Page 87 of Realm of Wind and Vines
“I still think we should—” Galen begins.
“I’m going to kill Lavendera.” I push off from the table and stalk towards the door. “Either help me. Or stay the fuck out of my way.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Our prediction was right. Because of Isera’s torture session in Orion’s dungeon, Emperor Bane was too injured to fly back to the Ice Palace straight away. They’re most likely waiting for Rin to get here so that she can heal him, and probably Gremar too, if they’re feeling merciful. Regardless, it means that Lavendera is still in the Seelie Court as well. And that means that we can finally kill her.
“Why don’t we just kill her from a distance?” Orion asks, for the third time in as many minutes. “It feels like we’re making things more complicated than they need to be.”
The trees around us rustle restlessly as a warm wind sweeps through the thorn forest. Shielding my eyes from the sunlight that filters down through the canopy, I watch as Lavendera walks along the path from the Golden Palace and towards the city to do whatever it is that traitors do. Five dragon shifters in silver armor follow her. I recognize them from the fields outside the Green Clan’s mountain. They’re part of the Icehearts’ elite guards.
“I’ve answered this twice already,” Draven replies to Orion’s repetitive question. “She has tree magic. I have never, not oncein the two hundred years that I’ve known her, seen a ranged attack on her actually hit her. She always manages to block it with her tree magic. It’s like she has a sixth sense or something.”
“I still think luring her to us is unnecessarily risky,” Orion counters.
Draven scoffs and flashes him a mocking smile. “Yeah, well, we can’t all be cowards.”
Orion’s eyes flash. Taking a step closer, he locks a stare full of challenge and suspicion on Draven. “You’ve been pushing pretty hard for this plan. How do we know that you’re not leading us into a trap?”
“Why would I lead you into a trap? We’re on the same side, asshole.”
“Are we?” Suspicion glints like blades in Orion’s eyes as he comes to a halt right in front of Draven and looks him up and down. “How do we know that you’re not wearing dragon steel again? They could’ve put it back on you while you were in captivity and ordered you to lead us into a trap.”
“They did put dragon steel on me while I was in captivity. But she took it back before she traded me for Bane, remember?”
“There could be a second piece. Hidden somewhere.”
“That doesn’t—” Draven’s retort is cut short as he sucks in a sharp breath.
I snap my gaze to Orion to find his eyes glowing. Anger surges through me like fire. Grabbing his arm, I yank him towards me instead. “What the fuck are you doing?”
He yanks his arm out of my grip while his eyes continue glowing. “I need to be sure.”
“Back the fuck off,” I order while summoning my own magic in warning. “He has been through enough.”
His eyes continue glowing for another couple of seconds before he finally releases the grip on his magic. After a hard look in my direction, he lifts his toned shoulders in an unapologeticshrug. “He’s clean. No dragon steel apart from the piece Jessina took back.”
Draven grabs him by the collar and yanks him closer before growling in his face, “If you ever rifle through my head like that again, I will fucking kill you.”
To my surprise, it’s not anger or threats or even indignation that flashes across Orion’s face. It’s frustration.
“I had to be sure!” he snaps, his voice laced with exasperation.
Raising his forearm, he shoves Draven’s hand away from his collar. Draven lets him. That strange expression of helpless frustration remains on Orion’s dangerously beautiful features as he smooths his fancy shirt down again and looks from face to face.
“I’ve staked my entire court on this!” he snaps, and there is a hint of desperation in his eyes as he looks at us. “Onyou. On six insane idiots who have nothing left to lose. Well, guess what?” He stabs his hand against his own chest. “Ihave something left to lose. I have an entire court whose safety I’m responsible for.” His hard eyes shift to Draven. “So I had to be sure.”
Next to me, Isera cocks her head slightly and watches him with a considering look on her face. Draven says nothing, just stares back at Orion. The Unseelie King blows out a frustrated breath.
“I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for that damn bargain you forced me into,” he continues, sliding his gaze to Isera. His eyes narrow slightly as he watches her. “And I’m still waiting for you to actually prove that you’re a descendant of the Seelie Queen’s second daughter. The fact that you also didn’t know about the kill box wall in your own castle is very suspicious, little viper. It’s not the first time. And it’s making me think that there are a number of things that are not adding up about this.”
My heart skips a beat. If we lose Orion and the Unseelie Court, we’ll be back to square one. We can’t let that happen. We can’t ever let him find out that Isera lied about being royalty.Luckily, though, there is no way to fully prove it either way. Isera might not be able to prove that she is a descendant of the Seelie Queen, but Orion can’t prove that sheisn’teither.
“Guys,” Alistair says before Isera is forced to answer. “Lavendera has reached the city.”
Clothes rustle as everyone turns back to watch Lavendera walk through Golden Gate and into the city. While Orion’s attention is elsewhere, Isera slides a grateful glance in Alistair’s direction and dips her chin. Alistair, who is a lot more perceptive than people give him credit for, just suppresses a small smile. Behind him, Lyra is grinning openly, her orange eyes glittering in a ray of golden sunlight as she watches Alistair while he can’t see. Galen just shakes his head with a knowing look on his face.
“Alright, get everything ready out here,” I begin. “Alistair and I will go into the city.”
