Page 181 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

“She did not.”

I grinned at my aunt’s displeased tone, turning to find her standing next to Lorian. She’d planted her hands on her hips, and while exhaustion lined her face, her gaze softened as it met mine.

Demos just sighed. But his eyes lit up as he glanced behind me.

“Rostamir came through.”

“She did. No sign of Conreth or Rythos?”

“No.”

My stomach twisted. I turned my gaze to our soldiers, where our generals were forming their lines. Regner’s ships were currently preoccupied with defending themselves from Daharak’s fleet. But when we’d met up with Rekja, he’d told us the Eprothan soldiers were just a few hours behind them, making their way across the Normathe Mountains.

And their numbers…

Even without the terrovians Regner was guaranteed to send thundering back toward us, the Eprothans outnumbered us at least two to one.

But it wasn’t just the numbers that we needed. Conreth wore one of the fae amulets. Which meant wecouldn’t kill Regner without him.

Blynth strode past, nodding at Demos, and I knew they would soon be discussing strategy. Apparently, when Rekja had learned of the Eprothans’ true plans, he’d convinced the general to begin moving our army north.

While Blynth had met Rekja in his capital, they’d also shared a drink at our wedding. So he’d trusted the Gromalian prince enough to order our soldiers to march before receiving my message confirming the order.

Telean held up her hand. “Eye tonics,” she said, handing out vials to each of us without fae senses. “They’ve been created to last for a few days.”

My aunt was always thinking about these kinds of things. I took my vial as the others did the same and downed it, grimacing. Whatever had been added for longevity had given it a sour, spoiled aftertaste. “Thank you, Telean.”

I glanced around. Lorian had moved away to speak to Rekja.

“If we only have hours, we need to make the most of it,” Demos said, handing his empty vial back to Telean. “No one slept last night. I’m ordering our people to rest in shifts until our scouts report a sighting of Regner’s foot soldiers. In the meantime, I’ve posted three of my most trusted guards on Tor. No one will get to him, Pris.”

My breath shuddered out of me. I wouldn’t be surprised if Regner knew Tor’s power was our only hope.

“The hybrids who made it through the pass?” I asked.

“They’re in the caves. I wanted to try to get them to the tunnel when we arrived, but…one of the terrovians killed a scout who got too close. There’s no way theywould have made it.”

“The elders?”

“Nothing from them yet.”

Bitterness flooded my mouth, but I swallowed it down. Demos was watching me closely. “I want to show you something,” he said. “Follow me.”

Lorian’s gaze immediately found mine as he noted me leaving. He was at my side a moment later, and I held out the amulet.

His lips curved, and he handed it to Galon, who was the closest. Both amulets gleamed in the sunlight as Galon slipped it over his head.

“I’ll be right back,” I said.

Lorian didn’t look happy, but he nodded at Demos.

The forest wasn’t as lush along this part of the shore as it was just a little south, where I’d docked last time I’d been on this continent. Scraggly undergrowth caught at my boots as Demos led me away from the hill where we’d set up camp. But within a few minutes, I heard voices.

“There are hundreds of caves here,” Demos said. “Some of them are more shallow shelters than anything else. Others are deep and wide enough to hold twenty or thirty hybrids.”

In one of the caves, a child was chortling—one of those belly laughs that made anyone within earshot smile. The first cave was partly hidden by the trees and underbrush, situated on the higher ground, where the forest met the base of the mountain. The mouth of the cave was shielded by overhanging foliage, making it difficult to spot.

I peered inside. Several wide eyes met mine.

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