Page 17 of Between Despair and Hope

“No.”

“He is renowned as a healer, and you know how rare it is for him to leave the Seat. It is an honor.”

“I said no. I do not want the Myriad near her. Rain does not want the Myriad near her. You may send him my thanks, but I will be declining.”

Shivani’s temple throbbed as she clenched her jaw shut. I walked to the other side of the room and sat in the armchair near the fireplace, leaving her at the table.

“Declan heard our offer and accepted. We will be delivering his brother to him, and he will release Rainier.”

“No.” The reply was out of my mouth before I could stop it. Her brows shot up.

“No?”

“He is a child who worked to betray that monster. We cannot send him back.”

Shivani stared at me, expression blank. “He slit your daughter’s throat. I don’t understand, Emma.”

“Emmeline,” I corrected her. She’d shown me no kindness, no familiarity. Just suspicion and distaste. I wouldn’t let her attempt to win me over with familiar pleasantry. “There is more to it than it seems. The boy is working to help wake her. Besides, I do not trust Declan. I do not put it past him to offer us a trade—”

Her fists were clenched in her lap as she interrupted me. “You’ll choose that boy over Rainier?”

“Do you no longer have an army? Is this trade the best thing that General Ashmont has come up with?”

“He does not feel that the risk to our soldiers is—”

“Just say he’s afraid, Shivani. Just say you both are too cowardly to come up with a plan to save your king, to saveyour son.”

“Declan has—”

“Declan has an army made mostly of slaves and mercenaries. They hold no fondness for him. You have an army who is loyal to their king, or perhaps they’re only loyal to the queen mother,” I spat.

“General Ashmont believes to move on Folterra would cause Declan to kill Rainier anyway, Emmeline. It would be better to negotiate with the—”

“Who is to say if we give him the prince, he’ll even deliver Rainier to us? He has dynamic shifters, Shivani. Prince Cyran confirmed it.”

“I’d be able to tell—” she sputtered, as if offended.

“He also has a mindbreaker who could easily infiltrate Rain’s memories. We would find out, probably when our bond never came back, but by then it might be too late. In all likelihood, it alreadyistoo late. The Rainier we are getting back…” I shook my head and took a quick breath, burying the threatening emotions and bringing forth the ones of anger instead. “You wasted so much gods damn time not believing me, questioning me. Weeks, Shivani!” I stood, throwing my arms out from my sides.

“That was my fault, and I’m sorry.” For a moment, I believed her.

“Then fix it, gods damn it! You can’t tell me Vesta has held Folterra at bay for centuries, only to be outsmarted now by a delusional king who thinks he’s a god?”

“Emmeline, all we have to do is give him—”

“Get out, Shivani.” She stood, jaw dropping as she stared at me. “Either crown me, since I have the courage you are so desperately lacking, or get the fuck out.” I gritted my teeth, pushing the words past them. “Rain would not want me to send a child to his death.”

“That child slit your daughter’s throat, yet you sit here and—”

“Yes, and I brought her back, and I killed the fucking Folterran king while doing it! Must I kill another king? I’ve always had to do everything on my own. What’s one more thing to add to the list? You are a gutless, spineless coward. Get out, Shivani. Getout!“ I screamed at her, and Dewalt and Thyra launched into the room from where they’d been waiting in the corridor. Shooting a look at Thyra, my Second knew what I desired and gripped Shivani tightly by the elbow, leading her toward the door.

“I’m not letting her take Cyran. Meet back here this evening to discuss how to make the council see we need action?” I asked, and Dewalt nodded. “I’m going back to sleep.”

I sent a silent prayer to the gods to leave me alone and let me rest.

Chapter 8

Dewalt

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