Page 18 of Storms of Allegiance

Amara stared at him with narrowed eyes. “You can’t possibly be suggesting we hand Delphine over?”

“That is precisely what I’m suggesting.” Nik said it calmly, not breaking gaze, but I could see the subtle shift as his jaw tightened, and the muscles across his shoulders flexed. He was pretending coldness and indifference, but something else lay underneath.

Amara stood in one fluid motion. “This meeting is over.”

ChapterSix

“Amara.” Hayes spoke softly, his eyes pleading with her. “We should at least hear the prince out. I’m certain he doesn’t want any harm to come to Delphine.”

“I’ve spent a great deal of time considering the matter,” Nik said. “If I could go in there myself, I would, in a heartbeat. I would have already gone. But Grey is cautious now in a way he wasn’t before. Delphine is the only one he wants badly enough to take the risk.”

“Even if he does want her,” Clay said slowly, “why would he ever trust her? Didn’t he stab her during their last encounter? Surely he’s not such a fool as to think she would want to join him after that?”

“Not willingly, no.” Nik looked to me. “That’s where Miranda comes in.”

“Ooh.” Understanding slowly bloomed. “You want me to offer myself in her place. Like a prisoner exchange.”

For the first time I could see the appeal of his plan.

Nik nodded. “It’s the only believable reason you would go to him. And once you’re inside his camp, you can find out the information we need—even better if you can get him to trust you.”

“Even with an exchange…” Clay shook his head. “He’ll be on guard around her all the time, surely? Will she really be able to learn anything of value?”

Nik leaned forward, his manner indicating he had thoroughly thought through every aspect of this plan. “Grey is a very confident man. I would write it off as foolish arrogance except that he really does manage to win people and situations over—even when it seems like they should be beyond his reach. Take Miranda as an example. She tried to escape him here in Caltor, and yet she now seems to have accepted her lot completely. She didn’t make a single attempt to fight him or escape in their whole journey north. Grey believes in his ability to convince people, and that will work to our advantage. He might be suspicious of Delphine at first, but I don’t believe he’ll stay that way. If she makes it look like he’s won her over, he’ll believe it.”

“How long is she supposed to stay there?” Luna asked, sounding horrified.

Nik’s eyes lingered on me again. “As short a time as possible.”

“And we’re just supposed to let an eighteen-year-old face that kind of danger alone?” Amara asked.

“Of course not. We’ll be there, too, as close as possible without being discovered.” He hesitated, his jaw tensing again. “But there will be some risk. I can’t deny that. And if I could think of any other way, I would never suggest this.”

Something in Nik’s expression made my stomach flip over. How long had it been since he’d found Grey’s base? How long had Nik been resisting bringing this idea to us?

“And you think your father will agree to this strategy?” Hayes asked.

Nik was silent in response, and I snorted. “Telling the king wasn’t part of your plan, was it?”

His eyes flicked between the three master mages. “If you all insist on involving him, then yes, I think he’ll agree. After all, we’re only risking one apprentice mage in exchange for saving the whole kingdom.” The derision in his voice made me flinch.

“That’s not fair,” Amara said in a softer voice than I’d yet heard her use with Nik. “Your father cares about his people.”

“But he cares about his kingdom more.” Nik’s eyes were like stones, cold and unreadable.

A question flashed through my mind. Did Nik have experience with what—or who—his father was willing to discard for the good of the kingdom?

“That’s his job,” Hayes said. “He couldn’t be a good king without that quality.”

Nik stood, every line of his body taut, his eyes alight. “If you have something to say, just say it,” he ground out.

Hayes continued to regard him with compassion on his face. “All I’m saying is that consulting the king is a necessity. We can’t go racing off to attempt something like this on our own.”

My brow furrowed. Where were the royal family in all this? Why were they only being consulted now?

“If this problem is so big,” I asked the room at large, “why aren’t the royal family coming themselves? Where’s the king? Aren’t they the most powerful mages we have? Maybe one of them could stop the blight without needing to involve Grey.”

Hayes hesitated for a moment, casting a glance at Nik that was so quick I wasn’t sure I’d really seen it.

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