The King's Queen

Chapter 68

"I won't use obsidian lightning anymore. Don't worry. I promise I'll make it out of this war alive."

***

Our time in Lydia soon drew to a close. It was time for us to go to the Spade Kingdom.

I shifted my weight from one leg to the other while I waited for everyone outside. Overhead, the sun peeked out from behind a cloud, waving its golden rays to thaw the frozen ground. Spring was less than a week away.

It was remarkable how nature forged ahead despite everything else going on. We were at war, yet the birds in the branches harmonized their psalms and the breeze gently swathed the dozing nocturnal animals nestled in their burrows.

Nature was as beautiful as it was serene. Yet it was a resilient and unyielding force.

If the world became shrouded in a dark war, when would things be this peaceful again? The pleasant trills of the animals would become a haunting requiem of our failure to stop such a catastrophe.

The Nightshade massacre had lasted for a thousand years, and technically, it was still going on. The Origins hadn't known peace in a long time. If Malekh and Luca offered them all their hopes and dreams on a silver platter, why wouldn't they take it?

Approaching footsteps crunched in the snow. Ashton sidled up to me, his gaze also roaming the frost-covered fields. The fate of the kingdom, soon to be his, weighed heavily on his shoulders. We were heading into a battlefield.

"Everything's ready." His breaths came out in cotton puffs that dissipated into wisps. "It would be too risky to travel by sea again, so we'll take a jet this time. The kingdom of Meryllia will help us enter the Spade Kingdom's air space undetected."

Our eyes met, and I nodded, impressed that he'd gotten them to assist us this much. Meryllia was playing a dangerous game by betraying Prinarch Cole.

They were picking their battles carefully. All their efforts were hinged on us emerging victorious. I doubt they wanted to be on the tail-end of a war against the Origins they had persecuted for so long.

Cyrena, Duncan, CaVaughn, and Jun exited the building next. They'd be coming with us. Cyrena knew the Spade castle better than any of us. Her knowledge of the layout would be useful in case things went south. Duncan made no promises that he would use his unique ability, but since Cyrena had promised to use her visions to find Twain, he was coming along to protect her.

CaVaughn would use his mind-link to contact Jackson and gauge the political situation at the castle, and Jun would cover our traces and watch our backs.

I glanced at Ashton. Negotiating with Luca and Malekh would be our responsibility. Anxiety snaked around my stomach at the thought of seeing Luca again. Our last conversation had been him pleading with me not to leave the Spade Kingdom, and in my defense, I had intended to obey him, but Rosaline's assassination attempt changed things.

"Don't worry, Bettie. Luca loves you," Cyrena said, in an effort to calm my eddying mind. "We had a good reason for leaving the Spade Kingdom. He won't hold your actions against you. I'm sure he'd rather you in the presence of a DeLorentes than dead."

I picked at a loose thread on my sweater. "Luca's patience will only extend so far."

Besides, I knew next to nothing about him. Hopefully, that would change soon. He was my father. I wanted to know more about him.

I also hoped Ashton's presence wouldn't trigger him into making any rash decisions. The DeLorentes' weren't exactly popular among any Origin family. But it was important that Ashton was there.