Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1)(23)

My hand flew to my mouth, and I sank weakly to my knees as the tears I had fought for hours came rushing out.

Four men were lying there like they were asleep, their throats cut, their skin gray. I could only guess these were the failed soldiers, the ones my husband ordered killed.

The men Galen killed. How could he follow such an order? My husband ordered it so, but Galen was commander, powerful in his own right. And he just killed his men who had done their best.

But Galen hadn’t wanted to obey. It was easy to see in the way he defied his brother—I could not imagine what such a task must have cost him. What years of struggling under such orders must have cost him.

“Shalia?”

I turned and saw Galen on his horse, riding closer, his eyes sweeping back and forth like he was searching. “Where is Calix?” he said urgently.

But I couldn’t stop crying, covering my mouth to stop from making noise and drawing my husband out here to see my weakness, his softhearted wife.

“Shalia, three hells, stop crying,” Galen said. “Where is Calix? Has he seen these men?”

When I raised my head, I saw he was covered in blood, his hair mussed, his uniform ruined. But—I turned back to the bodies, and despite their throats being cut, there was very little blood on the wounds.

The tears shocked out of me, I looked behind him. He had been riding a horse, and on it was a prostrate body. “Great Skies,” I breathed.

“Shalia, has Calix seen this?” he demanded.

I struggled to stand, coming closer to him, but he shrank away.

“I’m covered in their blood, Shalia,” he warned. “You can’t touch me.”

“He’s asleep,” I told him, sniffing and wiping my face. “These men—how did they die?” It wasn’t here, by his hand—that I was certain of.

Galen swallowed. “In the attack. He won’t know these aren’t the men who guarded the gold.” His eyes watched me carefully. “Unless you tell him.”

Another secret, but this one felt more important than the others. It was deceiving my husband, directly undermining his orders.

And yet, not speaking this truth would save the men who were supposed to die—and possibly even Galen. And if there was even a chance I was an Elementa, I would need so much more practice in keeping things from Calix.

I wiped my cheeks again. “I would never.”

“You were crying for them?” he asked.

For everything, I thought. “Yes,” seemed like a safer answer. “And you,” I admitted, lowering my eyes.

“Me.”

I dared to look up at him, so pale and covered in blood it was as if he had been the one murdered. “They’re your men,” I said, my voice catching. “And I knew you didn’t want to do what he asked.”

His jaw worked, muscles slowly rolling and moving. “Neither did you, it seemed.”

Yet he had figured out a way to thwart his brother, and I had knelt at Calix’s feet like a dog, obeying him. The thought stung. “I’m happy you didn’t have to,” I told him honestly.

“I’m the commander of an army, and I hate death,” he said, his voice soft.

I drew a breath, bobbing my head. “It’s a difficult strength to have, to be sure.”

“You think that’s strength,” he said, and it wasn’t a question. As a statement, it made me feel foolish, but I refused to feel ashamed of that.

“Yes,” I said, meeting his eyes again.

But he wasn’t trying to make me feel foolish. That was clear in his eyes. He appeared young, and lost, and like he wanted to believe my words. He swallowed and his eyes left mine. “You should go,” he said. “Thank you for not telling him.”

Another secret. I nodded, sniffing again. “Good night, Galen.”

He didn’t reply, turning away from me and going to pull the other body off his horse.

I paused for a moment. “Galen,” I said, trying not to be loud.

He stopped.

“This may be garish, but they need more blood at their throats,” I said, and knew even as I said it that helping Galen create his lie was worse than just hiding the truth from my husband. “He’ll be able to tell.”

Galen looked sharply to the bodies and nodded. “Good night, my queen.”

I went back to Calix. I changed into a nightdress the domina had brought before dinner, sliding into bed beside my husband. I jumped when his arm snaked around me, but he didn’t fully wake.

It took me a long while to fall asleep, counting my secrets like armor.


Calix woke me before the dawn that came in gray and overcast, and the domina gave me fresh clothes and a new, thicker coat to wear. As we gathered to leave and Calix’s attention was elsewhere, I embraced her as I’d seen Galen do. “Thank you,” I told her. “Your hospitality has been such a salve on the wounds of yesterday. I am so sorry I have nothing to offer you in return.”

Her soft cheeks lifted like there were small apples inside them, and she bent and kissed my hands, then pressed my cheeks with her own hands. “Nonsense. You are most welcome, my queen. May the rest of your reign be more peaceful than this.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

“My king,” she said, stepping back and bowing to him as he entered the room. His hand slid around my waist, pulling me close to him. “Your queen is graceful and kind.”