Page 104 of Enchanted Shadows
“They don’t answer to you,” Miles snapped. “You are fortunate they cleared their schedule for this at all.”
For almost five minutes, we sat there. Kessara looked out the windows and to the throne chairs, not at Calix. Which had to be driving him nuts.
I leaned in close to her and whispered, “Breathe.”
She took my hand in hers and squeezed before giving me a smile.
Calix’s snort of disdain was covered by another door opening. We all rose for the king and queen of Wylan.
Krew gave Calix a tight smile as he sat in his throne chair. “It is not every day we receive a delegate from Agria.”
Calix’s eyes went to Kessara. “It would seem that it has been happening more recently, yes.”
Krew’s smile dropped as his magic licked up his neck. “Well should it happen unannounced in this castle again, in the fashion it did last night, I can assure you it will end far differently.”
Calix dipped his head toward Krew. “I can assure you, Your Highness, I was only sneaking in to make sure that Kessara was alive and well.”
“She is more alive and well here than she was in Agria,” Krew snapped.
Calix’s eyes went from Krew to Kessara and back again. He pulled out a letter. “I have correspondence from the queen of Agria.” Miles grabbed it out of his hand to deliver to Krew. “To summarize, she would like her daughter, Princess Kessara Astra Zavatari, back. She would like Wylan to stand down and send back her heir. Harboring Agrian royalty, an heir of Agria, is a grave offense that Agria will not take lightly.” He held his chin high, as if waiting for the fallout.
I laughed. I couldn’t help it.
Calix turned toward me in confusion.
“You honestly thought we didn’t know? What blood runs in her veins? That she’s a princess?”
“I—”
Yeah. He had thought exactly that.
Krew quickly read the letter and dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “Seems a bit overkill when the heir in question is an heir of both countries, don’t you think?”
“You told them?”Calix snapped toward Kessara.
“I did,” she admitted.
“What the hell did Damek do? What did he do that had you so scared you would partner with the evil king’s spawns?”
“I’m one of those spawns too,” she reminded him. “And I’m fairly certain you already know the answer to this question.”
“Yes. Where is Artem, while we are at it? Because I suppose they can politic their way around harboringyou, an heir of both, but where is your dearest little brother?”
“I do not know,” Kessara lied beautifully. “I wish I knew.”
He stilled. “What do you mean you don’t know?”
“He was already in hiding. I never could find him. So I left before Damek punished me. Or blamed his disappearance on me.”
Calix heaved a sigh, absolutely believing that answer. Whichmeant it was something on character for Damek. “He wouldn’t have hurt you.”
“He already has,” she snapped.
“Your mother is beside herself,” Calix explained. “Come home, Kessara. We will figure it out. Find Artem. I’ll make sure Damek won’t hurt you again.”
“Good to know she cares about more than one of her children,” Kessara bit out. “But I will go home. I’ll speak to her. Prove to her that I am alive and well. Give her and only her what I know of Artem’s whereabouts. Introduce her to my husband. And then I will return here.”
“Returnhere?” his voice was growing loud enough that I was feeling the pull toward my power. “To that little team you joined?”
