"There is no option for refusal, I'm afraid," Camilla replied sweetly.
Her badassery gave me confidence. I decided to add my own piece to the speech.
"Look behind you," I told them, gesturing to the crowd of soldiers that had gotten considerably smaller since the day before. "Your followers are leaving. Your rule is no longer effective. Can't you see what your pride is doing to your own people, what you're putting them through for nothing? We don't want to fight you. We saved the Lunaley and Timberlune. The fae have their magic back. They're no longer on the verge of extinction. Timberlune should have no reason to wage war against us and, by extension, neither should Hydratica. And neither should Eristan."
I turned to Solomon and shook my head.
"For goodness sake," I began, trying to reason with him, "didn't we do enough for you during our short trip to the desert? We solved your problem with the chimeras, we fixed your issues with the fae, and we even helped spiritually reunite you and your daughter with your long-lost queen. Have we not gone above and beyond all reasonable expectations?"
They were silent for a moment… before King Thane opened his big mouth.
"Blackwood has done nothing for Hydratica," he said arrogantly. "Not even when the kingdom was smaller, made up of tiny kingdoms not even worth pissing on, did they ever do anything for us. Sohsol even attempted to annihilate us via the undead."
Rob sighed and held up his hands. "That was a misunderstanding."
"Call it what you will," Thane said haughtily, his horse prancing a bit as he spoke. "But Hydratica has every right to take you down, and considering Timberlune and Eristan are allies of ours, they do too."
"Wrong." Blane spoke up, drawing all our gazes. "Zane and I are officially claiming our blood-borne right to rule. Hydratica, under our reign, will henceforth be allied with the Storms of Blackwood and therefore will not be fighting them. End of story."
Camilla gazed up at him with love and adoration in her eyes. "I officially claim my right to the Eristani throne and, with it, proclaim our official alliance with Blackwood as well."
"Well, I refuse to acknowledge your ridiculous claim," Solomon spat out through gritted teeth.
"I don't honestly care, Father. If you won't give me the throne willingly, my allies and I will take it."
Bravia glared at Bria. "Let me guess? You're laying claim to my throne now too?"
She almost grinned. "I am. Our kingdom needs a change. Father wouldn't provide it, and if you won't either, then I will."
The tides were turning. Fairer winds were blowing. I figured I'd take one more moment to rally the troops, one final speech that might help end this here and now before any blood needed to be spilled.
"Soldiers!" I cried, speaking to the men and women standing nervously behind their kings and queen. "Perhaps you thought the princes and princesses taking over rulership from our monarchs was nothing more than talk. But now you can see, we have action and physical support to back those claims."
A few whispers skittered through the crowd, but for the most part they remained silent.
"You are outnumbered," I continued, "and if I had to guess, you are tired. Tired of fighting wars in the name of a cause you don't agree with, on behalf of a king or queen who doesn't take your best interests into consideration or to heart."
More whispers sizzled through the crowd, along with some head shakes, but mostly supportive head nods.
"The time for change is right now!" I shouted, unwilling to let the reluctant few deter me from winning the masses. "Join us in our quest to peacefully ascend to our thrones. Join us in creating a new world with updated views and ideologies that we all agree with, with fairness and prosperity for all citizens, with peace and cooperation between allies rather than war amongst enemies. Cross that barrier—right there!" I stabbed a finger at the barricade as if it had murdered a kitten or something. "And stand with us: your princes and princesses. The children of calloused kings who are sick of the bullshit and ready to make a change. Join us and live." I paused for dramatic effect. "Or stay with them and die."
Camilla shot me an impressed expression and mouthed something that looked like "badass." That's what I was assuming she said anyway.
I didn't really know what to expect. I'd never given any public speeches, nor tried to stop wars with flowery words. So, when soldiers began marching over to our side of the barricade in droves, I was... astonished. It had to have been more than half of their remaining numbers heeding our call. Only the old, die-hard soldiers remained steadfast.
"What would you do with us?" Thane shouted in a mocking tone. "Your kings and queens? Your parents? Your own flesh and blood!" He sneered and looked around as if trying to engage the crowd. "Kill us? Put our heads on spikes for all to marvel at until worms ate out our eyes and tongues?"
"Hades, Dad, why are you always so fucking dramatic?" Zane asked, crossing his arms and shaking his head. Blane dragged a hand down his face in an equal amount of embarrassment.
"We love you," Camilla assured them with a smile. "We don't want to harm you. We just want what's best for our people. You're no longer fit to rule, but that doesn't mean you have to die."
"You will be sent to the Isle of Kings," Bria informed them, a smile never once curling her bluish lips.
Zane finished her sentence. "Where you will live out your days in the luxury and comfort that only true kings and queens deserve."
"You made some shitty choices, Dad," Blane said, cocking his head. "But this doesn't have to be one of them. Step down gracefully and all will be forgiven."
"And if we don't?" Thane asked.
He seemed to be the only one with any piss and vinegar left. Solomon and Bravia just looked tired and defeated, ready to hang their heads and steer their steeds in the opposite direction of us and never look back.
Zane nodded to a handful of guards who had approached the old royals from behind. The next instant, they were dragged off their horses, and their hands were tied tightly behind their backs. The guards kept a firm hold on their arms.
"There is no 'don't,' King Thane," Camilla answered him sweetly. "Enjoy your retirement."
And just like that, the war was over before it even began.
The soldiers hauled the kings and queen off to the edge of town where random servants began preparing their journey to the isle. I could hardly believe my eyes. We’d done it. We’d prevented the war and acquired true allies. We’d taken the first solid steps toward genuine change.
My heart was filled with hope and joy.
But at the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but worry. The true battle was far from over. Overthrowing the Storm King would never be that easy...
Chapter 20
The following day, we said goodbye to the kings and queen.
There were some heartfelt apologies, as well as some earnest "go to Hades," and then we cracked their horses' asses and sent them on their way to paradise. The Isle of Kings was apparently a month-long journey, but their carriages were more than equipped with provisions and comforts.
I was starting to think they'd gotten the better deal after all.
The Storm King hadn't made any moves since scorching Blackburn to the ground the week before, and I wasn't sure I trusted that shit at all. I didn't know if he was nearby, biding his time, if he'd been called far away, or—gods be praised—if he'd died somehow or been reprimanded by the gods without our knowledge. I had a feeling he'd simply gone back to Blackwood Palace, waiting for the next best chance to attack us. Maybe he needed another of Ares's potions? Who the hell knew?
Either way, the princes and I were making the most of this brief free time by planning strategies of attack and stocking up on weapons and food.
If I was being honest, we were also waiting, hoping, and praying that Dion would arrive with good news before we had to make the trek up north on our own. We might've had the support of Timberlune, Hydratica, and Eristan now, but we were still up against a full-blooded god. And not just any go
d, but a god of war. We couldn't be too cautious. And it certainly couldn't hurt to have some divine help of our own.
All the extra planning seemed to make the guys feel better. I, however, was getting stir-crazy. I needed to move, to do something with my hands, so I could avoid my worrisome thoughts. Dwelling on this revolution wasn't going to get us anywhere. Doing something would. But until Dion showed up, I had a bad feeling all we’d do was get ourselves killed.
Fuck.
I slipped silently from the hall—which had become our makeshift headquarters there in Blackdell—and strolled anxiously through the blustery streets. Sometimes the sun shone and the wind was still, making it a beautiful day despite the cold. Other times, it was more like a blizzard, and the wind chill was cold enough to make your nose hairs and eyelashes freeze. This day was more like a blizzard. I wish I could say I was getting used to it, but I had a bad feeling the south just wasn't for me.
It didn't change how I felt about my people there though. I admired them wholeheartedly. They were total badasses—least of all for surviving the chill.
"Good day, Princess Alexis," a woman called from across the street, curtseying sweetly.
I inclined my head and smiled. "Good day."
I passed greetings with a number of citizens as I walked, including an adorable single-file line of undead children. They skipped and ran and bonked into one another, grinning and giggling as they went.
Yep, I was definitely starting to think I wanted kids someday soon.
I didn't really have a destination in mind on this walk, and to be honest, I was kind of surprised that none of the guys had slipped out of the hall after me. They were usually vying for my time, since, to be honest, one girl and six guys made it difficult for a lot of one-on-one time. But no one trailed behind me.
I didn't know if I was relieved or disappointed.
"Alexis!"
I looked behind me, but everyone seemed to be going about their business as usual. Women crossed the snowy street with baskets in their arms; men strolled along snow-covered sidewalks with packages at their sides.
I turned back to the front, but the whitewashed street before me was empty. A few more yards and I'd be at the stables near the edge of town. I was running out of places for the voice to be hiding.
A giggle drew my gaze to the right. There, leaning against a lonely tree trunk at the back of the barn, was Camilla. Empty white tundra spanned on and on behind her, making her scarlet dress pop with color. I didn’t know how the hell I hadn’t seen her sooner. I guess I’d just been too lost in my own thoughts.
I waved at her and trudged through the snow until I joined her under the barren tree. The cold bit into my toes beneath my boots, stinging with every passing second, but I did my best to ignore the pain.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked with a curious smile.
She pumped her dark harpy wings and hopped up onto a low-hanging branch, idly kicking her dangling feet as she balanced. "Not much. Thinking, I guess."
I leaned into the tree trunk and crossed my arms. "About what?"
She sighed, wobbling a bit as her kicking threw her off balance. "I don’t know. Men? Harems? Love? It’s all so confusing."
I chuckled, and a puff of steamy air left my lips. "The Rafe thing was a bit of a shock, huh?"
Her gaze darted down to mine. "A bit? I don’t even know the guy! How am I supposed to just add him to the group? It was hard enough learning how to navigate around two men at once. I don’t know how the hell you manage six."
I scoffed. "Manage isn’t the right word for it."
She grinned. "Even still. And, like, Blane and Zane are totally cool with it. They’re already treating him like some long-lost brother. I mean, what the fuck? I thought men were supposed to be possessive and territorial?"
I chuckled, wiggling my toes to keep them from going numb. "Men are not all the same. Some are possessive, but others are very generous and sort of tribe oriented. My guys have learned that it’s safer for them to stick together, and so, they did. With everything—me included—and I’m so glad for that, because I love them all and I’d never be able to choose between them."
She sighed. "Yeah, but what if one of the guys had a thing for you, and you didn’t know how to deal with it because you barely knew him?"
"Actually, that did kind of happen to me. Chrissen wasn’t originally part of the group, remember?"
She nodded, waiting for me to go on.
"So, I guess you deal with it by getting to know him." I shrugged. "For me, Chrissen was a natural addition to the group. I knew he belonged with us even before the guys did. For you, your guys seem to know and understand that Rafe belongs, even though you don’t realize it yet."
She bit her lip and shook her head. "You think I need to give him a chance?"
"I mean… I’m not saying you have to add him to your reverse harem of princes if you don’t want to, but it’d be cruel to turn him down without a chance—considering the fated-mate thing."
"That’s another thing. Like, how the hell is that even possible?"
My eyes widened, showcasing my bewilderment. "I have no idea. But you’re both part animal. Maybe that’s why? Or maybe shit just happens and there’s no real explanation for it, but it’s still real and true?"
"I like explanations," she insisted stubbornly.
I smiled. "So does Ben, but even he has to admit that some things are beyond the realm of our understanding. Not everything can be explained scientifically. Sometimes you just have to… believe."
She scoffed. "Like in the gods?"
"Hey, even they turned out to be real," I protested. "They might be shitty deities, but there’s still reason to believe."
She laughed, but her eyes soon became unfocused. "He asked me on a date. Rafe."
"What’d you say?" I tucked my mittens even further into my sleeves, trying to warm my frozen fingers.
She shook her head and sighed. "I told him I’d have to think about it."
"And now that you’ve done some thinking?" I gently prodded.
She blinked and looked down at me, a small smile creeping onto her full lips. "I think I’m going to say yes, but like, maybe not call it a date. Maybe it’s just a hanging out as friends type thing for now."
I nodded. "I think he’ll be totally okay with that. Any time he spends with you, no matter what you officially call it, is going to make him happy."
Her smile faltered. "What if I hurt him? What if we don’t click and he’s left heartbroken?"
I reached out and covered her hand in mine, both of them resting atop the tree branch. "Don’t think that far ahead. Take it one step at a time. Hang out with him. See if it’s fun. If it is, hang out again. Don’t worry about love and marriage and broken hearts."
She nodded, but her lips were still a bit taut. "Okay. I’ll do my best."
I squeezed her hand and pulled, drawing her down from the branch. "Come on, we’re going to freeze to death out here."
As we made our way back to the road, I heard the telltale sound of clomping hooves. Glancing right, I spotted a covered wagon slowly ambling down the lane. My heart shot up into my throat, then sank slowly down to my toes. I had a bad feeling I knew exactly what was lying beneath that cloth…
I paused, waiting for the wagon to draw nearer, and said nothing. Camilla shot me a curious glance, but I ignored it.
"G’day, miss," the coachman said, reaching into his back pocket to withdraw a yellowing piece of parchment. "Anyone by the name of 'Faithson Morningwood' live around here?"
Gods al-fucking-mighty.
Faith's son. Chrissen. Morning wood. Ha ha, very funny.
I took a deep breath as worry suddenly churned in my stomach. "Yes, I believe he does. I can take you to him, if you’d like?"
He tipped his hat in my direction. "I’d be much obliged, miss. Thank you."
I turned to my friend. "Camilla, I’m afraid I need you to excuse me. I have some pressing matters to discuss w
ith Faithson."
"No worries," she replied uncertainly with a curious glance at the wagon. "I have a date with Rafe to set up anyway." She waved, and after another moment’s hesitation, she wandered away.
I sighed and glanced at the coachman behind me. "He’s just ahead at the hall. Follow me, please."
He rubbed his grizzled chin and nodded before taking the horse’s reins and bouncing along behind me. When we reached the hall a few minutes later, I left him and his worrisome cargo outside, took the stairs two at a time, and burst through the hall doors with a little too much gusto. They’d probably think we were being attacked.
"What’s wrong, Peach?" Cal asked, concern etched into the features of his handsome face.
Yep. Damn it.
I didn’t want to ignore him, but my brain wasn’t exactly working right. There was a wagon of bodies outside, and all I could think about was getting to Chrissen and Rob. I scanned the room until I found my Soothing Prince’s face. As soon as we locked gazes, he knew.
He turned to Rob, who looked confused as hell; then he swallowed hard.
"What’s going on, Criss?" Cal asked, realizing he might get further if he asked the man I was currently staring at rather than me.
Criss rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I know you guys said that Rob and I shouldn’t risk using our powers to try and reanimate the dead, but—"
"But what?" Ben prodded, his deep voice cutting through the tension in the wide-open room.
"There’s a wagon outside," Dan muttered from the doorway. I wasn’t sure when he’d gotten over there. Probably sometime during my epic brain melt.
Criss took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I may have sent an encrypted letter asking for the queens’ bodies to be exhumed and sent to us in the south."
"You did what?" Cal growled.
Ash’s eyes went wide, a surefire sign that he thought Criss was in big trouble.
"Why didn’t you tell anyone?" Ben asked, keeping his calm much better than Cal had.
"I did. Sort of. I told Alexis… after the fact."
Rob raised a brow at me. "You knew, but you didn’t tell us?"
Perfect Storms (Storms of Blackwood Book 4) Page 18
