Page 61 of Enchanted Shadows
He gave me a nod. “It doesn’t make sense to assign a woman to each already functioning team just to say we did. There would be more strife that way. If they work better together, why would we fix something that isn’t broken?”
This.This was why he was a king like no other. He had the ability to see things for what they truly were. He was the reason the disloyal existed. The reason we were able to overthrow his father and get him off this very throne.
“Thank you.” I already felt that pressure easing off my shoulders. One less thing to worry about.
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Keir asked. “Sounds like you could use an actual break?—”
The tall doors of the throne room slid open interrupting our conversation. In walked three people. Amos Reyes. Emric. And Zara.
But the thing that had me tensing was the look on her face. Zara, who always was composed and graceful, was utterly wrecked. Last night she had batted away a few tears, but now they were streaming down her beautiful face.
If she was trying to quit on me again, I was not going to have it. She belonged with us. Why didn’t she see it when I sure as hell did?
“Zara?” I asked, handing my whiskey to Krew and moving for her.
Her eyes darted to Amos quickly before going back to mine.
“You,”I accused, switching for him. I was pissed he was here when he knew he was supposed to stay away from the team. I was also pissed that his presence, for whatever reason, was the reason a strong woman like Zara looked so devastated. Bottom line, there were tears and thus I needed to be pissed at someone. Amos seemed like the perfect target.
Zara shoved my chest hard in intercepting me. “No. He came to me with news.”
My eyes darted to Emric, who gave me a shrug. “She told me she had to talk to you. Demanded I bring her to you. All things considered; I decided it wise. Left Miles in charge.”
I looked back to Zara. She was gripping her necklace with one hand, stopping me with the other. “You once asked me what my real name was. Last night I almost told you. Iwantedto tell you. And now Ihaveto, but please know I would have anyway.”
I stilled. It was beyond time she tell me something.Anything.The presence of Amos and Emric, paired with her tears, had my magic crawling and rallying to be of use for whatever came next.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
And before I could say a damn word, she moved her hand off me and took off her necklace. In one blink, Zara no longer had blonde hair and brown eyes. Instead, she had dark hair and blue eyes. Unless my eyes deceived me, which very well might be likely, she also looked a few years older. Her skin was still the same shade of brown, but I swore she looked older.
I felt the cold piece of the necklace bite into my skin as she opened my clenched fist and handed it over to me, some sort of crystal at the bottom.
Keir’s voice behind me stated simply, “It’s you.”
I turned to look at him and back to Zara. Keir had spent some time in Nerede before heading to Dra Skor. “And how exactly do the two of you know one another?”
“He healed me,” was her simple answer.
“Princess Kessara?” Keir asked.
The only word I could form was,“Princess?”
Her bright blue eyes were on mine as she said, “My name is Princess Kessara Astra Zavatari of Agria and I seek asylum from my brother.” Her eyes went to Keir’s briefly. “With my half- brothers.”
CHAPTER 20
Brothers.This was a family affair? The words were not computing. My brain was hearing everything she said, but none of it made any sense. From the damn necklace which had apparently altered her appearance to the words she said. Brotherandhalf-brothers?
Keir, still holding Ruelle in his arms, took a step forward.
Amos moved to stand between him and Kessara. Guardian was only half of it. He was protecting his princess.
Zara, orPrincess Kessararather, put her hands up. “Please. Let me explain everything.” She inhaled deep. “Theon Valanova was my birth father.”
My knees threatened to go out from under me. It wasn’t possible. But as I looked to Princess Kessara and to Keir and Krew, dammit if they didn’t look related. Kessara’s skin tone was darker than theirs, but it was the same blue eyes. The same dark hair.
I remembered wondering if I had met Kessara before training. Clearly not. But was it because she reminded me of the twins?
