“He’s an old friend,” she explained.
Tiern gave a slow nod. “A delightful prince of an old friend.”
Vixie propped a hand on her hip. “If you wished to ward him off, you could have simply kissed me. I’ve heard that strategy works well.”
Tiern’s eyes rounded, and Vixie pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back a laugh at her boldness.
“Perhaps next time I will, little sea star,” he said threateningly.
Vixie dropped her hand from her mouth and smiled outright. “I’ll hold you to that.” A quiet comfort formed between them, and Vixie lost her mirth. “Be safe, Tiern. Seas be with you.”
“And also with you.”
Chapter
47
Aerity stood in a small room of a house in the valley of Craw Coorie, peering down at a map of Lochlanach with Harrison and two senior officers. They had gone over every detail of the plan with her. Enticing Kalor’s troops into the narrow land between the rivers was ideal because it would even their chances by thinning the Kalorian troops and not allowing them to outnumber the allies. And if the Zorfinans could sneak attack from the northern end of the waterways, it would trap the enemy. They would never make it near Craw Coorie, but a plan was in place to move the queen, princess, and lady farther north if the fighting moved farther than expected.
“What if they do not leave royal lands to attack?” Aerity asked.
Harrison sighed. “Then we will have to come up with a new plan to attack directly.”
“Your Majesty,” said the senior officer, “once we are able to storm the castle, we recommend taking Prince Vito captive so that after the battle is over there can be a public execution.”
The room was quiet as the men watched for her reaction. Aerity thought about it. A public execution would show her strength as a ruler and send a message that she did not take enemies of her kingdom lightly. But this was Prince Vito they were talking about. She shook her head.
“I cannot take the chance of his escaping. He is not to be underestimated. My orders are to kill him on sight, any way possible. Same goes for Rozaria Rocato.”
The officer gave a nod. “Do we have your permission to exhibit their bodies for the public to see?”
Her stomach turned. “Just this once, and not for an extended period. I will not make a habit of morbid displays of power.”
Voices outside made Harrison go to the window. “Townspeople are arriving from Dovedell and bordering villages. We’re told there will be Lochlan Lashed among them—people from your camps who are willing to lay hands on the enemy, and heal our men who are injured along the way.”
“I wish to address them,” Aerity said. “Gather everyone in the town center.”
The officers shared a glance before agreeing. She knew they wanted to keep her hidden and as far as possible from all people and the battle, but Aerity hated letting everyone fightwhile she sat back, comfortable and safe. All she had to offer them were her words, and so she would give them.
Each and every life entering the battle weighed on Aerity. She couldn’t believe King Gavriil had sent his son—granted, it was his second son, and his soldiers had insisted he not be allowed on the front lines. In fact, his battalion remained in Craw Coorie as the last line of defense. The insolent look on Prince Hanriil’s face when he’d been overruled had so reminded her of Vixie. She’d had to hold back her amusement.
Once the people were all ushered into the town square, Aerity was led to the center, where she climbed a raised platform used for town meetings. As soon as she appeared, the crowd broke into a cheer that made her cheeks warm and her chest tighten. She looked out upon regular townsmen and townswomen who stood alongside Lochlan soldiers and Torestan soldiers. It was a beautiful yet saddening sight. She let her voice rise into the wintry air.
“Good people of Lochlanach and Toresta! My heart aches to see you, and longs for better circumstances for our gathering. Among you there are farmers and fishermen, blacksmiths and bakers, Lashed and Unlashed, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. I extend my fondest gratitude to each one of you for being here, willing to fight for our way of life—a life I hope to enrich during my rule—a life that will surely see further strife and wickedness if we do not take back what is ours.
“The time to rely on one another is now. Look around at those who stand beside you. Today I lift the laws against magic,for all of your benefit. Today, the Lashed who stand at your side will be there to heal you if you fall. You need not fear one another. I promise that when this battle is over, and victory is ours, I will spend my life working to repair a century’s worth of injustice done against each one of you, who has suffered knowingly or not, by what you have been denied.
“The enemy claims to be a friend of the Lashed, but he is a friend ofno one. I have seen firsthand that the ruler of Kalor seeks power through fear and hate. He wishes to use magic for his own benefit, not for the good of the people, and I will not stand for it! This is an enemy who does not value life and will kill any who stand in the way of his domination over all Eurona. I pray to the seas that justice is swift and we can begin our lives anew very soon. To each of you, I bestow my heartfelt gratitude for your courage and valor. The seas be with you.”
A murmur of “Also with you” rose up from the crowd, and all were respectfully quiet as Aerity was escorted away.
Two Lochlan women and a Lochlan man, wearing rags that were splattered with blood, ran as quickly as they could toward the royal gate. Each had fear in their hearts for what they were about to do, but that fear was overridden by their desire to help Queen Aerity in any way they could.
The sky was darkening as the sun set. Their panting breaths left trails of steam in their wake. The man suddenly skidded to a halt and held out his arms to stop the women.Their eyes followed his up to the top of the stone wall.
Their hands went up, trembling in the air, at the sight of Kalorian soldiers lining the wall, arrows pointed directly at them. The Lochlan man stepped forward and fell to his knees, his arms still up.
“P-please. We are under attack. They are killing all the Lashed!”
