Page 13 of Of Blood and Fire
Kin need faster means into aerie,she said.
I agree, but we can’t do anything until our witches finish strengthening the wall against the acid.
Hurry them.
Strengthening stone has the same effect on the earth witches as flaming does for us,I replied wryly.And remember, they are human and do not have a drakkon’s strength.
Understand. Still should hurry.
So declares our queen, I thought in amusement. She lowered her head for an eye scratch, and I dutifully obeyed, then ducked under her wings and retreated far enough for her to rise. I watched until she’d disappeared into the wind and rain, then turned and made my way down the stairs and across the courtyard. I wanted nothing more than to head straight up to my room and steep my body in a hot, scented bath, but I needed to make a report. I might be the grand commander now, and could technically do as I wished, but the news I carried was far tooimportant to be held for even the hour or so it would take me to bathe.
I took the steps two at a time and strode toward the palace doors. The guards came to attention and saluted. I returned it, then asked the taller of the two to arrange for a towel. In the past I would have had no problem dripping my way across the foyer’s floor, leaving puddles, but that would be dangerous with so many people now using it.
Once the towel had arrived, I asked the servant who’d brought it to take my coat up to my suite and hang up it to dry, then quickly toweled off. My plait—which was long enough to brush the top of my butt—had been tucked under my coat all day, but was nevertheless dripping wet. I squeezed the water out as best I could, then dried off the rest of me and slung the towel around my shoulders to catch any additional hair drips as I headed for our new war room.
Jarin looked up as I entered, and he appeared far from happy. I glanced around but couldn’t see anything that immediately raised alarm. “What’s happened?”
He pushed away from the table holding a series of smaller maps and saluted. “King Velez and his entourage arrived not long after you’d left this morning and immediately demanded to take over.”
Of course he did, because the man was an arrogant bastard who thought himself far superior to the rest of us, and because taking over Esan had been his plan all along—he just hadn’t expected the opportunity to arise so soon. “He has no right. The marriage contract my parents signed says Prince Damon and I would jointly rule?—”
“Your prince was part of his entourage?—”
I briefly lost track of the rest of his comment, my thoughts and my emotions zeroing in on the fact that Damon had finallyreturned. It was all I could do to not immediately race upstairs, throw myself into his arms, and kiss him senseless.
“—and there were also six of his personal guard,” Jarin was saying. “I stationed eight additional soldiers in the hall to keep an eye on them.”
Which was overkill, perhaps, but I wasn’t about to gainsay the move. Although, in truth, a mere six men were not going to make a great impact if Aric intended to take over forcibly. I had no doubt Esan’s military would follow me rather than an outside king, even if some agreed with Aric’s sentiment that women should not—couldnot—rule the kingdom. Hell, it was a sentiment my father had obviously agreed with, given he’d made Garran—my presumed-dead cousin—his heir rather than me, his only child. “I take it the orders he issued were not ones you agreed with?”
His scowl said it all. “Indeed, Commander, I did not. And therefore, I did not follow them.”
“Oh, I bet that went down well with our Zephrine king.”
“He was not best pleased, but he was also outnumbered, and I suspect he wasn’t willing to push the matter until you arrived.” He paused. “They await you in your suite.”
I frowned. “Why didn’t you put the king and the rest of his entourage in the guest quarters?”
It was rather surprising that Damon hadn’t suggested it. Given the man’s high sexual drive, I’d have thought he’d be as desperate as me to ease some built-up tension as soon as possible.
“I did suggest it. They were more than happy to wait for your arrival.” He hesitated. “I suspect King Aric wishes the royal quarters rather than the guest.”
Over my dead body.“What changes did he order?”
“He wanted to pull half the mages from the wall to begin rebuilding the war room. He said using the grand hall is not practical long-term.”
“And it’s not, on that we can all agree.” But there was no fucking way those mages were going anywhere until the lower curtain wall could survive a major acid bombardment. “But he wasn’t here when the assault happened, so he’s not aware of the true destructive scope of the Mareritt’s new weapon.”
“Commander, anyone with half a brain should be able to ascertainthatfrom the destruction caused.” He paused. “Sorry, I should not be talking that way?—”
I cut him off with a wave of my hand. “I understand, trust me. But just to be clear, until I say otherwise, you are to confirm all orders issued by either Aric or Damon with me before complying.”
He nodded, looking somewhat relieved.
I added, “Who else was with the king, aside from Damon and Aric’s guards?”
“Only a woman that wasn’t introduced. She could be Gayl’s younger sister, though, so alike are they in looks.”
And she likely was, given how many half-siblings Aric apparently had. But where in Vahree’s name had she come from? The only relative that had accompanied Aric here for the wedding ceremony had been Gayl, so either this other woman had stayed on the ship that had brought them to Hopetown, or she’d come on the ship that had been waiting for him at Lowcliffe Beach—a ship that had come directly from Kriton, Zephrine’s main port.
