Page 105 of Enchanted Shadows
“Yes, that little team which has done nothing but build me up. Believe in me. I have a purpose here. A place where I am not shunned. Where I am not forced to do things with my power I do not wish to.”
“I also built you up!” he exclaimed. “And I wasn’t the one who sent you on all those damn missions!”
As if Krew could sense my unease, he snapped, “It is in yourbestinterest to not speak to my sister in that manner.”
Calix grabbed another paper out of his pocket. “I was betrothed to Princess Kessara. She was promised to me. This paper is from the heir apparent. Proof of what I’m saying.”
Miles again moved forward to take it to Krew. Rather than read it, he lit it with his Enchantment, letting it burn before Calix.
Krew seethed, “And that ship has already set sail. As I understand it, Kessara at one point wanted to be married to you, but no longer does. She fell for her general while here and is married now. I can assure youthatmarriage stands firm in the eyes of the law and Wylan. No paper you can present can remove it. Kessara is married to Owen.”
“You must understand?—”
Krew interrupted, “No. You must understand. Princess Kessara can do whatever she wants. Marry whomever she wants. That wasn’t you, it was Commander Raikes. She wants to stay here, and she can. She has every right to.”
“You aren’t concerned she would vie for your crown?”
“No,” he answered immediately.
Seeing he was beat where Krew was concerned, he said, “You still have to return home, Kessara.”
“I already said I would,” she stated calmly.
Krew held up a piece of paper of his own. “I, too, can write letters. So here is mine for your queen. If Kessara is not back in a fortnight, I will assume she is being held in Agria against her will. And I will come, with force, to free her. We have all fought hard for peace in the realm these last years, but if anything happens to either her or Commander Raikes while they are visiting Agria, I will not hesitate to act.”
Calix opened his mouth and shut it. He must have already had a plan brewing for detaining Kessara once he got her away.
Kessara added, “We will both travel to Agria and speak to my mother, and we will both return right back here.”
“I will also go,” Amos offered. If he didn’t go, I supposed it would look too suspicious.
Calix looked to her, and I could tell by the redness of his face how close he was to losing it entirely. “Am I truly supposed to believe that inthree month’s time, you fled to Wylan, found your half-brother, joined a team of women, marriedthisman, forgot all about your life in Agria, and are happy?”
“Insult my husband one more time,” Kessara snapped. “But I suppose it would be difficult for you to understand what would make a woman happy, Calix.”
I was fairly certain that was the moment I fell in love with my wife.
But then Calix had to go and ruin the moment and wipe thegrin right off my face. He snapped back, “I can see that smart mouth of yours has only gotten smarter since I taught you?—”
I was moving with brute force, but Krew’s magic beat me there. Navy magic wrapped in silver stole the breath right out of Calix’s lungs, cutting him off. More navy magic wound around Calix’s arms and pinned him down before he could even beckon at the shadows. And as he did, I noted that the throne room was even sunnier than usual this morning. Likely intentional.
Krew’s voice was cold as he said, “Speak to my sister like that again, and you will find yourself at the bottom of the sea. Do I make myself clear?”
Calix couldn’t speak around the power tightening at his throat.
Kessara was standing with me, hands on my chest, holding me back from Calix.
Krew loosened his power only a little. “She is not your property. Whatever hold you believe you have over her, you no longer do. If so much as a hair on her head is out of place, I will bring war to your doorstep. One Agria is not prepared for. Since men in Kessara’s life like to make promises about her without her input, and sure as hell not her consent, here is mine. You do a thing to her or my commander, and you will pay. Do I make myself clear?”
He dropped his magic all at once.
“Yes,” Calix bit out, rubbing his neck.
“Now, can I trust Commander Raikes and Kessara to be safe on your ship to return to Agria, or do I need to send my own?”
“I will not hurt her,” Calix said as if taken aback.
“Them,” Krew corrected. “You will not hurtthem.”
