The king gave me a nod and turned toward me, as if honestly intrigued by our conversation. “Yes, of course.”
My magic faintly hummed with my righteous anger. “Then the backs of the people of Nerede shouldn’t be your first line of defense in Wylan. Your army should protect her people. Not her people protecting her army.”
The king cocked his head. “But without her army, Wylan falls. Without our Enchanted, Wylan will fall. If I have all of Savaryn at the shore, it leaves Wylan vulnerable.”
I raised my eyebrows. “So there is no guard station, not a thing except guards at the first wall? You wonder why Nerede people feel a pull toward the disloyal? You have done nothing to show them they matter. Instead, you’ve lined them up for slaughter should trouble come lurking. What would happen if another country did come? They’d take over Nerede in a heartbeat and the rest of Wylan would be cut off from the resources we all need. Mainly food. In an effort to protect the Enchanted, you’ve left us dangerously vulnerable.”
The king considered what I said. “A station at the shoreline would give greater and more immediate access to the docks. You think that could help tensions and not worsen them?”
“That depends,” I offered.
“On?”
“If you’re willing to rebuild their homes first.”
The king’s head snapped back. “Why should I have to rebuild their homes? The fires were punishment for the attack on Krew. Or do I need to remind yo—”
I allowed my magic to flare because there was no use in hiding it anymore. “You do not need to remind me ofanything. I remember well,Your Majesty. I was the one with Krew every minute he was in the infirmary. Every minute you weren’t punishing me for it, that is.”
The king went quiet but put out a hand encouraging me to continue.
“The problem is that Nerede has been carrying such a heavy load with little to no respect for too long. If another country came knocking right now, I’m not so sure the people of Nerede, led by the disloyal, wouldn’t rush to help them. In your thirst to make them fear, you’ve lost their loyalty. And no amount of fear you could inflict on them at this point will get that back.”
“So I am to help Nerede? You really think they will allow me to be their savior after the fires? They’ll just forget it altogether?”
I shook my head. “No.Youwill not be their savior, but I can be. Because I am one of their own. Whether I become the eventual queen or remain a princess will not matter. Either way, I am the bridge.”
The king gave his head a shake and then another smirk graced his lips. “You are far more valuable to Wylan than I ever would have imagined, Jorah of Nerede. I was wrong about you.” He paused. “I shall make you a deal. Heal the lake and I’ll rebuild their homes.”
I took a deep breath and looked around. Much to my surprise, ten or more parliament members were still in the room, and doing quite a horrible job of looking like they were not eavesdropping.
A voice from behind us spoke up. Keir. “He offers that only because he thinks you cannot do it.”
And he is curious to know if you are powerful enough to do it,Krew added to just me.
“I’m not entirely certain this is a fair deal, Your Majesty,” I said on a sigh, suddenly exhausted and ready to be done for the day. “I’ve been attempting that for weeks.”
The king grinned his twisted smile that always made me want to rip it off his face. “Like I said. You need to learn that fairness gets you nowhere. Proper motivations, however....”
How had he taken this entire conversation and turned it into another one of his lessons he loved to bestow upon people?
I am going to kill him,I told Krew.
Not if I beat you to it,he promised.
I looked directly into the king’s eyes. “Fine. We have a deal.”
* * *
For three days,I poured magic into the lake. The first day I tried two different times, morning and night. Krew and Owen thought I should back off. The king had told everyone to stay clear of the forest in the mornings, but surely he’d send his spies lurking about to see what I was up to. If I didn’t heal the lake, the king would think I was weaker than I truly was. Krew and Owen were wanting to play a mind game right back at the king.
But dammit if he hadn’t been right. I was properly motivated. I wanted those homes rebuilt. Those homes that I felt partially responsible for.
I woke from a nap that afternoon and stretched. I was sore. I had been training with Owen as usual, back to our early morning routine, but also had been using far more magic than normal.
I was exhausted.
Love.
