Page 85 of Legacy of the Heirs
“Keres makes the most sense. The mountain ranges along Vala would delay an attack and offer the realm more safety,” said Nyzaia, and Farid nodded beside her.
“The land where the port of Myara sits is flat compared to Vala and offers easy access,” he added.
“What does that matter when the creatures can fly? They could easily infiltrate either realm,” Caellum said, and annoyingly, Soren agreed. Larelle and Alvan glanced at one another, and Larelle bit her lip.
“You two,” Soren said, pointing at them. “You know something.”
Alvan reached for Larelle’s hand and nodded reassuringly at her.
“When I was taken…” Larelle hesitated, twisting her hands in the skirts of her gown. “There is much I learned from being with the creature, a lot of which can be discussed in the coming days. But most importantly, they are not simplycreatures.”
“What do you mean?” asked Sadira in her frustratingly gentle tone. Larelle exchanged a look with Alvan before turning back to the rulers with a sad smile.
“They can transform. They turned into humans like us—spoke, thought, and planned like us. We are not simply dealing with winged creatures.”
Chaos ensued as the rulers yelled multiple questions, drowning each other out. Sadira squeezed Caellum’s hand and rose; she made her way to Larelle. Alvan stepped back as Sadira embraced her. Soren tilted her head, watching as Sadira released Larelle and heldher hands.
“Are you okay?” she asked. Larelle’s eyes watered before she swallowed and nodded, her smile strained. The queen of Nerida reminded Soren of her sister: the innate kindness, the adoration from others, yet Larelle commanded a room in a way Soren both respected and envied.
“I do not know if it is all of them,” Larelle continued. “But my point is, they could have some creatures on land in human form and others in the sky—a two-pronged attack.”
“Making Keres the likely location,” Farid confirmed, glancing at Nyzaia like a soldier waiting for command. Nyzaia looked at Kazaar, the only military commander in the room.
“It would be wise to move forces to Keres yet leave enough in each realm to guard entry points if needed,” Kazaar said. “If you will host us all?”
Nyzaia nodded, and Soren sighed inwardly. She did not think she could take fourteen days with them all in one place.
“We must leave immediately so we can plan our arrival,” Kazaar said.
“I will send Vlad to Vala to bring the forces and return the talisman,” Elisara said, and Alvan nodded.
“I will return to Nerida to alert the forces and collect Zarya,” said Alvan, and Soren scoffed. She did not think war was an appropriate place for a child, but then she did not understand the draw of motherhood or the need to be close to family.
“I trust you with the talisman,” Larelle said, passing it to Alvan to return it.
“I can return to Garridon,” Soren said, an opportunity to get the soldiers on her side as they travelled to Keres. Caellum turned in his seat to look at her with narrowed, surveying eyes. He did not speak.
“Thank you, Soren,” Sadira said, still standing beside Larelle. Her tone was clipped, and her lips tight.She does not trust my intentions. “Sir Cain will take the talisman for now.” Soren steppedforward, hand on the pommel of her sword as she opened her mouth to protest. Sadira had learned nothing when it came to commanding Soren. “But you can accompany him,” Sadira added, and Soren had no chance to protest further because Elisara’s voice cut across the room.
“So, it is agreed?” Elisara asked, and the group nodded. Soren surveyed their expressions and wondered if any of them were truly prepared. While Soren had not been physically involved in a large-scale war, she had been at war with Caellum’s family for as long as she could remember. The rulers all glanced at one another, the air heavy as the realisation settled upon them all. Each reached for the hand of the person with them: Nyzaia with her captain, Elisara and her commander, Larelle and her lord, and Caellum and his betrothed. Soren crossed her arms, her blood running cold.
“We head to Keres and prepare for war,” Larelle confirmed.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Sadira
Growing up, Sadira had an interesting relationship with the sun. There was a time when she worshipped it for the life it gave plants and flowers, but when she learned to grow plants herself, the sun offered little more than light on a dark day. After living on a windy island for years and then moving to a realm often cool and rainy, the warmth of Keres offered Sadira a new appreciation for the sun.
The rays warmed her skin as she gripped the stoned wall along the tiled terrace. She had never seen so many brightly coloured patterns, a stark contrast to the dark woods she had become accustomed to in Garridon or the stone and ivy of Doltas Island. The terrace attached to her room was on the side of Tabheri Palace, closest to the busy streets in the city. As Sadira closed her eyes, she heard the calls, the hustle and bustle of readying markets she desperately wished to spend her day exploring instead. While she did not think she could live in such a city, it made for an exciting change to the peace and quiet of the gardens her rooms overlooked in Antor.
They left the neutral city through the Keres gate immediately after sending word to their homes to have possessions packed and ready for collection. It felt odd not returning to Garridon. By the time they reached the palace, they were exhausted and separated to their assigned quarters with the agreement to meet the following morning. Yet now it was morning, and Sadira was not ready to face the looming threat. Yesterday’s revelations were a lot to take in, leaving her drained as they travelled to Keres. She spent thejourney attempting to recall every detail of their encounter with the gods. She wished she had written down everything the gods had said about the creatures and sword. When she tried to recall the specifics, she was distracted by the image of Garridon. Sadira had struggled to read her god or understand his views on the tense dynamic between his descendants, but she was positive Soren piqued his interest. She did not think Caellum had noticed, but Sadira saw Garridon’s stolen glances at her sister. Nevertheless, Sadira would happily take Garridon’s uncertainty over Vala’s outburst against Elisara. While she imagined most would have latched onto Vala’s words about the sullying of her bloodline, Sadira was more focused on Kazaar’s unwavering defence of his queen. Sadira admired Kazaar’s attitude and would also defend those she loved just as fiercely should it be required of her.
Sadira smiled as arms wrapped around her waist, and a gentle kiss graced her bare shoulder.
“Good morning,” Caellum murmured onto her skin before resting his chin in the crook of her neck, pulling her closer. “You look beautiful today.”
Sadira blushed. Her dress was far thinner than her usual gowns, the sunset shades blending into the red rooftops of the city. Caellum’s thumb stroked the small triangular cut out over Sadira’s torso, no bigger than her fist.
