Page 175 of The Fae Girl 1

“We have to learn from the mistakes we made last time.”

“You weren’t there Fain. You were barely more than a babe in arms.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I was in your army well before the war started if you remember.”

He nodded. “But a lowly soldier cannot see the mistakes made on a battlefield.”

“A commander can. And that’s what you’ve made me. You put me in charge of your armies so let me do my job.”

He sighed. “What other options do we have? Surely there’s some middle ground?”

I shrugged. “How many of your people do you want to save and how many are you willing to sacrifice?”

He glowered. Knowing exactly what I was really saying. That his pride could cost people their lives. That his ego could prevent us from taking the actions necessary all under the pretence of making him look like a good king while in reality he was acting like the complete opposite.

“War is a bloody business. Sacrifices have to be made somewhere. On the road to victory we have to decide where we draw the line. What cost is worth our quarry.”

“So tell me Uther, where does your line fall?” I asked.

He glared at me for a moment. “Give me options. Give me something I can work with and I’ll agree.”

In other words, I chose what sacrifices we make. Who will live and who will die. “Fine.” I said. “But if you want my help you have to tell me everything.”

“Like what?” He asked.

“Like Jelric for one. I only heard he’d been sent away at the council meeting.”

“I don’t see how it effects anything.”

“You know it does.” I replied.

“We have to know what the girl is. We have to know why she is different.”

I nodded. I wasn’t disputing that. “But you didn’t tell me he had left the city or where he’s gone.”

“Because even I don’t know.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

“He wouldn’t tell me. He said there’d be no point if he was wrong.”

“So he has an idea then.”

“Apparently so.” Uther replied. “Whatever it is I hope it works to our advantage.”

I tried not to wince. Not to acknowledge the guilt I was feeling at the fact he was talking about her like that and I was sat here, not defending her, not even putting him in his place.

“We already know she is powerful.” He continued. “If we’re lucky, she might be a weapon strong enough to win this war.”

“She’s not a weapon.” I growled before I could stop myself.

Uther narrowed his eyes.

“She’s a person first.” I said. “If you want her help you have to remember that.”

He leant forward. “We made a deal. She agreed to fight for us so no, I don’t have to remember that. Until her part is met she belongs to me, just as this castle does, just as the crown on my head is mine.”

I let out a low breath. Every cell in my body was screaming at me to lash out, to kill my own brother for those words alone.

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