Page 35 of Claws of Death

“At least we caught them before they could do actual damage this time.” Tori jerks his chin in a general southern direction, dust forgotten as he absently rubs it. He has a bruise on his cheek, and another one peeks through the gap in the collar of his shirt, exposing the edge of a collarbone that’s already purpling. Silas got him hard enough to leave a mark.

Tucking the information away for later, I demand, “Who attacked?”

That lands Recienne’s attention on me, his golden eyes near glowing with fury. “The Flames have taken it upon themselves to burn down my kingdom.”

The throne room is no more welcoming than it was the first time we entered. This time, however, we’re no longer there to negotiate an alliance. It’s clear both sides need one.

“We have soldiers patrolling the borderlands in the south,” Tori explains while Recienne whispers something to Clio that is too low to hear. “Ever since the curse on your people has been broken and the Flames attacked together with that rogue Crow, we’ve been keeping an eye on the situation.” He exchanges a brief glance with his king at the wordrogue, but apart from that, Recienne the Second doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to his general’s attempts at explaining the situation.

“What do you mean,keeping an eye on the situation?” I prompt, wondering how many more surprises I can take. “Has this happened before?”

“The attacks have been going on for a few weeks. I was actually on patrol myself the day I caught you sneaking out of the Seeing Forest.” Tori’s lowered brows tell me everything I need to know about how little he appreciates my questioning.

Thankfully, Ayna doesn’t care what the general appreciates because she winds out of my arm, bracing her feet apart as she glares up at him. “How many have you lost? Yousaid the Flames are burning down your kingdom. How often have they attacked? Where? What do they want?”

Before Tori can respond, Recienne abandons his secret conversation with Clio, stepping in to answer Ayna’s questions. “We’ve lost too many. And before you even think of questioning whether or not I care for my people, every life lost is one too many, even those of our enemies.”

I’m so stunned by his response I almost miss that he isn’t answering her other questions. He’s purposely avoiding to give specifics.

So, he doesn’t trust us yet. Fair enough. I don’t trust him either, but at least, now I know we could easily fight our way out if he ever decides to hold us captive.

Instead of rubbing that in his face, I step to Ayna’s side, putting all pride and smugness behind me. This is about more than our ancient grudge. This is about the future of Eherea.

“How can we help?”

Ayna

Every life… even that of our enemies. I can’t stop staring at the beautiful Fairy King whose wrath once bound the Crows to a forest. In this moment, he seems almost … human. Like the mask of the king has slipped, revealing the brother Clio loves so much—and the male who surely would go to the ends of this world for his people. The ice in his gaze is gone, and the amused arrogance wiped off his features.

Every life.

“How can we help?” Myron’s voice is low, composed, his arm brushing my shoulder as he joins me like a second half of a front we pit against the malewho was once his enemy.

In this moment, not a hint of hatred or distrust lingers, even with Silas’s victory over Astorian. It’s like someone opened a gate and we’re filing through it one by one until we come out on the other side united. Even Herinor and Royad have joined us as we wait for King Recienne to tell us more.

“Help…” he muses, gaze flicking from one Crow to the other until it lands on me once more, liquid gold and burning embers. “I almost lost my sister and my mate to the Crows, Queen Wolayna. But no matter how deep my resentment for their species runs, I can see their king has a valiant heart, or he wouldn’t have sacrificed everything for a human woman.” There’s more to his words than I can read, like he’s asking for absolution rather than judging his newest ally. Before I can figure it out, he turns back to Myron. “The Flames have been setting traps for my fairies like for common game. So far, fifteen of my soldiers have gone missing without a trace. Go to the Seeing Forest. Warn the remaining Crows, and make sure you don’t get caught. Send them to Aceleau for training. I’ll make sure they work with my own armies by the time you get back from your quest.”

“What quest?” Royad beats me to it.

The smile on Recienne’s lips is nothing like the smug smirk he seems to be wearing like a second skin. It’s cold and a clear warning to everyone who doubts his power in this realm.

“Find and free my soldiers, and I’ll accept you as a true ally, Crow King,” he growls at Myron, not sparing any of us a glance. “Find them; return them—alive.”

The ruthlessness of his order tells me everything I need to know about Recienne of Askarea: he will stop at nothingto protect his own. Every life might count, but he’ll gladly sacrifice them if it means his own people will be saved.

And after what I’ve experienced with my new family, I understand him. I’ll stop at nothing to savemyown. My new family, my new people. I might technically be Queen of Tavras, but I hold no power there. So, I’ll save the feathered people I have left.

“Deal.” Myron doesn’t even flinch as I take the decision from him. I’m the Crow Queen after all, and if the Flames are burning down parts of Askarea, I’m certain it has something to do with their hunt for the leftover Crows who haven’t sworn allegiance to Ephegos. Recienne’s soldiers might have simply gotten in the crossfire.

Beside me, Silas squares his shoulders, and Herinor cracks his knuckles on Myron’s other side. Royad seems to be the only one not fully convinced.

“Why send us? Why not your own men? I know firsthand how skilled they are?” Royad’s referral to the Crow Wars erases Recienne’s smile.

“Because I’ve sacrificed too much to keep my lands clean of the conflicts your people have been inflicting. The Flames are searching for Crows, we know that much. I’ll grant your feathered friends refuge until you return my men. Then we’ll know if your superior strength is worth anything in this war.”

I know then he hasn’t just come up with this idea. It’s what he meant when he said we’d come up with a better plan than open war. He was testing us, our strength, our magic, our wits. Now he’s sending us on a mission in exchange for protecting what few of our people are left.

He knew his people were being taken, and now he’s using this mission to test our loyalty.

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