Page 88 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

A wicked smile touched Kieran’s lips. “Release him?” he said. “The Zemiran army and your Elven warriors now belong to me, Elijah. That includes Aiden. I need the best to lead them. Aiden will make a fine Mylorian warrior, and together we’ll create the greatest kingdom our world has ever known. But first.” Kieran pointed to the window behind him. “You’ll call upon your soldiers with that little pendant Aiden told me about and command them to come forth to my city. I will house them, feed them, and then use what little hybrids I have left to draw out that creature so we can get rid of the problem once and for all. That magic out there will protect our property borders for the time. But it’s not enough. We cannot simply hide inside any longer.” He turned to Erik. “Now get her in the room and lock the door!”

Elijah watched Aiden do nothing as Erik took Janelle by the arm, forcefully escorting her out of the room. Aiden even dared to smile.

“I’m surprised you’re letting her go, Kieran,” Aiden said, slightly chuckling under his breath. “You’ve loved her for so long.”

Kieran shrugged. “Love will not win wars. If anything, it creates them.”

Elijah’s nostrils flared. Night had fallen; the Zemiran army would be far past the mountain, hiding in the caves, and the pirate crew a mile off the coast.

Tomorrow, everything would change, Elijah thought. Without Aiden’s help, he didn’t believe his plan would play out exactly as it should.

Elijah turned back to Kieran, who linked his hands together behind his back and raised his chin. “My intentions were never to start a war with you or your people. I understand you’re the child of a sorceress killed by your own father.”

Elijah gritted his teeth as Kieran brought up his family, especially his mother.

“You know, my father knew Gal,” Kieran continued, and Elijah found his mouth opening in surprise. He knew it was plausible that the witches were familiar with her, even though she was considered a peasant and lived outside Newick. She was still a sorceress. Still one of them.

“Gal was a magnificent woman, I’ve heard,” Kieran continued. “You never had a chance to become something greater than Matthias was because you were not raised as I was, with magic. I know that taking your kingdom wouldn’t align with Gal’s wishes, but I’m doing this for the good of our countries. You made a choice that cost you your own people. You handed over a weapon to a crew of pirates. Pirates, Elijah?”

“Sorry, I don’t have an Oracle to see the future as you do,” Elijah said. “I guess I could’ve seen what was coming.”

Kieran lowered his brow. “This isn’t a joking matter! That thing out there,” Kieran continued, pointing toward the gates through the window, “is a result of their little adventure. What happened to you before you dashed inside property walls wasn’t the first time it has attacked us at this mansion. Many of my men have already fallen, including my hybrids. Your actions cost the lives of my people. Your people. Now I must make oaths with kings to take their armies because I don’t have enough men to protect us.” Kieran scrunched his face in disgust. “You might have been raised in Zemira, but this land is where you were born, where your bloodline lies. We’re your people. Perhaps we can put aside this feud between us and fight together. Or you can go back to your country and live like a little rich boy with no crown.”

Elijah’s nostrils flared. “You think I’d leave without her?”

“Of course not. But if I don’t have your army, those pirates, and the Kroneon in my hands—and soon—it’ll be you who will have broken our treaty, and I’ll make sure Janelle dies with you.”

As Elijah stepped forward, wanting to address the threat against the woman he cared for, several of Kieran’s fighters gathered around the two men with both weapons and power, ready to attack.

“Why the Kroneon? It’s not as if you can choose what portal you want to open. It sends you where it wants you to go,” Elijah said. “Unless you plan to send the shadow to another world where it doesn’t belong, why go to all this trouble?”

“I’m aware of what that Kroneon does, Elijah,” he said. “My own people created it. Your great ancestor, to be exact. Once those portals close, that’s it. It is up to us to kill whatever spills into our world. Do you think this is the first time in history this has happened? Haven’t you ever seen creatures that didn’t quite belong here? For example, the creatures who hunt in the Marsh Wetlands. The trolls. Even the dragons . . . and the Fae. They all came from somewhere else, let in by mistakenly using the Kroneon since it was created centuries ago. Always by other foolish and selfish people, like those pirates. We must destroy it before something of this nature happens yet again. At least we know what the shadow wants.”

Elijah scowled. “Right. Magic. And you’re going to use hybrids to bait it?”

“There are only a few who have survived this long. But yes. Because that’s what a true king would do. Sacrifices must be made to save the world. Blood spilled for the greater good.”

Kieran’s hand came out, and black power sparked at his fingertips. “I’m more powerful than you, Elijah. Both my parents were sorcerers, unlike yours.”

Elijah’s lips twitched.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious about your own people?” Kieran asked. “I’ve heard you have never even met another Newick witch?”

“Why would I give a fuck about any of you?” Elijah said. “You’re monsters.”

“True, although you might have a point. Fighting against us would be more courageous than running home like a coward. I guess that gives you two . . . maybe three choices.” Kieran turned to Aiden. “Aiden, please go check on Tegan. We need her ready too.”

Aiden bowed once again to Kieran, ignoring Elijah entirely, and exited the room.

“Tomorrow night,” Kieran said, “once you hand over your people, you’ll make your choice: Head back to Zemira with Janelle, go against us and die trying, or fight alongside both armies, but as one of us.”

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