Chapter 124 Chapter 124: The Final Decision

Chapter 124 Chapter 124: The Final Decision

By the look on their faces, I can tell they think I’ve gone insane.

Perhaps I have.

But this is the only thing that makes sense to me now. Otherwise, how much longer are we going to wait until we feel like we’re ready?

When the Shades bring another war to us? Haven’t they started it already?

We need to fight back while we still have the advantage.

Zadok scoffs, running his fingers through his hair. “Are you out of your damn mind?”

Deep down, he knows I’m not joking.

“I want to talk to the king,” I carry on, firm and ignoring his question.

“Hettie, what the fuck are you talking about?” he presses, his eyes pleading.

I look away because he might be the only person who is able to talk me out of this, if he really tries. I can’t risk that.

But I know Zadok. He might not agree with me and my decisions, but he respects me enough not to tell me what to do. Even if he’s freaking out, he won’t fight me if he thinks I’m serious.

However, I’m in a constant war with myself. This idea is terrifying, even though it came from me.

My heart knows what has to be done, but my brain does not always agree with it.

The idea of going to the Forbidden Zones alone makes me want to vomit.

Ambushing the Shades and fighting them personally is crazy. Delusional.

How can I even think I’m good enough for something like this? Until a few days ago, I wasn’t even confident I could handle embedding all the weapons from the army.

How can I assume I can manage dark creatures that have existed for decades? Centuries maybe?

“Amser, can you please ask someone to call the king? I doubt anyone will let me out of here, so…”

She looks at me with a conflicted expression. “Hettie, have you thought this through? The Forbidden Zones are—”

“Dangerous,” I complete for her. “Yes, I know. But we need to end this, Amser. They won’t stop until they get to me. And I won’t stay here while they tear this kingdom apart. We don’t need another war, and I don’t want to be the reason that we have one.”

She considers my words and takes a deep breath. Then she turns on her heel, walking out of the cabin and leaving me alone with Zadok.

The silence that surrounds us is deafening. I can feel his eyes on me, but thankfully, he doesn’t say anything.

We remain like this for a whole minute when Zadok finally seems to reach a boiling point. Without saying anything, he huffs and leaves the cabin.

I can understand his anger and frustration. I really do.

Perhaps I should’ve talked to him about it first instead of making this decision by myself. Not that I’d change my mind, but at least I would’ve prepared him.

He doesn't return until late at night. And when he does, he’s not alone. Amser walks in beside him, being followed by Zadok’s father and the king.

I widen my eyes in shock, jolting out of bed where I had been lying for hours, staring at nothing. I honestly didn’t think this would be so fast. I didn’t even think the king would agree to come in the first place.

“Your Majesty!” I squeak, rushing toward him.

The cabin suddenly feels too small. Zadok’s dad is looking around with curious eyes, assessing the place his son has had for years without telling him.

I can’t tell if he’s proud or mad. The man is an enigma.

“Hettie,” King Maximillian greets, his eyes assessing me. “How are you feeling? Is everything alright?”

I nod, glancing at Amser, who simply shrugs.

“I simply told him you wanted to talk to him. I didn’t say what it was about,” she explains.

“Uh, okay. Well…” I trail off, suddenly feeling nervous. “Maybe you’d like to sit first,” I offer, gesturing toward the kitchen table.

The couch is too small for everyone to sit comfortably, so the kitchen seems like the best choice at the moment.

I don’t beat around the bush, simply sharing my plan as soon as he settles in the chair.

The king looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind.

“Absolutely not,” are the words that leave his mouth as soon as I finish.

I blink, not expecting him to refuse me right away. I thought he’d at least consider my plan before giving me a big no.

“Can you please consider it, Grandpa?” I plead. It’s the first time since I found out he’s my relative that I've used this word. It’s a low blow, but I need to play with what I’ve got.

The way his eyes widen with surprise tells me I hit a deep spot in his heart. His blue eyes sparkle under the kitchen light, but it’s gone just as quickly.

“I won’t be able to live with myself if more people die while I’m hiding here. I can’t be trapped again. That’s the whole reason why I left Brammere in the first place,” I continue, not giving him time or space to think. “Besides, we already have a lot of weapons. We can come up with a good strategy to ambush them, away from the kingdom.”

Tyrese clears his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “Your Majesty, if I may, I believe she has a good point. It might be our best shot.”

“Hettie is not a fucking bait,” Zadok snaps, speaking for the first time since they walked in.

His eyes are burning with fury as he stares at his dad. I know they’re not the best of friends, but his anger is misguided. He’s not mad at his father. He’s mad at my decision.

And even though he has every right to be, I don’t want this to turn into a family argument.

“I want to be.” I turn to Zadok. He slowly faces me, and I hold his gaze with intensity and determination. “I can handle my powers now. And you’ll all be there with me.”

He’s already shaking his head before I can finish.

“It’s the only way,” I conclude, looking back at the king.

Talking to Zadok now is no use. He’s not willing to listen.

King Maximillian remains silent for a long time. So long that I start to get anxious.

Until he stands up, adjusting his coat and lifting his chin.

“I don’t like this idea, but as the leader of a nation, I must agree with you,” he starts, locking his gaze on mine. His jaw twitches in disapproval, but his eyes are sharp and confident, showing the true soldier he is. “I will talk to my army and the intelligence to make sure we have the best plan possible. I don’t want any more casualties, but I don’t want to lose my granddaughter either.”

I swallow the lump that has formed in my throat at his touching words. “Thank you for listening to me,” I murmur.

As soon as they leave, I find myself alone with Zadok once more.

Here we go again…