Page 18 of Merciless Is My Crown

I climbed to my feet, every ache, every pain, every bruise echoing through my still-healing body. “I have heard enough.” I’d heard more than enough, had the wool yanked from my eyes and finally was seeing—for perhaps the first time—who my mother really was.

Adele spun, her eyes flaring wide. “I only want you to never be afraid, Anaria. I want you to be strong enough no one can ever hurt you, like they did me.”

“I’m sure that’s part of it.” I swallowed down the bile souring my throat. “But you’re not the only one in this room who’s suffered. Don’t you ever forget that.”

No, we’d all lost so much during this war—we’d be lucky if we had anything left by the time this was over.

“One other thing.” I dug my fingers into Tavion’s arm and tried to keep my voice from shaking. “If you think I would hold the Wynters’ executions against Tavion, you don’t know me at all. If you try to turn us against each other, I will leave you behind, since as you pointed out, this palace belongs to you.” I turned to Torin.

“You want me to go to the High Barrens as a diversion. Do you expect me to raise an army while I’m there, or just keep the Oracle distracted while you save your friend?”

“I…” Torin’s lips pursed as she considered the offer. “That wasn’t part of the plan, but I wouldn’t say no to an army.”

“We’ll require more allies to take on the king,” I mused, Raziel nodding in agreement. “Tell us everything, then we’ll see if we can figure out how to free your friend.”

Darkhold, Torin explained succinctly, lay west of Varitus, across the Marianus Sea, and the only way to get there was to fly. “We’d have to split up. Half to Darkhold, half to Nightcairn. The timing would have to be perfect.”

“I will carry Torin.” Zorander scratched his chin. “Simon can fly. Raz, could you make the trip in two days?” At his exasperated eyeroll, Zor turned back to Torin. “There. We can get everyone to Darkhold in a couple days.”

“Tristan and I will head east, taking the tunnels with Anaria and Adele.” Tavion’s jaw tensed before he headed to the table, lined up the glasses, and filled each one.

“When we reach Nightcairn Castle, we’ll pick up Dane. He trades with the witches on occasion, he’ll guide you the rest of the way to their fortress in the Barrens.”

He waved us all over and there we were, gathered around the low table, as unlikely a group of traitors as there had ever been as we all picked up a glass. “Here’s to unlikely allies,” Tavion muttered with a wink as if he’d read my mind.

I was the only one who choked on the liquor, barely able to get out my next words. “And once we’re in the Barrens?” I rubbed my burning throat. “What then? We wait for you?”

“You won’t wait long. We’ll meet up as soon as we free Zephryn,” Raziel said brusquely. “Depending, of course, on what shape your friend is in.”

Torin twisted her hands. “He might not be able to fly, but we’ll get to the Barrens, as fast as we can.”

“He’s a shifter?” I asked curiously, eyeing Simon, still in the shiny purple robe. “An owl?”

Simon’s grin flashed white, perfect teeth. “Not even close, Princess.” Then he winked, the first show of humor I’d ever seen from him. “Think bigger.”

“An eagle?” I guessed, even though I’d never seen one in real life.

“Bigger.”

“There’s nothing bigger than an eagle,” I insisted, shaking my head before Raziel’s mouth dropped.

“Darkhold…He’s a fucking dragon,” Raz breathed. “Your friend…he’s a dragon, isn’t he?”

Simon’s grin lit up the room. “Now you’re thinking big enough.”

8

ANARIA

Once they started hammering out the particulars, the once-civil discussion devolved once more into an all-out argument. A visibly nervous Bexley hung off to the side, looking expectantly to Torin as if he wished she’d invite him along on this suicide mission.

I shook my head.

The mage should thank his lucky stars he was staying put.

If we were going up against Serpens, we needed allies we could trust. We needed powerful allies, so of course we had to go rescue a dragon. And right now, I was trusting Torin and Simon more every minute.

Yes, she’d pretty much tricked us into helping free her friends, but wouldn’t I do the same for mine? I would steal and lie and cheat to save my males, so I couldn’t exactly hold her methods against her.

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