time—”

“Let her finish what she has to say, General.” Zendalia swam up beside Honour and brushed her shoulder gently against Honour’s before floating perfectly at attention beside her General.

Honour moved her eyes to glance sideways at Zendalia before returning her gaze. Her eyes flicked to Kyree, then Hudson, before landing back on Kyree.

“What does you wanting me have anything to do with Soulara?” Honour’s jaw tightened, the muscles bulging to the sides in her anger.

“It has everything to do with her,” Hudson said before Kyree could stop her. “Come on, what the hell do you think we’re doing here?”

“I’m not sure.” Honour’s lips were thin again, and her stare impenetrable.

Except… was Kyree mistaken or did Honour’s voice actually shake as she spoke? Was there an undercurrent of something else? Something she was trying to hide?

“Let us prove that what matters to you matters to us,” Kyree said softer, hoping that the vulnerability in her words would make some sort of dent in Honour’s thick skull.

“Why?” There was a definite crack in Honour’s voice this time.

“Because you matter to us. More than anything else ever could.” Kyree drew closer to Honour, dragging Hudson with her by their interlocked hands.

“You don’t need me.” Honour coughed a little as she spoke, as though clearing her throat of any emotion that had gotten in her way. “We’re at war, and I’m needed to lead my troops to victory.”

“No shit.” Hudson chuckled, but the kindness in her tone helped ease some of the tension that was knotting up Kyree’s muscles.

“I-I don’t understand. Which shouldn’t surprise you. I’m better as just the brawn anyway.” Honour dropped her gaze, refusing to look at either of them. It was some sort of self-consciousness that stole over her, and Kyree hated seeing it.

“Stop it. You know you’re so much more than that. You always have been.” Kyree reached up with her free hand and stroked Honour’s face.

“Um.” Zendalia made a small coughing sound, and all three of them turned to look at her.

A beat of silence flowed between Zendalia and the trio.

“General, very good.” Zendalia spoke loud enough to ensure the troops who were mingling and jostling each other farther ahead of them were sure to hear. “I’ll move our troops on to the gate while you help coordinate the new information.”

“What?” Honour muttered.

“She’s giving us time to talk and keep your reputation safe.” Hudson rolled her eyes, and Honour narrowed her own at them. “You really are dense sometimes.”

“Yes, Honour!” Zendalia all but screamed as she saluted Honour before dropping her voice to the faintest sound on the ripples between them. “Now stop being the general and let them show you just how much you’re worth.”

Honour opened her mouth, to argue or to tell off her underling, Kyree didn’t know. But before Honour could do either, Zendalia spun around and swam off toward the troops who were already gathering themselves back into formation.

“You mean more to us than you can image.” Kyree smiled as the troops disappeared around a rock face and Honour’s eyes returned to her.

“I’m not worth it.”

“Oh fuck off.” Hudson laughed as she wrapped her free arm around Honour’s waist and pulled the general in closer toward her and Kyree.

“You want to go rescue Soulara for me?” Honour’s voice was little more than a whisper.

“We would do anything for you,” Hudson said before Kyree could answer. “Well, not anything. I’m not into butt stuff.”

It spread warmth through Kyree’s body inside and out as soon as the laughter died in her throat. There was her Hudson, always pushing the limits of what should and shouldn’t be said.

“Why?” Honour asked, completely ignoring Hudson’s outrageous comment like she would.

“Because you’re ours and we’re yours,” Kyree said.

Before another word could come out, Hudson lifted her hand from around Honour’s waist, cradled the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss.

For a moment, Honour’s body remained rigid, her face still wearing the mask of the general. But then the world of ice cracked around her, and she returned the kiss. Kyree watched, eagerly allowing herself to be pulled even closer by Honour’s arm around her own waist.

Hudson pulled back. “Do you trust us or not?”

“It’s dangerous.” Honour’s brows pulled together.

“Yes, but this is war, and we want Soulara back, and you know what you mean to us. What you truly mean, and what you’re worth.” Kyree wasn’t going to let this one go. She and Hudson had talked about it, and it was the right decision for them to make.

“Even though you still don’t believe it.” Hudson smirked as she added.

“Let us show you. Let’s win this war, take the bastards down, and we’ll spend the rest of our days proving just how much you deserve and how much we want and need you.”

Honour pushed back her shoulders and placed a hand over the entwined hands of Kyree and Hudson.

“Be safe. I need you back here. I need you both,” Honour said before she stepped away from them and pushed her shoulders back.

The general stood in front of them once more.

“Yes, Honour,” Hudson purred, and licked her top lip.

“Now go save the princess, and get your flukes back to me in one piece.” Honour growled before giving a small wink and turning away.

“Wow.” Kyree’s voice floated on the waves Honour made behind her as she gave her fluke an extra flurry, giving Hudson and Kyree a little extra incentive to return in one piece as she followed her men into war.

“You’re telling me.” Hudson hummed a little as she licked her lips again.

“We can do this, can’t we?” Kyree’s fears leaped into her voice.

“Of course we can.” Hudson smirked with all the bravado Kyree had fallen in love with so much longer ago than she had even admitted to herself.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Kyree could match Hudson’s game of sexy cockiness. “Let’s go save the fucking world.”

Hudson roared with laughter and together they headed into the castle to pass on the information their world would need to live through this war.