Page 142 of War Queen
“Now I’m king of Rael and Serra.”
She knew now—this was the man she’d been seeing. Not Alexander. The loss flooded back. The realization ripped her chest open again. She’d taken comfort that he was still with her somehow. But now she knew.
Alexander was gone.
Norah wavered, then caught herself. She couldn’t let grief take her, not now. Her kingdoms were depending on her. Mikael was depending on her. She drew in a breath and released it slowly.
He was an imposter, a pretender, but he still held the crown. Regardless of her emotions, this man was king, she was queen, and together they had the ability to stop this war. She forced her mind to focus on her purpose. No one was dying today.
She kept her voice steady and her eyes on Lucien. “I didnotcome here for blood.”
Lucien looked at Soren. “He seems to have other intentions.”
“He doesn’t respond well to deception,” she said coldly. “Neither do I.” She could hear the sharpness of her own voice, and she exhaled another breath to soften her stance. “But I have come to talk.”
Lucien’s eyes moved to the ridge where Mikael waited. “With an army?” Then his gaze found Soren again. “And the Destroyer.”
“Well, you didn’t come alone either, with your…” She looked at the woman and paused.
“Witch?” the woman said as a cruel smile touched her lips. “You can say it.”
But Norah didn’t want to say it. She hadn’t even thought witches were real.
Soren strained again, but the witch’s power held. This wasn’t going well, and Norah desperately needed it to go well. If she could just speak to Lucien alone…
“Can we take a walk?” she asked him. “Just you and me?”
“Salara,” Soren hissed, but she ignored him.
“I would love a walk,” Lucien said.
Norah looked back at the ridge. “Will he see?” No doubt a walk alone beside the Raelean king would bring Mikael in full force.
Lucien shook his head. “No.”
Norah slid down from Sephir, and Lucien did the same.
Soren snarled and wrenched against his hold again. She hated this for him, but he was a liability.
“You won’t hurt him?” she asked.
“Not too much,” the witch said with a wry smile.
“She won’t hurt him,” Lucien assured her. Norah believed him.
“Salara,” Soren growled, thrashing again. But she ignored him. She was the only one who could manage a civil conversation right now.
She let her gaze travel over Lucien. He held up his hands, showing them empty, but she wasn’t a fool. She knew who he was and that he had power beyond weapons. Still, there was something that told her she could trust him, at least for today. She stepped toward him, and he motioned for them to continue together away from Soren and the witch. Away from listening ears.
A calm settled between them as they walked.
“It was you,” she said finally. “It was you who came to me.”
He didn’t answer.
“All this time. The visions, the dreams, it was all you.”
He still didn’t answer, but she knew she was right.
