Black Crown (Darkest Drae, #3)(3)

“Drak. I’d hoped to show up when it was done.” There were big decisions to make with even bigger consequences. I was eighteen, not an expert in any of the areas being discussed, so why did my voice matter so much?

Tyrrik smiled and pushed back a few fallen strands of his black hair. I stared for a moment at his sculpted and perfect face before forcing my eyes away.

He spoke again. “You are an important player in the war against the emperor, Ryn. More than that, you connect many of the people in that room together.”

“You and Dyter,” I mumbled. I’d rather they just gave me a summary to sign off on afterward.

“And Lani,” he said.

Right. The potential, and rightful, Phaetyn queen. We’d saved her from a large army of Druman a week prior. I did feel a kinship with her, not only because I was part Phaetyn, but her mother, Queen Luna, had sacrificed herself to transfer her ancestral powers to me while I was still in the womb, ensuring I would live. My Phaetyn mojo knew Lani, and I felt super protective of her. I wasn’t her mother; in fact, Lani was nearly fifty, though because Phaetyn’s bodies matured slowly, she had the appearance of a child, and I felt a bit motherly toward her. Tyrrik was right: I did connect many of the people in that room.

I’d even saved the Gemondian king from starvation. Well him, his family, and his kingdom. He did seem pretty pleased about that. Understandably. Not everyone could do Phaetyn mojo and make things grow.

Tyrrik grinned at me.

“What’s funny?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nothing in particular.”

Weird. “Okay.”

The gold-wearing guards ahead bowed as we approached. As one, they opened the gilded doors for our entrance.

“So nice of you to join us,” Dyter called, his voice filled with sarcastic bite.





2





The ceilings of the council chamber were low, like most in Gemond, and encrusted halfway up with priceless gems. The gems sparkled, spreading the minimal light so the room appeared bright despite being located several levels below the surface of the outside realm.

“No problem,” I replied to Dyter as I walked into the room. I wasn’t going to feel guilty for taking a minute for myself. Waving to the others as we approached the rectangular stone table, I couldn’t help smiling at Lani who nodded regally in return. I swear the queen stuff was in her veins. I hoped the other Phaetyn would accept her because she was every single thing they needed.

I sat and peeked up at the glowering Dyter.

“Keep your hair on,” I told the bald man. As the redness creeped over his scalp, I added, “Respectfully.”

He snorted, and his shoulders dropped. The redness disappeared, and I knew I was off the hook. The old coot believed in this whole rebellion pretty strongly and got his apron tied in knots about the entire situation. I was on board with overthrowing the emperor and definitely wanted us to win. I just also appreciated down time.

“Ryn the Most Powerful Drae,” King Zakai said from the top of the table, dipping his head. His son, Zarad, sat on the king’s right.

“Hey Zakai,” I replied.

“Ryn,” Dyter said with a shake of his head. He gave me a meaningful look, mouth pulled down.

Really? He was telling me off about that too? I hadn’t called Zakai king in ages—like never—and was pretty sure Dyter and I had already come to an understanding about kings and titles and such.

I turned to share my exasperation with Tyrrik and jumped slightly as he swept his hand over my shoulder in a movement that would be only a blur to the others. I squinted at the bit of pumpkin string now in his hand then turned my glare on Tyrrik. The Drae’s expression was smooth and impassive, a look I knew well. To everyone else, he looked like an impenetrable, terrifying monster right now. They couldn’t hear him slapping his stupid thigh in his stupid head.

“Al’right. What’s happening? What do we need to discuss?” I asked, ignoring their baffled looks.

Lani spoke, “I must go back to Phaetynville.”

I hadn’t the heart to tell her Phaetynville wasn’t actually what the Phaetyn called their home in the Zivost forest. I’d need to clear that up before she left.

“Yes, I agree,” I said. If that was the only decision to make, maybe this wouldn’t be as difficult as I—

“We left the Phaetyn in the midst of turmoil,” Dyter said, leaning forward over the table, meeting each of our gazes in turn. “Kamoi and Kamini planned to restore peace to the forest, but we have no confirmation that has occurred.”

“It would be foolish to send Lani into questionable conditions and hope for the best,” King Zakai added.

Dyter nodded.

Umm . . . Right. I sat back. I really hadn’t thought about that, but he was correct. My stomach twisted as I thought of the night we’d left Zivost. What if Lani went back only to encounter resistance? She really didn’t know anyone there. Yes, the Phaetyn child-adult was Kamini’s elder sibling and possessed ancestral powers the rest of her kind desperately needed to restore their defences against the emperor. But the Phaetyn hadn’t exactly been the accepting, peace-loving, prancing people I’d envisioned. Last I’d seen, they’d been shoving blades dipped in Drae blood into each other.

I wasn’t letting Lani go into that alone. “I’ll go with her.”