Chapter 20

“Out of the question, Davion.” Trystan’s gaze could have cut glass. He’d ordered Davi, Alixa, and Lorelai to the throne room and shut the door. His guards would keep anyone from coming in or out.

The four of them stared at each other, waiting for someone to break the standoff.

“Trystan.” Alixa bit her lip and sighed.

Trystan’s eyes snapped to her. “What, Alixa? What would you like to say here? Because if the next words out of your mouth are what I expect them to be, you’d do well keeping them to yourself.”

Lorelai crossed her arms over her chest as she scrutinized him. “What are you going to do, your Majesty?” Her voice held an eerie threat. “Keep us here with your magic?” She lifted her chin. “Try.”

Davi’s eyes widened, but he wisely stayed quiet.

Lorelai narrowed her icy eyes. “You can’t, can you?” She stepped toward him. “Your magic is weak. The earth doesn’t answer you.” She cocked her head. “You expected the magic to return to Dreach-Sciene and make you the all-powerful king you needed to be to win this war, but that didn’t happen. You really know nothing, do you?”

Trystan stepped back, needing space between him and the seer. Every word she spoke was the truth. He’d tried more times than he could count, but his magic could barely even start a fire. He was the king, and he was weak.

When Davi finally spoke again, his voice held none of the confidence Trystan knew him for. “This is the only way, Trystan. Surely you can see that. There are hundreds of people—soldiers and villagers alike—within these walls. If we can save them…”

Trystan clenched his jaw and met his friends’ haunted eyes with ghosts of his own. “I won’t lose you again.” His stern gaze swept the room. “Any of you.” He pointed toward the door. “Do you think that will be the end? That we’ll hand you three over and Eisner will run back to Calis and tell him this war is over.” He dropped his arm. “This isn’t about you.”

A pounding sounded on the door and Rissa’s voice reached them as she yelled at the guards to let her through. The door burst open, and she barreled toward Davi, her hands stretched out in front of her. When she reached him, she shoved him backward until he hit the wall.

“Idiot,” she seethed. “Of all the…” A growl ripped from her throat. “They’re trying to break us and you’re stupid enough to play right into their hands. Dammit, why couldn’t I have fallen in love with Avery? She’s at least the practical one of you lot. Ugh!”

“Ri.” Trystan tried to grab her arm, but she ripped it away.

“I’ve got this, brother.” She snapped her hand open, and Davi’s arms stuck to the wall.

“Rissa.” Davi tried to break free of her magic, but she was stronger. “Let me go.”

She leaned close so they were nose to nose. “No.” She glanced over her shoulder at Trystan. “I can handle him. You take care of those two.”

Trystan stared at her for a moment longer, torn between wanting to make her back off Davi and thanking her.

Alixa scowled. “Don’t even think of sticking me to a wall.”

“He doesn’t have enough power.” Lorelai looked to him in challenge.

The sound of Davi struggling distracted him for a moment before Trystan’s shoulders dropped. “There has to be a better way to end this. We have enough grain to last us long after the reinforcements from Whitecap can get here. I refuse to give Eisner what he wants. We have no guarantee he’ll let us be.”

Lorelai relaxed her stance. “You’re right, your Majesty.”

“I am?”

“He is?” Alixa parroted.

“My uncle has no loyalties. The closest thing I’ve seen him come to love was Davion. But he’s been trying to destroy Dreach-Sciene for much longer than Davi has been alive. I don’t know why Duke Eisner requested Davion and myself to turn ourselves over, but I can assure you, Calis Bearne would never agree to a truce to secure our return.”

“Ri, do you hear that?” Davi asked. “We aren’t going. You can let me go.”

Rissa tapped one finger against her chin. “No, Davion. I know you want to do what you think is best and that means your judgment is suspect.” She lifted her hand and Davi sprang free from the wall. “Sit.” When he didn’t obey, she forced his legs to bend. “You will remain here until the deadline has passed.”

His mouth gaped open. “That’s hours from now.”

She shrugged. “Next time, maybe you won’t be so impulsive.”

* * *

Someone shook Rissa’s shoulder, but she didn’t have the strength to lift her eyes to them as she focused every bit of her waning magic on Davi.

“Rissa.” That was Ramsey’s voice. She heard it, but the words didn’t register in her mind. “The deadline has passed.”

She felt Davi fight against her magic every second even as he promised her he’d let go of the insanity that had him wanting to give himself up to save those inside the palace. Had he realized his capture was nothing but another lie?

But a flashback to the night Davi was lost to them in the mountains of Isenore overtook her mind, and she couldn’t think of anything other than the simple fact that she couldn’t lose him again. Dreach-Sciene needed him, her brother wanted him by his side, but those reasons were of little importance to her. She’d been so afraid of his dying again because if he was gone, she’d lose herself as well.

Because Rissa Renauld, princess of Dreach-Sciene, stubborn and independent as she was, wasn’t anything without Davion. He was the only thing that made her whole.

So, in the middle of a siege on the palace walls, she used every bit of magic inside her to keep him pinned to the same spot. To keep him safe.

He sat beside the throne. Every time he tried to stand, she used her power to push him back down.

“Did you hear me?” Ramsey’s voice was louder this time, bouncing through the spaces in her mind.

“Forget it, Ramsey.” Davion sighed. She heard his words but didn’t react as she listened to them absently. “She stopped listening to me hours ago.”

Ramsey straightened. “Eisner knows by now we aren’t handing you over. Now we’re waiting to see his response.”

“Do you think we made a mistake?”

“Son, I know Calis and Eisner better than you could ever hope to. So, no. I don’t think it was a mistake. I have no loyalty to you. You aren’t my blood. I love Lorelai like my own, but even her sacrifice would be acceptable if I thought they’d really let us be. Trades and deals aren’t going to end this. I’m very much afraid only bloodshed will.”

Rissa’s remaining power unraveled within her. She tried to grasp it as if fumbling for a loose string, but it slipped through her fingers and she slumped back against the wall.

Davi’s body surged forward as her hold released him. He fell onto his hands. Without wasting a minute, he scrambled across the floor to kneel in front of Rissa.

“Ri.” He put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up so he could look into her unfocused eyes.

“She used all her magic to keep you with her.” Ramsey’s voice held a chastisement in it.

Davi said something else but his words jumbled in Rissa’s brain. Strong arms lifted her and it was as if she was floating.

The castle blurred around her and a singular thought entered her mind. The earth. It needed her. To take its magic. To protect it. She’d never been so drained, but even without the power in her veins, its connection was strong.

The stone fortress around her suddenly didn’t feel like protection, but instead served as a cage, keeping her from the earth. Where were they taking her?

“She needs magic,” Ramsey said.

No crap, she wanted to respond, but her lips wouldn’t move. She vaguely knew of people scrambling to get out of their path.

They entered the great hall, which sat at the center of the castle. The keep was the most secure part, fortified against any invasion. Villagers crowded into the small place.

“Up here,” Davi said, pushing his way through.

Rissa hadn’t had a need to spend much time in the great hall since Trystan’s Toha ceremony. At that thought, she knew why they’d brought her here. Beyond the rows of wooden benches was a broken area in the stone. It had been created many generations before in order to perform ceremonies with the earth’s presence.

Kings were crowned here. Tohas were named here. Royal marriages were blessed.

Because it was the one place inside the palace other than the walled garden where the earth entered their lives.

Davi sat her on the cool ground and took her hand to place it on the small patch of dirt. Nothing grew threw the cracks, but the earth still thrived. Her strength snapped into her as warmth flooded her veins.

She breathed in deeply and blew out when she peered up at Davi. “You’re still here.” A smiled spread slowly. “I knew I could stop you.”

He shook his head. “I told you once I’m never leaving you again. I don’t intend to break that promise.”

Ramsey helped her to her feet and the three of them left the keep behind, nodding to the guards as they did.

They walked through the halls until a door led them into the courtyard where several soldiers were milling around waiting for orders. Waiting wasn’t easy on any of them.

“Princess,” a few murmured tiredly as they passed. Davi got more formal “Sirs”. Ramsey was ignored as usual. Those who knew who he was still didn’t know what to make of the young-looking Tri-Gard member.

Alixa stood at the bottom of the narrow stairs leading up to where Rissa’s archers lined the walls. She looked to Rissa in question. “Trystan said you had Davi trapped?” She raised an eyebrow.

Rissa shrugged. She wasn’t proud of her fear or her dependence on Davi.

Davi held out his hand and gestured to the stairs. “Together?”

She nodded just as a shout came from above. “Fire!”

Armor-clad feet ran down the stairs, shouting as they did, before running across the courtyard.

Rissa sprinted up the steps where she found Trystan shouting orders. He caught sight of them. “Ramsey, I need you at the eastern grain stores now.”

Ramsey took one look at the flames rising toward the sky across the parapets and took off.

Rissa didn’t wait for a command before stepping forward. “Archers.” She picked up a discarded bow and drew the string back, narrowing one eye.

A handful of men were in the distance throwing magically created flames toward the Dreach-Sciene grain stores.

“Davi,” Trystan barked and jerked his head toward the west. “Take some men who use their magic well and protect the rest of our stores.”

Davi left to organize those in the courtyard.

“We’re going to take out magic wielders,” Rissa told the archers along the wall. “While they’re still occupied with their fire.” She glanced to the side to see them all lift their bows. “Draw. Aim.” She marked the farthest magic wielder for herself. “Fire!”

A volley of arrows arced through the sky, but they were too far. Rissa used her magic to urge her arrow farther than the rest, but most of the strong magic wielders had been separated from the archers for their skill.

Rissa’s arrow struck her target and the rest fell short.

Screams rent through the air as the buildings housing the stores to the west burst into flames.

Fear stabbed her gut, but she shook it away. Davi would be okay.

“Your Majesty.” Avery stepped up beside him. “The Duke will try to starve us out. If Lonara and Ramsey can’t put out the flames before all the stores have caught fire, we won’t be able to sit here waiting for him to make a move anymore. We need to act.”

Trystan tore his eyes from the overwhelming army below and fixed them on Avery. “You’re right, Avery. I will not give up this castle.” He flicked his eyes to Rissa. “Eisner doesn’t know us as well as he thinks he does. We will fight for Dreach-Sciene until we reside within the earth.” He turned toward the stairs. “Avery, wake the rest of the troops. Rissa, prepare your archers to provide support. It’s time we deal with the traitor at our gates.”