Page 81 of A Sky of Emerald Stars

My eyes scanned over the room again. “Where’s Ora?” Evres’s smile widened. “We’ve brought your gold and crown, so where are they?”

“Come see this first.” Evres beckoned with a hooked finger. “I want to show you our act of good faith.”

Briar looped her arm through mine, clinging close to my side as my guards flanked me on either end. As I slowly paced over, I noted there were three doorways and two sets of windows through which we could flee. To my right, Ingrid and her guards lingered around the table by the archway that looked like it led into the rest of the house. To my left, the Silver Wolves lingered by the fire. On the far wall was a small door that looked like it led down into a cellar. Hector hung back close to the doorway out to the sleighs, protecting our exit.

Evres held a hand out to me, but I didn’t take it as I approached.

“You are truly stunning,” Evres murmured as his gaze slid up and down Briar.

I released Briar’s arm and moved her behind me as Grae stepped between the two of them, blocking Briar from Evres’s sight with his broad shoulders.

Evres let out a chuckle. “Forgive me,” he said, holding up his hands and taking a step back. “It just seems such a pity that someone as regal as Briar Marriel isn’t a queen. Damrienn still mourns the loss of the Crimson Princess.”

“You mean the ‘queen’ Nero so easily pushed aside once herealized she didn’t have the power to give him what he wanted? You speak as if I’m dead, just as he did,” Briar said, stepping around Grae. Clearly not cowed, her lips pinched into a tight frown. “I never wanted to be Queen. I only ever wanted a quiet life and a place to call home with my mate. Calla is more of a queen than I could’ve ever been. They are the Queen Olmdere needs and deserves.”

She was looking directly at Evres, but I knew she was speaking solely to me. I wished we weren’t in this crowded room of enemies and tentative allies. I wished I could spin around and hug her. Whenever I faltered, my twin somehow knew to instill that confidence back in me.

“A quiet life, hmm?” Evres’s voice dipped, more contemplative as he ignored everything my sister said about me and my leadership. “Well, you’ll always have a home with us in Damrienn, Princess. No matter what happens with Olmdere, you’re part of the Silver Wolf pack.”

“No,” she said. “I’m a Golden Wolf. And this is my Queen.”

“We’ll see—”

“Enough.” It was Klaus who cut him off. He took a pointed step toward Evres, the two Wolves sizing each other up as if ready to battle to claim Briar’s hand.

I scrubbed a hand down my face, wanting to shout that she already has a mate. If Maez were here, there wouldn’t be any of this peacocking. She’d probably have gutted a few of them by now.

“What is this act of good faith?” I asked, stalking the rest of the way to the windows and cutting off Evres and Klaus’s staring contest.

At first, I couldn’t see anything, simply seeing the reflections of ourselves and the firelight, but as I leaned closer, I started to make out the shadowed outline of the mountains and the waves distorting the moonlight on the water.

“Do you see them?” Evres leaned closer to the cool pane.

“See what?”

“On the water.”

I narrowed my gaze further, making out tiny dots on the water. Initially, I thought they were waves, but then I recognized the outlines. “Are those...”

“Boats,” Evres said.

Burning dread coiled tight in my stomach. Were they warships? Was Nero planning on attacking our shores? Were they luring us out here to leave Olmdere defenseless?

I tried to steady my breath. “And who is on those boats?”

“Humans,” Evres said. I gave him a wary glance and he continued. “We gave them a choice. Stay in Damrienn and obey the Wolf laws, get rid of their ridiculous human words.” He scanned me up and down, and I knew he was judging every inch of me, of who I was, of using the word “merem.” “Or they can leave.” I sucked in a sharp breath. “Any human who wishes to leave Damrienn has been granted safe passage to Olmderian shores. They are your problem now.”

I watched through the window in disbelief until my breath fogged over the glass. There must be a hundred boats on the water fleeing to my shores. “Thank you,” I whispered, my throat constricting with bitterness. “Thank you for at least letting them leave.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Evres said. Mina’s music was a soft, slow tune that blanketed over the room as he spoke. “You will have to take care of all of them.”

“I will,” I vowed.

I’d make sure each and every one of them had a roof over their head and enough food to eat. I’d make a home for them better than any they ever had in Damrienn. I’d let them speak any language, pray to any Gods, and live the lives of their choosing. My hand drifted to my collarbone and the golden scar. I’d use every last piece of gold in my court and every ounce of magic from my dying wish to make it so.

Evres seemed disappointed, and I realized in this moment he thought this was supposed to upset me.

Yet another thing he and Nero clearly didn’t understand about me. It made me stand just a bit straighter, knowing that Nero thought he had a bead on me, but was still the nearsighted, narrow-minded ruler. These people made my kingdomstronger. It may take time, but I would make sure of that.

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