Chapter 132: The Ultimatum
*Ainslee*
“He wants me to what?” I ask, frowning at Zeke.
“Your father wants you to return to Longclaw. Abandon Rafe and Shadowglade and ‘come home,’ as he puts it,” he says. “He says if you do that, he will send Longclaw troops to fight in the war.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m married. We have a child!” I place my hand over my belly. “Two children!”
He shrugs helplessly. “You’re welcome to write him yourself and try to point that out. I already have once. He won’t budge.”
“Does he expect me to leave both my husband and my children behind?!” I gape, disbelieving.
“He said he will accept the ‘half-breeds.’” His lip curls at the term. “Percival says they prefer the term ‘hybrids.’ I’ve been trying to scrub my language clean.”
“But it would be such a wonderful opportunity for the children to grow up here among other hybrids,” I argue. “I can’t take them away from their father–and I can’t leave Rafe.”
“You’re right,” he agrees. “But, like I say, he won’t budge.”
I shake my head. “I’m going to write to him.”
“I hoped you might say that. I—” He turns as a guard bursts into the room.
“Regent,” he exclaims. “Your Majesty. Miss Annamarie.” He pauses to take a gulp of air, then continues. “Rallegrad has breached the northern border. We weren’t able to keep them back!”
Zeke closes his eyes. “And Tormentia?” he asks.
The guard hangs his head. “The messenger I met on the way here told me there isn’t a chance of holding back the Tormentian horde this time. We’re fighting, Regent, I swear.”
Zeke walks over and puts a hand on the guard’s shoulder. “I know you are. I know every warrior is doing their best.” He looks at me. “I’ll tell Percival we need his men sooner rather than later, though which front we send them to, I will have to ponder.”
“Tormentia,” I say. “They haven’t broken through yet, and their border is closer to the castle. Plus Longclaw troops are closer to the northwestern border than the southern one.”
Stroking his chin, he nods in agreement.
“Longclaw is sending aid?!” the guard exclaims, his face lighting with hope.
“Yes,” I say, setting my chin firmly as I look at Zeke. “One way or another, Longclaw is sending aid.”
* * *
I sit in Rafe’s office, trying to decide what to write. What will persuade my father to send troops, but also allow me to stay here in Shadowmanor with Rafe?
Zeke’s pacing doesn’t help. Every able-bodied hybrid, including Percival, is headed for the southern border. But without Longclaw, Rallegrad’s forces are creeping through the northern part of Shadowglade… burning–crops, homes, sometimes people. Women, children, the elderly–no one is escaping their wrath.
And here I am dithering over what kind of overture to give my father just so my own family doesn’t have to be divided.
“We’re alive, at least,” I mutter, forcing myself to pen the first sentences. “That’s more than we can say for a lot of people in the north.”
“That’s true,” Zeke agrees.
“I should be grateful for that I suppose,” I berate myself.
“You do remember that I wrote an entire three-page letter complaining to Annamarie about her going with you into Rallegrad?” he reminds me.
“True.” The pen hovers over the page once more. Then, the words finally begin to come together for me.
Dear Father,
I know I’ve expressed to you how glad I am that you are alive and have been restored to your rightful position as Alpha King of Longclaw. Please know that none of what follows is a diminishment of my love for you or my pride in your accomplishments.
Luna Queen Ainslee Bleiz-Poe of Shadowglade is a title I take very seriously. I’m not writing you to complain about being separated from my husband, though that would be a terrible blow to me, but to let you know I will be missed by the entire kingdom, not just Rafe. There are things I take care of here, programs and initiatives that will falter in my absence.
And, Father, I also love Rafe very much. He is a good man, and if you met him, you would think so, too. I beg you please let me stay here. Please send troops to protect this land I love and the child I am carrying.
Rafe is currently trapped behind enemy lines in Rallegrad, searching for our kidnapped son. Otherwise, he would be writing you again himself. Now I must write to plead for your help.
If my words are not enough to sway you, I will return to Longclaw, if only to save Shadowglade. I am hoping, for my happiness, and for the sake of the children, you will not ask this of me. But I am willing to sacrifice myself for Shadowglade, as any good queen should.
I await your response. Please hurry.
Your loving daughter,
Ainslee
I end the letter with a flourish under my name, seal it closed with my own seal, and hand it to a messenger. “Take this to Longclaw as fast as you can, and do not leave until you have the Alpha King’s response.”
The messenger bows. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He runs out the door.
I lean over the desk, rubbing my temples.
“What did you say?” Zeke asks.
“What I needed to say,” I reply. “I told him if he really can’t allow me to stay here, then to protect Shadowglade, I will go back to Longclaw.”
“Oh, Ainslee.” He looks infinitely defeated.
I can’t look at him or I’ll pound a hole through this desk. I close my eyes instead and pray. I pray for Rafe, who I know must be alive or I surely would have felt the severing of our bond. I pray for Drake, who is somewhere in Rallegrad beyond my reach. I pray for the baby in my belly, and I pray for my father to understand my love for Rafe and this kingdom. I pray I can stay and keep all these people and things in my life that were so hard-won.
“I can’t imagine he won’t understand your love, at least. After all, he had your mother,” he says.
“My mother is married to another man.” I stare at the blotter miserably. “If anything, he will know heartbreak now and perhaps be convinced I can survive it.”
“Maybe you can?” he hazards. “If your father doesn’t see things your way, maybe you can find a way to be happy?”
I look up at him, knowing my eyes are dull. “I can’t think about it that way, Zeke. I’ll never stop fighting to get back to Rafe, Drake, and my kingdom.”
He sighs, but I know he understands. He would’ve never stopped fighting for Annamarie if he hadn’t known, on some level, that she was safe with us. “I wish I knew how to convince him.”
“I’m hoping that what I just wrote will.” I turn my head to stare out the window. I swear I can see smoke to the north from the fires, even though at this distance it should be impossible. “Regardless, Rallegrad is coming, and they are hurting our people. I have to stop them. And if that means I exchange my life for theirs, well, I consider that a cheap trade. We’ll be gaining more than we lose.”
“That’s not an easy trade to make,” he says softly.
I stand and start for my room. “I’m going to lie down now for a bit. All we can do is wait.”
* * *
Four nail-biting days later, in the dead of night, the messenger returns, looking ragged but proud. “I came as fast I could, Your Majesty,” he says, handing me the reply letter from my father.
Zeke comes into my bedroom after the messenger in a robe, Annamarie on his heels. They’ve given up all pretense of separate bedrooms. It makes me smile.
My smile fades, however, when I open the letter.
My Dearest Ainslee,
I have received your letter. While I understand that you think you love King Rafe, I cannot imagine it is possible for a woman of your intelligence to actually be in love with a man responsible for so much torment in our lands. While he may not have been the ruler when our lands were claimed, he was alive and did nothing to stop it.
Therefore, you must know my answer. I await your return, and when you have arrived, I will send Longclaw troops to the north as Regent Zeke Winters has asked.
You are a good queen to think so highly of you people. But you are also a wolf shifter, Ainslee. You belong here, with your kind, not out there with a horde of vampires who are liable to change their minds at any moment and make you into a feeder.
Please, Ainslee, know I only have your best interests at heart. When you are away from him, you will heal and be ready to be a proper Luna Queen of Longclaw when I pass. I will even allow you to choose your own Alpha King.
I love you so much, my little one. So much. I pray you will not hate me, but as a father, I must do what’s best for you.
With all my love,
Alpha King Howard Bleiz
The letter falls from my fingertips, and Zeke rushes in and grabs it before it hits the floor. I stumble back to my bed and sit down.
Zeke reads the letter and curses. “We can try to win without Longclaw, Ainslee.”
I shake my head slowly as my world shatters. “No,” I say hollowly. “I promised. And a promise is a promise. We need those troops.” I swallow the emotion that rises in my throat. “I am going to Longclaw.”