Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1)(107)

The Resistance—they were Galen’s men.

Feeling dizzy and stunned, my eyes dropped to his chest. There, in careful stitching, was a green dragon.

“You …,” I managed, but I couldn’t form the words.

The soldiers took Danae’s small, slight body and started walking out of the cave. Other men were helping the Elementae as Kata healed them, and Galen glanced at me, swallowing.

He looked down. “Yes,” he said, lifting his shoulders. “When my brother became king and named me commander, I realized that if I did what he asked, I would be committing terrible sins, and those acts would be on both our souls. And I knew that if I could play both sides of the coin, I’d be able to stop him before he went too far. So I started the Resistance. And when I needed someone else to be its face, I asked your brother.”

I twisted around, and Rian was watching us, his arms crossed. He nodded once. I turned back to Galen, my mouth open but no words emerging.

Galen held up his hands. “I couldn’t tell you, Shalia. It wasn’t safe for you to know. I’m so sorry about that.”

“You … I called you a coward,” I realized.

His hands fell. “Fighting backdoor battles and lying to my brother’s face doesn’t quite make me a hero, Shalia. You weren’t wrong. And I was a fool to think he could ever be redeemed.” He stepped forward and raised his hand, then halted, looking at me. He swallowed again and touched my cheek. “Let’s get you out of here,” he whispered.

I nodded.


When we emerged from the cave, the fresh air was staggering. I shivered, and Galen looked at me. “I’ll get you a blanket,” he told me. “We don’t have far to walk.”

He was only gone a moment, but when he returned, Rian was already beside me and took the blanket from his hands, glaring at Galen.

Galen sighed as Rian draped it around me, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Rian,” he said.

“No,” Rian snapped. “You and I will have a very serious discussion later. Not now.”

“About what?” I demanded.

Rian shook his head, rubbing my shoulder. “Come,” he said. “You need food, and rest. Do you want me to carry you?”

I pulled away from him, crossing my arms over the blanket. “Of course not,” I told him.

Kairos appeared on my other side with a smile. “Calix will never be able to take away the fact that she is desert born, Rian.” Osmost called out above us, and Kairos tracked him with his eyes. “We need to move. There are soldiers on their way.”

The Resistance had brought about twenty men, and they walked ahead of us and behind, some helping the Elementae to walk. Rian wouldn’t stray more than a foot from me, and Galen stayed ahead, glancing back at me every few moments.

We walked for more than a mile through the forest and trees until an inn appeared in front of us. Rian touched my arm, pointing to the roof. “See?” he asked.

For a long moment I didn’t see anything, but then I saw a small green dragon on the lowest shingle of the roof.

“Any place with that symbol is loyal,” he said. “Only green. We’ve put other colors around as false signals. Just green—remember that.”

I nodded, but caught his arm. “We’re staying here? We’re so close to the … Calix will know where to find us, Rian.”

“He won’t be looking. We’ve captured the guards and the quaesitori. Calix had already left for the Tri City; with no one to tell him otherwise, he won’t have a reason to come back for at least two days, and we’ll be gone by morning,” Galen said. His eyes met mine more meaningfully. “You’ll be safe here.”

Rian grunted, shifting to block Galen from my gaze.

The innkeeper and his wife walked outside, giving Rian and Galen grave nods as they held open the door, looking around as we all went inside quickly.

Rian brought me to a room, and a few moments later Galen knocked on the door.

“No,” Rian growled, standing between us as Galen opened the door, a pile of clothes in his hands. “You’re not seeing her right now.”

“Rian,” I said.

“Rian, please,” Galen said.

“Absolutely not!” he snapped, his hands curling to fists. “Are you going to tell me putting your hands all over her was some brotherly display?”

“No,” Galen said calmly, shaking his head. “I love Shalia, Rian. I’m in love with her.”

Heat filled my face, but Rian was slightly less happy to hear this. Before I even knew what he was doing, he launched his fist against Galen’s jaw.

“Rian!” I shrieked as Galen reeled.

Kairos slid into the doorway, pausing for barely a second before grabbing Rian, twisting, and pushing him outside the room. “Move, Kairos!” Rian bellowed.

“Oh please,” Kairos snapped, crossing his arms. “Let them talk.”

“He dishonored our—”

“Shut it,” Kairos said, pushing him back. “We need to talk about the plan for tomorrow anyway. She wants to talk to him, and you will respect that.”

“You knew about this?” Rian demanded. “You lied to me?”

Kairos gave an exaggerated sigh, pushing Rian toward the stairs. “After all the misery of the past few days, Rian, you have a spectacular ability to focus on the inconsequential.” Kairos turned back and winked at me before he shut the door.