Page 149 of Blood of the Stars

“The eastern province makes up a quarter of our country.” Gaeren weighed his words. There were a dozen smaller provinces between Elanesse and Andel, the southernmost tip of the country. The eastern province was made up of mostly desert, a valley hedged in by Mt. Vescano’s range at its southern border, the sea to the north, and the Myndren Mountains in the east. They’d left the province large because so few occupied the desert. Still, it was a lot of land for one woman to control.

“It’s no longer a part of our country,” his father corrected.

The alarm that slammed through Gaeren grew fuzzy, tempered by his mother.

“Vendaras has grown too large for one king to control.” His father’s face twitched as he spoke, the words recited like pages read from a book. “The Recreants have been threatening to break up our dynasty for years, so we beat them to it. Instead of having neighboring rulers that despise us, we’ve chosen a queen who has proven herself an ally.”

This time when Enla placed her hand on Gaeren’s arm, he didn’t push her away. Instead of the false state of calm spreading through his bones, a memory fed into his mind, and he finally understood that her state of concentration was an effort to give it to him. Only it was more like a memory of her thoughts. The words came to his mind with such clarity that he wasn’t sure if the thought was Enla’s or his own.

You’ve been gone too long.

CHAPTER 60

Gaeren was sent to bed like a child, the soldiers at his door feeling like guards locking him in. All his plans and expectations lay scattered on the floor, a puzzle he couldn’t put together before the Sun’s morn. His parents were truly allied with Mayvus. His sister too, whether she wanted to be or not. He had no fleet to offer Daisy and the Recreants. Even if they made it to the Myndren Mountains, they’d be going up against a powerful queen, a woman likely amassing her own army in anticipation of their attack. A woman who expected support from the king she’d recently protected.

He had no idea what to do next.

A tap on his door drew him out of his exhausted half-asleep state. Light poured in through the curtains he’d opened during the night when he’d watched the Stars, wondering if Daisy watched them too. She trusted them like Cyrus, calling on them for aid instead of the Sun. Even though it was the way of the witches, he was tempted to call on them as well. Anything that might fix the mess he was in.

He padded across the room and opened the door. Enla stood before him, an olive dress hugging her form, its color reminiscent of the flecks in Daisy’s eyes—the lighter green that flashed when she grew excited.

“Going out?” he asked. He stepped away without expecting an answer, letting her assume she was invited in. The soldiers flanking her took their station by his own guards as she stepped in and shut the door behind her.

“I have a full day of meetings.”

“Giving away a few more provinces? Or just solidifying Father’s act of desperation?” He sat on a chair by the window, crossing his arms and taking in the grounds below.

The staff milled about the statue of Amaya, the first queen of Elanesse, making the gardens perfect. For some reason, the queen’s secretive smile made him think of Orra and her maternal serenity. Both the woman and the statue found ways to make him feel less than. What would Queen Amaya think of the Elanesse and Wyndren families now? She would likely hate that the children of Valyn and Breck fought each other.

“I am not your enemy,” Enla said. “I never have been, and I never will be.”

Gaeren turned back, taking in the dark circles under her eyes. “The things they say don’t even make sense. Mayvus is manipulating them. Do you realize the only reason Mayvus knew Emeris is a Wyndren is because they’re sisters? Because Mayvus is also a Wyndren? They gave her a throne.”

Enla’s face remained passive. “That’s exactly why they think she deserves a throne. Because she never asked for it. She defended their right to it.”

“Then you knew. How could you let them do something like this?” he muttered.

She sat in the chair across from him with a huff. “You think I have that much power? You weren’t here when the dignitaries arrived. I needed you here to help me. I asked you to be here. As it was, I could only stand by and watch as Mother and Father gave a quarter of our kingdom away.”

He clenched his jaw, the memories of Islarans’ deaths flitting through his mind. They hadn’t just given it away like money from their coffers—they’d put people into the hands of a madwoman.

Enla sighed. “Giving Mayvus a portion of the kingdom is Mother and Father’s attempt to pacify the long-standing disagreement. They’re doing it for our safety.”

Her gaze dropped to Gaeren’s knee, which had begun bouncing with his agitation.

“Is the warrant for Aeliana Wyndren’s arrest also for our safety?” He couldn’t help the mocking bite to his words.

“She’s the woman I saw, isn’t she? The one you found.” Enla’s eyes glazed over. “I did try to fight that edict. I never knew to search for all these possibilities. I never dreamed things could go this direction.”

Gaeren leaned forward, squeezing her hand to pull her out of the paths she sifted. “And you shouldn’t. You already sift souls too much. Your duty as the next queen doesn’t come before your health and safety.”

“You need to go to Lenda.” Enla’s voice broke through his tortured thoughts, forcing his mind to redirect to the least of his concerns. “Apologize for the way you treated her and show the city that all is well between you.”

Gaeren raised his eyebrows.

“When she came back alone, she wasn’t very quiet about the way you left her without warning.” Enla sighed again. “In the company of another woman.”

Gaeren rolled his eyes. “I was with Orra and Riveran.”

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