Page 123 of Lady of Starfire

“We have been left to fend for ourselves for centuries,” she replied, her tone as icy as her glare. “Where were the Fae when Hale’s family lost their throne? Where were they when our true parents were slaughtered? You have not cared about the affairs of mortals for decades. It may have been a lie that the Fae were our enemies, but it was one easily believed because there was no effort made to show yourselves as anything else. Why would we assume you would start caring now?”

“We were locked behind wards—” Azrael started, but Tava cut him off.

Her palms were planted on the table in front of her as she leaned forward, her voice low and vicious. “Sorin was here. For three years. Eliné was here for years before that. The Fae Queens could Travel.Youcould Travel. All of you came for Scarlett when she was taken by Tarek. The wards were in place then too. Do not use them as an excuse for not aiding those beneath you when you were in every position to do so. You were still far more skilled than any mortal forces, even without access to your magic. You chose not to care about mortal affairs. You knew there had been a change in monarchs in Rydeon and Toreall. None of you cared to look into why or how it happened. None of you cared.”

Azrael blinked at her. Everyone else had gone still. He said nothing. What was there to say to any of that? She could say the same thing to Callan. Shehadall but said as much to him in various conversations.

The Earth Prince nodded his head once in acceptance of her words.

“When Scarlett dropped the wards containing the Shifters and Witches, I was able to come back and help. Other Witches come when they can. We have wards around many of the rebel camps. It is harder with so many people and larger areas, but it is something,” Juliette said after a moment. “And when we learned that Drake and Tava were the Rydeon heirs?”

“The rebels have been rallying forces in our absence,” Drake said. “There are camps like these across the kingdoms. Men are being trained. So are women. There are soldiers and guards training them. Juliette is training them.Witchesare training them. We have people on the inside. Men close to the kings’ inner circles. Women who serve in the castles and hear things. We have an army. Unified forces. It is small, and it might not do much, but they would rather fight and die than continue as things have been. They’ve just been waiting for the right time.”

“This is why the two of you wanted to get back to the continent so badly,” Callan said, looking between the siblings.

They had been in the perfect position for this. Lord Tyndell had worked so hard to make sure they were in the background. Unseen and unnoticed. They’d sat in meetings with the leaders of the realms, quiet and absorbing information, listening to plans and strategies. Tava played the perfect role of the demure, docile Lady. And Drake? No one had ever really given him a second thought. A Lord’s son. Nothing special or extraordinary. Not even worthy to take over his father’s position when the time came.

And all this time, he’d been part of organizing a rebel movement across the entirety of the continent.

All this time, he’d been unknowingly proving himself to his people.

“No. I mean, yes,” Tava amended. “We would have done so for Ashtine either way. Those unborn babes are as innocent as the people we are trying to help. Someone must fight for them too. But yes, we were anxious to return to help in whatever way we could. They knew we would come back. They knew we would never abandon them.”

“How do the Maraans not know you are here?” Azrael asked, avoiding Tava’s gaze.

“That’s where I come in,” Ezra said. He’d been so quiet, Callan had forgotten he was here. He had a knife and a piece of wood in his hand. He’d been carving on it the entire time they’d been speaking. “I am Tava’s newly appointed personal guard.”

Callan couldn’t help the bark of disbelief that came from him because that was the definition of irony.

“When it was reported the Tyndell siblings had returned, I offered to be her personal guard. They still believe I am loyal to the throne.”

“Why?” Callan asked.

Ezra leveled him with a pale blue stare. “Because when I learned of my father’s death, I pretended not to care. Because when they told me of histreason, that he and Finn had been implicated in the deaths of your parents, I pretended like they got what they deserved. When Mikale told me my father had been killed while attempting to murder the king, Ithankedhim for taking him from this world. I keep up the façade because my mother and sisters still live in that city. It will look too suspicious if we leave now. We would be accused of being unhappy with the king and all that he is doing for us.”

Callan thought he might be sick.That’show Mikale had spun the story of their deaths? That Sloan and Finn had been traitors to the crown? Somehow involved in the deaths of his parents?

He swallowed thickly. “No one questioned you volunteering to be her guard?”

Ezra had gone back to carving the block of wood. He didn’t look up when he said, “I have known Tava for years. We grew up together. Met one day at a castle banquet. She was always ignored at such events. Lord Tyndell knows we are friendly. It was no surprise that I volunteered for the position.”

Callan glanced at Tava and found her eyes on her lap again, fidgeting with her fingers.

For several moments, the only sound was Ezra’s knife on the wood. Then he spoke again repeating words he’d said earlier. “She says you’ve been gone all this time finding help.”

“I have been,” Callan agreed.

“Where is it?”

“It’s coming. Your king has been working with the leaders of the other kingdoms. He has built relations with Fae and Avonleyans, Shifters and Witches,” Azrael said. He met Tava’s gaze. “The Fire Court is preparing to defend Windonelle and Rydeon. The Witches will defend Toreall, and once I have my Court back, we will defend your lands as much as we defend our own. Our queen will not fail you. The Fae will not fail you again.”

Ezra didn’t reply. Instead, he slid his knife into his boot before he stood and slipped the piece of wood into his pocket. “We need to be getting you back, Tava.”

She nodded, getting to her feet and running her hands down the sides of the witchsuit. “Can you retrieve my dress? I left it with Mary Ellen when I changed before going to scout with Juliette.”

Ezra nodded once, slipping from the tent without another word.

“I can show you to an empty tent that you and Callan can share for the time being,” Juliette said pointedly to Azrael, jerking her chin to the tent entrance as she stood. A clear signal for him to follow.

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