17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

T he hot spring I sat in was relaxing my sore muscles, and it was nice to wash off the dirt from war. I heard a noise coming through the forest. I cocked my head to listen and froze instantly when I realized that it was the sound of footsteps—heavy footsteps—and they were coming closer to where I was. Before I had time to react, an armored figure appeared at the tree line. It was Cassius. I grabbed my viper-handled dagger, but he only smiled at me as he began to strip.

“How the fuck did you find me?” I hissed as I watched him step into the hot spring with me. “I will stab you.”

“Easy, little viper. I don’t feel like fighting today, and I’m unarmed.” He winked at me as he sat across from me, then dipped below the water before resurfacing a moment later with his dark hair dripping down his handsome face. His golden eyes stared at me for a long moment.

“We are in a war, and you want me to just forget that so we can relax together?”

“I would really enjoy a little break from pretending to hate each other.” He smiled at me when I scoffed.

“I’m not pretending anything. You are my enemy.”

He moved closer to me, not the least bit affected by my threat to stab him if he got close enough. His hand grabbed my dagger and pushed it away from him with little effort.

“Are you sure about that, little viper?”

“Someone will see us.” Was the only retort that fell from my lips.

“No, they won’t,” he reassured me as he pried the dagger from my hand and set it on the shore. “We have both been working hard, so let’s take the night off from this war garbage and relax in a hot spring that we both stumbled upon by accident.”

I kept my eyes on him as he sat next to me and closed his eyes. I could stab him now while his guard was down, but I didn’t reach for my dagger. I just stared at the handsome face of the man I was born to hate but, for some reason, didn’t.

“I can practically hear you trying to talk yourself into stabbing me, Thea.” He opened one of his eyes to look at me.

“What are you doing?” I questioned. “You think because you have a handsome face that I will be fooled?”

He opened his eyes and turned to face me.

“So, you do think I’m handsome?” His smile was a perfect masterpiece for making women swoon at his feet.

“Not really,” I lied. His deep laugh reverberated around the silent forest.

“You are even more interesting than I thought.” He smirked as he moved toward me. “You’re also a very bad liar.”

“Are you flirting with me?” I asked, unsure whether to put steel or interest in my voice.

“If I was?” His eyes swirled with blackness. I was treading a very dangerous line. My back hit the edge of the spring as I moved away from him. He had followed in tandem, but then he stopped a foot in front of me. Lines were beginning to blur as he moved closer to me. Inch by inch, he crept forward. I knew I should stop him. I knew I should leave. I just couldn't, though. He stopped when his lips whispered against mine.

I stared at him as I leaned forward and closed the space between our mouths. It was all the encouragement he needed to pull me closer to him. His hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me over his lap as he sat back. My naked skin skimmed over his, and it instantly sent a wave of anticipation through me. His stubble scratched and tickled as he kissed down my neck, and a soft moan escaped me. His hands gripped me tighter.

“I like those little noises you make,” he growled. “I want to hear more of that, Thea.”

★★?★★

The next day, I awoke with the determination to do my best without my magic. I was intelligent and trained as the captain of my guard; nothing could stop me. I knew that before I could do anything effective, I had to get information, so I decided to steal it.

Breaking into the king’s office was too easy. No guards protected it unless he was in there, and he was currently in the city doing something today with his family. Fine with me. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but I knew there had to be something in here that I could use. My eyes glanced over the map he still had spread out.

When I walked up to it, I looked at all the land of Elloryon. My eyes took in Crimson before sweeping across the map. The Forbidden Wood was easy to spot. I traced my finger over the creek that I knew flowed through Exile and breathed heavily when I didn’t see it marked on the map.

I sighed in frustration. I didn’t know what the hell I was looking for. A sudden flash of blue let me know that Wisp was back. She had been lingering near me all night but was gone when I awoke.

“I’m assuming you were with Cassius.”

She ignored me and twirled around my father’s desk. I moved to it, yanking open the drawers. Mostly it had ledgers and contracts.

“I don’t see anything useful.”

She practically slammed into the top left drawer, causing the desk to rattle. I narrowed my eyes on her.

“Easy,” I whispered. “We can’t make a mess.”

I ripped the drawer open, and at first, it seemed normal, but then I realized it was too organized compared to the rest of the desk. I pulled everything out, but it was just blank paper. Well, that was odd. Suspicious, I pressed my hand against the bottom of the drawer, and it shifted up, revealing a secret compartment. I pulled out dozens of letters.

Some of them were a faded yellow from being here so long. I opened the first, and my heart raced.

King Luren,

It appears Thea has not made it long enough to be a threat this year in the trials. It will make you happy to know that Cassius is a mess if you want to declare war in his disheveled state.

Lavtan

What a prick. I ripped open another letter.

King Luren,

Thea is doing exceptionally well in the trials this year. However, she is injured, and I’ve made sure the next trial will be impossible for her to get through. I do expect her demise soon, so get your witches ready to attack Exile before next year’s trials. If we weaken her before the trials, then maybe we can find a way to stop this madness once and for all.

Lavtan

Lavtan’s betrayal has been going on for years. I opened another letter, craving the information.

King Luren,

I do not write this with good news. Thea has done better than ever in the trials this year, even with the attacks on Exile. Expect that she will be coming for the bloodstone. I hope you have a plan to get her to choose Cerithia. Cassius has weaseled himself into her heart again. It’s obvious that she is infatuated with him. She will choose Crimson, so do something!

Lavtan

Wisp turned black, as I assumed she was reading over my shoulder. Lavtan and my father had made sure I failed every year. Pain shot through me as I slammed my fist down on the desk.

King Luren,

Crimson is in good standing with every kingdom besides Cerithia and Kizar. Jesper would be an easy alliance to form, and he’s young enough to manipulate. The only way you will gain control over all of Elloryon is with Thea. The prophet has made sure everyone knows she is dangerous, but without her, you do not stand a chance. Elloryon would do better with one king, and that king should be ruthless like you. If you want to take over, then you better start by forming an alliance with Jesper. His father, King Halon, is very ill and should be dead within the next few years.

Lavtan

Lavtan had been using my father like a puppet to start wars. My father, of course, was either too stupid to see it or he knew and was using Lavtan to his advantage. Lavtan wanted to destroy Elloryon, all because he’s a selfish prick. I glanced at Wisp as I struggled with what to do. Sighing, I took the letters I read and slipped them into the waistband of my trousers. Wisp turned a bright red, and I didn’t know what that meant.

“I have to take these,” I whispered as I started to put things back. “Lavtan, Jesper, and Luren want to destroy Elloryon, and I won’t let them. I won’t be a part of this.”

Her color turned dark green, letting me know she was happy. I froze when I saw a letter with my writing on the front, addressed to King Luren. I grabbed it and shoved it in my trousers too. I took my time putting his drawers back perfectly. My heart was heavy with disgust. How could this man be my father? I glanced around the throne room as anger gripped me. Lavtan and my father had made sure I failed the trials. They knew I’d pick Cassius over them, but that only made me more confused.

Knowing that Cassius killed me and cursed me, why did they think I would still choose him? What did they know that I didn’t? Uneasiness settled over me as I hurried down to my room. Wisp floated in the corner.

My heart ached, and my chest tingled with anxiety as I asked her a question that would surely hurt my feelings.

“Do you think Cassius actually loved me?” I whispered. Wisp froze at my question.

She flashed orange. Relief coursed through me.

Sighing, I slipped the letters from my trousers. I grabbed the one in my writing and opened it.

Father,

I have written you countless letters about my time in the war and have not received a word back. I can only assume you do not care about my well-being or the fact that I’m the best captain Cerithia has ever had leading them. Which is disappointing to know that nothing I do will make you care. So, this will be my last letter. If I’m killed in battle, please put my body to rest in the forest next to water so I may find peace for once in this gods-forsaken life. And if this is to be my last correspondence, I hope you feel the guilt of my death for the rest of your days.

Captain Thea Alzara,

The daughter you gave up on.

My lips tilted into a smile at my signature. I knew this must have angered my father because he had kept it over the years. Then my heart realized all the sadness I had written into this letter, and I was sure it never got a response anyway.

The contents of the letters weighed heavily on me. Something about them just didn’t sit right. My father and Jesper wanted to take all the other kingdoms down. Even though I knew they had troubles with Crimson, why would they destroy Akecia and Falgon? Simply for land was a selfish thing, and I could not allow them to kill thousands of innocent fae for their greed. At this point, I didn’t know if the prophet foresaw me crumbling all five kingdoms or if I would only crumble one.

Maybe the meaning was behind the letters. If I didn’t say anything, then my father would expect me to destroy all the other kingdoms and kill their kings. I have no issues with any other kingdoms, and I wouldn’t be doing that.

“I’m giving these letters to Cassius or someone from Crimson at the meeting. I can’t let my father do this. This would be a lot easier if you could just tell me what the hell I am not understanding about all this shit.”

She turned a melancholy gray as if to say she couldn't, which I knew already.

“There are things that I’m not understanding correctly.” I glanced at her, and she turned a bright orange. “Do I give them to Cassius at this meeting? What if he tells everyone that I betrayed them?”

Orange burned brightly around her, letting me know that I had the answer I had been waiting for. Lavtan was from Crimson, and I hoped Cassius ripped that man’s head from his body. I turned to ask Wisp another question, but she was gone. I closed my mouth with irritation. I did not understand why she kept going to him. It was part of the reason I knew I was missing something. She was supposed to be my friend, and she sought him out instead.

I sighed, knowing that I would have to give Cassius the letters somehow at the meeting, and hoped he cared enough to warn the other kingdoms. Even if he exposed my betrayal, I was fine with the consequences of dying.

I kneeled next to my bed and cut a hole in the side of it, slipping the letters inside among the stuffing.

Was it worth the risk? Yes, if it saved innocent fae throughout Elloryon. If I died trying, then at least I tried to do good before I died.