Page 7 of The Blade in the Ashes
“We can’t stay here,” Rankor told me, voicing the concern that had already been spinning in my mind.
The fact that we needed to leave this place was obvious.
Hyrax was in the Mortal Realm.
He had taken over my castle.
And we were sitting inside the manor belonging to his bloodline.
We needed to leave, and we needed to leave soon. But where else was there for us to go?
Iris climbed atop the large wooden table, crossing her legs beneath her and pointing toward the map with the dagger in her hand. “Clanis Province is mostly farmland. It would give us space to spread out, regroup, rebuild the forces.”
“We don’t have any forces,” Rankor reminded her gruffly, running a hand through his hair. “Hyrax and Thea took them.”
Fire burned through me.
“Not Thea.” There was a promise of violence in my tone.
A hush fell over our group, anxious glances exchanged among my friends as I crossed my arms firmly over my chest, unwilling to entertain any debate on the subject.
“I’m sorry.” Iris’ eyes narrowed. “Did you forget the part when shemarriedour enemy?”
No, I most certainly had not forgotten that.
Watching the woman I loved become permanently tied to a man who had done nothing but lie and manipulate her—just so she could save my life—was not something I was going to forget anytime soon.
Thea was not our enemy, though, regardless of who her father orhusbandwas.
“She had no choice,” I reminded them sharply, letting the weight of my gaze fall on each of my friends. “We have all made sacrifices, and she is no exception. You don’t get to forget the woman she is just because she isn’t here with us now.”
Iris pushed her tongue behind her cheek as if she wanted to say more, and I forced a deep breath into my lungs to calm the budding need to shift.
I desperately needed to fly.
Flying was one of the few times I could think clearly—when the force of my magic wasn’t overwhelming.
“Not Clanis,” I announced, returning the conversation to our plan once I had calmed enough that the darkness in my fingertips had receded. “It’stoo far. We need to be close enough to the castle to launch another attack when we’re ready.”
The very second that we were capable of it, I wanted that castle back under my control.
And Thea back by my side.
“We still face the issue of not having anywhere near enough forces,” Rankor reiterated.
“Then we get more forces,” I growled. “We do whatever it takes to get her out.”
“How, Clay?” Iris was off the table and on her feet in an instant, standing in front of me without fear. “How do you propose we get enough people to join a fight against a God for us to launch another attack?”
She stepped closer, too close for me to think clearly.
I didn’t know.
That was the simple fucking answer.
I didn’t know how to raise another army right now.
I didn’t know how to successfully fight back against Hyrax.
