Page 38 of War Of Fire and Fortune
Pushing open the door without ceremony, I found my father hunched over scattered maps.
"Father, there is no conceivable way he escaped on his own."
Valos glanced up, his eyes revealing a flicker of concern before his mask of indifference settled back into place. "Valla, what are you implying?"
I leaned across the desk, my hands braced against the worn wood, feeling the pulse of the enchantment in the room.
"That prisoner should've been dead from what I inflicted upon him, yet he's gone. There's a traitor among us, and I believe"—no, I knew, but he wouldn’t go for that yet—"it's one of my brothers."
After Kade had brought the Peacebringer to the catacombs, I had no doubt that he had let his affections get the better of him. She had made my wicked prince of a brother bend and break in a way I’d never seen before. I’d watched them during their time here from a distance and seen every single small expression that had crossed his face. I’d seen it.He cares for her.
And we all know love is the most dangerous thing of all, don’t we?
I don’t want this. Please stop . . .The voice was so weak, it hardly ever spoke up anymore, but it never deterred me. Nothing would stop me. I would be the best.
Silence stretched between us. My father's gaze searched mine, seeking a truth I already held close.
"That is a heavy accusation, princess." he murmured, fingers curling into fists atop the map-strewn desk. "I cannot fathom one of my sons . . . But if there is a snake in our midst, we should take care of it."
My heart pounded with the thrill of the hunt. This was the game I excelled at—deception, manipulation, killing. Everything he had made me into.Forced me into.No, he loved me and I would be the best. I heard the whimpers of the thing that wasalways watching from inside my head and I wished she’d just shut up.
“What do you have in mind? I have far more important matters to tend to than your prisoner and a hunch. The Peacebringer is gone, and the next weapon I plan to use against Woodhaven is almost complete. The final war is upon us.”
"Then let this be an extension of your strategy," I countered swiftly, tapping a finger against the map, marking imaginary lines where our enemies might falter.
"Very well," Valos conceded after a moment weighted with contemplation. His hand swept across the map. "What are you thinking?"
A smile touched my lips. "I suggest a coup. Consider it a test of loyalty. Dispatch separate missives to each of my brothers, crafted with your finest enchantments, so that the contents cannot be spoken about to each other. We both know how you love to toy with magic. Give them separate war plans. Whatever gets back to the rebellion shall reveal the traitor. If none do, then I was wrong.”
I was never wrong. And I would prove to him that I wasn’t. Just like I had time and time again that I was the best out of my siblings. I straightened up, my gaze piercing his. "We station soldiers for an ambush. If an attack comes, they strike. And if it doesn’t, we can trust neither of my brothers is the spy."
His jaw tightened, a flicker of uncertainty in his otherwise stoic face. "If this doesn't work, Valla, we will have squandered precious resources, days of travel, men's lives, supplies—all for nothing."
"Father, the risk is necessary," I insisted. “If I’m right, we could very well take down the rebellion before the final war even begins. We could capture the Peacebringer, and then we would be unstoppable against Woodhaven.”
The silence between us stretched. I could see the cogs turning behind my father's eyes as he weighed the cost against the potential gain.
For a long moment, Valos remained motionless. Then slowly, he nodded, a subtle dip of his head that set my heart hammering against my rib cage. He rose to his feet, the heavy fabric of his royal robes sliding against the floor as he leaned forward over his maps.
I watched him closely as his fingers hovered over the parchment, then they moved with purpose, marking two distinct locations. My gaze followed as he drew a third mark at the center of the traveling grounds, the perfect place for an ambush, a trap ready to be sprung.
"Here," he murmured, more to himself than to me, "and here." His touch left dark stains behind. "Our forces will lie in wait. But we will move when the ships are ready. This can be our practice run with them.”
I stood beside him now, our shoulders nearly touching.
"Perfect." The word left my lips while a smile stretched over my features, like a predator baring its teeth.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Emelyn
My muscles ached with the sweet pain of exertion, and sweat trailed down my spine as I focused on the earth beneath my feet. Luana's stance mirrored mine, her concentration palpable in the charged air. We had been nothing but fluid movements and raw power all morning.
"Again." I panted, the words barely escaping before I thrust my palms forward, bending the ground to ripple in a wave of jagged stone toward Luana. She countered effortlessly, her arms sweeping up as a wall of soil rose to meet my attack, absorbing the impact with a thunderous crash that resonated through the clearing. She grinned at me, eyes alight with challenge.
Then, from the fringe of the shadows cast by the gnarled trees encircling us, Kade emerged, his presence shifting the air. I felt him before I saw him.
He leaned against a tree, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched us. For a moment, I faltered, distracted by the intensity of his gaze. But the fight wasn't over.
