Page 126 of Enchanted Shadows
“No.”
A dragon roar pierced the air. Zaire had shifted and successfully quieted the room. Also filled the vast majority of it. The ceilings here were tall, but not as tall as Dra Skor’s so the dragon was crouched. Which looked a little like he was about to pounce, a nice added effect.
“Everyone stay exactly where you are,” Keir commanded, more kingly than I had ever heard him. “Here is how this is going to go. I’m going to personally hand the queen the treaty. The queen and her daughter are going to disperse to have a long conversation. The rest of us will stay put, other than the team of women from Wylan, who are free to go.” He spun to look atthem. “Apologies for ruining your meeting with the queen and king.”
“You don’t even know that Kessara is truly your sister,” Calix said to Keir. “For all you know, she is one of our spies.”
Keir glared at him. “Really. You are standing in the room with both of us, and you don’t seeanyfamily resemblance?”
While they bickered, I moved to hug my sister. “Get the team out of here. If we are not at the ship in three hours’ time, run a retrieval mission with Amos.”
She nodded, appeased with my orders, with something to do, and moved immediately to Molly and Viv.
I was a bit stunned when Kessara took my hand and pulled me out of the room with her, following in the wake of the queen’s skirts as she stormed out of the room.
She took us to a small library, one that looked well-loved and used over just being ornamental. She turned on her daughter, snapping, “What the hell was that, andwhereis Artem?”
My heart broke for Kessara in that moment. Wylan had just stood tall for Kessara. Claiming her as their own. And the first words out of her mother’s mouth had been about the other Zavatari sibling.
Kessara squeezed my hand as she offered up wisely, “Maybe the question isn’t where Artem is, but is insteadwhyArtem would feel the need to hide from us? His own family?”
The queen pinched her nose. “How long has this been going on?”
“Years. I stayed on with Damek only to protect Artem. I suspected eventually he’d make a move on him. You know how well-loved Artem is with our people.”
“Your brother Damek is...aggressive, but do you really believe him capable of all this?”
“I fled when Damek sent me to spy on Artem. He was going to have me hold him down to murder him, Mother. I couldn’t standby and be a part of his way of doing things a moment more. I couldn’t help hold people down any longer while he drove a dagger into their beating hearts.”
“And how many times did he force you to do that? He told usonce. That he got carried away and never meant for it to go that far, but that the man had deserved it.”
“Three times. And I lost a portion of my soulevery single time.”
Her mother reached for her, hugging her hard. “I am sorry, Zara. I am sorry it took this for me to see it. Hear it. No one wants to believe their child capable of...this. I’m not happy with the antics that just took place in my throne room, but they were effective. I’m here and I’m listening.”
I stood near one of the windows overlooking the forest and allowed mother and daughter to have a moment. I heard sniffling and knew one or both were in tears. It was Kessara who broke the silence. “When I fled, I took Artem with me. To hide him.”
“What?”her mother breathed. “You know where he is?”
“Yes. He is well. But I will not tell you where.”
“You do not trust me?” she asked, hurt clear on her tone. “He is my son.”
“And I am your daughter! You have played favorites with Damek. Also clung to convenient choices in the past. So how was I to know for certain?”
Silence met the question for a few moments.
Kessara then kept speaking, explaining to her mother how she got to this point. Got to the point where she felt she had to ask the land of her true father for help. A land that might not even welcome her, but she had to see if her brothers were really the men they were whispered to be.
At one point some sandwiches were delivered for our lunch as the two of them continued to get caught up.
The queen batted at tears as Kessara finished explaining. “I went to Wylan for help because none could be found in Agria. Youand father wouldn’t believe me, wouldn’t listen to my concerns. Chalked it all up to the differences in personalities of the two of us. But Owen, Keir, and Krew did. Theyimmediatelytook my word for it.”
“I’m sorry,” the queen bit out. “I’m sorry you felt safer there than here. I have failed you, daughter.”
“Your Highness,” I interjected, moving to check on Kessara, who took my wrist and squeezed, so I wrapped that arm around her, willing her more strength. “Please take a moment and read the treaty. Remove Damek as heir apparent. Get him the help he needs as he’s clearly not well. You have two other viable heirs here.”
“What? You want me to choose Kessara and make you king?” the queen snapped as she unrolled the treaty.
