Page 4 of Black Crown

“Ryn,” Dyter said with a shake of his head. He gave me a meaningful look, mouth pulled down.

Really?He was telling me off about that too? I hadn’t called Zakai king in ages—like never—and was pretty sure Dyter and I had already come to an understanding about kings and titles and such.

I turned to share my exasperation with Tyrrik and jumped slightly as he swept his hand over my shoulder in a movement that would be only a blur to the others. I squinted at the bit of pumpkin string now in his hand then turned my glare on Tyrrik. The Drae’s expression was smooth and impassive, a look I knew well. To everyone else, he looked like an impenetrable, terrifying monster right now.Theycouldn’t hear him slapping his stupid thigh in his stupid head.

“Al’right. What’s happening? What do we need to discuss?” I asked, ignoring their baffled looks.

Lani spoke, “I must go back to Phaetynville.”

I hadn’t the heart to tell her Phaetynville wasn’tactuallywhat the Phaetyn called their home in the Zivost forest. I’d need to clear that up before she left.

“Yes, I agree,” I said. If that was the only decision to make, maybe this wouldn’t be as difficult as I—

“We left the Phaetyn in the midst of turmoil,” Dyter said, leaning forward over the table, meeting each of our gazes in turn. “Kamoi and Kamini planned to restore peace to the forest, but we have no confirmation that has occurred.”

“It would be foolish to send Lani into questionable conditions and hope for the best,” King Zakai added.

Dyter nodded.

Umm . . . Right.I sat back. I really hadn’t thought about that, but he was correct. My stomach twisted as I thought of the night we’d left Zivost. What if Lani went back only to encounter resistance? She really didn’t know anyone there. Yes, the Phaetyn child-adult was Kamini’s elder sibling and possessed ancestral powers the rest of her kind desperately needed to restore their defences against the emperor. But the Phaetyn hadn’t exactly been the accepting, peace-loving, prancing people I’d envisioned. Last I’d seen, they’d been shoving blades dipped in Drae blood into each other.

I wasn’t letting Lani go into that alone. “I’ll go with her.”

“No,” Tyrrik said flatly, all traces of humor gone. “You will not.”

My M-word often said no to things, lots of things, really. I decided then and there to translate the word asyesfrom now on. I said to Lani, “Great, so when do we leave?”

Tyrrik stood, his chair grating on the stone floor. Towering over me, he growled, “Whenever you transform into a Drae, the emperor gets a reading on your location. You’re not going back to Zivost.”

“Generallocation,” I corrected. “And Iamgoing.”

“We killed his Druman. Do you think Draedyn is stupid?” Tyrrik asked the table though I knew the words were directed my way. “Over a hundred of his Druman are dead in the last few weeks. Some in Verald, some outside of the Phaetyn forest, and then a whole hoard of them right outside of Gemond. Do you think he hasn’t put two and two together? If Irdelron knew a rebellion was afoot before he died, do you think theemperorhas somehow missed the signs of his starving and embittered Realm gathering to revolt? Even if Draedyn did, there aren’t many creatures that can slaughter dozens of Druman at one time. There’s only one.”

Tyrrik had a point, but that didn’t change the fact we’d need the Phaetyn later. And the best chance of us uniting them sat right next to us. “The likelihood of our success against Draedyn is bestwiththe Phaetyn. If Lani goes by foot, the trip will take her weeks. Weeks that she’ll be vulnerable.” I hastily shot her a look. “I mean don’t get me wrong; your trick of shooting roots through people is great, but you were in big trouble when we met.”

“No offense taken,” she said, her violet eyes twinkling.

I admired her sense of humor. Little eight-year-old girl-adult laughing at the two Drae arguing. But this wasn’t really funny, and I wondered if anyone had pointed out the obvious, like plebe-brilliant who stood by the door. I turned to Lani, but the questions were to make a point. “Would you be able to harm your own people if they attacked you? Could you escape if dozens of Druman found you again?”

“I’ll go then,” Tyrrik said in a menacing voice. “If we need to get her there safely, I can do that. With relish.”

You just proved why you shouldn’t go. This isn’t a revenge mission.The Phaetyn hadn’t exactly treated him kindly when we were there. They’d sliced him with knives while he was injured to get his blood to use on weapons. Tyrrik might be still nursing a grudge.I’dbe nursing a grudge except I’d already squashed the Phaetyn responsible.

Of course, Lani had the courage to disagree out loud. “I think it unwise, Lord Tyrrik. Drae are our natural enemy, and whileyouare not my enemy, the rest of the Phaetyn have not yet seen you as an ally. Since I will be appearing to them as a stranger and asking to be Queen, I’m not sure showing up with you by my side will endear them to listen. Even having Ryn there will present challenges.”

I was certain we’d be fine as long as Kamoi and Kamini were in charge.

“It has to be Ryn,” Dyter said with a grim face, and quickly added, “Just Ryn.”

Tyrrik exploded. “You’d have her go out there alone? After everything? Are you insane?”

Kudos to Dyter. Though he paled significantly in the face of Tyrrik’s snapping anger, he didn’t back down. “No, Lord Tyrrik,” he said softly. “It isbecauseof what she’s been through that I know she’ll be okay.”

I stood and rested a hand on Tyrrik’s arm. He tensed under my grip, and his pulse feathered in his neck, but he didn’t otherwise acknowledge me. I could feel his anger and underneath it, his fear.

“Tyrrik could come with me.” I glanced around the table. Zakai and his son were halfway between sitting and rising, their eyes frozen on the Drae beside me. “He can wait outside the forest until we’re done.”

“You’d be giving Draedyn the perfect opportunity to ensure Gemond can’t join the rebels,” Dyter said, shaking his head. “The emperor must know there are two Drae by now and probably that you’re both in Gemond. When his Druman confirm both Drae have left the kingdom—because you know there are more out there—I can’t see why he’d hesitate to attack us.”

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