Page 68 of Detonation
Raven guides us to the biggest wooden table, gesturing for us to take seats. "Are you hungry or thirsty?"
Hale takes the lead. "We’re fine, thank you. Will you please tell us how you came to meet Lana and what happened? We'd like to get to her as quickly as possible."
We all nod our agreement and settle in as Raven tells us of Lana's arrival, how she trained and worked her way through the ranks. Apparently, she was able to beat everyone, besides Raven, and even that was a draw. My heart flutters with pride at how she learned to harness her powers and how hard she worked.
That's our girl, bringing the heat.
Noreen takes over, telling us how the last time Lana was here, they took a walk into the woods and a dark fae used Noreen’s life as a gambling chip to get Lana to go with him. He placed cuffs on her that seemed to drain her energy or magic, possibly both, and caused her to weaken.
"He knocked me out with the butt of his knife so I don't know what happened after that..." she trails off, looking intently at the table before looking up at us with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I should have done more. He took her and it's my fault."
Grammie places a hand on her shoulder. "Lannie made her choice to put your life above her own, like any queen would. It is not your fault. It is the dark fae's fault, child."
Noreen nods but, with the way her eyes remain downcast and her shoulders fall, I can see that she doesn't accept that.
I shock myself by speaking, unable to bear the regret that comes off this woman in waves. "Hey, don't beat yourself up, Noreen. Lana is as stubborn as a mule. She'll do what she thinks is best, no matter who’s involved or what they think. She has a big heart but sometimes, between you and me, she doesn’t always use the old noggin alongside it."
Noreen peeks up at me with her hazel eyes and I wink at her, glad to see she’s not looking quite so solemn.
My twin chimes in, "She never would have forgiven herself if anything had happened to you on her watch; of that, I'm sure."
A corner of her mouth tilts up and we smile back, satisfied.
Hale turns to Raven. "Okay, so do we know where he took her? Have you guys formed a plan to get her back yet?"
Grammie huffs as Raven answers, "We cannot risk our forces trying to get her out."
I lock eyes with Raven, gaping at her. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat yourself? I think my ears are fucking broken because I thought you just said you guys won't help rescue her."
Her back straightens as she lifts her chin at me. "Your ears are working perfectly fine."
Noreen's eyes come to life as she glares at Raven, clearly carrying on an old argument. "We owe it to her! She saved my life. She's our queen!"
Raven scoffs. "She is not our queen. She hasn't been since she led our realm to slaughter forty years ago."
My hands curl into fist, my nails digging into my hands until I feel blood trickle down my fingers as I fight to keep my anger at bay. My body heats, my powers wanting to explode in tandem with my emotions.
Luke's voice ices over. "Tell us how she isn't worthy of being your queen?" Raven opens her mouth to answer but he cuts her off. "Was she not worthy because of how she fought to the bitter end for her realm, forfeiting her life alongside so many others who fought for the same cause? Was she not worthy when she persevered through the countless duels and training sessions under your guidance, not once complaining, just as you admitted yourself?" When she goes to speak again, he slams his fist on the table, making her eyes widen with the force. "I'm not fucking done."
Well, shit. Maybe my twin has a little fire in him as well.
"Was she not worthy when she didn't hesitate to trade her life for Noreen's? Can you say you would have done the same?"
Well said, brother.
Blood drips from his knuckles as he looks at Raven with something akin to pity. "Tell me, what more could you want from a queen, besides someone aching to be worthy, and desperate to save their realm, willing to put their people first in a heartbeat?”
She stays silent and he sighs, pushing back from his chair, turning to walk out. But before he leaves, he tosses out over his shoulder. "She didn’t have to come back. She could have decided to leave all of this in the past but she didn't. Even when she knew nothing of this realm, had no memories of the people here, it called to her soul. And she answered that call. How many of us can say we’d do the same?"
He walks out of the dining hall, hanging his head and shaking it.
Hale nods for Zedd to go after him and he does. None of us should be alone right now.
Raven tries to rationalize. "She isn't strong enough to be our queen and to defeat the dark fae. She wasn't before and she isn't now. She simply doesn't have enough time to reconnect with her powers and become better than she was before."
Grammie wipes a few stray tears from her cheeks, shaking her head solemnly as she grabs Noreen and guides them away from our table and out of the dining hall.
As the dining hall doors close and we're left alone with Raven, Hale rounds on her. "Who’s strong enough then? You? Do you think you're the best chance our people have at peace in our realm?"
