Black Crown (Darkest Drae, #3)(49)

So what you’re saying, to be clear, up until now you’ve been passively agreeing to everything? I snorted. Pretty sure Tyrrik wasn’t going along with anything. I didn’t even give him time to answer. Because I’m pretty sure I remember you’ve told every ruler you’d kill them if they didn’t do the right thing.

He chuffed, and I heard one of my passengers squeak. Tyrrik banked left, and I followed, still being careful of my sensitive cargo even if I did want one of them to be taken down a peg or six.

What I saw and what I can be bothered doing are different things. I’m invested now. I should’ve been a long time ago. The Drae are meant to be guardians of this land. I’ve been remiss in my duties.

The blood oath didn’t exactly give you the freedom to help people.

No. Now I am free to help though, and I believe I must make up ground.

I frowned at his words and turned my attention to the army. I spotted Dyter, his bald, shining head a beacon, and Zakai near him. Several soldiers unloaded stacks of neatly folded canvas, and dozens more converged to help. You want to help. You’re not doing that because you feel guilty, right?

Yes and no. I want the world to be safe for you, and . . . to some extent I feel a sense of responsibility to make reparation for the things I did under oath to Irdelron.

Tyrrik had nothing to apologize to me for, but I knew from experience he’d need to heal in his own way and in his own time.

Then let’s hop to it, I said brightly, increasing the angle of my descent.

My love, there’s no need to act happy when you feel sadness, not on my behalf.

Bloody bond. That’s not sadness, I lied, knowing I wasn’t fooling anyone. It’s indigestion. I ate too much . . . raw corn.

His amusement trickled through our bond, and we fell silent as we swooped down to land.





19





Tyrrik was already back to his two-legged version that made my knees weak and my insides all melty. I waited for my two passengers to disembark before shifting back and dropping the veil.

“Have fun?” I asked the twins.

Neither of them was smiling now.

“Not the word that comes to mind,” one answered. Niemoj, I assumed.

Tyrrik took my hand and, leaving the twins behind, we weaved through the army side-by-side, making our way toward a big tent. The Gemondians around us sat and ate, but I noticed many of them shiver or draw away from me and Tyrrik as we strode through their midst. They were human, mortal. And as surely as their ways were once my ways, to them we were predators, powerful and otherly, the most feared creatures in the realm.

I’d changed somewhere. Obviously I was a Phaetyn and a Drae now, yet my mind had changed too. Despite my best intentions to cling to the human life I’d had, my perception had altered. I didn’t see, think, or feel like a human any longer. I’d never thought like a Phaetyn though I did understand that part of me more now, thanks to Lani. And I still didn’t think entirely like a Drae. I was somewhere between.

And I was okay with that. Mistress Moons. Actually, having control of my own mind seemed like a good day at this point.

“There they are,” Tyrrik murmured, dropping his arm from my shoulders only to take my hand.

The Drae part of me got it. After a few hours without him, I was craving his physical touch as well. I squeezed his hand as we got to the clearing where the large tent stood. I’m glad I have you.

Tyrrik drew back the tent flap. And I, you.

All that canvas had been erected into a large dome just for the purpose of our strategy session. Seemed overkill for a meeting over a lunch break, especially because we were all on the same team. Not sure who they were keeping secrets from, but golden guards had cleared a wide space, surrounding the perimeter so no one would overhear.

“Nice sleep-in?” Dyter asked when I ducked in under Tyrrik’s arm.

“Mmm,” I answered noncommittally. Was that a dig at me? Not characteristic of Dyter, but maybe he was stressed. Or was he giving me a heads up? Did the Gemondians think I was slacking off? Do they know about last night?

Tyrrik’s unease seeped through to me before he answered.

I was waiting to confer with you. General knowledge of Draedyn’s control over you may do more harm than good.

I’m not so worried about the Gemondians turning against me. Not the majority of them anyway, I added. I hadn’t been there to protect them as I should have, but I had also done a lot for them. The Phaetyn are already afraid of me, and they might not take the news of Draedyn’s control over me very well, but it might affect our strategy.

We should inform the leaders, Tyrrik replied.

I agree.

“So.” King Zakai drew out the word, his eyebrows raised. “Are you joining us now?”

His son, Zarad, and his first, Gairome, were there with Dyter and Zakai, as well as the four women and men who made up Zakai’s command team, including the two assassins, Nielub and Niemoj. All eight of them stood around a slab of wood balanced atop a thick chest.

Tyrrik and I stepped up to the makeshift table. A map of the Draecon Empire had been tacked to the wooden slab, and several more pins were scattered in clusters in different areas. I brushed my fingertips over the green pins just outside of Verald and took a deep breath.

“Before we start,” I said, keeping my head down, “Draedyn attacked my mind in my sleep last night. Tyrrik and I will be rotating our sleep schedules until I learn to keep him out.” I raised my head and glanced at Dyter. “We thought you should be aware of the development.”