Date: 2021-10-29 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; M M Romance; Romance; Magic; Lgbt; Paranormal; Mystery; Gay; M M Fantasy; Queer
Description: Everything Caelan knows about his world is a lie. A war is brewing. As the crown prince of Erya, it’s only natural that Caelan is sent on a secret diplomatic mission to support one of the kingdom’s allies. With his advisor, his bodyguard, and his best friend as traveling companions, what could go wrong? Everything. Everything goes wrong. Now they are on the run, dodging assassins, setting secret meetings, and even making deals with a sleeping god. So, this is probably a really bad time to cave to feelings he’s been fighting for his best friend. But Drayce has owned his heart for more years tha

Steal the Wind

Book 1 of the Godstone Saga

Jocelynn Drake

Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Caelan Talos

2. Caelan Talos

3. Rayne Laurent

4. Eno Bevyn

5. Caelan Talos

6. Drayce Ladon

7. Eno Bevyn

8. Caelan Talos

9. Rayne Laurent

10. Eno Bevyn

11. Caelan Talos

12. Eno Bevyn

13. Caelan Talos

14. Rayne Laurent

15. Caelan Talos

16. Eno Bevyn

17. Caelan Talos

18. Drayce Ladon

19. Rayne Laurent

20. Caelan Talos

21. Caelan Talos

22. Drayce Ladon

23. Caelan Talos

24. Caelan Talos

About the Author

Also by Jocelynn Drake

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used factiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

STEAL THE WIND Copyright ©2021 Jocelynn Drake. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Jocelynn Drake.

Cover art by Natasha Snow

Edited and proofed by Flat Earth Editing.

For Mike.

Thanks for giving me my first fantasy novel.

Acknowledgments

I feel like I’ve had this idea rattling around in the back of my skull for too many years, just waiting for me to finally put pen to paper. I hope I’ve done justice to Caelan and his friends.

I need to give a big thanks to my key enablers AJ, Katie, Hope, and Jess. You’re great at convincing me that my schedule is never too packed to add yet another book or go on another adventure. Listening to reason is totally overrated.

A big thanks to Katie for wading through the beta read of the initial mess I created.

And as always, a big thanks to Jess and Hope for making my final masterpiece shine.

Embrace the storm or be swallowed by it.

~Kaes, God of Storms

1

Caelan Talos

Caelan bit down on the inside of his cheek as he watched Drayce march over to the tall blond talking animatedly to her friend. Caelan winced when Drayce reached her and found that she was much taller than they had estimated. Drayce was of average height, but this woman had at least six inches on him.

The bar they’d selected just a few blocks over from the university was packed, but that wasn’t out of the ordinary for a Thursday night. Rowdy but happy conversation filled the air along with the scent of cheap beer and fried food—all the things that made for a good distraction from a long day.

They’d been lucky to get a small circular table in the back corner where he could hide a little better and still have a good view of the people milling about in colorful T-shirts and shorts. The walls of the bar were covered in beer advertisements, glowing neon, and various bits of sports memorabilia. It wasn’t often that they could sneak away, but this was one of Caelan’s favorite places to hide from the world. Or maybe just hide from his mother.

Next to him, Eno let out a loud bark of laughter that rose above the noise and music. “I can’t believe he actually did it!”

Caelan nearly rolled his eyes at the man. When had they ever known Drayce to retreat from a dare? Especially when it was Eno delivering said dare. The answer to that question was never.

Of course, it wasn’t helped by Drayce running his mouth and proclaiming to the two of them that he had no problem walking up to any woman in that bar and asking her out. But this had all evolved from both Drayce and Eno once again complaining about their lack of social lives. As conversations went, it was an oldie but goodie.

Smirking at the large man on his right, he leaned closer so he could be heard over the noise. “That’s precisely why he did it—to prove you wrong.”

“And because she’s hot,” Eno added with a shrug of his shoulder, as if it wasn’t the most important detail, before he returned to scanning the bar for potential trouble. It was a shame Eno couldn’t enjoy the night off, but that was never going to happen in a crowded place like this with Caelan present.

Eno stood out only a bit, being nearly ten years older than most people in the bar. Of course, the other bar occupants didn’t seem to mind since Eno was also tall, broad shouldered, and had thick black hair. His face was a rugged, harsh kind of handsome. Caelan had met Eno while he’d still been in high school and had been forced to watch as both men and women fell over themselves when it came to Eno’s bad-boy vibe.

It didn’t help Eno’s ego—he knew exactly what kind of a furor his looks stirred up—but he was also not the type to be distracted from the task at hand. And right now, that was keeping Caelan safe and unnoticed for as long as possible. Not that Drayce’s antics amounted to much of a distraction. Caelan had to wonder if Eno had challenged Drayce just to amuse Caelan. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Turning his full attention to Drayce, Caelan smiled broadly to find that his best friend now had the woman in question laughing as he talked to both her and her friend. His lean body was relaxed as he told whatever funny story came to his mind. Caelan should not have been surprised. Drayce had this easygoing manner that made everyone feel like they were his best friend. The man could talk to anyone about anything.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that his spiky blond hair, sharp emerald-green eyes, and narrow face made him an eye-catching figure in the crowd. It also didn’t hurt that his tight-fitted black shirt was molded to impressive pecs and a flat stomach.

For only a moment, a little bit of jealousy slithered through him, and it wasn’t all due to the woman resting her hand on Drayce’s arm. His friend could walk up to anyone and talk to them, and Caelan could not. Okay, so maybe a woman wouldn’t have been his first choice or even his fifth, but putting that aside, striking up a conversation with a stranger with the hope of it leading to something physical wasn’t an option for him.

But before the jealousy could swell to more than a thin thread, reality crushed it hard. What if he wasn’t himself? Would he really have the balls to walk up to a total stranger and hit on them?

That thought alone was laughable.

No, being Caelan Talos was not what was stopping him from meeting someone new, from dating, from having wild, headboard-breaking sex. The only thing stopping Caelan—for the most part—was Caelan. He just couldn’t talk to people, couldn’t relate to them in the same way that Drayce could. Talking to anyone in high school and college had been painful. If he wasn’t performing some prescribed duty with a set script and set expectations, Caelan was completely tongue-tied when forced to have a normal conversation.

And then afterward…

Even his brain tried to cringe away from old memories of disasters. The traitorous thing would replay every moment, every stammer and idiotic comment so he could relive his humiliation all over again.

If it weren’t for Drayce’s outgoing nature, Caelan probably wouldn’t have any friends at all.

And sadly enough, he was fine with having only a few close friends. Dating, kissing, finding that someone who smiled at him as if he were the only person in the entire universe was not even in the top fifty of his to-do list. It likely wouldn’t be for quite a while.

For now, he was content to hang out with his friends and to live vicariously through them. His life had enough drama and headache in it without adding in the pressures of dating.

“Oh shit,” Eno’s deep voice rumbled.

Caelan glanced over at his companion to find that he was staring at Drayce. Caelan hadn’t even noticed that his focus had drifted. An angry man had walked up to Drayce and roughly grabbed his shoulder, shoving him away from the blond and her friend while waving his other hand in the air. Drayce’s sweet face instantly crumpled with rage and indignation. Shit, was this the woman’s boyfriend? He hadn’t been there since they’d arrived at the bar.

And, of course, he had to be the same height as the blond and at least fifty pounds of muscle heavier than Drayce. The only man who appeared more built in the place was already sitting next to Caelan.

“You better get him,” Caelan said wearily. While Drayce had a knack for talking to strangers and making new friends, his mouth was also capable of getting him into loads of trouble.

Eno looked at Caelan as if he’d lost his mind. “And leave you here alone?”

Caelan rolled his eyes. He wasn’t helpless or witless. “I won’t move. Go grab him before he gets in too deep.”

“It’s too late for that already,” a sharp, dry voice that had Caelan wincing declared. They both gazed up to find Rayne Laurent standing just behind Eno’s shoulder, a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth as he stared across the bar at Drayce. He turned his attention to them, his jade-green eyes pausing on Eno for only a second; then he focused entirely on Caelan. “I have him. You fetch Drayce and bring him home again. Cael has a meeting.”

Eno didn’t hesitate. He shoved to his feet, muttering a quick “Got it” as he marched across the bar toward Drayce.

There was no point in arguing. While Eno stood out a little bit, Rayne was like a spotlight being pointed at their table. The tall man was in his early thirties, making him a bit old for this particular bar, but it was mostly his impeccable bespoke suit and regal bearing. The only person potentially more recognizable in the bar was Caelan, and at least he’d opted for a T-shirt, jeans, and a ball cap pulled low on his face.

With the appearance of Rayne, it was literally a matter of seconds until people started putting two and two together. His night was shot, and they needed to get out of there. Caelan could grumble and bitch about the ruined evening, but what was the point? It wasn’t the first time they’d sneaked away only to have Rayne fetch them for some unexpected duty or another. This was his life, what he’d been born into, and there was no escaping it. He’d learned at a very young age that his time was not his own.

Giving one last tug to the bill of his hat to pull it lower, Caelan rose and led the way out with Rayne following close behind. Luckily, Eno and Drayce were making enough of a spectacle in the center of the bar that no one noticed his escape.

When they were a distance away from the bar and on a quiet section of the sidewalk, Caelan dared to lift his face and shove his hat back. “I don’t have a meeting. I checked my schedule before leaving, and it was free.”

“The queen would like to have a word with you,” Rayne countered quietly, and Caelan’s stomach sank.

His mother wasn’t requesting a word with him.

No, it was the queen. Which meant this was official state business. Which probably meant there was some problem stirred up by the New Rosanthe Empire that needed to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

Not that he ever spoke with his mother. He had only vague memories of her being this warm, loving person who’d held him tight in her arms and told him fairy tales to lull him to sleep at night.

It was almost as if the woman he remembered as his mother had passed away when he’d been seven or eight, and the person who took her place was cold and reserved. A leader of the people of Erya, a protector of all of Thia. They might look the same, but the queen didn’t give a damn about his wants or needs. It was only about his duty to the kingdom.

Caelan clenched his teeth at his own thoughts. They were bitter and ugly. Why did he even feel anything with regard to her any longer? It didn’t make sense when he knew he was just another pawn for her to push around the chess board.

Maybe it was the interruption. One night. He’d wanted one night off. One. The seemingly endless wars started by New Rosanthe had put him in constant meetings with diplomats and dignitaries from the other kingdoms. And when he wasn’t in meetings, he was making appearances at hospital openings and charities. Always smiling and waving and reassuring the world that the strength of the Talos line would keep them safe.

As the prince of Erya and the only heir to the Talos line, most of his duties were currently ceremonial in nature, but they still kept him busy. The only enjoyable bits were when he was sent on regular training missions with Eno and the hunters, but those had become too few recently. The queen was determined to keep him close to the palace and stuck in the royal capital of Stormbreak Point.

And Caelan was chafing.

His future stretched out in front of him to the far horizon with no twists and turns. There was no room for exploration, adventure, or even mishap. Everything had been planned for him and would happen as it had happened for the long line of kings who had preceded him.

Queen Amara Talos had sat on the throne of Erya for more than thirty years, and Caelan was sure his mother still had at least another twenty to thirty years ahead of her. During that time, she would continue to control him, manipulating his need to live up to the honor of his family line as well as his desire to do what was best for his people.

When she passed, Caelan would claim the throne and not move from it until his death. There would be treaties, trade agreements, and holidays. Monotony.

There had to be more for him than this fate that was slowly winding around his throat and threatening to choke the life from his body. He wanted to explore the world and experience new things for as long as he possibly could. Even if he had to occasionally do it while in disguise.

He’d presented his case to the queen just once, argued that he’d be a better ruler if he saw more of the world, but she’d seen right through him and had immediately tightened her grip by reminding him that he was the last and only heir of the Talos line. The last defender of Erya. If he died on his little adventure, what would become of their people?

So, Caelan balled up his frustration and restlessness, burying it deep down in the pit of his stomach. Maybe once he was king and an heir was secured, he could see more of Thia at last.

“There’s a car waiting just around the corner,” Rayne directed.

Caelan didn’t bother to swallow his weary sigh. “We’re only six blocks from the palace. Can’t we just walk? It’s a nice night.”

“The queen has been kept waiting long enough,” Rayne said stiffly. His eyes shifted from left to right behind his wire-rimmed glasses, not missing a single thing as they briskly walked.

Caelan had met Rayne about the same time that Eno had entered his life. He was beyond questioning whether the meeting had been arranged or not. Most people Caelan knew had been previously screened, approved, and scheduled to be placed in Caelan’s path. The only one who didn’t feel orchestrated was Drayce, but then as far as Caelan knew, Drayce didn’t have a job.

Eno was Caelan’s personal bodyguard, though it was a relief they’d become friends over the years.

And Rayne had clearly been selected to serve as his advisor. The man possessed a brilliantly sharp mind that not only contained vast amounts of information but allowed him to analyze a situation quickly and spit out solutions in record time.

As they turned the corner, a black sedan with tinted windows was sitting across the street. The damn thing was parked illegally, but everyone seemed to be looking the other way as the driver in a dark suit with a very obvious bulge in his jacket waited beside the driver-side door for his passengers. While the car was rather innocuous, everything about it screamed that it was from the royal palace.

Caelan sighed loudly again. So much for a night off from being him.

“How did you even find me? Eno swore he wasn’t going to tattle on us,” Caelan demanded as the driver opened the rear door.

“I had you chipped with a tracking beacon,” Rayne said without inflection.

Caelan halted sharply, one foot inside the car and one hand on the roof for balance as his head swung back to glare at Rayne.

His advisor and friend—though he was sometimes reluctant to admit it—let out one of his own long-suffering sighs. “I used the tracking software in your cell phone.”

Caelan narrowed his eyes on Rayne. “And you’ve not had me chipped?”

“No, I have not, though I’m sorely tempted.”

“Asshole,” Caelan muttered as he finished climbing into the car, sliding across so Rayne could sit next to him. After the driver shut the door, he glanced over at Rayne’s expressionless face, but there was something in his demeanor—relaxed shoulders or maybe an amused glint in his jade-green eyes—that left Caelan sure he was inwardly laughing. He’d known Rayne for about six years and had gotten damn good at reading the man.

As the driver climbed into the front seat and started to whisk them off to the palace, Caelan raised the privacy divider. He knew there was no point in getting Rayne to talk about anything interesting if there was even the slightest chance of anyone overhearing him.

“Did you have an enjoyable evening?” Rayne politely inquired the second the divider was completely up.

Caelan shrugged. “Not bad.” He’d had only one drink, but he hadn’t gone there to get drunk. Sometimes it was just nice to be out among people and watch them interacting without them knowing who he was. “Have you ever gone out to a bar like that? You know, in the LBC time.”

Otherwise known as the “life before Caelan” time.

Caelan didn’t like to think about how Rayne had come into his life. Maybe he had been trained and hand-selected, but he was still there now based on who he was. There was no doubt in Caelan’s mind that there had been others prior to Rayne, but none of them had lasted because Caelan hadn’t gotten along with them.

The same went for Eno.

He couldn’t have people around him he was unable to trust, didn’t feel at least bonded to as a friend. And despite Rayne’s stiff propriety, the man was definitely a friend. Caelan could depend on him, trust him to not go running back to his mother with every little story of his exploits. Not that there were many.

And he liked the idea that in some small way, Rayne trusted and depended on him too.

“Not as my personal choice,” Rayne admitted.

Caelan snickered as he slouched lower in his seat. “What is that even supposed to mean? Were you tied up and forced to go to a bar for fun?”

“I might have accompanied some friends to a bar like that during my university years, but I wasn’t there because I wished to be there, but rather I wanted to spend some time with my friends and that was where they wished to be.”

Caelan squinted at Rayne, trying to imagine the stiff man in a bar, laughing and drinking with friends.

“What?” Rayne inquired sharply.

“I can’t see it. I can’t even imagine what your friends might look like.”

Rayne rolled his eyes, and Caelan struggled not to laugh right in his face. Okay, so maybe part of Rayne’s appeal was the fact that Caelan was so good at annoying the man.

“Then you will be shocked to hear that my friends, LBC, were quite like you, Eno, and Drayce.”

“Glutton for punishment, aren’t you?” Caelan teased.

“Apparently so.”

A comfortable silence fell, and Caelan’s gaze drifted out the window in time for him to see the car glide through the front entrance without a pause. Behind them, the gates would be swinging immediately shut. Eno would have Drayce safely in hand by now, and they’d be making their way to the palace.

It was on the tip of Caelan’s tongue to inquire if Rayne knew what the queen wanted. He probably did. The man seemed to know a little bit of everything that was happening around the palace and the world. There was no point in asking; Rayne would just tell him to wait until he spoke with the queen.

His gut said that it was likely to do with New Rosanthe. The Empire was slowly conquering the world, with the countries of Damardor and Uris-Oladul having fallen to the Empire in his lifetime. Most of the remaining countries were allied with Erya, which made for some tense moments as everyone waited to see what the emperor would do next.

Not that Queen Amara would send him to deal with anything Empire related. It was more likely that the son or daughter of a visiting dignitary was in Stormbreak, and it would be his job to dance attendance while she soothed fears. Lovely.

There had to be better uses of his time, but there was no point in arguing and even less reason to bitch at Rayne over it when there was nothing he could do about whatever she had planned.

Caelan was well acquainted with his mother’s plans. Sometimes she was forthright about them and told him to his face, and other times, he could feel strings being pulled in the shadows to maneuver people and events around him. For the most part, he believed it was all done to prepare him to one day take the throne, but he would have preferred the forthright approach in all things. There were enough secrets in the palace and people looking to manipulate him into serving their needs.

But that was how the world of politics worked, and he was not naïve enough to believe otherwise.

From his window, he could see the palace rising up ahead of them. Unlike the castles for the royal families in Ilon and Caspagir, in the daylight the royal palace of Erya was a trio of towers of gleaming glass and warm stone that resembled pale sand. At night, each tower was connected by a series of glass-encased bridges on various levels, creating an almost crystalline web that glowed from within.

Caelan preferred it at sunset, when the stone turned a fiery rose, lending a deeper warmth to the only home he’d ever known.

Fountains lined either side of the wide avenue leading to the palace, shooting geysers of water into the air, glowing yellow under the lamps. Just past the fountains were old trees that had existed long before the towers were constructed, before even the first Talos had claimed the throne. The green space whispered of secrets and history, life and death, or maybe he was just longing for something more in his corner of the world.

He was proud of his home. The opulence didn’t feel wasteful or over the top. Not like what he’d seen of the pictures of the palace for New Rosanthe. That looked gaudy.

No, Erya’s royal city of Stormbreak Point was a place of pride for all her people. It showed off the wealth of the kingdom and her people. There was an elegance to the palace towers, fountains, and long drive. The same understated and quiet charm extended to the rest of Stormbreak with its wide avenues lined with shops, well-maintained roads, and manicured parks.

Stormbreak was home, and he loved its people. His people.

Caelan was in no rush to take the throne, but he was proud to be Erya’s prince. Maybe he did bitch and moan a bit about his lot in life, but he would give his last breath to make sure that Erya remained safe and prosperous for her people.

2

Caelan Talos

He almost wished Rayne had come with him to the queen’s private chambers. As it was, Caelan struggled to not look over his shoulder at his companion when the doors shut behind him, leaving Rayne in the hall. No meeting with the queen was ever a comfortable situation. Even when she was sending him on some new task or duty, she never missed an opportunity to point out how he was failing to live up to her expectations or the standards set by his forebears.

At least he wasn’t being called on to account for some nonsense he and Drayce had gotten up to. Those moments, while few, had been far from enjoyable encounters. And all of them had resulted in increased training sessions with Eno or even Hagen Sigurd, his mother’s personal bodyguard.

Straightening his shoulders, Caelan snatched his hat off his head and shoved it awkwardly into his back pocket, then thrust his hand through his loose black hair. He was way too casually dressed for an audience with the queen, and it sucked to think that when the queen also happened to be his mother.

But Mother was a distant second in their world. She was always Queen first. The same way he was always Crown Prince Caelan Talos first in her eyes. He wasn’t even sure she thought of him as her son any longer.

As one would expect, Queen Amara’s private chambers were enormous. They took up three full floors, the first of which held her personal library, meeting rooms, and study. While the royal towers were covered in marble and shiny steel, the queen’s rooms were the only rooms Caelan had seen where nearly everything was done in warm brown sugar wood. Every accent was hand carved and depicted scenes of nature and animals.

It reminded Caelan of running through the woods along the border of Erya and Ilon. And maybe that was why she’d done it. Queen Amara rarely traveled. As protector of the Godstone, she was never far from it. Almost her entire life was spent within the royal towers of glass, steel, and marble. All three towers also had elegant gardens and a conservatory, but it wasn’t like she could live in those rooms.

A swell of pity balled in his throat as he looked around. They were nothing more than a gilded cage for her. Had she ever had dreams of adventure and travel like the ones he still clung to? Or had she accepted her fate far more easily than he?

Most would argue that the trade-off of seemingly limitless power was more than fair for what she’d given up. The Godstone was believed to be a gift from the gods and a vessel of immense power. For longer than recorded history, the Talos family had been the keepers of the Godstone, its sole protectors against hostile attackers.

To protect the Godstone and all peoples who chose to live near it, the Godstone bequeathed immense powers to one member of the Talos family. Queen Amara was the chief protector of the Godstone and wielder of its power, though the Queen had given him a small sliver of her gifts. When she died, he would take her place and pledge his allegiance and life to the Godstone.

He wasn’t in any rush to receive those powers either. The Godstone represented yet another noose around his neck.

There was still too much he didn’t understand about the Godstone, and his mother refused to talk about it. Always with the same excuse. “When you’re older, I’ll tell you everything.” He just prayed she remembered when she was on her deathbed and he was in his fifties.

Not surprisingly, the wielder of the Godstone’s powers was also the one who wore the Erya crown. With that much power, who better to protect the kingdom?

Caelan passed down the hall with the meticulously created parquet floor, his steps muffled by the thick carpet. He peeked into room after room, but he finally saw signs of life exactly where he’d expected to find her. Her library.

But instead of sitting behind the large oak desk that had supposedly belonged to his grandfather, King Evrain Talos, Queen Amara was standing in front of the windows, staring out at the city that was spread in front of her in a blanket of twinkling multi-colored lights. Caelan stared at her, taking in her stiff and severe clothing. Her long, straight black skirt brushed her ankles while her blouse was also black with hints of a deep emerald green. The same shade as the Godstone. It was also the royal color of Erya.

A few feet away, Hagen stood, his expression ever serious, but there was also a hint of worry in his eyes. The man had been the other constant in Caelan’s life. He’d served as Amara’s bodyguard well ahead of Caelan’s birth. Flecks of gray wove through his dark-brown hair at the temples and there were a few more lines around his mouth, but Caelan wasn’t sure if he was forty or sixty. Maybe older.

Either way, he always looked good in his austere black-and-green uniform. Head held high and broad shoulders straight, as though he were prepared to carry the weight of the world alone if it made Amara’s life easier.

Hagen turned toward Caelan and bowed. “Your Highness,” he greeted.

“Hagen,” he said with a nod.

Despite being the prince, he’d heard the rumors. Hagen Sigurd was the only person who was “close” to his mother. And he meant mostly in physical proximity rather than emotional closeness. Caelan wasn’t entirely sure that anyone was emotionally close to his mother. People also believed he was Caelan’s father.

He wasn’t sure he saw it. Maybe their jaws were similar. A certain sharpness to both their noses.

And even if Hagen was his father, did it matter?

Hagen was, first and foremost, the protector of the queen of Erya. The rest just wasn’t important enough. Hagen had his job. Caelan had his.

“I’m sorry to disturb your evening out,” Amara began, surprising him that she’d even apologized for it.

Caelan covered his shock by bowing to his mother, his right hand covering his heart. “I am always happy to serve Erya in any capacity I can.” When he straightened, he thought he saw a hint of a smirk twisting up her lips in her reflection in the windows, but the expression was gone too quickly. She turned and crossed toward her desk, but stopped beside it, frowning at the papers scattered across the top.

“I need to send you to Caspagir,” she announced.

Caelan’s mouth fell open, and his heart sped up. That was…unexpected. During his lifetime, he’d been sent several times to their ally Ilon to help with a variety of causes—whether they were fighting animals invading for the Ordas, or more recently, coordinating efforts to deflect Empire soldiers.

Caspagir was technically an ally, but they didn’t like to talk much, and they certainly didn’t spend a lot of time exchanging diplomats. He didn’t think he’d ever heard of his mother traveling to Caspagir.

“Your Majesty, would you like me to step outside?” Hagen offered when she seemed to hesitate.

Amara’s head snapped up and she frowned, giving a shake of her head. If anything, his mother seemed distracted. Caelan had never seen her quite like this, and it was unsettling. He’d never realized how much he’d come to rely on her cool, collected reserve. Amara was always amazingly focused and confident in everything she did. Something was going on.

“No, stay. You may be able to help shed some light on the situation for Caelan.” The decision seemed to help her gather her thoughts together; she sank into the chair behind the desk and Hagen took a step closer, coming to stand behind her left shoulder.

Caelan lifted an eyebrow at his mother. “You haven’t decided that I need to be married off to Prince Shey Thrudesh-Vo, have you? In the name of harmony between our kingdoms?” he asked jokingly. At least, he was hoping it was a joke.

Thankfully, Amara’s pale-blue eyes widened, and she looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “No, definitely not. I don’t believe in marriages of state.”

“I also don’t think Prince Shey would help to rein in His Highness’s more dangerous impulses,” Hagen offered, which actually created the tiniest smile on Amara’s lips. A real one. Caelan had seen the manufactured, benevolent smile she bestowed upon the masses, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a real one. It was a little crooked and created the smallest wrinkle on her nose.

A surge of anger and jealousy plowed through him that this…this bodyguard could make his mother smile, and Caelan couldn’t remember the last time she’d shown him even the smallest bit of warmth. But the anger deflated almost as quickly as it appeared. Hagen was trying to help her, relieve her mind from whatever was bothering her.

If he could be the one to give Amara some joy, at least she had someone in her life who could.

“No, you will not be marrying Shey,” Amara agreed. She then cast her gaze up at Caelan and corrected, “Unless that’s what you wish.”

Caelan shook his head. “It’s been ages since I last saw Shey. I doubt he has any interest in me, and I can’t say I feel like we’d be a good fit.”

Amara nodded once, and it looked as if the topic had been dropped completely. Inwardly, Caelan gave a small sigh of relief. He knew Prince Shey of Caspagir only on the most superficial level. He was handsome in a rugged sort of way. Definitely reckless and outspoken. Caelan felt like whomever the prince married would end up spending their entire life arguing with him. Otherwise, he’d just bulldoze right over them.

“We have received word that Caspagir has been attacked by Uris-Oladul.”

Caelan’s knees felt weak. Another attack. And this one by Uris-Oladul. This he hadn’t been expecting. Caspagir was a strong country with an impressive military, more than capable of deflecting invaders. This was insane on the part of Uris-Oladul.

He wished there was a damn chair placed in front of Amara’s desk so he could at least sit down, but no one sat in front of the queen unless she invited them to do so. It felt as though she didn’t want him to stick around long enough to get comfortable.

“Uris-Oladul? Don’t you mean the Empire? The Empire claimed Uris-Oladul as a protectorate years ago. The High Chancellor of Uris-Oladul can’t sneeze without a by-your-leave from the Emperor.”

For the last couple of decades, New Rosanthe had been spouting off nonsense about freeing the world from the cruel grip of Erya control. It had always struck Caelan as sour grapes because Erya had the Godstone and no one else had it. The Talos family had not forced its will on anyone. Well, except maybe the people of Erya, but they weren’t dictators. They had elected officials and a Parliament. Far more than New Rosanthe could claim as Emperor Naram Suen ruled his kingdom with an iron fist.

Since his rise to power, Emperor Naram had conquered Uris-Oladul and Damardor. There had been some minor skirmishes over the years at New Rosanthe’s border with Ilon, but nothing that wasn’t repelled with relative ease. A full attack on Caspagir using its protectorate seemed strange. Unless it was a feint to draw Caspagir into full-out war with the Empire.

“Yes, that is the situation,” Amara agreed, her voice stiff and stern.

Caelan’s mouth opened and closed before he could finally get his tongue to form some words. “I’m not sure what you want me to do.” She couldn’t possibly expect him to act as a go-between for Caspagir and Uris-Oladul.

“Caspagir has asked that a secret envoy be sent to discuss the terms of our continuing alliance. They would like our assistance in handling Uris-Oladul and the Empire. It’s a tricky situation as it is not New Rosanthe directly attacking.”

“Caspagir has to know that we’re already lending support to Ilon in their ongoing troubles with the Empire.”

“They are aware of it.”

Caelan frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He paced a short distance away from the desk to glare at the leather-bound books on her shelf. His mind was racing through the various ramifications and possibilities of the moves by Uris-Oladul. They would never do anything without New Rosanthe’s approval. What about Caspagir’s decision to reach out to Erya? And then, of course, there was his mother’s decision to send him to meet with Caspagir. That was insane!

His brain cried out. Too many chess pieces on the board.

This was why he needed Rayne in there with him. He’d be able to cut through all the noise and help him find the heart of the matter he should be focusing on.

In all that mess, there was one word that was sticking out to him: secret.

“Should I be concerned that they’ve requested a ‘secret’ envoy?” He turned toward his mother and lifted an eyebrow. “Or is that our wording?”

“Theirs,” Hagen confirmed.

“There is a chance that they wish to keep it secret to protect the envoy as well as try to keep the situation from escalating. If Uris-Oladul believes Caspagir is bringing Erya into their fight, the whole of the Empire might be engaged.”

“Which has got to be what Uris-Oladul wants.” He spun around, waving one hand in the air. “The High Chancellor will claim that it was a big misunderstanding. Just an accident they invaded Caspagir. It was Queen Noemi who escalated everything and sought help from Erya. Uris-Oladul had to defend themselves by bringing in the Empire.” Caelan rolled his eyes at the whole thing. His mother didn’t look amused, but she didn’t contradict him either.

“That is not the only problem,” Hagen interjected. “If you travel in secret and this is a trap, it will be that much harder for us to retrieve you from a hostile country if we never announced you were traveling there in the first place.”

That was a nasty sticking point.

Caelan frowned at his mother. “While I am always happy to do anything asked of me for the good of Erya, I have to ask: why not send another diplomat—one who has dealt with the royal family of Caspagir?”

“This is important.”

That did not answer his question in the slightest.

“And I’m commanding you to go.”

That helped even less. Caelan glared at his mother, the queen of Erya. It was only due to his being the crown prince that he was able to ask the first question. You didn’t question the queen’s direct commands. You just obeyed.

He resented her ability to silence him in a second. He deserved more than this. If not because he was the crown prince, then because he was her fucking son.

Caelan bowed stiffly, lower than he had before, while keeping his hands balled at his side. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

A soft sound slipped from his mother, and for a moment, he thought it might be a weary sigh. But Queen Amara didn’t sigh, and she didn’t feel weary. She was a strong, immovable force.

“Caelan,” she murmured.

He straightened and found that her expression remained stern and implacable. “While you are in Caspagir, I want you to also try to uncover what you can of the Empire’s ultimate plans.”

“As you wish. Have you determined my traveling party?”

“Lord Bevyn and Lord Laurent will be your traveling companions. Hagen feels a small entourage would be safest. Lord Laurent has already been informed of the plans, and he is speaking to Lord Bevyn now.”

Caelan’s brain did a double take at the titles. He’d forgotten that both Eno and Rayne had been given formal titles when they’d been officially assigned to Caelan. Their raised standing in society was a sign of their position within the Talos household. But to Caelan, they were just Eno and Rayne.

“In addition, we will be using your double here in the towers,” Hagen said. “We need everyone in Erya and beyond to believe that you are still here in the city.”

“Drayce?” Caelan paused and shook his head. “Drayce Ladon, my companion.”

“He would be of use with your double,” Hagen replied. The bodyguard’s expression warmed, and he thought he saw a hint of laughter in his brownish-auburn eyes. “Since you two are rarely seen apart, it would be more convincing if he was with your double.”

“No,” Amara stated, shocking them both. “I want him to travel with Caelan.” She lifted her eyes and something in her expression softened. “That is, if he wishes to travel with you. The road will be dangerous. If he wishes to remain in the towers, he can attend events with your double.”

Caelan nodded. She’d already rendered him speechless. Hagen had presented an excellent and logical case for Drayce to stay behind. He usually didn’t remain at Caelan’s side when he traveled for the state, but he’d noticed her allowing it a little more recently.

But why now? All he could figure was that Drayce represented one more person to watch Caelan’s back.

In truth, he didn’t care what her reasons were. He wanted Drayce with him when he went to Caspagir, but he wasn’t going to force his friend into a dangerous situation if he didn’t want to go.

“Once Drayce has decided, Rayne and I will finalize our travel arrangements,” he stated.

“I want you to leave before dawn. This needs to be done quickly.”

“As you wish. I will go speak to my companions now to arrange things.” Caelan bowed one last time and started to turn, but his mother caught him.

“Cael,” she said in a near whisper, and Caelan’s heart leaped in his chest. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d called him by his nickname. Not since he was a young child at least. He turned to find her rising and moving around the desk toward him. He straightened his shoulders and lifted his head.

As she came to stand in front of him, he was surprised to find that she was actually a few inches shorter than him. When had that happened? She’d always been taller than him. But then, they hadn’t stood this close in…years.

She lightly grasped his shoulders in both of her hands. She was so small, so fragile to him. His brain rebelled in his head. This wasn’t right. It wasn’t matching up with his hundreds of memories of her. This couldn’t be the same woman who sat on the throne, stared down the stuffy old cabinet members, and declared what would be best for her kingdom. She was a will of iron, an unstoppable force. She was the protector of the Godstone, the voice of the dead gods, and the wielder of her power.

But the person in front of him wasn’t all that. There were threads of gray mixed with her sleek black hair piled on the back of her head. Wrinkles stretched out from the corners of her eyes and around her mouth. Pale-blue eyes stared at him, revealing worry and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. She looked…human. She was his mother.

He couldn’t remember the last time they’d faced each other like this, their stations in life stripped away. Part of him was wary, but a larger part longed for more of this. Away from the eyes of the world and all expectations. A chance to just talk to her as a person.

“Cael, be careful. I feel that things are changing, and I do not yet know all the players in this dangerous game. Be wary of any you trust. And remember that the fate of all of Thia rests on your shoulders.”

Anything that Caelan had been about to say became stuck in his throat. It wasn’t just the fate of Erya that he had to worry about, but all of the world?

Reaching up with his right hand, he covered hers, trying to not think about how cold her skin felt. “Don’t worry. I’ll have Eno watching over me and Rayne bossing me about. Even Drayce will stay out of trouble. I’ll be gone a few days at most. I’ll hear what Queen Noemi or her ambassadors have to say. As long as it doesn’t interfere with our current treaties, we’ll promise to help, and I’ll hand all formal negotiations over to you. I’ll be in my own bed in less than a week.”

The worry didn’t disappear from Amara’s pale-blue eyes, but she nodded and gave his shoulder a final squeeze before releasing him. “I know you will make Erya proud wherever you go. I’ve always been proud of you, my son. May the Goddess watch over you.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to remind his mother that dead gods didn’t do much of anything, but there was no point. Amara was the one who was directly linked to the Godstone. Maybe the old gods did speak to her. Caelan wouldn’t know. The old gods hadn’t said one word to him since he’d been born.

But all that snarkiness was lost under the weight of Amara’s words. She was proud of him. Never in her life had she uttered that to him. As much joy as he felt, he was also drowning in worry. Why did she look so worried? Why did she stare at him as if she were memorizing his face? Was it more than being fearful of his safety?

Hagen took a step forward and bowed deeply to Caelan. “Safe travels, Your Highness.”

Caelan stared at him for a moment. They were both acting strange, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. It was as though they knew something they weren’t telling him. But what? His mother wouldn’t actually sacrifice him in some political game. He was her only heir. The only protector of the Godstone besides her.

Why the hell couldn’t Rayne have been in there with him? If he voiced his suspicions to the man, Rayne would just accuse him of being paranoid. Maybe that was all it was. He was being sent to Caspagir while it was under attack. That was worrisome on its own.

Maybe he was being paranoid. Spending too much time around his mother always left him feeling like they all knew secrets they weren’t sharing with him.

In the end, he just gave Hagen a smirk. There was no point in demanding to know what was going on. Amara never revealed her secrets until she was ready, and now clearly wasn’t the time. “Thanks. Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her start any wars while I’m gone.”

“As you wish, Your Highness,” Hagen agreed with a smile. “Be careful. We will keep your double in the spotlight as long as possible to conceal your whereabouts.”

Caelan turned and strode out of the queen’s private chambers. Even if Amara had other plans in the works, he couldn’t worry about them. He had enough on his plate with Caspagir. And the first step was finding Rayne and his friends.

3

Rayne Laurent

Rayne hesitated outside the queen’s private chambers for only a moment after the doors closed behind Caelan, his heart growing heavy with the seeming finality of the quiet snick. Something about all of this felt wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what was bothering him about the plans just yet. He’d spent most of his life studying the political maneuvering and positioning of Queen Amara here in Erya as well as against the other rulers of their neighbors. He thought he understood her better than most, but this…

In the past when she’d called Caelan in for impromptu duties, there were other ministers and delegates involved. The clandestine nature of this mission left him wondering if anyone besides himself, Caelan, Queen Amara, and Hagen knew, which was simply wrong and he didn’t like it. This entire affair had left his stomach unsettled in the worst way, but it wasn’t his place to question. Events were already set into motion. His job was to assist Caelan as best he could and keep the prince safe.

Shaking his head, Rayne forced himself to turn sharply on his heel and start down the silent hallway toward the bank of elevators. From there, he would drop to the twentieth floor and then take the bridge across to the West Tower where his apartments were located along with Eno’s, Drayce’s, and even Caelan’s. The royal family usually stayed together in their own wing, but Amara was always thinking about the safety of her son and only heir. If they were separate, it was harder for an attacker to take out the entire royal family.

Sadly, the physical distance also seemed to put emotional distance between the queen and prince, but that was not Rayne’s business. His business was looking out for what was best for Caelan, which would in turn serve what was best for all of Erya. That didn’t stop him from feeling bad for his friend, though.

On the elevator, he glanced at his watch to find a text waiting for him from Eno. They were now in his rooms as he’d requested by text before he walked into the bar. Excellent. They were right on time. It was nice when everything fell neatly into line, not something that happened often when Drayce was involved. The man seemed to thrive on chaos and since it amused Caelan so much, Drayce naturally felt compelled to create it wherever he went.

As he walked down the long corridors richly appointed in dark marbles, exquisite artwork, and thick carpeting that swallowed up the sound of his footsteps, Rayne mentally listed all the preparations that needed to be finalized that night. Amara had informed him of the coming mission prior to meeting with her own son so that he could get things ready for their departure.

He was almost saddened by the fact that he barely noticed the place he’d called home for so long, but then in his mind, the palace was only inevitable in his life. His father had served as an advisor to many heads of state during his years, leading him to spend more time in the palace than with his family. He’d outlined a list of steps and studies Rayne needed to follow in order to attain the position of advisor himself.

Rayne had never questioned his path in life. It had always been presented to him as the path, and he was just lucky he felt that it fit his personality so well.

Of course, Rayne being Rayne, he felt the need to surpass his father’s achievements. His father had never advised anyone higher ranked than a cabinet member. He’d never been a personal advisor to the queen, though he’d met her on more than one occasion. No, Rayne had known he’d never be satisfied until he was an advisor to the royal family.

What he hadn’t expected was to be hand-selected by the queen to serve her son.

His entire life had been dedicated to being the best at whatever he did, whether it was his studies, having access to the best information, or being able to provide the best strategies. His perseverance allowed him to climb to the top again and again, finally capturing the queen’s attention. To this day, he wasn’t entirely sure why she’d selected him, but he was determined to always live up to that great honor.

Oddly enough, one of the surprising things about his job was that he actually liked Caelan on a personal level.

But the prince was an intelligent, compassionate man with a sarcastic sense of humor Rayne could appreciate. He could be a bit whiny at times, but then most young people in their early twenties could be whiny. Rayne wasn’t too worried that he wouldn’t outgrow it.

He would certainly need to with what lay ahead. Getting to Caspagir incognito was not going to be an easy task, and Rayne wasn’t entirely sure their welcome would be warm. It had been years since he’d last set foot in the country, and he had his own personal reasons for preferring not to return.

Memories of a warm smile and haunting eyes teased from the back of his brain, trying to distract him, but Rayne shoved those old thoughts away. There wasn’t time for that, and they’d do him no good now. He needed to concentrate.

As he entered the apartment, he found Drayce and Eno exactly as he’d expected. Well, mostly. Drayce was stretched out on the sofa, a sock-clad foot on the polished coffee table while Eno was turning away from the wall of windows looking out onto the city. The glitter of the lights framed Eno’s broad shoulders while the interior lamps reflected in his chestnut-brown eyes. For a heartbeat, their gazes caught, and Rayne simply couldn’t think. He hated that Eno had this effect on him, hated it more that Eno probably knew his ability to steal Rayne’s breath away.

Six years of working together and the need to touch this man was as strong as it had been the first time Rayne had laid eyes on him. His palms itched to slide up his arms and cup his grizzled cheeks. But that was nonsense. Eno enjoyed toying with him on occasion, but Eno had no interest in him. Rayne had seen the women Eno flirted with.

In the next second, the moment was broken as Drayce sat up partially and lowered a hand towel of ice from his left cheek. A bruise was already forming across his cheekbone, and there was a slight puffiness to his left eye. Because, of course, the best friend of the prince needed to look like he’d been in a brawl.

“Before you say anything, this was not my fault,” Drayce loudly declared, pointing the hand towel at him.

“It usually isn’t,” Rayne countered drily. He closed the door behind him and walked the rest of the way into the main parlor. While his appearance might be a little bland and austere, his home was not. He liked comfortable furniture, dark woods, and bookcases filled with books and curiosities he’d collected over the years. To him, a home should always be a place to engage and enrich the mind. Everywhere his eyes touched, he wanted to have something that teased his thoughts.

And right now, he had two very interesting puzzles in his home. Not a day went by that he didn’t wonder how Drayce was going to fit into the larger scheme of Caelan’s life.

Then there was Eno. The man’s role as Caelan’s bodyguard was simple and straightforward enough, but he teased other…interests for Rayne that were strictly off-limits and messy. Neither of them needed or wanted messy when it came to protecting Caelan, no matter how much he might long for all the mess that Eno offered.

“I’m serious. I didn’t know she was waiting for her boyfriend. She didn’t mention it, and we weren’t doing anything but talking,” Drayce explained. He sat fully upright, placing both feet on the floor. “If she didn’t want to talk to me, she could have said something. It’s not like she went, ‘I don’t know you. You ain’t my boyfriend.’ ” Drayce continued, lifting his voice into a high falsetto that was supposed to be for the poor woman in question. He completed the impersonation with a head bob and duck lips that had Rayne sighing and Eno snickering.

“But she didn’t,” Rayne said, trying to move the story along.

“No, and then the boyfriend shows up like some angry behemoth in heat. Then as I talk him down, that one over there sticks his nose in and gets me punched!”

Rayne looked over to find a smirk on Eno’s lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. Biceps muscles strained the plain black T-shirt he was wearing, and Rayne quickly tore his gaze to Drayce. There were far more details to this story, but for some reason Drayce didn’t see them as necessary.

“What’s going on, Rayne? You know why he’s been summoned?” Eno asked, getting to the heart of the matter with the prince.

“Caelan is being sent to Caspagir as part of a diplomatic mission at their request,” Rayne announced, and the entire room fell deathly silent in response.

It was to be expected. The Kingdom of Caspagir prided itself on its autonomy and neutrality. The people of Caspagir saw to their own problems. During the best of times, relations between Caspagir and Erya were tepid. The last time a member of the Caspagir royal family visited Erya had been to formally celebrate the birth of Caelan. That had been twenty-three years ago.

“Whoa…serious?” Drayce exhaled.

“New Rosanthe attacked them, didn’t they?” Eno guessed.

Rayne walked over to one of the chairs arranged perpendicular to the sofa and sat, crossing his left leg over his right. “In a fashion as far as our intelligence can determine, but it’s more complicated than that. From what I’ve been able to glean from Queen Amara, Caspagir was attacked by Uris-Oladul. A small port town called Greymouth near Zastard.”

“Which is a protectorate of New Rosanthe,” Eno filled in.

“And has been for the past five years,” Drayce continued with a snort. He placed his hands behind his head and stretched out on the sofa again. “Everyone knows they wouldn’t do anything without the Empire’s approval first. This was clearly a strike by New Rosanthe.”

“Do you know what New Rosanthe has said about the attack?” Eno interjected.

Rayne shook his head. “News from Caspagir has been slow in coming, and I’m not privy to all the intelligence at this moment. It’s at the queen’s discretion what I know.”

This time it was Eno who snorted. So maybe Rayne had a few sources he’d worked over the years that got him interesting snippets of information that might be outside the queen’s approved sources, but when it came to the Caspagir situation, he was getting nothing useful.

“Do we know how the Caspagir government has responded to the attack?” Drayce inquired.

Rayne folded his hands in his lap and glared at the shiny tabletop in front of him as if it were supposed to have the answers and was failing him. It was rare that he didn’t have the information he needed when he needed it. This was unacceptable and it was threatening to make his temper short.

“There are whispers they are sending more troops to Greymouth as well as Caspagir’s border with the Empire, but we don’t know anything about the official communication between Caspagir and the Protectorate or even Caspagir and the Empire.”

Drayce groaned loudly, and Rayne chanced a look over at Eno. The man’s expression had darkened to a storm cloud, and the muscles in his arms jumped as if he were tensing even further as he contemplated what Rayne had revealed.

“What does Caspagir even want with Caelan, then?” Drayce demanded.

“They have quietly but officially requested a high-ranking diplomat be sent to discuss potential assistance in this developing matter,” Rayne recited almost word-for-word from the missive Queen Amara had shared with him from Queen Noemi of Caspagir.

“They didn’t request Caelan specifically?” Eno asked.

Rayne shook his head. “No, not officially. But considering the gravity of the matter and the lack of regular communication between our two countries, the queen is thinking it best if the prince is sent.”

“I don’t like this,” Eno grumbled.

“It sounds simple enough. Caelan pops over to the capital city of Sirelis for a quick chat and pops back. The Empire doesn’t even have to know about it,” Drayce stated.

“Unless the Empire does know,” Rayne interjected.

“What?” Drayce gasped, but Eno was already talking over him.

“You think it’s a trap.”

Rayne spread his hands. “It’s one of the options. Look at what we know. The Empire’s goal has always been Erya and the Godstone. They’ve ceaselessly spread the nonsense that Erya has been keeping the Ordas from being reborn into a paradise by keeping the Godstone for itself.”

He managed to keep an even, emotionless tone, but inside his stomach was roiling with the logic of it all. Would Queen Amara knowingly send her son into a trap? Sadly, his first thought was, Yes, if it meant gaining an edge over the Empire. Though he couldn’t imagine what advantage she hoped to gain in the end.

Drayce barked out a harsh laugh. “Even if that was possible, no one believes that the Empire wants to use the Godstone for anything but its own devices and power.”

Eno shook his head. “If the Empire gets its hands on the stone, it can’t use it. Not without the queen.”

“Or Caelan,” Rayne finished. He watched as both men paled a little bit, and Rayne didn’t much care for the clench of fear that wrapped around his heart. Caelan would never willingly use the stone to assist the Empire, but there was no telling what kind of torture their friend would have to first endure before he finally died or broke. It was a fate that Rayne would give his own life to prevent.

Rayne cleared his throat as he shoved that ugly thought aside. “We don’t know the plans of the Empire for the Godstone. We also don’t know what they’ve said or promised to Caspagir, let alone if they’ve made some deal with Caspagir. We do know they’ve conquered Damardor and Ursa-Oladul for their resources in order to wage a lengthy war. Thanks to the vast expanse of the Ordas between our two countries, New Rosanthe’s only option for attack is by sea, and they are no match for Queen Amara, our navy, and the Godstone. I believe the Empire has two options. The first is that they promise Caspagir the same illusion of autonomy they’ve given to Damardor if Caspagir agrees to capture Prince Caelan and hand him over to the Empire.”

“Shit,” Drayce swore softly.

“But there is also a chance the request is genuine. That leaves the Empire with the option of engaging in a two-front war that draws Erya into assisting her allies. With our resources spread thin between Caspagir and Ilon, the Empire launches a surprise assault on Stormbreak Point.”

Rayne paused and chewed on his bottom lip, his brain quickly turning over all the angles. He was missing something. It felt big, but the idea didn’t solidify in his brain. He had too little information to work from and nothing useful with regard to the Empire’s plans.

“So, Caelan may or may not be walking into a trap when he goes to Caspagir,” Drayce murmured. He sat up, dropping his hands between his knees. “Do you think he knows?”

Before Rayne could answer, they all jumped to their feet at the sound of the front doorknob turning. They turned to see Caelan enter, his expression a heavy mix of worried and weary.

Rayne had always been struck by how handsome Caelan was with his bright sky-blue eyes and fine, delicate features nearly lost under long locks of black hair. All those good looks had been tempered by how very young he was.

Tonight, though, standing in his doorway, his twenty-three years had caught up with him and then some. He was pale and lines of worry dug into his brow. Full lips were pressed into a hard line that only eased when he managed a wry smile. “Yeah, Caelan knows.”

“Listening at doors now?” Rayne said stiffly and as he’d expected, mischief sparkled in the man’s blue eyes, but only for a second.

“That’s how you get your best intel,” Caelan mocked. He closed the door and trudged across the room, his shoulders slumped. He gave Drayce’s arm a shove and he dropped on the sofa. “I wasn’t listening long. I wanted to hear if you’d come up with anything I hadn’t.”

“And?” Rayne prompted.

Caelan shook his head. “She never mentioned the potential for a trap, but she’s clearly worried.” Caelan lifted his eyes and pinned Rayne with a dark look. “And you know she never appears worried.”

“True.”

“Something about this has her spooked or distracted. Something she’s not willing to tell me. The only thing I could come up with is that she suspects this might be a trap.”

“What do you think?” Eno inquired.

Caelan held up a hand in front of him. “It could be a trap.” He lifted his other hand to the same height. “Or it could be a true request for help.” He bobbed both hands before his chest as if they were scales weighing what they knew, but in the end neither side won, and he dropped both into his lap. “I want to believe they want our help, and I think she does too. While relations have never been particularly warm, we have established regular trading ties. We’re civil to each other. But I’m not a fool. Caspagir’s interests will always lie with Caspagir first. If the Empire is making them tempting promises, why not tie me up and toss me across the Empire’s border?”

“Because Queen Amara would use the Godstone to unleash a fucking nightmare on their heads,” Drayce argued, winning a sweet smile from Caelan.

It was a pretty, romantic idea, but the queen was not the type to act hastily, even for her own flesh and blood, and it was clear from Caelan’s drawn expression that the prince knew this as well. Rayne didn’t doubt that it would be her first choice, but there was more to consider. Besides herself, Caelan was the only other Talos who could protect the Godstone. He was the only one other than the queen who could wield the power from within, and the bulk of that control wasn’t supposed to kick in until her death. If Caelan were killed and the queen had no other heir, what would happen to Erya?

And what would happen to the Godstone with no chosen protector?

Yes, there were government leaders who could step in and take charge, but so much of Erya’s protections were tied to power from the stone.

“When do you leave? It’s gonna take a few days to pull everything together—” Drayce started but cut off his words at Caelan’s head shake.

“In about five hours.” He sighed. “We leave at three in the morning.”

“What?” Drayce squawked, jerking upright on the sofa.

“She wants us slipping out under the cover of darkness. This isn’t an official visit. We don’t want anyone to know that I’m in Caspagir.” Caelan turned his head toward Rayne. “She’s going to activate my double, have him moving around the castle and making some appearances in public so any Empire spies think I’m still here.” The prince turned his attention to Drayce. “It would be helpful if you were seen with my double. Since everyone is accustomed to seeing us together in public, it would help to sell him as me.”

“But who’s traveling with you?”

“Just Eno and Rayne.” Caelan pointed to each man as he named them. “I’m traveling incognito. Too many bodyguards attract too much attention.”

Drayce jumped to his feet to tower over Caelan, pointing at the prince so that he nearly poked him in the eye. “Oh, hell no! There’s no way you’re leaving here without me. Eno’s been training me. I can act as a bodyguard too. No one is going to think it strange to see four guys on a road trip. I’ll go talk to the queen myself—ah!”

Caelan grabbed Drayce’s shirt as he tried to step around the prince and march to the door, pulling him back down on the couch. “Idiot,” Caelan said with an affectionate laugh. “I already cleared it with her.”

“Really?”

Caelan’s smile dimmed. “It’s going to be incredibly dangerous even if this isn’t a trap. We’ll have to travel light and fast. I didn’t want to volunteer you.”

This time it was Drayce who shoved Caelan. “Asshole. Of course I’m going. Road trip, baby!”

Rayne rolled his eyes. Only Drayce would dare to call the Crown Prince of Erya “asshole.” The term had become a type of brotherly endearment between them, and Caelan frequently called Drayce “idiot.”

Eno made a noise and Rayne glanced up, surprised to find the bodyguard staring at him, amused by Rayne’s annoyance. Because yes, of course, he was the only one concerned with propriety when it came to the royal family.

Swallowing a sigh, Rayne turned his attention to Caelan. “So, we leave by boat—”

“Train, actually,” Caelan corrected.

“Oh, thank all the little dead gods.” Drayce sighed loudly and flopped onto the couch so that he was half lying on Caelan until the prince pushed him off.

Caelan jerked his thumb toward his friend. “Drayce gets seasick. A couple of extra cars are being added to the weekly export train as we speak. A ship will be taking off from port at the same time, but we’ll be the special cargo on the train. Hagen texted me the details while I was walking over here. I don’t want to know how they managed all of this so quickly.”

“Train is going to take longer,” Eno interjected.

Caelan hummed his agreement. “True. An extra full day as we cut through the mountains in the north of the Ordas, but no one is searching for us. The ship going to Sirelis is extra, unplanned. People will notice it. The train is the regular weekly train. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Then we should make preparations immediately, so we don’t miss our train,” Rayne announced.

Drayce jumped to his feet and clapped his hands together. “This is going to be great. The four of us off on an adventure. Seeing new places. Maybe we can even find Eno a pretty girl to put a smile on his face for once.”

Rayne opened his mouth to remind Drayce that this wasn’t a vacation, but Caelan caught his eye with a shake of his head. As the prince wished. Drayce would be hit with the reality of their situation soon enough.

“When you say ‘travel light,’ how light are we talking?” Drayce asked.

Eno wrapped his arm around Drayce’s shoulders and walked with him to the door. “If we need to suddenly bug out from where we are, you need to be able to carry all your stuff on your back, because I’m not carrying your shit.”

“What about my guitar? Sling it over my shoulder. Helps our cover as tourists. I can woo the ladies with my music…”

Rayne didn’t hear Eno’s response as they left his apartment and closed the door behind them. He looked over at Caelan to find his expression had turned dark and worried again.

“I don’t like this plan any more than you do,” Caelan softly admitted.

“Did she offer any additional information that might help us?”

Caelan shook his head. “Only a warning. My double will be active as long as possible to shield us. I know her. She won’t break that cover until it’s absolutely necessary.”

Which meant that if Caelan were captured, there would be no quick help coming from Erya. They were entirely on their own.

4

Eno Bevyn

Eno stood in front of the Godstone, feeling awkward and not quite sure what to do with himself. The room where the stone was held wasn’t particularly big or even ostentatious, considering the important item it held. The room was sort of octagonally shaped with walls made of perfectly smooth black marble. The same flawless marble covered the floors with a highly polished shine. The lighting was all recessed and hidden so that there was just a sort of glow to the room. It all left him feeling like he was floating in a sea of darkness.

In the dead center of the room was the stone. There was enough room for a person to comfortably walk all the way around it without touching it or the wall.

There were only three things about the room that stood out.

The first were the double doors. Both were more than a foot thick, made of a strange combination of stone and steel. Each door required two men to move them to allow for the queen’s daily visits.

Then, of course, were the six men who guarded the room. Two stood on either side of the open doors. Two more were in the middle of a long, windowless corridor. And the final two stood at the head of the corridor. No other room in all of the royal towers was more heavily guarded.

And then, finally, was the stone itself, though it didn’t look as he’d always imagined it would. When he’d first heard of the Godstone, he’d expected something more like granite or a chunk of black coal with a tortured face of a god on it.

But this monolith was more like a polished gem of the highest quality. The stone itself was over seven feet tall, five feet across, and several feet deep. It appeared as if the first foot or so into the stone was colored a pale green, but the deeper into the stone he gazed, the darker and murkier it became until its center was nearly black.

Of course, that was nothing compared to the fact that it hovered exactly one foot off the ground. He didn’t know how or why, and he was fine with that. The less his life had to do with the old gods and all their magical interference, the better.

Since coming to serve as Caelan’s bodyguard, he’d accompanied the young prince to the Godstone on several occasions. Caelan never said more than to announce that they were going to see the stone. They’d wordlessly walk to the chamber, and they never spoke while there. Eno would stand near the door and wait for Caelan. Sometimes the prince would circle the stone, frowning, and leave. But there were a few times Caelan leaned against the wall and stared at the stone for an hour or two.

And then, just as suddenly, Caelan would leave with Eno at his side. He’d make some small talk, but they never spoke about the stone, and Eno knew better than to ask. Caelan was largely an open book with him. There was little the prince shied away from talking about, but the stone always felt like one of those forbidden topics.

It was all too personal. More than the crown and the throne, the Godstone was Caelan’s future, his destiny, and his legacy. Eno couldn’t begin to understand that weight on the young man’s shoulders.

Honestly, he was surprised the guards had let him in with such a thin excuse as meeting Caelan there. As far as he knew, the only ones who were permitted in the Godstone room were Caelan and his mother. He’d been in there plenty of other times with Caelan; maybe they just thought he wouldn’t be insane enough to cross the royal family. Not that he wanted to risk Queen Amara’s ire.

But tonight, he’d been willing to take the risk. As he’d been packing, the thought had occurred to him that he needed to go to the stone one last time. He didn’t know why. Guidance? A blessing of the gods—if any of them were actually alive and paying attention? To clear his mind? There certainly wasn’t another place in Stormbreak more quiet than this room.

But now that he was standing there in a silence so complete he could hear only his own heartbeat in his ears, he found himself doubting and wishing more than praying to the gods.

There would be only three of them to keep Caelan safe on this mission. If the Empire discovered he was so thinly guarded, they would undoubtedly sweep in to scoop him up or kill him in an instant.

And what if this were a trap by the royal family of Caspagir? How would they escape from the lion’s den?

If it wasn’t, what did they risk by not going and at least talking to them? Would yet another country fall to the growing power of the Empire?

Eno rubbed his forehead with the heel of his palm. There was no doubt in his mind that there were other, more complicated options he wasn’t thinking of yet. He wished he were as smart as Rayne. The man had presented the basics, but Eno had little doubt he’d already worked out far more stratagems that the Empire could be employing as well as what the queen might be thinking and planning. Eno couldn’t help but admire and worry over him.

The slender, elegant man was always so careful not to give too much of himself away emotionally, but Eno had seen it as if it had been shouted at him. This entire trip unsettled Rayne greatly, and that was not a good thing. Unfortunately, Eno couldn’t begin to guess what was bothering Rayne so much.

Tangled webs of political planning and intrigue were not for him. He’d trained to be a soldier, a fighter. He was at his most comfortable with a weapon in his hand and striding into battle. Even in the midst of all the chaos, he was calm and collected. Then he could see steps ahead and strategies.

Directing his gaze up at the stone, Eno let the silence of the room sink into him. The green of the Godstone was calm in a way, almost like the new spring leaves shivering in a breeze. Maybe that was why Caelan came to this room so frequently. Not to puzzle out the riddle of what the Godstone truly was and how it linked to his destiny, but just to find a kind of mental peace in his increasingly busy and complicated life.

Eno’s only focus needed to be on keeping Caelan safe. They would travel to Caspagir, speak with the queen and her advisors there, and safely return to Erya. The Empire would not stop them. And if Eno had his way, not even the gods would interfere with getting Caelan safely home again.

The soft swish of fabric drew Eno from his thoughts, and he turned around in time to see the lovely Queen Amara stride into the room. Her face was expressionless except for a slight lift to her right eyebrow as if she were questioning his appearance in this most private and sacred room.

Eno bowed low to the queen, his tongue temporarily tied at being caught in the Godstone room. “Forgive me, Your Majesty,” he choked out. With his eyes locked on the floor, he watched the hem of her long skirts sway past him as they slipped across the marble. It was interesting that he couldn’t hear her footsteps. Was she barefoot? Wearing only socks? Certainly she couldn’t move so silently in hard-soled shoes.

When she was completely past him and standing in front of the stone, Eno reluctantly straightened. He hesitated for a moment. She hadn’t spoken to him or even acknowledged him, really. It would be best if he just slipped quietly away.

“Did you come here seeking protection from the gods? Or to think about the road that lies ahead?” the queen inquired in a somewhat cold, emotionless voice as Eno tried to retreat.

“I…I don’t know what kind of protection or blessing the gods might be willing to offer us. I think I came here mostly to figure out what I needed to do to make this journey a success,” Eno replied, trying hard not to stammer. He’d never spoken to the queen before. He’d never even been alone with her. The few times he’d been in her presence, he’d been with Caelan.

“It’s been my experience that it’s best to plan with the idea that you’re on your own. If the gods decide to interfere, you simply pray they won’t hinder your plans.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Eno watched as she stood directly in front of the stone, far closer than Caelan had ever dared to get. She stared up at it, her brow furrowed as if she were trying to divine some glimpse of the future from the crystalline depths, but Eno wasn’t sure if she saw anything helpful.

Minutes ticked by, and she didn’t say another word to him. He wasn’t sure she was aware he was in the room with her. She was lost in thought, much like her son would become. Eno settled into a comfortable parade-rest stance with his hands behind his back and his legs slightly spread. If she wanted him to leave, she would tell him. For now, he would wait on the queen’s pleasure.

To his shock, Amara touched the stone. No, she didn’t simply touch it. She placed the flat of her palm against the smooth surface and stroked the stone. Eno blinked and blinked again. From within the darkest depths, he swore he saw movement. But that couldn’t be. The stone was solid. The stone…well, he didn’t know what the hell the stone was, but that couldn’t have been movement. Just a shadow. A trick of the light.

“My son is going to need you greatly on this journey,” Amara suddenly proclaimed, jerking Eno from his rambling thoughts about stone shadows.

“I will happily give my life to protect Prince Caelan,” Eno said with a deep bow of his head. When he lifted his eyes to her, he caught a slight shake of her head.

“It’s far more than protection. He needs guidance, from both you and Rayne.” With one last glance up at the stone, she turned partially to gaze over her shoulder at Eno. “Rayne has a brilliant mind and is a strong strategist. He will help Caelan understand all that is at stake and plan accordingly, but Caelan is impulsive. He is prone to letting his heart and anger lead him to rash and dangerous decisions. He will need you and Rayne to help him find a balance.”

Eno was speechless. What had she seen when she stared into the Godstone? It was as if she already knew that this was going to be far more than a simple trip to Caspagir and home again, but he couldn’t ask. Maybe it was premonition based on how other kingdoms had already fallen to the Empire. Maybe it was a mother’s fear for her only child.

Before he could promise to do all that he could to serve her son and the kingdom of Erya, heavy, brisk footsteps echoed down the corridor. They both turned to watch a tall, stout man in black-and-green clothes walking toward the Godstone room. His dark eyes briefly flicked to Eno and then snapped over to the queen and didn’t move.

This was Hagen Sigurd, the head of the royal guard and security for the towers. But more importantly, this was the queen’s personal bodyguard. It was incredibly rare for her to be seen without him in her shadow. No one got within a dozen feet of Queen Amara without his approval.

Which made it all the more stunning that Eno was just noticing now that she’d entered the Godstone room without him following close behind.

At the doorway, Hagen stopped and bowed his head to her. “Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty. Prince Caelan is on his way to your chambers to see you.” Likely Caelan was visiting his mother one last time for any final instructions and to get her well wishes for his journey.

“Thank you, Hagen,” she murmured. As she crossed to the entrance, she paused next to Eno, and he was taken aback by her appearance. Amara had always been a lovely, lithe woman with long, rich, black hair and delicately arched eyebrows over pale-blue eyes that seemed almost too large for her face. This close, Eno could see the fine lines of her age along with the wear of ruling a kingdom for so long. But there was also a surprising vitality to her, as if energy and power pulsed just below her pale skin, waiting to break free.

“Think long on the task that I have set before you,” she said in a low, firm voice.

“Yes, I will, Your Majesty.”

“It will be a happy day for Erya when all four of you are home again,” she murmured, which struck Eno as exceedingly strange. No prayers for a safe return or even a simple wish for a safe journey.

“Thank you, my queen,” he murmured, bowing his head. He kept his head down as she continued past him, but he must have raised it too soon because he was sure he caught a glimpse of something he shouldn’t have seen.

Queen Amara stopped next to Hagen’s arm as she reached him and glanced up into his eyes. For the first time, her expressionless mask disappeared, and lines of worry dug deep. Her fingers tightened on his arm as if seeking support. And equally surprisingly, Hagen’s face was filled with a look of complete love, devotion, and worry.

For years, there had been boorish whispers that Hagen was more than a bodyguard to Queen Amara. Since coming to protect Caelan, Eno had given them even less thought. But for the first time ever, he wondered if maybe there was a kernel of truth to them.

He just hoped in all their years as queen and protector, they’d found a way to be happy.

The moment between them was broken almost as quickly as it occurred, thanks to more footsteps pounding across the marble floor. Eno straightened at the sight of Rayne entering the long hall. He watched as the advisor actually seemed surprised at the appearance of the queen, but he covered it with a low bow. So, he wasn’t searching for Amara. What was the studious Rayne Laurent doing in this hallway? Come to seek guidance from the Godstone or was he searching for Eno?

The queen paused and said something to Rayne that he couldn’t overhear; then she continued on, likely to her private chambers for a final meeting with her son. Rayne straightened and watched her walk away, giving Eno ample time to examine the tall, lithe man in an impeccable suit. Handsome and pulled together as always, Rayne tugged at Eno in the strangest and most unexpected ways. He enjoyed looking at both men and women, though he’d never actually been with a man. He’d always leaned more toward women until Rayne had boldly strode into his life.

Since that first day six years ago, everyone seemed to pale in comparison to Rayne’s reserved beauty and dry humor. Everyone else was too flashy, too loud, too much. Simply being near him felt as if a soothing balm had been rubbed into his soul.

It didn’t hurt his ego that Rayne was clearly attracted to him as well, even though the man fought hard to keep it hidden. Every time their gazes caught or Eno saw Rayne staring at him when he thought Eno couldn’t see him, Eno’s heart sped up and he longed to grab the man.

Maybe that was why Eno was driven so often to needle and tease Rayne the rare moments they were alone together. No matter the situation, Rayne’s poise and control were always perfect. Eno was desperate to see behind the façade, to taste the passion he’d glimpsed in Rayne’s beautiful jade eyes.

Rayne was a conundrum he’d spent years trying to puzzle out without much success. There was no question that he was a brilliant man, determined and driven to be the best at whatever he set his mind to. It was to the benefit of Erya that he’d elected to be the best advisor to the future king.

But there was so much more to him than his ambition, even if Rayne didn’t necessarily want people to notice it. There was a softness to him that Eno was sure no one else saw. More than once Eno had caught Rayne sneaking bits of food out to the stray cats that liked to lurk in the park grounds of the palace and whispering to them warnings to stay hidden lest they be taken off to the pound.

What other warmth lay hidden away inside of him beneath his cold mask? And was there anyone in his life he could be that person with?

Even as the shadowy image of another man holding Rayne, cuddling him on the couch as they talked about their day waltzed through his brain, Eno crushed it brutally down. He didn’t want someone else holding Rayne. He didn’t want anyone else getting to hear Rayne’s secret thoughts and feelings. He wanted them. He wanted to be that person for Rayne. He wanted to be the person Rayne’s eyes lingered on.

But right now, their jobs were their lives. Trying to create something now seemed too complicated when they needed to focus on protecting Caelan and Erya.

So he had to make do with bringing a flush to Rayne’s face when he was flustered or somehow rendered speechless. Not a feat that had been accomplished often, but Eno had managed it at least twice in their long friendship.

He had to live for the way Rayne’s breath caught in his throat when he was excited…or turned-on. Those glittering green eyes staring at him, hungry and demanding. That beautiful body open and waiting just for him.

Now, unfortunately, was not the time, judging by the fierce expression on Rayne’s face as he strode toward the Godstone room.

Eno took a step backward and leaned on the wall, propping his heel against it as if this were a place he normally hung out when he had nowhere else to be. “I’m assuming that scowl is for me.”

Rayne’s lips parted as if he’d been about to agree and then closed again, pressing them into a hard line. The look of warning was familiar, but it was usually directed at Drayce or even Caelan. “Final preparations are nearly complete. I wanted to discuss with you the protection detail on Caelan.”

“You mean me and Drayce?”

Rayne huffed. Actually huffed at Eno. He almost chuckled. It wouldn’t soften the man’s attitude toward him if he laughed in his face.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Rayne appeared as if he were fighting to maintain his calm. “There is so much wrong with that question, I do not even know where to begin.”

“Let’s start with what’s got your panties in a knot and work from there.”

Another warning glare, but this one at least came with a slight flush to his cheeks, as if it were somehow scandalous that Eno was talking about Rayne’s undergarments. “First, is Drayce even prepared to act as protection for Caelan? I know you and other guards have been working with him, but this is the first time he’s going into the field, correct?”

“Yes and yes,” Eno said with the utmost confidence. “Drayce is still green and rough around the edges, but he’s come a long way. I’ll be there to offer guidance and keep him focused.”

“Then that leaves Caelan with only two people for protection, and one, as you put it, is green. Are you enough to keep Caelan safe? What if we brought on just two more trustworthy guards to help—”

“No, absolutely not. This mission is about stealth. Moving six people through a city is nearly impossible to do quietly. What if there are problems in Sirelis and we need to make a quick exit? How easy is that going to be with six people? Four is already pushing the limits, but four allows us to work in shifts if we need to.”

Rayne looked mutinous. He opened his mouth, clearly to argue, and Eno tapped his index finger on the point of Rayne’s chin. The man flinched, his mouth immediately closing.

“No, and that’s the end of it. Your job is diplomacy and making sure Caelan doesn’t start a war. My job is security. Let me do my job.”

“You’re right. Fine,” Rayne agreed sharply. He turned to leave, but Eno caught his elbow, stopping him sharply.

“Since you brought it up, there is one person you haven’t discussed,” Eno said slowly.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You. I’m more than qualified. Drayce has been through training. Caelan has been through even more training than Drayce. But what about you, advisor? Are you prepared to protect our prince?”

Rayne’s cheeks immediately darkened and his eyes widened, making him a beautiful sight to behold. The gods knew few saw it. Rayne was a master of hiding his emotions, but for some glorious reason Eno couldn’t understand, he had the power to push the man’s buttons, and Eno loved every second of it.

Jerking out of Eno’s grasp, Rayne took a step toward him, getting so close their chests nearly touched. There was just the faintest hint of his cologne in the air, and Eno wanted to bury his nose in the man’s neck in search of more.

“I will have you know that I have spent more than a hundred hours in training in the event that I am called upon to physically defend Caelan. I am prepared to give my life to protect our prince.”

Eno smiled at the man who was nearly trembling. “I know. I saw you.”

Rayne stepped back, seeming as if Eno had knocked him off-balance. “What?”

“I saw you training with Tomas. Shiny with sweat in the summer sun. I never thought anyone could get you out of your suit.”

The advisor’s eyes quickly darted away from Eno, his tongue slipping out to lick his bottom lip, looking so very unsure. It was as if Rayne had no idea how sexy he really was. He might be a little on the thin side, but every inch of him was hard, lean muscle. It had been by pure accident that he’d caught sight of Rayne since the advisor had been careful to schedule the training sessions during a time when Caelan was busy but unlikely to need Rayne.

But once Eno had seen him, he’d never been able to get the image out of his head. Rayne had been fighting in the sun with one of the palace’s top guards. The black tank top had been molded to his chest with sweat while the sun danced off taut muscles. While his form hadn’t been perfect, Rayne’s speed was impressive. He was lithe and graceful, even in a fight. Briefly, Eno had thought Rayne would have been better off becoming a dancer, but then he would have missed out on perfect moments just like this one.

“I might not have progressed as far as Drayce, but I know how to protect him.” Rayne lifted his chin, regaining some of his earlier confidence. Eno wanted to call bullshit on Rayne’s extremely modest assessment. Of course, Rayne might be worried about taking his skills into the real world versus the training field. “I won’t be slowing you up.”

“I was never worried about that,” Eno replied, and it was the truth. Rayne would never let himself put Caelan in danger. He’d give up his own life to keep the prince safe.

“Oh. Well, then, good.” Rayne ran a quick hand over his tie, smoothing it in place even though it hadn’t moved an inch during their conversation. “I should finish preparations. Thank you for your time.”

Eno chuckled. He couldn’t help it. There was little formality between him and Rayne. They’d commiserated more than a few times over drinks about Caelan’s and Drayce’s antics. But when the advisor was thoroughly out of sorts, he fell back on rigid protocol to steady himself.

“I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” Eno called after him. Gods, he adored that man, lived for every second they had alone together, even if it was only a brief conversation about Caelan’s safety. Every moment with Rayne was precious to him.

He watched Rayne’s stiff retreating figure as he headed away from the Godstone and to his own errands. When he could no longer see the man, he turned his attention to the glittering green stone just a short distance away. His smile fell from his lips and was replaced with a sigh. If he could beg one more boon from the gods—besides getting Caelan home safe and sound—Eno would ask that Rayne returned home safe and sound as well.

But there was no way in hell Eno was leaving that in the hands of the gods. He was getting both men back to Erya in one piece.

5

Caelan Talos

The train rumbled and clacked down the tracks. The gentle swaying of the car should have been soothing, but Caelan’s mind was too busy for sleep. Getting out of Stormbreak had gone off without a hitch. The export train for Caspagir had been loaded up and an extra car had been inserted into the center of the line, disguised to match the rest of the shipping cars. As a result, it meant they had only one small window to gaze out at their surroundings.

The passenger car had been divided up, creating a small bedroom with a bunk on either wall. The rest of the car was a living area with some chairs, a table, and a tiny cooking area. While it was only a few thousand miles from Stormbreak to Sirelis, it would take them close to three days to make the trek.

Crossing Erya was completed in a day, but the train’s speed was reduced by more than half as they crossed into the Ordas. The no-man’s-land was filled with dense woods, steep mountains, and deep crags and crevices. They were crossing through the narrow, northernmost tip of the Ordas, where it was somewhat flatter, but it was still slow going. It would take nearly a full day to weave through the Ordas.

From there, they were scheduled to reach the capital city of Sirelis in the early evening. Caelan expected they’d make contact with the royal family, get rooms, and have a light dinner. The next morning, he’d be ushered off to tense meetings. If Caspagir’s need was genuine, he figured he’d be in the capital for one or two full days, and then he’d start the trip home.

Not that he expected things to pass smoothly. Something was going to go wrong. He just couldn’t imagine what it was, hence his inability to fall asleep despite getting no sleep the night before.

The only other people on the train were a couple of engineers in the steam locomotive and another pair in the caboose. The two pairs switched off every eight hours to give each other breaks. One man was a grizzled creature with tufts of white hair sticking out from under his worn cap. He’d come back near sunset to tell them they were getting ready to cross the border from Erya into the Ordas.

All four of them had gathered close to the window and peered out in the dim light, catching glimpses of the warning signs that they were headed into the untamed Ordas and that trekking into this land was done at their own peril.

Flying would have been so much better than going by train. The faster they were through, the better. But flying wasn’t an option since technology failed when it was too close or within the Ordas. They were lucky the steam engine could chug along with no problems on the steel tracks.

The old myths and legends told a tale that the gods had fought a battle in the Ordas and died there. The magic that didn’t form the Godstone had sunk into the dirt, rocks, trees, and animals that lived with the Ordas. It tainted the air and infected everything, twisting it into something that just wanted to kill anything that entered.

A few years ago, Caelan had gone south to Erya’s border with the neighboring Republic of Ilon. There, they’d fought wild animals and bandits troubling some of the smaller border towns. During the day, they’d brushed the edge of the Ordas but had never ventured in more than a few meters before turning around. By nightfall, they’d been well within the Erya or Ilon borders, safe from whatever had lurked in that untamed land, but he’d heard the screams from within the Ordas that didn’t sound entirely animal.

Never in his life had he gone this deep into the Ordas, let alone to the northern tip. He’d figured one day he might travel to Caspagir, but he’d thought he’d be doing it aboard the royal yacht. Travel by boat was safer, quicker, and allowed them to bypass the Ordas completely.

Across from him, on the opposite bunk, Drayce flopped onto his back and released what sounded like an irritated sigh. The beds weren’t great. He’d certainly slept on worse when on training missions, but that didn’t make this any better. The mattresses were thin and lumpy. The blankets were also thin, and they were scratchy, smelling a bit of mildew and wet dog.

The bigger problem was the size of the beds. He and Drayce were just under six feet, and neither of them could fully stretch out on the beds. Meanwhile, Eno was at least six two and Rayne stood a lofty six four. On the trip, they were hot bunking, with he and Drayce taking the first shift. In five hours, they would get up so Rayne and Eno could catch some sleep. Not that Caelan could imagine either of them curled up in little balls just to fit on the bunks.

“You asleep?” Drayce’s low voice cut across the thick darkness of the tiny room. The only light was a thin sliver leaking in under the door.

“Nope,” Caelan replied with a pop of the P.

“Because of the mission or the bed?”

“Yes,” Caelan answered with a smirk. The bed certainly wasn’t helping, but he should have been too exhausted for it to matter. It was probably more the mission than the bed chasing sleep away.

“Yeah,” Drayce sighed. “Considering the number of times I fell asleep at my desk during world history and math class, you’d think this wouldn’t be a problem.”

“I’ve also seen you fall asleep while eating and still keep eating.”

“Hey!” Drayce snapped in a harsh whisper. “That was a one-time thing. We’d stayed up for two days straight, and that beef stew was amazing. I couldn’t stop eating.”

“You rarely stop eating.”

“You should have stopped me. If I had fallen forward into my bowl, I could have drowned.” Drayce’s voice was perfectly serious in the darkness, and Caelan could imagine him meaning every word of it.

As it was, Caelan had to cover his mouth with his hand to muffle his snickers. He didn’t want Eno or Rayne hearing them. They’d only barge in and bark at them to go to sleep. He knew they had to sleep, but he couldn’t. What if this is a trap? The question kept repeating in his brain. What would happen to them? What would happen to his world—assuming they escaped back to Stormbreak? Did they face a war with New Rosanthe and Caspagir?

The mission was going to be dangerous even if everything went smoothly, but Caelan couldn’t bring himself to regret dragging Drayce along. His friend was far too skilled at keeping him from getting lost in dark thoughts and what-ifs. Drayce lived for the moment, acted when he needed to act without stewing too long.

He’d known the man since high school. Caelan didn’t know much about Drayce’s family life, only that he’d been sent to Stormbreak for schooling after spending his youngest years far from the capital. Caelan should have been more suspicious about Drayce; he’d seemed to simply appear out of nowhere, but he couldn’t have. Not with Drayce’s easygoing nature and tendency to blurt out the first thing that came into his head. Caelan felt certain that if Drayce had some secret, it would have come tumbling out of his mouth already.

Caelan had been instantly drawn to Drayce because his friend always treated Caelan just like any other kid in the school. Drayce didn’t care if he was a prince. Didn’t care that he was supposed to have some great destiny. To Drayce, Caelan was another idiot kid who liked video games, music, and playing jokes on others. Drayce gave Caelan a small taste of normal, and it was heaven.

Drayce was sanity for him, a morsel of real life when everything else was constantly so large and overwhelming. Drayce made him laugh when he was sure he’d never find another thing funny again.

It also didn’t hurt that Drayce was cute in that goofy, eager-puppy kind of way that made his green eyes sparkle with a bright inner light.

Somewhere along the way, Drayce had stolen Caelan’s heart away with his goofiness, loyalty, and unwavering kindness. Not that his best friend would ever know that he carried Caelan’s heart with him wherever he went. Caelan would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship. He’d learned to be content with the happiness he found with Drayce.

His mother had made it clear to him from a very early age that his life would never be his own. The Crown Prince of Erya had a duty to her people and the Godstone. And duty always came first. Wanting something more was foolish and a waste. But his heart still wanted Drayce.

“This is your first time to Sirelis, right?” Drayce whispered.

“Yeah. I think my mother went before I was born, but after that, we had a diplomat making trips once or twice a year.” Caelan shrugged even though Drayce couldn’t see it. “But I’ve heard they’re like that with everyone. I think the Ilon diplomat makes the trip to Caspagir even less frequently. She usually stops in Stormbreak along the way and then catches a boat to Sirelis. Caspagir prefers to send their delegates to other countries rather than having strangers inside their borders.”

“So, you don’t even know what you’re heading into. Have you talked to any of the royal family or the government officials?”

“I’ve met Prince Shey briefly at a couple of formal functions in Ilon. I’ve never met Queen Noemi,” Caelan muttered. “But Rayne studied in Sirelis for like a year or two before he came to work with me. Some kind of cultural exchange program.” He paused and shoved some hair off his forehead. “I don’t think he’s met any of the royal family, but I think he got to meet some of the lower officials, learned their government structure and such.”

Drayce snorted. “Thank the gods we’ve got Rayne to cover our asses. It would be just our luck we totally insult the entire royal family and country, plunging Caspagir and Erya into a brutal war.”

Caelan groaned as he scrubbed a hand over his face. Yes, they definitely needed to avoid starting a war. He didn’t think there was a big chance of it, but…ugh. He wasn’t going to worry about that. He’d met plenty of foreign diplomats and had attended enough state functions to know how to behave and what not to say.

“Maybe we should just leave you on the train during the meetings,” Caelan grumbled as he dropped his hand to his stomach.

“Nooooo! I can behave!” Drayce whined. Rustling cloth and a shifting of shadows indicated that Drayce had rolled onto his side. “You know you need me with you anyway. Just to remind you to smile every once in a while. Besides, you can’t leave me behind. I may never get another chance to see Caspagir and Sirelis.”

Caelan grinned to himself. “We’ll see.”

There was no way he was leaving Drayce behind. His best friend was the only thing preserving his sanity on this trip. Drayce had a way of finding fun no matter where he went. He was good at enjoying simple things, something that Caelan was too skilled at forgetting.

“You know…doesn’t the queen of Caspagir have a daughter? Princess Fiona, right? And she’s about our age.”

Caelan groaned again, not caring if Eno or Rayne could hear him. “Do I even want to know where you’re going with this?”

Drayce’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Do you think you’d have to marry the princess to, you know, cement an alliance between Erya and Caspagir?”

“You’re insane,” Caelan grumbled, though he couldn’t complain too much since he’d asked his mother roughly the same damn thing when he’d seen her before they left.

“No, I’m not. History is loaded with stories from all the kingdoms, republics, and principalities of royalty marrying other royalty for the purposes of alliances.”

“Yeah, and there are lots of examples of royal retainers getting shipped off or married off for the same purpose.”

“Awww…are you threatening to make me a retainer again?” Drayce teased.

“That or I’m going to make you the servant who has to clean my bathroom every day.”

Drayce snorted. “I dare you.”

Not. A. Chance.

Caelan had no doubt that he’d find himself glued to the toilet or the shower booby-trapped.

“I’m not marrying Princess Fiona for an alliance or any reason,” Caelan said firmly.

“What about Prince Shey?” Drayce inquired. His voice was innocent, but Caelan could see Drayce’s evil grin in his head.

Prince Shey was rather magnificent. Where Princess Fiona was all chestnut brown hair and milky alabaster skin, her brother was pale white-blond hair and rich mocha-brown skin. Shey was ten years older than his sister and Caelan, his appearance too rough and cold to be called beautiful. He looked as rugged and dangerous as she looked sweet and angelic.

Prince Shey might have had the starring role in more than a few of his dirtier fantasies. While Caelan didn’t want to find himself married to Shey, he certainly wouldn’t mind being pinned down and fucked hard.

Of course, he hadn’t had any experience being fucked hard or soft. Sex wasn’t easy to come by, being an extremely shy person as well as someone deathly afraid of a scandal leaking that the Crown Prince of Erya was engaging in sex with random strangers. That was not a conversation he was having with his mother.

But more than that, he’d lost all interest in a random hookup with a stranger when his heart had already settled on who it wanted.

Shey felt like a safe fantasy, though. He was another prince. He would understand the difficulties of privacy and connection. It would never happen, but Caelan could daydream.

Drayce’s poorly muffled laughter pulled Caelan out of his fantasies.

“Shut it,” Caelan muttered.

“You got lost in thoughts of the man’s mouth, didn’t you?” Drayce teased.

He was not answering that, even if it was the truth. He shouldn’t have been thinking about Shey’s mouth or anything. Either Shey’s kingdom was in trouble and Erya would help, or Shey and his family were plotting to betray Caelan. He wasn’t sure which was the most likely case, but neither left room for sexual fun.

“There will be no marrying. I—shit!”

Metal wheels squealed loudly on the tracks, and Caelan was thrown backward into the wall of the small bedroom. At the same time, Drayce shouted and there was a loud thud on the ground as his friend was tossed out of his bunk and onto the floor. For some reason, the engineer had slammed on the brakes, bringing the train to a hard stop.

“What the fuck!” Drayce complained from the floor. “Why’d we stop? And like that?”

Caelan’s heart raced as he tried to get out of the tangle of blankets. “It can’t be for a good reason. We need to see what’s going on.”

Beside him, Drayce’s shadow rose up and pushed the door open, sending light pouring into the small bedroom. Caelan turned his head away and squinted against the sudden brightness. Pausing long enough to shove his feet into his worn black boots with the thick rubber soles, Caelan joined Drayce in the private car in time to see Rayne disappear into the next car, heading toward the engine.

“What’s going on?” Caelan demanded.

Eno shook his head. “Don’t know. Rayne has gone to speak to the engineer.”

“I—”

The door at the other end of the car was thrown open and both of the engineers from the caboose hustled through, also heading toward the engine. One paused long enough to call at them, “Rockslide on the tracks.”

“Whoa!” Drayce exhaled. They both started to follow, but Eno jumped in front of them.

“We wait here for the full story from Rayne. Get dressed and make sure all your gear is pulled together, especially weapons,” Eno ordered.

“You think we’re going to be attacked?” Caelan’s heart picked up its pace from the initial surprise of their stop, but his brain finally tossed aside its useless list of worries in the face of a potential threat against him and his companions.

“I don’t know what’s going on. That’s why we’re waiting for more information and making sure we’re prepared for anything.”

Eno was right. They needed to be ready for anything. He couldn’t imagine how the Empire could have discovered that he was on the train, but they were all safer if they assumed that the Empire was one step ahead of them at all times.

He and Drayce hurried to the bedroom and turned up the small glass light. In relative silence, they quickly packed the bags with the few things they’d pulled out to make their sleep a little more comfortable. Not that either of them had gotten any sleep.

Normal trips would have necessitated piles of luggage for all the various official functions and events he would have been forced to attend. But for this trip, it had been agreed they would travel light. If it couldn’t be carried on their backs, it didn’t go. Drayce and Eno even carried tents, while he and Rayne had divvied up some cooking gear and supplies—though he wasn’t entirely sure which one of them possessed anything that resembled cooking skills. Caelan was still praying none of them turned to him for cooking advice.

It didn’t take them long to repack and gather all their things together in the main area of the private car. Unfortunately, it was still another twenty minutes before Rayne appeared, looking as turbulent as a storm cloud.

“Rockslide on the tracks?” Eno said as soon as the other man returned.

Rayne nodded as he closed the door and immediately headed over to his bag. “I walked out with the engineers to inspect it. The tracks are covered, and the rocks are sufficiently large enough that we can’t even dream of moving them. There’s also the question of whether the tracks might have been damaged by the falling rocks even if we managed to move them.”

“Are rockslides common here?”

Rayne paused in his search and looked up at Eno. “Jake, the engineer who has done this run the longest, said they aren’t common. Happens maybe once a year, and it’s been a while since they’ve suffered one this big.”

“Do you think this is natural?” Caelan said.

“What do you mean? What’s an unnatural rockslide?” Drayce interjected, his eyebrows inching toward his hairline.

“One caused by the Empire,” Eno answered before Caelan could.

“Shit,” Drayce swore.

Rayne resumed his search, making a soft “aha!” noise when he located what he was searching for. He stood, a thickly folded piece of paper in his hand. “Unfortunately, in the darkness, there weren’t many details that I could make out. There was no lingering smell of powders or chemicals that would have been used in the explosion needed to free the rocks. But…I’m not ruling it out entirely.”

“Fantastic,” Eno muttered. He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. “So, what’s the plan?”

Rayne moved over to the table and opened up his paper to reveal a map of Erya, the Ordas, and part of Caspagir. With one long finger, he pointed at a spot along the train line. “We’re about here. Jake has explained that they will need to reverse the train to a side track and the last one is about halfway to the Erya border. They say the interference from the Ordas is thin enough there that they might be able to radio to the border town of Redgate. If they can get through, they will send out a crew to remove the rocks and potentially repair the rails. At a minimum, Jake estimates it will be at least three to four days before the train can continue on its journey, and that’s assuming the radio signal gets through. If not, they will have to go all the way to Redgate to get help.”

Caelan swore and paced away from the map, shoving his hands through his hair. The urgency of this diplomatic mission had been clearly impressed upon him. He needed to get to Caspagir quickly and secretly.

“What are our options?” he demanded.

“Jake is willing to reverse the train all the way to Redgate tonight. We’d arrive late morning. From there, we would travel north to one of the towns on the shore and charter a boat to Caspagir. Our best bets would likely be Driftwood Point or Wyndeen. Depending on the size of the boat we can get our hands on, we would likely arrive at Sirelis two to three days later than we had planned.”

“Plus, we’d have a sick Drayce on our hands,” Caelan muttered.

“Sorry,” his friend apologized.

Caelan waved it off. It wasn’t Drayce’s fault. He certainly didn’t blame him, and he was still determined to drag Drayce along with him. “Other option?”

“What other option is there?” Eno said, tossing up one hand. “If we wait on this train to get to Caspagir, that’s gonna be a week at best.”

“We hike,” Rayne stated in a hard voice. It was the answer Caelan had been expecting, but it didn’t stop his breath from freezing in his lungs. No one moved or even breathed as the weight of the idea settled on them. Walking in the Ordas, particularly this deep, without the protection of a full platoon of soldiers was unheard of.

But it was also their best option. They couldn’t be that far from the Caspagir border. As a small group, they could move fast and quietly, possibly avoiding detection by whatever lived among the dense trees.

“Through the Ordas? You’re insane,” Drayce countered, finishing with a nervous laugh.

Rayne wasn’t laughing. In fact, he looked disturbingly serious. Caelan’s stomach knotted, but he was in agreement with Rayne.

“By this map, we aren’t far from the border with Caspagir. About a day’s hike. If we push hard, we can make one of the Caspagir border towns. From there, we can arrange transportation to Sirelis. Once we’re out of the Ordas, it will also be easier for us to send word of the trouble we’ve had. It would put us one to two days behind schedule.”

“Plus, the Empire wouldn’t be searching for us to enter the capital from that direction,” Eno added. He scratched his chin, his expression thoughtful. “It’s not a bad idea.”

“Except for the fact that we’re walking through the Ordas. No Man’s Land. The land of the lost gods!” Drayce was nearly shouting when he finally finished. He wildly waved a hand toward the darkness beyond the train car. “We don’t know what’s out there waiting to eat us. And that’s assuming we don’t walk right off a cliff.”

“True, but if the Empire is causing trouble for Caspagir, they will want to keep the kingdom from receiving assistance. They will be more likely watching the ports than the Ordas borders.” Caelan gave his friend a weak smile before turning his attention to Rayne. His heart fluttered and he prayed he wasn’t dooming his three friends. “It’s dangerous, but the smarter option appears to be hiking to Caspagir. When do we leave?”

“Jake prefers to start for town in the morning at first light. We can stay here and set out at dawn,” Rayne replied.

Eno shook his head. “And we’re sitting ducks here if this rockslide was the Empire’s doing.”

“You’d rather leave in the cover of night?”

“Ha!” Drayce barked out. “And walk right off a cliff in the darkness.”

“We’re not going to walk off a cliff. We’ll stick together. Secure ropes to each other if we have to.” Eno rolled his eyes and glanced over at Caelan. “We walk for a bit, get some distance from the train. We can camp for the rest of the night in the flat spot. Catch a few hours of sleep and then depart for the border in earnest.”

How in the world did Eno expect any of them to actually sleep while in the middle of the Ordas? He’d not heard of anyone living in the Ordas. There might occasionally be some hunters who wander in, but anyone who survived such an endeavor was always back well before nightfall.

“This is a horrible plan,” Drayce muttered.

“A dangerous one, at least,” Rayne added.

“All true, but it’s our best option,” Caelan declared. “Get your stuff together. We leave in ten minutes.”

6

Drayce Ladon

This was insane.

The train was currently stuck on a section of track where one side was a mountain that climbed almost straight upward, while the other side was a sharp slope downward filled with trees and thorn-covered vines.

As they crept away from the train with all their possessions on their backs, they were forced to follow the tracks for what felt like a quarter of a mile before the drop-off eased enough that they could head around the train, finally getting them moving in the right direction, toward the Caspagir border.

While they’d packed, Rayne had studied not only the map they had, but any he could lay his hands on from the train workers. Besides the town off the tracks at Caspagir, there weren’t many others marked along the border. One option was to follow the tracks to Caspagir. While it would make it easier for them to find civilization again, it would also make it much easier for the Empire to locate them.

Caelan had vetoed the idea, arguing they should just take the fastest route east to Caspagir that offered the best cover. They needed speed and safety. Not the best combination.

For the night, the train was going to remain exactly where it was stopped. The engineer wouldn’t begin their reverse trip to the first branch line until morning, allowing a work crew to pass the train to clear the rocks and potentially repair the rails. Assuming they could even make contact with anyone in Erya. Drayce was hoping that if they were being watched, the Empire still thought they were on the train, giving them a good head start. It would be bad if the train were attacked and the innocent engineers were hurt.

But now that he was walking through the thickening forest of the Ordas, the darkness getting heavier with every step away from the train, Drayce was convinced they’d all lost their minds. The gods only knew what lived within the Ordas. It certainly wasn’t people. He’d heard plenty of stories from Ilon and people who lived in eastern Erya of animals who’d come out of the Ordas larger than they had any business being, or animals traveling in packs that were solitary creatures anywhere else. The rules were bent in the Ordas, and Drayce had no interest in seeing exactly how badly.

Drayce’s skin crawled and his stomach churned, but it wasn’t just from being stuck on foot in the Ordas. The whole situation with Caspagir, Uris-Oladul, the Empire, and even Caelan’s mother seemed wrong. Hinky. Bad mojo. There was stuff Caelan wasn’t telling him. Drayce had known the prince long enough to know when something was eating at him, and it didn’t feel like a state secret. Those Caelan came right out and simply said he couldn’t discuss. That didn’t bother him. This was something else, and that was not good.

From the corner of his eye, he swore a shadow moved. Or maybe it was the tree. And not in the wind blowing the branches and leaves moving. This was like it had stretched, reaching out for something he couldn’t quite see in the darkness.

Yep, he was losing his mind, and it was the fault of the Ordas.

“Can you feel it?” Drayce whispered. He wasn’t sure if Caelan could hear him over the crunching of leaves and sticks under their feet. The brush was so damn thick. It felt like they were the only ones to walk this way in centuries. They might be the first humans to ever walk through this area of the Ordas.

“Feel what?” Caelan asked, glancing quickly over his shoulder. Drayce couldn’t see his expression, just the shadow of his head moving.

“The eyes,” Drayce hissed.

“What?” Caelan’s footing slipped, and he grabbed a tree branch to stay upright. Drayce paused, waiting for Caelan to move. They were walking single file with Eno in the lead. He and Caelan were in the middle while Rayne brought up the rear.

“The eyes,” Drayce repeated when Caelan started walking again. “I can feel eyes on us, watching our every movement.”

“Like the Empire?” Caelan spoke a little louder, as if the oppressive darkness of the forest didn’t bother him, but his voice wasn’t anywhere near his normal volume.

Drayce scrunched up his nose as he considered Caelan’s question. “No, I don’t think it’s the Empire. Just…whatever is living in here.” Or maybe the forest itself was watching them. Could the gods be alive in the trees? Their ancient eyes staring while their decaying minds tried to piece together who these intruders were?

“Keep moving,” Rayne directed from behind him. “As soon as we’re farther away from the train, we can use the lanterns we took.”

“I’m more interested in finding a place to camp for the night,” Caelan muttered.

“How could you possibly even think of sleeping in this place?” Drayce gasped.

“Easily. Tent, blanket, and your jacket balled into a pillow,” Caelan playfully listed. “Besides, if you can’t sleep, you can stay up and keep guard.”

“I’m not standing watch by myself!” Drayce argued.

“Hey! Keep it down!” Eno snapped in a rough whisper, making both Caelan and Drayce duck their heads to their shoulders.

Drayce had to physically bite his tongue to keep from shooting a snarky remark at Eno. The man was right. They needed to be quiet and on guard. There was no telling what was watching them out in the darkness, but he was confident that something was following them. He could feel it. Sharp eyes, designed for this kind of unrelenting blackness, stared unblinking, following every movement, waiting for a slipup, a weakness, an opening.

Those eyes would be accompanied by equally sharp fangs and razorlike talons or claws. Out of habit, Drayce lowered one hand to the gun strapped to his hip. The rough, familiar grip soothed some of his jagged nerves. He wasn’t sure if his companions believed him, but he trusted his instincts. They were being watched, followed, hunted.

Farther down the slope, the land flattened out, though they were still weaving back and forth through the thick tree trunks and stepping over fallen branches.

“Here,” Rayne called out in a soft voice. Just loud enough to be carried up to Eno.

“What? Camp?” Caelan replied incredulously.

“No. Light the lanterns. We’re far enough away from the train that we shouldn’t be spotted by anyone.” There was no missing Rayne’s weary disbelief; it was as if he wanted to reach forward and smack Caelan on the head. In their defense, it was insanely late and all of them needed several hours of sleep. The only problem was that they didn’t have several hours left in the night.

One by one, they carefully lit the old-fashioned oil lanterns they’d gotten from the engineers. The old metal whined and creaked as the closed door was opened to offer access to the wick. A thick layer of dust and grit covered the thing, leaving Drayce wiping his hands on his cargo pants.

With his wick burning, Drayce scooted closer to Caelan, shining the light on his friend’s lantern as he struggled to get the wick burning. The prince offered up a crooked grin as the shadows danced across his face, but there was no missing the lines of fatigue, fear, and strain.

The narrow band of lights pushed back the thick pall of darkness and revealed trees covered in thick vines, rotten limbs half-covered in leaves, and trees covered in more inky leaves. A hint of the mountain rose up to one side of them, limiting their retreat. If they continued forward with the mountain range at their back, they would come to the ocean, but there were no towns or boats to be found that could carry them forward to Caspagir or home. Drayce half wished they hadn’t lit the lanterns, thanks to the grim feel of their surroundings.

Overhead a branch snapped, and Drayce flinched. He didn’t want to look. But Caelan did. His mouth fell open in a slow, whispered curse. Reaching so carefully, he wrapped his fingers around the grip of his sword but didn’t pull it from his sheath. Fuck. Now he had to look.

Drayce lifted his eyes to gaze up and over his shoulder, into the tree. He didn’t need to twist his body because Caelan’s lamp was already casting light into the branches, revealing a giant creature that only vaguely resembled a mountain lion, poised on a thick branch above their heads. Sleek like a mountain lion or a jaguar, the creature was about the size of a bull. It was a wonder the tree even held it. The thing appeared to be a strange shade of lilac with darker purple stripes while a spike of black fur ran down its spine to its tail. The cat opened its mouth on a snarl, revealing long, curved fangs and blood-stained teeth.

“Careful now,” Eno breathed.

Drayce was going to ask exactly how Eno wanted them to be careful when he noticed that Eno wasn’t staring in their direction. No, he had his back to them and was locked on an even larger cat in a separate tree with its eyes locked with the warrior. Drayce’s heart picked up and the muscles in his chest tightened, attempting to squeeze his lungs into diamonds. Slowly he peered around the immediate area, spotting four other sets of eyes reflecting the light. All of them perched overhead. Waiting.

There was no way they had just lucked into walking into their nest. Of course, mountain lions didn’t build nests in trees like happy little nightingales. Except maybe the oversized purple ones.

But then, outside the Ordas, they would never see a pack of mountain lions. They were solitary hunters, and judging by their size, this wasn’t a matter of a mother teaching her five freaking cubs how to hunt.

They had been followed, stalked. The eyes Drayce had felt were staring them down right now.

“Drayce, cover Caelan,” Eno ordered.

Drayce nodded, a small jerk of his chin to acknowledge Eno, but it might as well have been a starting pistol for the annual Stormbreak Yacht Regatta. He barely caught sight of the cat closest to him tensing its muscles, growling just a bit as he prepared to pounce. The last clear thought to pass through his brain was, This is gonna fucking hurt.

Caelan gasped and lunged at Drayce, knocking them both to the thick foliage. They landed in a tangle of arms and legs, their lanterns dropped in the chaos, creating dancing shadows in the darkness. Horrible, high-pitched screams erupted from the throats of the cats, turning Drayce’s blood cold.

Trying to ignore the cries and his rising panic, Drayce wrapped one arm around Caelan’s waist and forced them to roll while he drew a gun with his free hand. The moment the weapon was out of the holster, Drayce lifted it and fired with absolute precision, blasting the mountain lion in the face while covering Caelan with his body.

There was a soft snort, and Drayce risked a glance at his friend to find Caelan smiling at him. “Show-off,” Calean muttered.

Drayce flashed him a broad grin. “Can’t let you look like the saving hero when I’m supposed to be protecting your ass.”

“Get on your feet, Drayce!” Eno roared.

They both rolled their eyes at the same time, and Drayce laughed. But Eno had a point. Lying on the ground wasn’t the best defensive position, and he was there solely to protect Caelan. Drayce rose and helped to pull Caelan to his feet while surveying the scene. Eno had his broadsword drawn and was faced off against two mountain lions who were growling and spitting at him, one paw batting at him like he was a freaking toy.

Rayne was a few feet away from him, his staff clutched in both hands, but there was no missing the shining spear tip. So the advisor wasn’t all books and meetings. He’d had some training, making the royal bookworm lightning quick with his staff and clearly lethal judging by the disemboweled lion lying at his feet. Blood was splashed across the front of his shirt and shining on his hands.

Another big cat was in front of Rayne, ears pinned back and fangs bared in a long, angry hiss. All its muscles were tensed, poised to launch itself at Rayne.

But that was only four. Drayce had shot one in the face. He didn’t see the body right off, but he was positive the thing had either run off or fallen dead somewhere close by. That meant there had to be at least one more.

His only warning was a low rumbling growl like approaching thunder. He swung to his left, lifting the gun in time to see the massive creature launch itself at him. The world slowed down, and his breath froze in his lungs, trapped behind a scream. Too late to run.

Its giant paws were outstretched, curved black claws caught the faint light. Drayce fired into its chest while shoving backward off his heels to avoid being mauled by the beast. The bullets hammered into the cat, tearing through striped fur and slowing its forward progress.

Drayce’s shoulders slammed into a tree, trapping him as the cat narrowly missed. He blinked and Caelan was there, grabbing his arm.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he exhaled, not liking the shaking quality to his voice. “You?”

“Yeah. You’re gonna need to reload.”

“What?” Drayce blinked, trying to make sense of what his friend was trying to tell him.

“Reload. You need to reload your gun. You fired your entire magazine into it.”

Drayce didn’t remember pulling the trigger that many times. Hell, he didn’t remember pulling the trigger at all. He’d just seen the claws, fangs, and that massive body coming for him, coming to tear him apart.

“Yeah, okay,” he agreed. He dug into his pocket with a shaking hand, relying on the tree to keep him upright until his legs could support him. Caelan remained by his side, sword in his hand, almost seeming to dare any of the cats to come toward them.

No, he had to pull it together. Eno was still outnumbered and barely managing to keep them at bay. Rayne was holding his own, but they needed to improve his odds as well.

With the one gun reloaded, Drayce drew the other from his holster and charged into the fray. His heart was pounding in his ears and his breathing was reduced to short pants, but fear had turned into adrenaline and excitement. This wasn’t exactly what he’d trained for, but he felt he was on better footing now.

Caelan was at his side, his sword raised and swinging in smooth arcs, cutting one attacker down before he could lay a paw on Eno. Rayne removed the last cat lion circling him, while Eno took out his final opponent. Smooth as Zastrad silk.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Eno snarled the second the last beast hit the dirt. He whirled on Drayce, broadsword still drawn, and Drayce was hard-pressed not to raise his own guns in his defense.

“What—”

“Your goofing off could have gotten Caelan killed. As it was, he had to save your ass!”

“I wasn’t goofing off!” Drayce shouted. His cheeks burned, and he didn’t dare peek at his friend to confirm whether he felt the same way. Maybe he hadn’t taken the threat as seriously as he should have at first, but he’d not been goofing off. Eno was way off base. The asshole was always looking for a reason to snap at him.

“And blowing through all your ammo on one cat? You’re not carrying an endless supply with you. You don’t know when we’re going to be able to stock up. What good are you going to be when you’re out of bullets?”

Caelan marched up to Eno and gave his shoulder a hard shove, rocking the larger man sideways a little as Caelan came to stand in front of Drayce. “Knock it off. He wasn’t goofing off, and he fought as well as everyone else. He’s fine.”

Eno huffed and turned away from them. Drayce appreciated Caelan’s defense, but he knew there was a kernel of truth to Eno’s words, and it fucking sucked. He’d hesitated when the first cat attacked, and he’d panicked with another, going through the entire magazine when a couple of bullets would have been fine. He needed to be smarter than this. Caelan’s life depended on him getting his head out of his ass and being a soldier like Eno.

“While this has been enlightening, we need to get moving,” Rayne drawled in a low voice. He carefully stepped through their bloodbath and picked up one of the dropped lanterns. He squinted at it as if checking to make sure nothing had gotten broken. “I’d rather not hang around if anyone happened to be close enough to hear that noise.”

“Let’s move,” Caelan said testily. He snatched up another lantern and walked to the front of the line as they resumed their march. Drayce fell in line behind Caelan, grabbing one of the last lanterns in the rough and carefully stepping over the bodies. Eno and Rayne were silent behind him, but Eno’s words were still ringing in his ears.

Caelan wasn’t just his best friend; he was the prince. The only prince of Erya. The funny thing was that he wasn’t accustomed to thinking of Caelan as a prince, but simply as his best friend. The guy he spent the vast majority of his time with. The only person in the world who got him and enjoyed hanging with him.

It just didn’t enter his brain that Caelan Talos—moody, hot guy with a sarcastic comment always waiting on the tip of his tongue—was the same guy who would one day lead an entire kingdom and bond with the Godstone, taking in the powers of gods. Not the kind of thing a person thinks about when you’re drinking at three in the morning and shouting at video games.

But the fact was, Caelan was the future of Erya, and he had to be protected at all costs. That was his job on this trip. Not to be best buds and make his friend laugh. No, he had to keep Caelan safe, and he was proud to be one of Caelan’s protectors.

Those thoughts swirled through his brain as they marched on. He kept one eye on the trees and shadows as they moved. They were still being watched, but Drayce didn’t feel as if they were breathing down their necks any longer. The death of the striped cats had convinced the other creatures of the Ordas to back off and watch them from a safer distance.

Drayce didn’t know how much time had passed before Eno finally called a halt to their trek. They’d stumbled into a clearing that was flat enough for them to set up a couple of tents. Drayce seriously considered just collapsing on the ground and sleeping wherever he fell, but a tent meant protection from the bugs and maybe a little protection from things with claws.

He and Caelan worked on the two tents while Rayne stood guard and Eno gathered up some firewood.

“Do we really need a fire?” Drayce asked as they drove in the last stake for the second tent. He glanced at his watch—grateful that he’d gone with an old-fashioned mechanical rather than a flashy digital one—and wished he hadn’t. “The sun is going to be up in less than four hours.”

“I’m going to put up protection,” Caelan replied softly, to which Drayce lifted one brow. His friend smirked at him. “You’ll see.”

“I also thought I’d make coffee in the morning,” Rayne added.

“Oh, gods yes,” Drayce moaned. The idea of spending all the next day walking to Caspagir through the Ordas as it tried to kill them was made tolerable only through the promise of coffee. Even if it meant rationed sugar and crappy powdered creamer.

“Any chance you’re going to throw your sausage sandwiches on at the same time?” Eno inquired as he returned carrying an armload of wood. He dropped it loudly near the center of the camp and kneeled, starting to prepare the fire.

Rayne stood over Eno, his nose wrinkling slightly. “It depends. Did you manage to find any wood that wasn’t green or wet?”

“Not much. Pull what I got aside for breakfast tomorrow.”

“We’ll make another trip out to search when the sun rises,” Rayne said absently.

Drayce sat in front of the tent he’d be sharing with Caelan and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. He was exhausted to the bone, and he was pretty sure he was going to fall asleep before he crawled into the tent, which was stupid. The Ordas was trying to kill them. How could he ever sleep again?

But his body wanted sleep regardless of what his brain was telling him.

He’d wait, though. He had a feeling that his friend was going to do a trick he’d never seen, and it likely had to do with the Godstone. He wasn’t going to miss this for anything.

Once Eno got the stubborn flames flickering in the center of the camp, he stepped back, brushing his hands off on his pants. Rayne moved next to Eno, his arms folded across his chest as he frowned at Caelan.

“Are you ready?” Rayne asked, his voice heavy with worry.

Caelan took a deep breath and nodded, releasing it quickly. “Yeah. I got this. I’m sure I’m only a little rusty.”

“This isn’t a good way to find out if you are.”

The prince grinned at his advisor as he took a step closer to the fire. He stared into the bright orange and yellow flames as they jumped and danced. Thick smoke billowed up from the damp, green wood, but it didn’t seem to deter Caelan. He looked over at Drayce, his grin growing wider just as he stepped right into the fire.

“What?” Drayce shouted. Panic slammed through him, sending his heart surging to his throat. He dug his toes into the dirt, prepared to launch himself at Caelan, to knock him out of the flames, but he stopped himself as Caelan continued to smile at him.

The fire wasn’t burning him.

Drayce’s breath left him in a rush. He was kneeling on the ground, both hands clenched in the dirt in front of him. His arms trembled and his brain was a swirl of random and confusing thoughts. Was this the Godstone? Or something else? And if it was something else, that couldn’t possibly be good.

For now, Drayce shoved those confusing questions aside and watched his friend. Caelan’s eyes slipped shut and he lifted his open hands up to about chest level. The air around him sparked and shimmered with strange greenish specs before a green glow shot up into the air from his friend. The light went up only five or six feet above the camp and cascaded over them like a dome. A protective bubble.

When the green glow reached the ground, it disappeared again and Drayce blinked, leaving him wondering if he could trust his eyes. Magic. His best friend could do magic.

Holy shit! His best friend could freaking do magic!

“That should hold at least until we are ready to leave,” Caelan murmured, drawing Drayce’s eyes to him. He watched as his friend carefully stepped out of the flames. There were no burns or scorch marks on his clothes, as if he hadn’t just been standing in the middle of the campfire.

“Any trouble?” Rayne inquired.

Caelan looked over his shoulder toward the west and shook his head slowly. “No, not really. I could feel the distance from the Godstone. I’ve never been so far from it when putting up the protection spell.”

“Something we should keep in mind as we get into Caspagir,” Rayne replied with a small nod.

“With any luck, we shouldn’t need it while in Sirelis.”

“True. Now, to bed. We start at dawn,” Rayne countered sharply.

Drayce did not need to be told twice. As interesting as Caelan’s magic show had been, he needed sleep. Drayce turned around and practically crawled into the tent, pausing only long enough to kick off his shoes before curling up inside his sleeping bag. He didn’t bother zipping it, just pulled the flap over so he could quickly get free if there was a problem.

A moment later, Caelan crawled into the tent beside him, groaning and grumbling like an old man as he dropped onto his sleeping bag.

Of course, now that he was lying flat on his back in the dark with the chance to sleep, he was wide awake, his mind going a million miles an hour.

“Dude,” Drayce whispered. “Did that hurt?”

“What?” Caelan moaned.

“Standing in the fire.”

His friend made a noise and turned over so that he wasn’t actually sleeping on his face. “No. It was warm but didn’t burn.”

“And that…bubble will keep out all the bite-y things?”

Caelan snorted. “More like the things trying to kill you. The mosquitoes can still get through.”

“Little vampire fuckers,” Drayce muttered, and Caelan huffed out a tired laugh. He stared up at the top of the tent, though it was barely more than a black shadow. There was a soft murmur of conversation between Eno and Rayne, but their words were swallowed up by the crackle and snap of the fire. Minutes ticked by, and the excitement of the magic faded under the weight of why they needed the spell in the first place.

“Cael,” Drayce whispered.

Caelan groaned. Something that was probably a mix of “What?” and “Go to sleep.”

“I’m sorry about that fight back there. I fucked up, and it won’t happen again.”

Caelan sighed heavily, but it sounded like there was less irritation that Drayce wasn’t letting him sleep and more anger at other things. “You can’t let him get to you. Eno can be a fucking dick. He was out of line earlier.”

“Shhh…he can hear you,” Drayce hissed, turning on his side to face Caelan.

“I’m not saying anything I haven’t said to his face, and he knows it. He was out of line.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Drayce mumbled. “But he’s also right. I’m here to cover your ass. I can’t do that if I’m wasting ammo, panicking, and having you save me. I mean, you’re the Crown Prince of Erya. I’ve gotta pull my head outta my ass.”

Caelan snorted. “Well, you’re not wrong on either of those two counts, but I think you’re doing a pretty good job. I can’t say that we were expecting to be attacked by those…cats while tromping through the Ordas.”

“Yeah, I mean, when I was going through my training with Eno, we concentrated more on Empire soldiers and assassins.” A grin grew across Drayce’s lips. “I always imagined that I would save you from a gorgeous femme fatale assassin spy who had lipstick laced with poison. And when she tried to kiss you, I’d jump in the way so that she’d kiss me instead.”

A loud bark of laughter escaped Caelan. “There is so much wrong with that image, I don’t even know where to start.”

“Yeah, but then as I’m dying, you fall to your knees and hold me close, sobbing uncontrollably.” Drayce grabbed Caelan’s arms and rolled them so that he was now hovering over Caelan while his friend shook with laughter. “You’ll say that I was the best bodyguard you ever had. That no one will ever compare to me. You’ll declare the day of my death to be a national holiday. Drayce Ladon Day. Everyone will drink their weight in beer, and you’ll wear black to honor me for the rest of your life.”

Caelan tipped his head back and cackled, his fingers digging into one of Drayce’s arms. Caelan had the best fucking laugh. When he really let go, he threw his entire body into it and sounded so freaking free. Drayce chuckled, his hands braced on either side of Caelan’s shoulders, their legs tangled together. He stared at his friend, trying to ignore how his heart tripped over itself at that exquisite sound. He didn’t need to be aware of how good he felt in his arms.

They were best friends, and that was how it needed to stay. Always.

“You’re fucking ridiculous,” Caelan said as his chuckles slowed.

Drayce dipped his head lower until the tips of their noses nearly touched. “Yeah, but you know I’m right.”

Caelan’s breath caught in his throat, and Drayce froze. He shouldn’t have heard that, shouldn’t be noticing that Caelan’s pale-blue eyes had flared wider in the flickering camp light. Definitely didn’t need to be noticing the way Caelan’s plush lips were parted.

“You two are supposed to be sleeping.” Rayne’s irritated voice rang out loudly across the camp.

“Yes, Mommy!” Drayce called in a high-pitched falsetto that set them both laughing again, shattering the unexpected tension. Caelan shoved Drayce off him and rolled over to his side, while Drayce flopped on his pallet.

“You’re a freaking idiot,” Caelan murmured.

“But I’m not wrong.”

Caelan groaned, but it sounded like he was trying to keep from laughing. “I’d appreciate you saving me from assassins—femme fatale or otherwise—but I’d appreciate it all the more if you could do it without dying.”

Drayce extravagantly sighed and closed his eyes. He already felt lighter, freer, thanks to Caelan’s laughter. But also because he knew he’d stick to his promise. He would work harder to keep Caelan safe. “Yeah, if that’s what you want. But I haven’t figured out any other way of getting my own national holiday.”

7

Eno Bevyn

The last of the giggling died away, and there was only silence coming from the tent with Drayce and Caelan. Eno scrubbed a hand over his face and stared into the flickering fire in the center of their camp. His eyes burned and his muscles ached from both the walk and the fight. Gods, what a long couple of days.

From the corners of his eyes, he could see the dark-green tent was set up for him and Rayne. He should be crawling inside to catch what little sleep he could before they all needed to be up and moving for another treacherous walk through the Ordas, but he didn’t want to move yet. Not until Rayne went to sleep.

He chanced a glance over at the royal advisor. When had he last seen the man looking so unkempt and rumpled?

Prior to leaving the train, Rayne had changed into a pair of durable black cargo pants to protect his nice suit and a light-gray T-shirt. Both were now streaked with dirt and blood. A smudge on his cheek was either dirt or dried blood. Somehow, he seemed impossibly fierce and adorable at the same time. Probably not something he should mention.

He liked this Rayne. The less-than-perfect, vulnerable human side that would never be seen within the royal towers. This Rayne felt approachable. Touchable. And that was a stupid, dangerous feeling with his guard dropped so low. He was exhausted and didn’t want to do anything stupid. Because right now, he really wanted to pull Rayne into his arms and push his tongue into the man’s mouth, to finally know what he felt like. To taste him at long last.

So stupid. Rayne was never touchable.

For some reason, Rayne always felt more untouchable than Caelan ever could. Probably due to knowing Caelan longer, or the fact that he’d pulled Caelan out of more embarrassing scrapes, thanks to Drayce.

Rayne didn’t need saving. Rayne didn’t need anyone.

The advisor looked as if he might need a little saving from himself, though, as he wasn’t heading to bed yet when he very clearly needed sleep.

“How far do you think it is to the Caspagir border?” Eno inquired. He grabbed his canteen of water and took a drink, then held it out to Rayne.

Rayne stared at the canteen for a full second, as if his brain didn’t recognize it for what it was. “About twenty miles,” he murmured as he accepted it and took a small drink.

“That’s not too bad. Easily done in a day.”

“If we were anywhere else, I’d agree with you, but the forest through the Ordas is proving to be thicker than anything I’ve seen before and quite treacherous.” Rayne returned the canteen back and dropped his hand heavily on his thigh. “It’s going to be a slow trek tomorrow.”

Eno grunted as he screwed the lid in place. He set it aside and stared at the fire. Caelan’s magic made it so they wouldn’t need to keep adding wood to the fire. The flames wouldn’t eat through the logs until the barrier was lowered. They were safe through the night.

The forest around them was quiet. He couldn’t hear anything besides the crackle of the flames and some soft snoring coming from either Drayce or Caelan. But he could feel eyes watching them within the darkness that surrounded them. Creatures were drawn to the flickering light and the presence of something new within the Ordas, but they were at least smart enough to keep their distance from them.

“You shouldn’t be so harsh on Drayce,” Rayne said softly.

Eno’s gaze snapped to Rayne, his eyes wide. “You’re worried about Drayce?”

“I’m worried about all of us on this trip, but yes, Drayce is still new to this life. I think at times he forgets that Caelan is a prince. He sees only his friend.”

“All the more reason to get it knocked into his head now that Caelan isn’t an ordinary guy and he never will be. If it’s not creatures in the Ordas, it’s assassins on the street who are trying to kill him. If Drayce cares about his friend, he needs to be alert at all times.”

Rayne’s frown deepened, and he glared at the fire. It looked as if the advisor had a lot more to say on the topic but strangely, he was biting his tongue.

“Drayce chose to come on this journey with us, and he was warned of the potential danger,” Eno continued. “He needs to be ready. If he’s not, it could cost Caelan his life.”

“I agree. I merely think it’s important to remember that Drayce hasn’t gone on the same training missions and exercises as you and Caelan. His training has been conducted within the safety of the royal city.”

“Training that I personally oversaw along with Tomas Soto. I think you know the guy. Head of the royal guard. Accomplished fighter,” Eno teased because he simply couldn’t help himself.

A beautiful blush painted Rayne’s high cheekbones, but what Eno really loved was the fire in Rayne’s jade-green eyes. Even embarrassed, he was not willing to back down from his point.

“Yes, I know Mr. Soto, and I’m sure you both did an admirable job in a controlled setting. But I think Drayce would greatly benefit in both his skills and readiness if you were to take him under your wing while we are traveling to Sirelis. Show him the things he needs to be aware of and how to best keep Caelan safe. More real-world, practical applications.”

Eno could only stare at Rayne. He wanted him to train Drayce now? While they were in the middle of incredibly dangerous territory?

“I know Drayce drives you insane, but your skill and experience in the field will help Drayce immensely. If you want him to be a skilled protector, he needs to see one in action.”

A slow grin spread across Eno’s lips as he stared at Rayne. He leaned a little closer to the man on his left, his voice dropping. “Would you like it if I took you under my wing as well?”

The flush that had started to dissipate returned, and his eyes went wide. His lips parted into a small O but no sound came out except a sort of choking. Rayne Laurent was adorable when he was flustered. Was it strange that Eno lived for this? That pull to lean in those last few inches and capture that soft, surprised mouth in a long, drugging kiss grew stronger. He wanted to feel all the stiffness leave Rayne’s tense frame and have him melt into his body.

Awareness sparked between them, and Rayne licked his bottom lip. It was almost like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He was tired of holding himself back. He wanted to finally end this dance that had gone on for too many years.

He wanted Rayne. He’d wanted Rayne from the first moment the advisor had looked down his sharp slender nose at him, those jade-green eyes watching from behind wire-rimmed glasses with an almost calculated coldness. At first, it had been about breaking the man, making him give in to the need and passion that had to burn within his rigid exterior.

But as the years passed and they got to know each other, it became less about breaking him and making him submit and more about offering comfort and relief. Rayne held himself to such a high standard that there was no room for mistakes. He strove for a perfection that was simply exhausting and as far as Eno could see, he didn’t have anyone he felt safe being himself around. No wall of perfection.

He wanted to be Rayne’s safe space.

Rayne broke the standoff first, pulling back an inch. “I think I am managing just fine without additional tutelage. Your efforts would be better spent on Drayce,” Rayne replied tartly.

Eno could only chuckle. It was the kind of response he’d come to expect from Rayne. The man wasn’t going to yield. He wouldn’t deviate from his plan. If something were going to happen between them, Eno would have to take that first step. Not that he minded. He preferred to be in control, and in the middle of the Ordas was probably not the best time to strike at Rayne’s defenses.

With a weary groan, Eno pushed up to his feet and stretched his arms above his head. He felt gritty from the sweat dried on his skin and dirty from the fight. A shower would have been heaven, but they first needed to reach something that resembled a city in Caspagir. Sleep would have to be the next best thing.

“Go to sleep, Rayne. Tomorrow is going to start way too early.”

“I’ll stay up and watch the fire,” Rayne said stubbornly.

“No need.”

“But if it needs to be fed more wood…”

Eno took a step closer to Rayne and grabbed his arm, gently pulling the tall man to his feet. “The fire isn’t going anywhere.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep. The magic will sustain the fire until Caelan extinguishes it.” He tried to lead Rayne over to the empty tent, but the man dug his heels into the dirt, refusing to budge.

“But what if something breaks through the barrier while we’re sleeping?”

Eno stopped trying to force the man forward and stood beside him, his chest brushing along Rayne’s arm. He didn’t release him, preferring to keep a hold on him. “I’ve been with Caelan when he’s used this protection before. The fire won’t go out, even if he’s sleeping. I’ve watched a full-grown bear bash its head against the barrier and it didn’t get through. The poor thing gave itself a headache and wandered into the woods.”

“But this is the Ordas. What if it breaks?”

“The magic snaps back to Caelan. Apparently, it doesn’t feel too great. It will wake him up, and Caelan will sound an alarm.” Rayne seemed to relax, the tension sliding from his shoulders. Eno took it for the small victory that it was and nudged Rayne toward the tent. “Go to bed. I’ll be right behind you. We’re not going to make it through the Ordas if we don’t get at least some sleep.”

An indignant grunt left Rayne, but he still crouched to enter the tent. After he’d returned from fetching the wood, Calean had informed him that both sleeping bags had been unrolled inside. He and Drayce had set up the tents. He might have muttered a prayer to the gods that the tent stayed up all night.

Eno paused outside the tent, trying to give Rayne a moment to get comfortable. He glanced around their small camp, satisfied that all was quiet. It sounded as if Caelan and Drayce were both snoring now. He didn’t look forward to getting those two moving in the morning. Neither would ever be called morning people. But if he could pour some coffee down their throats and entice Rayne into making some sausage sandwiches, it would be enough to get them moving.

When sounds in the tent stopped, Eno crawled inside and zipped up the door to keep the bugs out as they slept. In the darkness, he could barely make out Rayne’s long, stiff form on the far side of the tent. It appeared as if he were lying on top of the sleeping bag. Not that he could blame him. The night air was still warm enough that blankets weren’t necessary.

Eno sat on his sleeping bag, quickly slipped off his shoes, and stretched out. A relieved sigh slipped from him and the last of the tension fell away at last. Sleep was already starting to tease at his mind when he glanced over at Rayne. His eyes had adjusted enough to the darkness that he could more see the man as he lay flat on his back with his arms tightly crossed over his chest. Nothing about him was relaxed.

“Have you ever camped before?” Eno whispered.

“No.”

“Never slept outside?”

“No,” Rayne repeated in the same clipped tone. “Have you ever slept in the Ordas?”

Eno grinned even though he knew Rayne couldn’t see it. “Nope, but I’ve camped on the border of it with Caelan. We’re safe.”

Rayne sniffed. Clearly, he didn’t believe Eno.

He was never going to relax unless Eno did something about it. They were hidden away from prying eyes in their tent. There was no one around to judge them, no one for Rayne to worry about keeping up appearances for or worry about showing weakness. He needed sleep, plain and simple.

And yeah, maybe Eno was just too tired to fight things one second longer. He’d earned this.

Still grinning, Eno rolled onto his side so that he was next to Rayne, and he wrapped his arm across the man’s waist. A strange squawking, gasping noise escaped him as Eno pulled him closer, repositioning him so that they were spooning.

“Eno!” Rayne sharply whispered.

“Hush. You don’t want to wake them up,” Eno teased and nearly laughed when he felt Rayne stiffen.

The man was now lined up in front of him so that Eno’s legs were pressed to Rayne’s. Eno’s arm remained across Rayne’s stomach, holding him in place, while his chest was against Rayne’s back. Under his hand, he could feel the rapid beating of Rayne’s heart, reminding him of a rabbit as it froze under the gaze of a predator. It wasn’t the soft and fuzzy warmth he’d always imagined. They were both dirty, sweaty, and a little smelly. They were also awkward and tense, but somehow, it still felt like a slice of heaven.

“What are you doing?” Rayne whispered so softly that Eno barely heard him. From the snoring rising out of the other tent, it was unlikely anything short of an explosion was going to wake Caelan and Drayce.

“I’m helping you sleep,” Eno said.

“How is this supposed to help me sleep?” Rayne demanded testily.

Eno rubbed his hand over Rayne’s heart, hearing the soft catch in his breathing. His wider body nearly enveloped Rayne’s slender one. “Close your eyes and just breathe, Rayne. I’ve got you. I’ll keep you safe.”

Minutes ticked by, and Rayne’s breathing eased. His heart slowed. Muscles relaxed one by one so that Rayne was leaning more into him. He unwound to the point that Eno thought Rayne might have actually fallen asleep.

“Thank you, Eno,” Rayne suddenly whispered. His hand came up and covered the one Eno had pressed to Rayne’s heart.

Eno fell asleep holding Rayne in his arms. He’d spent years waiting for this man to come to him, to trust him enough to finally lean on him. It was better than he’d ever imagined it would be. The rigid, unyielding strength in Rayne was awesome to behold. He was a man of secrets, letting no one inside. But for this one moment, Eno knew he’d gotten a peek at something hidden that the rest of the world never got to see, and he cherished it.

The only problem was, now that he had a taste, he knew he had to have more. This one peek into the softer side of Rayne would never be enough. He had to find a way to seduce the man into giving up his secrets, to convince Rayne he was worthy of his trust.

But all of that would likely have to wait until they were back in Stormbreak. The current mission wasn’t going to afford him any opportunities to win Rayne’s tightly guarded affections.

8

Caelan Talos

Caelan reached for his cell phone for what felt like the hundredth time but stopped himself from actually pulling it out of his pocket. That had to be considered an improvement, right? No word from Stormbreak. No word from his mother. No word from the royal family in Caspagir. He hated being out of contact with the world for so long.

What the hell was happening? Had the Empire issued a statement? Attacked? And had Caspagir responded or provoked them? May the gods help him, but had Queen Amara issued a statement yet?

He shoved those thoughts away because they were only slightly more troublesome than the heated memory of Drayce above him in the tent. In the shadowy darkness, he’d caught hint of his friend’s wild smile and wide eyes. He could still clearly recall the press of Drayce’s thighs against his own and the panic that had rushed through Caelan when his dick had started to swell. As much as he wanted to keep Drayce exactly where he was, Caelan had shoved him off so Drayce wouldn’t realize the mere touch of him was turning Caelan on.

Had he wished Drayce would lean down and kiss him? That they could shove their clothes aside and wrap hands around each other’s dicks, stroking until they both came in an explosive, messy orgasm? Sure.

Was that going to happen? Hell, no.

Drayce was his friend. Nothing more.

Drayce liked women as far as Caelan knew. And regardless of Drayce’s sexual orientation, Caelan wasn’t going to do anything to fuck up their friendship.

The sun was sinking lower into the sky after spending the entire day trudging through the dense growth of the Ordas, and he was eager to see some sign of civilization at last. He’d woken a couple of times before dawn to strange howls and blood-curdling animal screams far too close to the campsite, but nothing had attacked the barrier. He would have felt that.

No, the bastards had waited until they’d packed up that morning and lowered the barrier. First, it was a trio of the same type of cats that had attacked them last night. Then it was an enormous bear, but instead of fur, it was covered in a hide so thick it made him think of dragon scales. And just an hour ago, they’d pulled Rayne out of the grip of a boa constrictor that was also more scale than flesh.

Aside from the wildlife trying to kill them, there were the trees. They moved. The vegetation moved and undulated in ways that were unnatural. They swayed and stretched even when there was no wind. Leaves fluttered like feathers, shifting and protecting the trees. Vines reached out and wrapped around ankles if they remained still too long.

In short, every living thing was trying to kill them, and they couldn’t get out of the Ordas fast enough.

“We’re still too far from Caspagir to get a cell signal and too deep in the Ordas for electronics to work,” Rayne said. Caelan wasn’t sure if the man had seen him reach for his phone in his back pocket or if he just had a sixth sense for all the things that Caelan did at any given moment.

“How can you even tell where we are?” Drayce groaned as he stumbled over a fallen log. “We’ve been walking all day. Are you even sure we’re going in the right direction? Everything has looked the same every step of the way.”

Drayce wasn’t wrong. They had been faced with unending forest with only rare glimpses of sunlight breaking through the thick foliage. They’d come across a briskly running stream that rushed headlong into a gully and ended into a thunderous waterfall shrouded in mist. They’d stopped along the stream for lunch and to refill their water canteens, but everyone was reluctant to drink the water, stretching the water they’d packed for as long as possible.

If they didn’t find the edge of the Ordas woods soon and the first signs of a Caspagir town, they would have to camp in the Ordas again. Even with the protection Caelan could offer them, no one was in a great hurry to remain in the woods another night.

“I know because I’ve been steering us along that ridge all day,” Rayne said confidently, pointing to a sharp rise in the earth off to their right. “The sun has also moved from our faces to our backs. We’re going in the right direction. If you have any more doubts, you need only remember that I’m always right.”

Drayce groaned and Eno laughed from the head of the line. Caelan had to smirk at that one. Rayne wasn’t an overconfident or egotistical prick by nature, but he did speak the truth. The man was almost always right. Caelan had managed to prove him wrong once or twice, but the occasions had been so rare that he hadn’t dared mention them, or risk being reminded of the hundreds of times that Caelan had been wrong.

“Well, Mr. Smarty-pants, can you at least tell us if we’re going to get out of the Ordas before nightfall or—”

Caelan didn’t hear the rest of what Eno was going to say. Something hit in the center of his chest, and he gasped, falling to his knees. He pressed his hand to his chest just over his heart, half expecting his fingers to come away bloody, but they were clear. Power surged through him, filling every artery and vein to near bursting. Something pressed to his chest and he could drag in only small, fractured pants.

He wanted to scream as the pain moved to his head, pushing down on his brain and out against his skull. In his ears, there was a rushing sound, but under it, he swore he could hear screaming. Men and women. Old and young. He didn’t know who the screams belonged to.

Almost as suddenly as it happened, the pain eased. He sucked in a breath, and Drayce was right there, a hand gripping his shoulder.

“Cael! What happened?” Drayce asked, this voice thick with worry.

“Are you hurt?” Rayne demanded sharply.

The next breath came a little easier, and he shook his head. With his eyes closed, he focused his attention on poking around at the pain. He couldn’t quite explain it. It had happened so fast. There was an initial hit and then a flooding sensation, as if a tidal wave were attempting to pour into his body, but they were both fading now.

“I’m okay,” Caelan replied slowly. “Do we have time for a short rest? I need a minute to get my feet under me again.”

“We should be close enough to the border that we can afford a break.” Rayne turned toward Eno, a worried scowl digging lines in the warrior’s face. “We’ll stay here with Cael and keep watch. Run ahead and see if you can spot a break in the trees.”

“On it,” Eno agreed and jogged off as if he had an endless supply of energy. Calean shook his head and shifted on the ground so that he was seated on his ass rather than putting pressure on his knees.

“Do you know what it was?” Rayne inquired softly.

“A heart attack?” Drayce threw out.

Caelan lifted his face to frown at his best friend. He couldn’t tell if he was being serious or just trying to get Caelan to laugh. He wanted to hit him on the head with a stick. “Not a heart attack.” He then looked at Rayne, who was standing over him, his gaze on the surrounding woods while his staff was clutched tightly in one hand. “And not an attack. At least, not any I’ve ever experienced.”

He rubbed his chest where the pain had been. It felt like every muscle in his body twitched and ached. There was now an almost electric charge crackling just under his skin, and he didn’t have to guess about that. Something had changed with the Godstone. “But the connection has changed.”

That got Rayne’s full attention. His advisor stared down at him, an eyebrow raised in question. “To the Godstone.”

Caelan nodded. “It feels wilder. Fuller.”

“I don’t understand.”

He could only shake his head. “Neither do I. The power I received before had been a smooth, cool flow. Like water from a bathroom faucet. And now…I don’t know. More like a fire hose, but utterly uncontrolled. I’m getting the brunt of the power, but it’s also going over me, around me.”

“Ouch. That sounds painful,” Drayce winced.

“At first, yes. But now, it’s just weird.”

“Do you know what has triggered this change?” Rayne demanded.

“Your guess is as good as mine right now. I’ve never had this happen.” He paused and shrugged. “But then, I’ve never been in the Ordas this far or this many miles from the stone. Either or both of those could be causing it. Maybe being in the Ordas caused a blockage, and either the Godstone broke through the dam or we’re close enough to the border that the Godstone overpowered the Ordas.”

Rayne hummed softly, scratching his bearded chin with his free hand, but he didn’t sound as if he particularly believed it. “If it doesn’t resolve itself, we may need to call the queen for advice. I don’t like this.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, hating to agree with him on this front, but the Godstone was not something to fuck around with. “It would also be best if we get moving again. This isn’t a place that I want to test out my ability to cast protection when things are going crazy with my connection.”

“Well, we’re in luck then,” Eno called as he jogged up to them. His scowl had been replaced with a smile. “The trees finally give way in a few hundred yards. There’s a wide field, but I could see hints of buildings and lights. Definitely a town. Gotta be less than a mile away. Maybe only a half a mile.”

“Oh, yeah!” Drayce shouted, punching at the sky. “A real bed and no bad kitties trying to eat my face!”

“Look at you. Just this morning you were saying that life wasn’t worth living if you couldn’t have bacon and sausage with your breakfast,” Rayne teased, earning a grin from Caelan.

Drayce shoved his hands into his pockets and tipped his chin up, but there was a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Yeah, well, people change in the Ordas. I’m happy to say that I’ve roughed it here and hope to never return.”

“I’ll agree with that.” Calean shoved to his feet and dusted some dirt off the seat of his pants. “That was enough of a rest for me. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

They managed to cross the last half mile out of the Ordas with no trouble and started across the empty plain of waving dried grass that had grown to their waists, but they were sadly disappointed with what Eno had called a town.

As they entered through the main street—and it wasn’t hard to figure out which was the main street since the place looked like it had only three or four streets in total—they spied a gas station with an attached mechanic shop. There was also an old diner, a general store, a second restaurant, and a hardware store. Dust and faded paint covered every building. There were a few spots of green and color from flowers, but most of the grass was yellow from summer heat and not enough rain.

The two-lane road stretched wearily into the distance, riddled with ruts, cracks, and poorly filled potholes. Only the faintest hint of lines remained to mark each lane.

There was nothing as far as they could see that resembled a hotel or a motel. Maybe there was someone who had a room they could rent for the night.

All in all, not a lot of options.

Of course, the fact that there was no one out on the sidewalk or going in and out of the stores didn’t help the town’s creepiness. A car pulled out of the gas station and slowly drove past them with the driver giving them a thorough inspection before turning down one of the two dirt roads that led to a residential area.

They stood at the edge of Caspagir, in a town the world seemed to have forgotten. Did they know that on the other side of the kingdom one of their ports had been attacked? Or were they more concerned with what crawled out of the Ordas at night?

“Where should we start?” Drayce asked. He stood in the middle of the sidewalk and turned one way and then the other. “Grab some grub?”

“I think we may be better served stopping in the general store for some supplies and visiting the mechanic to see if he has any cheap transportation that we can take off his hands,” Rayne suggested. “Either one could have a lead on a potential place to stay for the night. We can see to food afterward. At the very least, we still have our own supplies.”

“Come on…” Drayce whined. With shoulders slumped, he flapped his hands once to his sides and waved them in the direction of the white-and-silver building that resembled a diner from a long-lost era. “But it’s a diner and I smell grease. Where there’s grease, there are fried potatoes.”

Caelan chuckled and turned with Rayne toward the general store. It was in a two-story building. The exterior had been painted yellow a couple of decades ago, and it was now faded from dirt and sun so that it was now a watery white-yellow. A few signs decorated the front windows, advertising tools and a facial cream that had all been new at least twenty years earlier. It did not give him high hopes.

But appearances could be deceiving.

Caelan sucked in a hard breath when they walked in the doors. A little bell jingled, announcing their arrival, but he barely noticed. The interior of the store was shiny and filled with the latest tech, foods, and everyday supplies. It had all the same supplies that he might find in any store in Stormbreak, but that didn’t make any sense considering they were out in the middle of freaking nowhere on the edge of the Caspagir border.

“What the hell…” Drayce said slowly. His mouth hung open as he turned in place, examining over everything that surrounded them. The store wasn’t more than a few aisles, but it had an overload of stuff filling the shelves straight to the ceiling.

“This is unexpected,” Rayne agreed carefully.

“At least we know that we’re going to find what we’re seeking here,” Eno muttered.

“Hey, boys!” a woman’s voice from deeper within the store called.

Caelan led the way through the maze of food, clothing, and even a shelf filled with paperback romance novels to a square counter with an old-fashioned cash register on the top. The woman behind the register appeared to be in her midthirties with bright-orange hair that was piled into a messy bun on the top of her head. Her T-shirt advertised for Andy’s Savage Sundries in a mix of neon green and yellow bright enough to hurt Caelan’s eyes.

“You boys ain’t from around here,” she observed. Her tone was friendly, but there was a caution in her eyes that made Caelan hesitant. She wasn’t going to be the only one who was suspicious of their sudden appearance. There couldn’t be a lot of other towns in the area, and probably not within easy walking distance. It wasn’t like they could admit to coming out of the Ordas or they’d risk getting a shotgun to the face.

“Yes, we were part of the supply train from Erya, but there was a problem on the tracks. We hopped off this morning and walked here,” Rayne quickly replied with a kind smile. Caelan had to hand it to him. It wasn’t all that far from the truth. At least Rayne had been smart enough to think of an explanation to give people.

The woman’s mouth fell open and her brown eyes widened with shock. “Whoo! Now there’s a hike! Have any problems?”

“Nothing too difficult,” Eno answered.

“We’re hoping to stock up on a few supplies before we continue on our journey,” Rayne added.

She chuckled and waved both hands around her toward the narrow rows of shelves. “Well, we’ve got what you’re looking for, I guarantee it.”

Caelan was inclined to believe her. Andy’s Savage Sundries really did have a bit of everything. They had to watch what they picked up, though. If they couldn’t find transportation quickly, they were going to be hoofing it to the next town and carrying anything they bought today.

“We were also wondering if you knew of anyone who might be selling a vehicle. We find ourselves with a lack of transportation, and we’re heading to Pine Key Point.”

Oh, yeah that was a lie. Pine Key Point was technically on the way to Sirelis. If Caelan remembered correctly, it was a medium-sized town not too far from the capital. It was best no one knew they were headed for the capital.

The woman—who may or may not have been Andy—scratched her ear, her face twisting up a little. “Well, I’m not sure. Warner down at the service station usually has a clunker or two he’s tinkering with. He might have something he can part with, but I doubt he’s still there now. He’s usually in the station during the morning and early afternoon.”

“That’s fair. We are also in need of accommodations—”

The rest of the comments were drowned out by the radio that had been playing in the store. It had been something old and bouncy that Caelan had managed to tune out, but a woman’s voice came on at the end of the song, and his world shattered.

“We are still waiting to hear new updates out of the Erya capital city, but multiple sources have confirmed that the Empire has staged a vicious attack that has left hundreds dead in the royal towers.”

“What!” Caelan’s heart stopped and he jerked around, trying to focus on the person who was speaking, but her wretched voice was everywhere.

“Oh, no!” the woman whispered.

“Turn it up!” Caelan snarled, pointing at her. The woman fumbled behind the counter and turned the volume up on the radio that was being piped through hidden speakers. The increased volume didn’t improve the news.

“Reports from the Empire have stated that both Queen Amara Talos as well as her son, Crown Prince Caelan Talos have been killed in the attack. We are still awaiting official confirmation, but the Empire has allegedly laid claim to the Godstone.”

“No,” Caelan managed to choke out. The world swayed under his feet and he stumbled, trying to stay upright when everything was tilting. His mother was dead? How…how was that even possible? Fear, anger, rage, disbelief all swam up to strangle him. He could barely breathe. This was all wrong. It had to be wrong. It was a trick. A ruse to draw him out. They were lying. The reporter was lying.

A strong hand grabbed his arm, holding him up when his knees refused to work.

“Take him out of here!” Rayne snapped, pointing toward the door.

Caelan was vaguely aware of Eno pulling him upright and half carrying him out to the street. In the fresh air, he managed to get control of his body again and he jerked away from Eno, walking down the street. Rage jumped into the driver’s seat, shoving aside the momentary pain and suffocating sense of loss. He turned into a narrow alley between the diner and gas station. From inside the diner, he could hear the same news report playing, but he didn’t dare look at the people.

It was only when he reached the edge of the town and was staring at the vast field that divided the town from the Ordas that he stopped. Facing Erya and his home.

Mother.

Was it true? But how could it be true? How could the Empire have any weapon powerful enough to defeat his mother? Queen Amara was the keeper of the fucking Godstone. It was supposed to give her near limitless power.

“How?” he shouted. Spinning around, he found Eno scowling at the ground while Drayce was staring at him with glistening emerald eyes, seeming so lost and terrified. “How could this have possibly happened? How did we not know that the Empire was right there? And where the hell was Hagen? Wasn’t he supposed to be protecting my mother? Shouldn’t he have gotten her out of there before the Empire could kill her?” His shouts had been reduced to a choked sound at the last two words.

It didn’t make any sense.

It had to be a lie.

An Empire lie.

Caelan grabbed his phone from his pocket and held it up. One slim, shaky bar. It wasn’t much, but it had to be enough. He automatically dialed the number for Hagen’s phone. His mother refused to carry a cell phone. But the number went directly to voice mail. He tried just out of stubborn determination, but voice mail again. Snarling, he switched to his mother’s assistant. He was rarely out of view of the queen. He would have the answer. He would know the truth.

The phone rang and rang and rang.

No one answered.

As it connected to voice mail, Eno snatched the phone from Caelan’s hand and ended the call.

“What are you doing?” Caelan snapped.

“If they are dead, we don’t know who has their phones now. Right now, the Empire is reporting you dead. I’m assuming it’s your body double they have. If you start calling their phones now and your name appears—” Eno said, and Caelan nodded his head.

“They’ll know that I’m not dead,” Caelan finished irritably. “But we’ve got to know what the hell is going on!”

Eno tossed Caelan’s phone to him and pulled out his own. “Let me make some calls. It will throw up fewer red flags if my name is showing up in places.”

While Eno proceeded to make call after call, Caelan paced the field, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as if that alone could hold all the pain inside of him. His mind kept getting stuck on one point. Queen Amara was dead. His mother was dead.

He knew he should be thinking about all the people of Erya. Was his country now in the hands of the Empire? What had happened to all the armed guards and their army? What would happen to all the world if the Empire truly did have possession of the Godstone?

But he couldn’t get himself to care about those questions. To him, it wasn’t that the queen had been killed. No, it was his mother. His mother had been killed.

He felt like he was drowning in pain. Dragging in each breath felt like too much work. Every thump of his heart was a shaft of pain through his chest.

His brain strayed to the memories of their last meetings. The look of worry in her eyes, the way she’d held his shoulders, so close to an actual embrace. She’d even called him Cael, an echo of an old memory from when he’d been so very young. Had she been trying to tell him something? To warn him? To say good-bye?

Caelan continued to pace because moving meant that he wasn’t completely falling apart. How was this even possible? He wasn’t ready for this. He would never argue they had been close. His mother was the queen of Erya. She was a strong, independent, stubborn woman who’d refused to marry anyone so that she could guide the kingdom as she saw fit.

She’d always been close to the Godstone, and for some reason, Caelan had thought that meant she was impervious to attack. The Godstone, or at the very least, the power of the dead gods would keep her safe.

Caelan stopped and rubbed the sore spot on his chest where he felt like he’d been hit while they were walking through the Ordas. Ever since then, his connection to the Godstone had been frayed and wild.

“She’s dead,” he said softly. Just saying the words with a new certainty threatened to knock his knees out and send him to the dirt. It was as if he were hearing the announcement on the radio all over again.

“You can’t be sure of that,” Eno snapped. His expression was harsh and ugly. Desperate for Caelan to be wrong, but he wasn’t.

“No, I felt it.”

“What?” Drayce asked. His voice was barely more than a whisper. His childhood friend sounded so utterly lost, a ship tossed into a dark sea. Caelan recognized it because he felt the same.

“That pain I felt, in the Ordas. That was when she died. Her connection to the Godstone was broken with her death. It ended her bond. I’ve never officially bonded with the stone. Only one member of the royal family can be bonded to the stone at a time. My connection to the stone was filtered through her.”

“What does that mean? Can you still pull power from the stone?”

Caelan shook his head. “I don’t know. The arrangement has always been that if she died suddenly, I would be bonded to the stone within the first twenty-four hours.”

“And what happens if you’re not bonded to the stone?” Drayce pressed.

Again, he could only shake his head. He didn’t know. A member of the Talos family had been bonded to the Godstone since its discovery after the god wars that raged through the Ordas and made the area inhabitable to people. What would happen to the Godstone? Could the Empire actually steal it away and have one of their own people bond with it?

Amara hadn’t prepared him for this. There was no plan for if she was killed and he wasn’t there to immediately take her place. She hadn’t ever explained what he had to do to bond with the stone in the first place. How was he supposed to fight the Empire, to protect his people, if he didn’t have full access to the power of the Godstone?

Caelan unclenched his jaw and roared at the growing darkness. His entire life, his destiny, had been tied to the throne, the Godstone, his fucking duty. And now it had all been ripped from him while he’d been sent away. He hadn’t been given the chance to protect his mother, his people, and the stone that had been bound and gifted to his family by the gods.

Falling to his knees, Caelan trembled in pain and rage. They were living beasts writhing and screaming for justice in his chest. He was a prince without a kingdom. A son without a mother. His destiny stolen.

Caelan stared up at the sky. The sun had slipped below the horizon in the west and stars were starting to wink into existence above their heads. A thicker darkness was clawing its way out of the Ordas, eating up the field and threatening to swallow the small town whole.

The pain and anger slowly hardened into cold resolve as he watched the shadows grow and deepen. He didn’t know if Erya was entirely in Empire hands or if they’d struck simply to steal the Godstone. He didn’t know if he had a home any longer or an army to strike at the Empire.

But he would take his home back. He would free the Godstone from the Empire.

And he would make them pay for killing his mother.

9

Rayne Laurent

Rayne stepped outside the store and looked at the key in his hand, barely registering what he held. His mind was spinning. Everything…everything was falling apart.

How had he not seen this coming? He felt like he should have anticipated this. There had to have been signs, clues, something that pointed to an eminent attack by the Empire.

There was a hard knot of pain in his chest and his brain was a useless clutter of confusion, accusations, and fragmented conversations. But the worst was the wave of nausea trying to sweep over him. He couldn’t shake this feeling that he’d failed Caelan. He’d failed the people of Erya by not anticipating this.

But he had to find a way to hold it all together. He had to see a way through this for Caelan, for the kingdom. A carefully laid plan was the only thing that had a hope of keeping them alive over the next days and weeks.

Clenching his fingers around the key, he walked down the street toward the diner and turned into the alley. Eno had texted their location and that he was trying to reach anyone in Stormbreak. Rayne had tried a couple of times, but without any luck. He was wary of anyone he might reach in the first place. Who could they trust? Had there been a betrayal from someone on the inside?

They needed to proceed cautiously. Carefully.

At the edge of the field, he found pretty much what he’d been expecting. Caelan was pacing like a man possessed, unable to remain still for a single second. His black hair was a disheveled mess; clearly he’d been running his fingers through it. If an Empire soldier happened upon them at that moment, Caelan would have cut him down before he could draw a breath. Despite his ragged appearance and frantic movements, there was still something regal about him. Calean’s royal lineage couldn’t be hidden under even the direst of circumstances.

Drayce was squatting a short distance away, his lanky arms wrapped around his knees and his chin resting on them as if he were trying to pull himself into the smallest ball possible and just disappear from the world. His blond hair and pale skin made him seem smaller and frailer than Rayne knew him to be. The young man had no family within the capital city as far as Rayne was aware, but a large number of friends. Was he worried about them now?

Eno stood behind Drayce, his phone pressed to his ear and his entire body rigid. He suspected Eno was holding it together simply because Caelan could not. Every bit the dutiful soldier ready to jump into action.

For just a moment, Rayne’s gaze strayed to the powerful muscles straining the thin cotton material of Eno’s stained black T-shirt. He could still remember the feel of those arms holding him last night as he’d drifted off to sleep. It had been a long time since he’d been held that way, felt safe and protected, but even then he’d not been able to sleep. With Eno, he’d dropped off in seconds.

He would have given anything to fall into those arms now, to rest his head on Eno’s wide shoulder and grieve for the people who’d died in Stormbreak. He wanted to comfort Eno and guide him through the pain he was burying deep inside, but he shoved the idea away. The best way to serve Caelan and the people of Erya was to pull themselves together and come up with a plan of attack.

“Any word?” he inquired, jerking them all around to meet his gaze.

“Nothing,” Eno growled as he lowered his phone and shoved it into his pocket. He opened his mouth to probably start with a barrage of questions, but Rayne spoke before he could.

“The owner of the shop has kindly offered us the use of the second-floor apartment for the night,” he said, opening his hand to display the old brass key on a silver ring. “I suggest we retire there so we can speak on what has occurred.”

Caelan nodded and turned toward the alley with Rayne following on his heels. The prince was clearly distraught. No, the king. It was hard to think of Caelan like that. Not because he wasn’t capable, but that he’d been Prince Caelan for twenty-three years. It was woven into his identity. While Caelan wouldn’t officially be named King Caelan until the ascension ceremony in Stormbreak, it didn’t change the fact that he was now the king of Erya.

But his friend didn’t need the added burden of a new, heavier title right now. He’d lost his mother, his throne, his birthright, and his people all in a matter of minutes. Rage had to be coursing through Caelan’s veins. Rage and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. A need for revenge.

Those were certainly the feelings that pricked at Rayne’s mind when he didn’t keep a tight clamp on his thoughts. What of his parents? And his younger sister? Were they still in the capital? Were they even still alive? Anger swelled but he tightened his fist on it and shoved it down again. Impulsive action and brooding would save no one.

His first thought had been to reach out to his family, but it was too dangerous. Right now, secrecy was on their side. The world thought Caelan was dead. If the Empire truly believed it, that gave them some room to plan and maneuver.

But if they knew Caelan was alive, then Rayne was a known associate. The prince’s dutiful advisor. If the Empire got their hands on Rayne’s family, they could be forced to reveal what they knew about Rayne’s location, leading them to Caelan.

He had to put his own family and worries aside for now. For the protection of Caelan, and ultimately, for the well-being of all the people of Erya. He had to be the strong, stable voice of reason for all of them.

Back at the shop, Rayne moved to lead the way up the exterior stairs, but Eno placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, pulling him to a stop. The warrior held out his hand and waggled his fingers once. Rayne placed the key in his palm with only a small glare. It was on the tip of his tongue to argue that he could check the security of the room, but then what was the point? That was Eno’s job.

Before climbing the stairs, Rayne caught only a glimpse of the pain reflected in Eno’s warm brown eyes. Rayne started to reach out to him, but stopped himself, curling his fingers into a tight fist to keep from touching Eno. He managed a brisk nod and stepped back. Later. They would be able to deal with it all later.

They waited as the bodyguard quickly ascended to the second floor and unlocked the exterior door. It opened on a low, loud creak. Reaching inside, Eno flipped on a light and immediately sneezed.

“Dus-dusty,” he managed between another fit of sneezes.

“Is it clear?” Caelan demanded.

“The front room is clear. Come up. I’ll check the others.”

Rayne led the way up the stairs followed by Caelan and Drayce to find a cozy main room with a blue sofa that had certainly seen better days and a pair of bright orange armchairs. All were positioned near a scarred wooden coffee table. A small kitchen stood off to one side of the room and two doors opened off of it. The wooden floors creaked and groaned under their feet with every step. At least they’d hear if there was an unexpected intruder in the place.

The walls were creamy white with a couple of faded spots where pictures had once hung, hinting at a life lived here for a time before the person moved on to something else. Their presence here would be even more temporary. Just a night or two. Long enough to plan their next steps and gather some information.

Eno had left one door open to reveal a small bathroom covered in white-and-blue tile. He could see only a small portion of the remaining room, but it looked to be a bedroom with a pair of single beds. Not the best sleeping arrangements, but definitely a step above camping in the Ordas.

He dropped his pack on the hardwood floor and quickly hurried over to the pair of windows to pull the blinds closed. “Shut the door and lock it,” he ordered.

“Do you really think this entire town doesn’t know where we are? Or at the very least, they’ll know as soon as that woman tells them,” Caelan said caustically.

“I think it is best if we draw as little attention to ourselves as possible for now,” Rayne advised in a calm, even voice. He was not going to get huffy over Caelan’s sharp tone. He was in pain.

“The place is clear. Dusty, but clear,” Eno announced as he returned to the main room and dropped his bag beside one of the orange chairs. “You can tell no one has been up here for a long time. There are only our footprints in the dust.”

“So, it’s safe to talk?” Caelan demanded and Rayne braced himself for Calean’s rage.

“Yes, I think—”

“Did you know?” Caelan shouted. He stalked toward Rayne, but he refused to back down. He might have a few inches on Caelan, but the prince was plenty deadly. Not that he thought Caelan would hurt him, but right now, he was lost in a world of pain and confusion. He wasn’t thinking things through.

“Did I know that the Empire planned to murder the queen and steal the Godstone?” Rayne replied. There was no keeping his shock and incredulity from his voice. Did Caelan really think he could keep such crucial information to himself? That would be a betrayal of years of trust between them.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Caelan threw his hands up and paced away. The prince thrust his hands into his dark hair, seeming to growl under his breath. “How did we not know the Empire was close enough for an attack? How is something like that even possible?”

“We should sit and discuss this calmly.” Rayne needed to get Caelan’s temper under control or they weren’t going to get anywhere.

“I don’t want to sit and be calm!” Caelan snapped.

“Did you know something about what happened?” Drayce asked slowly. It was surprising to hear the question from Drayce, but maybe he’d been hoping no one would ask it.

“No…and yes,” Rayne said cautiously, his eyes darting to Eno to take his stonelike expression and then back to Caelan.

“What!” Caelan shouted, but the air in the room had become electrified. Rayne was afraid of moving, breathing, or else someone might snap. At this moment, he was more afraid of Eno’s temper, but Caelan wasn’t too far behind. He needed to start talking before they assumed the worst.

“At the same time that rumors came in about an Empire attack on Caspagir, I also heard whispers that an envoy from the Emperor was moving toward Stormbreak. An envoy, not a-a bloody armada.” Rayne paused and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to gather the threads of his own patience. When he was calm again, he continued. “There was supposed to be a secret meeting between Queen Amara and this envoy. I thought…I thought she might be attempting to negotiate a cessation of aggression toward Caspagir and Ilon.”

“And you didn’t think that was something we needed to know?” Eno bellowed.

“I wasn’t permitted to say anything,” Rayne stiffly replied.

“Wasn’t permitted? How? You are sworn to me!” Caelan snapped.

“And your mother,” Rayne added. “Before I picked you up at the bar, she called me in for a brief meeting where she made me swear an oath to her that I would not tell you of the planned meeting with the Empire’s envoy. I have never broken a vow to the crown.”

Caelan’s shoulders slumped slightly and he paced away, seeming to accept that answer. Rayne chanced a glance over at Eno, who gave him the smallest nod of approval. He didn’t look happy with the news Rayne had imparted, but he at least understood why Rayne hadn’t volunteered that information. But Rayne studiously ignored the warm swell in his chest in reaction to Eno’s approval. He didn’t need his approval or want it.

“But why? Why didn’t she tell me that she was going to have this meeting with the Empire? Shouldn’t that have been something I needed to know?” Caelan demanded, but he seemed to be talking to himself as much as the other people in the room. The floor creaked under his feet as he paced.

Drayce perched himself on the arm of a chair, an arm wrapped around one knee while his worried gaze remained locked on Caelan. “What would you have done if you had known?”

“I wouldn’t have fucking left!” Caelan shouted. His hands were balled into tight fists and shaking at his sides.

“That’s why she didn’t tell you,” Eno murmured in a low, dull voice. “She probably suspected some treachery on the part of the Empire. If something happened during the meeting, if something happened to her, at least she knew that the royal line would be protected.”

“I’m sorry, Caelan,” Rayne said softly. And he truly was. He was sorry the young man had lost so much, sorry that Rayne hadn’t been able to foresee this event and make a plan to avoid it all. Maybe if they had disobeyed orders and stayed in the city, maybe if they’d…

“Stop, Rayne,” Caelan muttered. He shuffled over to the couch and dropped onto it, placing his face into his hands.

“What do you mean?”

Caelan sighed and lifted his face to stare at Rayne. “I know you. You’re trying to figure out how you could have done things differently if only you had been able to see the future.” Caelan shook his head and dropped his gaze to the floor. “It doesn’t work that way. She tied your hands before you left Stormbreak. She made her plans, put me out of harm’s way, and rolled the dice.”

Rayne turned toward one of the windows even though the blinds blocked his views and quickly blinked away the unexpected swell of tears. He couldn’t speak around the lump in his throat. He hadn’t expected Caelan to forgive him so easily. Rayne had hesitated on such an oath when so much of his allegiance was to the young man.

“If we had stayed,” Drayce started slowly, his voice low and rough, “we’d probably all be dead now, and the Empire would still have the Godstone. The people of Erya would have no hope at all.”

Caelan’s brow wrinkled as he looked at his friend. “They have a lot of hope now?”

“You’re still alive, even if they don’t know it yet. We’re still alive. I mean, it’s not like we’re just going to give up, right? We’re not going to spend the rest of our lives hiding in this town.”

Rayne cleared his throat and felt the first inkling of a smile as he turned to face the group, grateful for Drayce’s fierce words. “By the gods, I never thought I’d say this,” Rayne drawled, “but Drayce is right.”

“Screw you!” Drayce flipped Rayne off, but he ruined his indignation by winking.

“He’s right.” Caelan pushed himself into a fully upright position, his shoulders back and his head high. The effort to pull himself together was visibly painful, but Rayne couldn’t have been prouder of his determination. Maybe Caelan was more ready for the throne than he gave himself credit for. “What are our options?”

Eno folded his arms over his chest and spread his stance. “We immediately return to Erya and Stormbreak.” He jutted out his chin and glared right at Rayne as if he fully expected him to argue.

Caelan sighed and shook his head. “And what? The four of us fight the entire Empire army, steal the stone, and kick them out of the kingdom before I take the throne?”

“What about the Erya army?” Eno shot back.

“What about them? They didn’t do much to save my mother. Who’s to say they’re still standing?” Caelan snapped.

“The fact is,” Rayne said, raising his voice to stop them from shouting over each other, “we don’t know what the status of the Erya military is. We don’t know the current state of the interior of the capital. We have no real intelligence right now. If we were to return now, we would be returning completely blind. The only information we have available is what we gather from news reports, and we don’t know how much of that is Empire propaganda.”

Caelan narrowed his gaze on Rayne. “It sounds like you have another suggestion.”

“Another option is to continue on to Sirelis. Caspagir has their own army and spies. We may be able to acquire more reliable information from Caspagir than we could if we headed straight into Erya.”

Drayce shook his head. “And what if Caspagir is more willing to form an alliance with the Empire now that Erya has lost her queen and the Godstone? Caelan walks in and they could grab him, handing him directly over to the Empire. They’d either kill him or turn Erya into another puppet like Uris-Oladul.”

“True, but if Queen Amara sent Caelan to Caspagir for his own safety, I’m more inclined to believe that Caspagir is a likely source of help rather than a threat,” Rayne replied. “But we can’t completely rule out the chance of betrayal.”

“I agree with Rayne,” Eno murmured. “If the queen sent Caelan out of Stormbreak to keep him away from the Empire, she wouldn’t have sent him to a place she thought would be a threat.”

Caelan scratched his head, his brow furrowing. “Which makes it interesting that she chose Caspagir over Ilon, a country with whom we have an active alliance.”

“We can speculate on the queen’s motives later. Right now, we have one advantage. The world thinks Caelan is dead. We need to use that advantage for as long as we can.” Rayne looked down at the prince and frowned. He had a feeling that such an edge wasn’t going to last. “I have a contact within the Caspagir castle. A reliable, trustworthy source. I think he would be able to give me some valuable information without me needing to reveal that Cael is still alive.”

Rayne’s stomach twisted at the idea of speaking to him again. He’d thought they might be able to make the trip without seeing him completely. Or at the very least, avoiding a solo confrontation. Not that he thought there would be much in the way of an argument. More awkwardness and tangled old feelings he’d prefer not to relive.

“So, you want to go to the Caspagir capital and see if you can pull out any information before we try to return home?” Eno asked.

“I think we can’t act without knowing how the board is set. If the Empire has in fact taken the Godstone, we need to know where they are taking it and how they are transporting it. If we are to take it back, it will be far easier to steal it in transit than when they’ve got it deep with their own territory.”

“We also need to know if we have anything resembling an army.” Caelan twisted to look over his shoulder at Eno. “I want revenge as much as anyone, but we cannot take on all of the Empire on our own.”

“I’m willing to try,” Eno growled.

Caelan snorted and flopped back on the sofa. “We need you for more than one suicide mission.”

“There’s got to be someone left,” Drayce said, his voice shaking slightly.

“I’m sure there is,” Eno replied.

Rayne shoved a hand through his hair, pushing it from his eyes. “He’s right. The only thing is, they’ve likely been forced to go underground if the Empire is occupying the city.”

Eno nodded and walked over to the sofa to sit next to Caelan. “We’ll need to get them word that Caelan is still alive. It’ll give them hope.”

“And we need a full accounting of their numbers if we’re going to organize any kind of counterstrike.”

“But how are we getting to Sirelis from here? We’re not going to walk, are we?” Drayce asked.

Rayne opened his mouth to reply, but the words were stopped in his throat by a brisk knock on the exterior door. For a heartbeat, they all just stared at each other in shock. But Rayne’s brain kicked in again with the next beat. Wordlessly, he pointed at Caelan and Drayce to hide in the bedroom while he answered the door.

Caelan nodded and leaped over the back of the couch, landing with only a whisper of noise. Drayce darted after him, a pistol already in his hand, thumb resting near the safety. Eno moved in front of the bedroom and nodded to Rayne. It was all the more imperative now to keep Caelan safe.

But truly, no one should know they were in the town. The only person who would know anything was Andy, and he’d never given their names. Had she recognized Caelan? Had one of them said something she’d heard that he overlooked?

He carefully slid a small dagger from its sheath on his hip and held it down at his side as he unlocked the door. He peeked out and was immediately greeted by Andy’s smiling face and bright orange hair. Releasing a sigh of relief, he shoved the knife into its sheath before she could see it as he opened the door farther.

“Hey, y’all,” she greeted sweetly. “I hate to bother you, but I stopped by the diner and grabbed you some dinner. They’re closing up in the next few minutes, and I didn’t want you to miss out on a meal after your long day.”

Now that she mentioned it, Rayne picked up on the delicious smells that were now assaulting his nose. Hot roasted meat and spices. His stomach growled and Rayne felt himself blush.

“Thank you. That was incredibly thoughtful of you.”

“Fries! Fries! Did she bring fries?” Drayce’s shouts of excitement could be heard throughout the small apartment and she laughed.

“Yes, I made sure to get some of Henry’s famous fries for y’all.”

Rayne took a step out of the doorway and motioned for the woman to enter. He ignored the raised eyebrow from Eno. Yes, she could be a spy and dangerous, but there was something about Andy that rang genuine and true. He was inclined to trust her.

Andy stepped into the apartment carrying two large brown paper bags with handles. She seemed to hesitate, but then Eno was still looking fierce and unwelcoming. Luckily Drayce fixed that with his usual eager charm as he rushed out from the bedroom and nearly tackled the poor woman. She just laughed and handed over the bags rather than risk Drayce climbing all over her like an oversized puppy.

“Andy Guilder, may I introduce you to my friends, Drayce, Eno, and…Cael?” Rayne stammered. He’d not thought ahead of what he was saying, hadn’t planned on a fake name for Caelan now that he was in hiding and presumed dead.

She gave a wave to Eno and Drayce but bowed her head to Cael. “It’s a pleasure, y’all. And I’m real sorry about what happened to your mother, Your Highness. She always struck me as an amazing lady.”

“Whoa. You recognize me?” Caelan gasped, taking a step closer to her.

“Well, yeah. Of course. Well, I mean,” she paused, a blush stealing across her ruddy cheeks. “I’m a devotee to all things related to the royal families in the world. But Prince Caelan, you’re my favorite. I’d recognize you anywhere.”

Caelan blinked, his mouth opening and closing once without any noise coming out. Those wide blue eyes darted to Rayne, and he struggled not to chuckle at him. It wasn’t often that Caelan had to deal with people who were “fans.”

“Thank you, Andy,” Rayne said.

“I swear I didn’t tell anyone in the diner who you were. I just mentioned that we’ve got four boys in town who are a bit shaken up over the news about the Empire and Erya. Old Henry was happy to help out.”

“We appreciate your discretion—”

“Whoa! She brought enough food for an army!” Drayce shouted as he pulled out container after container of food. There were even a few with soup. Rayne had a weakness for a good hearty soup.

“Yeah, Old Henry’s got a lot of experience feeding men with big appetites, thanks to the military base that’s just down the road. Well, that was until the Empire moved in.”

“The Empire is here?” Eno demanded. He stopped in the middle of reaching for one of the containers.

Rayne threw him a quelling look before placing a gentle hand on Andy’s shoulder. Here was someone who seemed willing to talk and could supply them with some interesting information. “Andy, why don’t you join us for dinner? You’ve brought us more than enough to share.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. We’d be honored if you’d join us.” Caelan flashed his most welcoming smile. “You’ve helped us out so much already.”

The woman looked like she was going to melt into a puddle right there. It was hard to see Caelan’s charm most days, and it was more than a little amusing when Caelan decided to turn it on, so to speak. But then Rayne had known Caelan for years, had experienced his grumpiness and stubbornness on a regular basis. He saw Caelan as a person first and a crown second.

“Why, thank you! I will join you!”

Rayne ushered her over to one of the armchairs while the others raided the kitchen for plates, utensils, and drinks. Rayne hesitated over the food. His stomach growled again in protest. This would be such an easy way to poison or even drug them all, but Andy didn’t hesitate to take an enormous bite out of her sandwich. It would be okay.

He’d selected a beef vegetable soup and was not disappointed. Judging by the happy hums and moans, everyone was pleased with what they’d claimed. Rayne had elected to sit on the floor, while Eno settled in the armchair opposite Andy. Naturally, Drayce and Caelan sat beside each other on the couch. While they’d chosen completely different things, they had no problem stealing food off each other’s plates. They’d been like that for almost as long as Rayne could remember, and he didn’t think much of it until Andy made a comment.

“I just have to admit that I have always shipped Prince Caelan with Prince Shey, but I think you both are pretty darn cute together too.”

Rayne’s eyes went wide at the thought. Caelan with Shey? That was…well, that was just ridiculous. Shey was a horrible match for Caelan. They were far too different.

Except…were they?

Rayne was shaken out of his thoughts when Drayce made a choking noise as if he’d sucked a fry down the wrong pipe, and Caelan smirked at his friend.

“We’re just childhood friends,” he said easily.

Andy’s face twisted up a little and she nodded, but the woman did not look convinced, which only left Rayne wondering what she saw that he did not. Of course, he couldn’t put much stock in it. Caelan and Drayce were friends.

Caelan and Shey? Other than the fact that they were both royal sons, there was nothing to match them. Nope. It was an insane idea.

“You mentioned something about the Empire being in town,” Eno interjected, finally directing the conversation in a potentially productive direction.

Andy’s happy expression collapsed a bit, and she stared at her half-eaten sandwich. “Yeah, they moved in not too long ago. The fighting didn’t last long, but they essentially took over a small base that we’ve got just outside of town. They’ve left us alone, but that’s kind of the problem.”

Rayne felt his brow furrow, matching the expressions of his companions. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

“Well, you see, Shallow Edge formed when the government started putting in a line of small military bases along the border with the Ordas. Just to keep an eye on the creatures in there, ya know. Make sure they stay on their side of the border. The men stationed at the bases were rotated in and out every couple of years, so lots of them brought their families.”

“Which explains why your store is so well stocked,” Eno murmured.

Andy grinned at him. “We want to make sure those families have access to all the things they’re used to in the bigger cities. We also get some travelers moving north and south through Caspagir. They like to travel near the border because it means they know the roads are protected by the military. Nice and regulated.” Her smile dimmed.

“At least it was, until the Empire moved in,” Caelan prodded.

Andy nodded. “Yep. It was all done quick one night. They moved in, took out just enough of our soldiers to claim the base, and then kicked everyone out. Like a damn cuckoo bird stealing a nest.”

“But they haven’t bothered the town?”

“No, but they haven’t done any patrols like our military. The creatures of the Ordas have figured it out and have been prowling closer and closer to the city after the sun sets. It’s dangerous out there now. There are a good number of us that have made Shallow Edge our home, but many are thinking of leaving if the Empire isn’t kicked out soon.”

“Have you heard anything from Sirelis? Are they sending anyone to deal with the Empire?” Drayce demanded.

“They’ve sent enough to keep an eye on the bastards, keep them in the base, but not enough to really deal with the Ordas problem. There are rumors the Empire is trying to creep into Caspagir in other places, and that’s where the army is focusing their attention.” She took another bite of her sandwich, but her enthusiasm had definitely waned. “For now, it seems we’re on our own.”

“I’m sorry about your problems with the Empire,” Caelan said gently.

Andy flashed him a crooked smile. “I appreciate the sympathy, but the Empire is causing problems for everyone. We’ve just got to figure a way to finally kick their asses back to New Rosanthe for good.”

“With any luck, we’ll be out of Shallow Edge tomorrow, reducing the chance of our presence causing any problems for the town,” Rayne replied.

Andy nodded. “Just watch out for the patrols. They sweep through the town a few times a day. Not exactly sure what they’re looking for, but they like to harass people now and again if they’re bored.”

10

Eno Bevyn

The next morning started with coffee, sausage sandwiches from Rayne—under the excuse that he wanted to use up the old before picking up some more at Andy’s shop and not because Eno had managed to flirt his way into Rayne cooking—then finding a ride to Sirelis.

Rayne argued that he would speak with Warner at the service station about potentially buying an old clunker off him. But there was no way in hell he was going to let Rayne out of his sight when the Empire was lurking so close by. Yes, the odds of Rayne being recognized by soldiers were pretty slim, but Eno was still feeling raw from the previous night’s discovery of the Empire’s attack. For now, he needed to be sure everyone in his party was safe.

As Rayne stood with Warner by an old van that was likely better off rusting in a field than trundling down the road, Eno hung out beside the gas pumps, his face turned up to the early-morning sun. There was a crispness to the air that would soon be burned off by the summer heat. The air was dry, mixed with heavy scents of gas, oil, and dried grass.

He gazed toward Andy’s shop. The sleek, old-fashioned diner stood between the service station and the general store. While the gas station was empty, there were a few cars parked in front of the diner as people grabbed breakfast. Another was sitting in front of Andy’s shop. He wasn’t sure if that was Andy’s car or maybe a customer.

Otherwise, the town was nearly as quiet as it had been when they’d arrived the previous day. It was eerie in a horror movie kind of way. He’d grown up within Stormbreak. The constant hustle and bustle of the city was normal to him. The only time he didn’t see it was when he was on training missions that required camping in the wild. Those were nice breaks, but this kind of stillness would drive him insane. He preferred the low hum of conversation and the rush of traffic.

He had to imagine Rayne felt the same way. Rayne had mentioned growing up in Stormbreak as well, his family heavily involved in the political scene in one way or another. Was he as unnerved by Shallow Edge? Sitting on the border of the Ordas, the oppressive feeling of being trapped in the middle of a wasteland pressing down on them.

Last night, after Caelan and Drayce had retired to the one bedroom, Eno had created a pallet on the floor with his sleeping bag, leaving the sofa to Rayne. It hadn’t been nearly long enough for his tall frame, but it had to be at least a little more comfortable than the floor. Rayne had thanked him and gone to bed, not speaking another word.

Eno had lain there for a couple of hours, debating a dozen different things to say to Rayne, but nothing seemed right. Rayne had a family he was worried about, a prince to help navigate this treacherous world. What the hell was he supposed to say to that? His own adopted parents had passed away five years ago, and he had no memory of his birth parents.

Part of him simply wanted to pull Rayne into his arms and hold him again until they both fell asleep, but Eno honestly couldn’t figure out if he was doing that for Rayne or himself.

What the hell was he even doing?

Rayne Laurent was ridiculously out of his league. They were from two different worlds. Maybe they had the common goal of protecting and guiding Caelan, but what else was there?

Except he couldn’t get Rayne out of his mind. He couldn’t forget about Rayne’s reactions to him. Couldn’t forget about how the man had felt in his arms or how much he’d enjoyed taking care of him when Rayne had refused to prioritize his own well-being.

Eno was torn from those thoughts as he caught sight of Caelan and Drayce walking along the side of the shop toward the front door. The prince at least had his ball cap pulled low to obscure his face. Drayce walked beside him, hands flying through the air and mouth moving a mile a minute as he told Caelan some story. What the hell were they doing? They were supposed to be waiting in the apartment until he and Rayne returned. Eno could only guess they’d gotten bored or hungry.

Eno groaned and rolled his eyes. At least they couldn’t get into too much trouble in the store, and he knew exactly where they were. He turned toward Rayne to tell him that he was going to walk over to the Sundries shop while he finished up. Maybe he was being too overprotective, but he needed some peace of mind where these lunatics were concerned.

“Hey, Rayne!” he shouted.

Rayne’s head popped up and he started to turn, but his eyes caught on a military Jeep that was roaring toward the town in a cloud of dust. Eno’s heart stumbled in his chest and sped up. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move a muscle.

It was going to pass by. This had to be the morning patrol, and they were just going to pass right by them.

He repeated his new mantra or prayer to the gods over and over again, but there was no mistaking the shift in the motor as the Jeep slowed and pulled into the parking lot of Andy’s Savage Sundries. Eno took a step forward and grabbed one of the supporting poles for the metal roof that extended out over the pumps.

Behind him, Rayne’s sharp, brisk footsteps beat on the pavement, slowing when they reached his side, but he didn’t look at him. His eyes were locked on the two soldiers who jumped out of the Jeep and walked into the shop. They were talking lightly and didn’t seem to be in a hurry. Grabbing supplies then. Not after the Crown Prince of Erya and his companion.

“They’re just getting supplies,” Rayne said with a sigh of relief. “They should leave again with no problem.”

“Except Cael and Drayce are in the shop too,” Eno grumbled.

“What?” Rayne gasped. The advisor stomped around so that he was standing in front of Eno, face flushed and eyes wide behind his glasses. “What—”

Eno cut him off, stopping Rayne from working himself into a real tizzy. “I watched them walk in less than a minute before the Empire soldiers arrived.”

Rayne growled and turned toward the shop. “Maybe they’ll have enough sense to keep their heads down and avoid being noticed.”

“What are the odds Empire soldiers would recognize the prince of Erya anyway?”

The front door to the shop was thrown open and one of the soldiers came running out as fast as he could to the Jeep, but rather than climbing into the back seat, he went straight to the driver. He was pointing toward the shop and speaking quickly. Both he and Rayne started moving at the same time, jogging toward the shop, which allowed them to pick “prince” out of the man’s frantic words.

“Fuck,” Rayne snarled.

Eno couldn’t agree more. Caelan had been spotted, and their cover was blown. If they didn’t do something, the Empire was going to know exactly where the real Caelan Talos was.

Beside him, there was a brief glint of silver in the morning sun, and then Rayne was throwing. The knife sliced through the air in a beautiful line and buried itself in the chest of one soldier as he climbed out of the passenger side. Well, that was one way to deal with the problem, though Rayne might have just created a new one for them by killing an Empire soldier in front of everyone seated in the diner.

Eno pulled his own knife from the sheath at his back while gunfire exploded from the interior of the store. Glass shattered and the man standing beside the Jeep went down. The guy behind the steering wheel gunned the engine and slammed the vehicle into reverse. Eno swore as he threw the knife in his hand with unerring precision, but his heart didn’t actually start beating again until he saw the blade dig into the sidewall of the thick Jeep tire.

The loud pop echoed through the quiet town, and the Jeep tipped as the driver tried to overcompensate for the sudden loss of the tire.

“Get them!” Eno ordered while pointing toward the store. He continued to the Jeep. He had to make sure the driver was dead and not radioing for help.

Hunkering low, Eno briskly walked to the dark-green vehicle, two good tires spinning in the air while the engine grumbled and whined. He moved around the rear of the Jeep, attempting to sneak up on the man, but it wasn’t necessary. The top had been off the Jeep, giving Eno a clear view of the soldier in black-and-gold fatigues. He lay unconscious in the front seat, blood streaked across his face and soaking into his blond mustache. Knocked out but not dead.

With a grimace, Eno made a quick single stab to the man’s chest through his heart, ending his life. He wasn’t fond of killing a helpless man, but they couldn’t afford to take prisoners, and he had to keep Caelan safe.

He paused to wipe the blade off on the man’s uniform before replacing it in its sheath. It was likely the other knife was lost under the Jeep.

“Eno!”

He glanced up to see Caelan and Drayce running toward him. “What—” the prince started but Eno cut him off.

“What the hell happened? You were supposed to be waiting in the apartment.”

“Road snacks,” Drayce offered, looking thoroughly chastened. “We thought we’d save some time and grab some road snacks while we waited for you.”

“It’s not like we knew the Empire was going to walk inside. Andy even said they’d never come in her shop,” Caelan added.

“Yeah. We just turned a corner and bam! The dude was right there,” Drayce explained, which did not make Eno feel any better. He could only imagine Rayne was having palpitations over this mess.

“Andy? Is she okay?”

“Yes, she’s fine. She was in the store office at the time. Missed all the action. I killed the one inside, while Drayce got the one who ran out.” Caelan scrubbed a hand over his face and resettled his hat on his head. “Sorry. This is my fault.”

Eno shook his head. Now that the immediate danger was over, he couldn’t be angry. Sometimes shit just happened.

The door to the store opened and Rayne stepped out, dragging behind him the corpse of the Empire soldier Caelan had dispatched. “We owe Andy a glass-front door,” Rayne announced in a bland voice as if that was the worst of their problems.

“I tell y’all, I’m happy to call it even, since you got rid of some of them Empire vermin,” Andy said happily. She daintily stepped around the trail of blood Rayne was leaving across her tile floor.

“We need to get rid of these bodies before the Empire comes searching,” Drayce observed.

“How? A bonfire?” Rayne snapped.

“You could just drop them at the edge of the Ordas,” a newcomer drawled.

Their eyes snapped to the man approaching. With his white apron and shiny bald head, he was possibly Henry of the diner and excellent cooking. He stopped beside Andy, a white rag in one hand as he frowned at the dead bodies.

He nodded suddenly. “Yep. We can tip the jeep on its wheels and load the bodies in it. Then just drive right up to the border. Those nasty critters will take care of the rest tonight.”

Eno looked over at Rayne to see the advisor nodding as well. “That would help to cover up this mess, but the Empire is still going to miss four soldiers eventually. They’ll poke around town, causing problems for everyone even after we leave.”

“We’re not leaving them to deal with the Empire,” Caelan stated flatly, and there was zero room for argument. Eno didn’t blame him. They’d made this mess, and they needed to clean it up.

“That means we’re clearing the Empire out of the base.” Drayce thrust his arms into the air and shouted “Whoo-hoo! We’re kicking some Empire butt.”

“Then you’re gonna need to talk to Katie,” Henry said with a grin. He turned to Andy. “Can you call up to the old Parish place and ask Katie to stop by?”

Andy crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “She’s still in town? I thought she left with the other soldiers.”

Henry shook his head. “Nope. She and a bunch of her platoon are hiding out near the other edge of town. They’ve been trying to figure out a way to take back the base without actively engaging the Empire. Looks like these boys could give her the opening she’s been needing.”

Oh, this was starting to sound hopeful. Even a little military assistance in this insanity was better than none.

“All right. I’ll get her on the line,” Andy happily agreed and disappeared inside the store.

The rest of them—with the help of a couple of diners who were promised a slice of banana cream pie for their trouble—worked to get the Jeep on its wheels and the dead into the vehicle. Warner got the old thing running again, and Eno drove it until the engine gave out about a hundred yards from the edge of the Ordas. He felt a tiny bit guilty about feeding the dead to the creatures of the Ordas, but the feeling quickly faded when he thought of Queen Amara and the other people in Stormbreak who’d been slaughtered by the Empire.

Rayne was waiting for him at the edge of town, worry lining his face. Of course, Eno’s mind took that moment to also replay that last little scene where Rayne had run toward danger, throwing a knife with such precision that he managed to drop a full-grown man in a heartbeat. The stuffy advisor was just too sexy for words. He was hopelessly attracted to the complex conundrum that was Rayne. Strong, confident, and intelligent. Bookish and yet he never hesitated to jump into a fight. Combative and yet there were times when he needed to be held and protected.

Eno wanted to grab him, pin him against the back of the diner, and kiss that frown away. He wanted to tangle his tongue with Rayne’s and taste him, leave him writhing and moaning in his arms. Wipe away all thoughts of the Empire with one devastating kiss.

“This is insane, and you know it,” Rayne announced as Eno reached him.

So much for kissing him senseless. He wanted to talk.

“True, but you know what will happen if we don’t do something. The Empire will tear this town apart until they find out what happened to those soldiers. We can’t leave these people helpless.”

“Yes, yes, I know,” he agreed with an absent wave of one hand. “But even if it is a small base, there have to be at least a few hundred soldiers inside, all of them better armed than we are. We need a solid plan, something to give us an edge.”

Eno stopped in front of Rayne and cupped the side of his face. The man instantly froze, his breath catching, and then his eyes fluttered as if they were going to close. Oh yeah, he loved Rayne’s every reaction to him.

He leaned close enough that the tips of their noses bumped. “That’s why we’re going to get help from this Katie. Everything is going to be fine.”

It would be so easy to lean in those last few inches and take Rayne’s mouth. To get lost in a blistering kiss. But Drayce’s laughter echoed down the alley, and it sounded like it was getting close.

He released Rayne and stepped back with a smirk. “It’ll be fine.”

But first he needed a fucking shower. Preferably a cold one.

* * *

Katie Hopewell was nothing like her name, and exactly what they needed. Eno was sure of it within a minute of meeting the woman. She was battle-hardened with steel-gray-and-white hair buzzed into a flattop. Short and stocky, she moved like she was all muscle with only the hint of a limp in her right leg. Scars cut across her deeply tanned cheeks, and she was missing a couple of teeth when she smiled at them.

“This was supposed to be my retirement,” she drawled, accepting a beer from Rayne before dropping into one of the orange chairs. Eno settled on the couch with Rayne while Caelan sat in the chair opposite Katie. “I’ve seen more than my share of action with the Empire over the years, though most of it was when I was just a kid. When they offered me the assignment at the Shallow Edge base, it was supposed to be a cakewalk. Keep an eye on the Ordas, and train up some of the greener soldiers.”

“But the Empire ruined those plans,” Caelan murmured.

“Fuck yes, they did.” She winced and shook her head. “Sorry, Your Highness.”

Caelan held up one hand, halting her apology. “It’s fine. Warranted, even. Can you tell us what happened?”

“Empire came through the bloody Ordas and struck at twilight.” She swore softly under her breath and shook her head. “The latest swap of soldiers had been made, and the vast majority are so green, you’d mistake them for a fern. Fresh from basic. Barely know which end of the gun to point at the enemy.”

“They would have been slaughtered,” Eno observed.

“We weren’t outnumbered, but we were outgunned, and they definitely had experience on their side. We’re not equipped for a battle with soldiers. Our job is managing the Ordas. That’s it.”

“Would you like to kick the Empire out?” Drayce inquired from where he was seated on the arm of Caelan’s chair.

Katie looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Of course I would, but we’ve already got strict orders to not engage the Empire unless they attack our people.”

“But could you ‘assist’ the Empire if it sounded like they were under attack?” Rayne suggested, even making the air quotes with his fingers.

Eno twisted in his seat to gaze at the advisor who was now wearing a slightly devilish smile on his lips. “Do I even want to know what you’re thinking?”

“Oh, I do,” Katie rubbed her hands together. “You can tell he’s got something good cooking in his brain. The quiet ones always got the best ideas.”

Rayne blinked at her for a second while Drayce fell off the arm of the chair, laughing so hard. As strange as it sounded, Katie was right about Rayne. He might be the serious, responsible one of their group, but Eno didn’t doubt that his brilliant mind could also come up with some wicked ideas.

“I was just thinking—if there were some sudden explosions within the base, you’d have to investigate and potentially assist in rescue efforts,” Rayne explained. “With a nice mix of chaos in the dead of night, it would be much easier for you and your platoon to round up the Empire and help them relocate.”

“Relocate out of Caspagir,” Drayce snickered.

“We’re just hoping you can give us some details on the layout of the base,” Caelan said.

“And do you have anything that can make a really big boom?” Drayce added.

Katie cackled and nodded. “Yes, boys. I think I can help you. It would be my pleasure.”

Eno looked at Rayne, who flashed him a crooked smile and a shrug of one shoulder. “So much for our plan of staying below the notice of anyone.”

“The Empire will have no idea who is hitting them. They’ll never see Cael. It’ll be fine.”

He prayed the gods wouldn’t make a liar of him.

11

Caelan Talos

Caelan’s heart was pounding so hard in his chest, he thought it was going to leave a bruise against his breastplate. He’d gone on missions to eliminate creatures that had crept into Erya in the south at the border with the Ordas, down near Ilon. He’d fought in war—gamelike battles where other soldiers were the enemy—but he’d never truly faced an Empire soldier in a real fight. Not like this.

He’d trained plenty for this, though he doubted anyone ever thought the prince of Erya would actually see a battlefield. Fear pumped in his veins, mixing with his blood, but there was also determination. These people had killed his mother. Likely killed Hagen, his mother’s personal bodyguard. He’d also been the man who’d directed all of Caelan’s training. Though they’d never been particularly close, Caelan liked to believe Hagen had tried to protect him as well as he would his own son.

The Empire bastards had killed an unknown number of other soldiers, attacked his home, and stolen his birthright.

This action could not be left to stand without some kind of retribution. They had to be made to pay. This little attack was nothing really, but they had to start somewhere. There were only four of them against the might of the Empire right now, but Caelan vowed to make those numbers grow, to turn the tide.

And one day soon, there would be no New Rosanthe on the map.

Being both the smallest and the fastest, Drayce led the way through the opening in the fence Katie had shown them. That afternoon, she’d walked them through every inch of the base so they knew it blindfolded. Then she’d called in her demolitions guy to set them up with some nifty explosives.

Caelan followed close behind, fearful of the soft sound of his clothes rubbing as he moved. The base seemed more active than Katie had described it, but that could be attributed to the missing soldiers. He and his friends had relocated to Katie’s hiding spot during the day, but Andy had called to say that the town had gotten busy by late afternoon when it was clear the soldiers weren’t returning to the base. No one was hurt, but it would be better if the Empire were taken care of quickly.

He and Drayce immediately ducked behind a large military truck that looked as if it served to move people and/or equipment. Rayne followed but stopped to silently hold open the fence enough to allow Eno’s larger frame through without alerting anyone to their presence.

Caelan peered out from behind the vehicle, trying to make out as much of their surroundings in the gloom as he could. They were near the guard tower in the southwest corner of the base. A bright light cut over the trees of the Ordas to the west before swinging back to drift over half the base. The wedge of light glazed the squat, one-story command center that was just a few yards away from the enormous metal gray warehouse that sat in the middle of the base.

Katie had also described the trio of barracks—one at the west, south, and east walls—that likely housed upward of a hundred to two hundred men. Considering the size of the barracks, those had to be some pretty shitty sleeping conditions. And they were going to make it a hell of a lot worse very soon.

The only problem was that they had no idea how many guards were on duty lurking around the base. If anyone sounded the alarm prior to them setting the charges, they were totally screwed.

Caelan squinted, trying to see into the darker shadows. Were there guards they couldn’t see staring at them? Were guns drawn and pointed at his head, just waiting for the signal to pull the trigger?

A soft scrape of rubber on the concrete pulled Caelan’s attention over his shoulder in time to see Rayne and Eno hurrying over to where they were hiding.

“Step one is complete,” Drayce whispered with a bounce of enthusiasm in his voice.

“Just a shame that wasn’t the hard part,” Rayne muttered.

“Quiet,” Eno snapped sharply. “Everyone knows the plan. Set your timers now. We’ve got three minutes.”

Caelan’s heart stumbled as he hit the timer on his watch and saw the numbers start speeding toward zero. Three minutes didn’t seem like nearly enough time, and somehow he and Eno had an extra thirty seconds on Drayce and Rayne.

With a jaunty salute, Drayce darted away, instantly swallowed by the shadows as he silently moved toward the tower in the northwest corner. It was his job to set the charge there to a key structural support. He needed to not only topple the tower, but to also blow a hole in the fencing.

Rayne hesitated, staring at him for a long time, before Eno finally clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave him a little shake.

“Nothing is going to happen to him,” Eno growled.

“Right. Of course,” Rayne muttered as he darted off in the opposite direction. His job was to set a pair of charges along the barracks that lined the eastern wall. Both the tower and barracks were slated to blow at the same time, making it look like the base was being attacked from two sides.

The hope was that everyone would be pouring out of the remaining two barracks just as the majority of explosives went off at the command center and warehouse in the center of the base. Of course, being in the center of the base meant that they were also greatly exposed and most likely to be spotted by the guards patrolling the grounds.

Eno had refused to allow Caelan off on his own, but teaming up meant that Caelan was on command center duty with Eno.

“Ready?” Eno asked.

His stomach churned and his heart pounded in his ears, but Caelan nodded. “Definitely.”

Keeping bent and low, they darted forward, moving along the side of the barracks near the southern wall. Caelan straightened enough to peer into one of the windows. It was nearly pitch-black inside, the darkness broken only by a pair of tiny nightlights. There were three rows of metal bunk beds cast in shadow, sending a tremor of horror through him. So many soldiers. Why were they staying on the base? It certainly wasn’t due to the Caspagir army of a couple hundred outside the gates.

What the hell were those Rosanthe bastards up to?

He couldn’t think about that now. His main focus needed to be setting the charges and getting away before Rayne and Drayce blew theirs. Otherwise, he and Eno were going to be stuck right in the middle of the flood of soldiers coming out of those barracks and their own charges.

Eno leaned around the corner of the barracks, scanning the area for guards and watching the sweep of the search light as it reached the midpoint and headed back toward the Ordas. With any luck, the guards in the towers would be more focused on the Ordas and what was happening outside the base rather than worrying about who was sneaking about on the inside.

With a low grunt, Eno pushed away from the building as the light began its path toward the west, and Caelan hurried on his heels. They moved like ghosts across the pavement, careful to not make a sound.

He and Eno split when they reached the building. Caelan dug into his bag, ignoring the tremble in his fingers as he grabbed the first explosive charge. Okay, so maybe Katie’s demolitions guy had done more than hand over a bunch of dynamite. He might have already bundled it up into predetermined explosive strengths and showed them all how to set a charge as well as cancel it again. Really, they had no explosives training, and the gods knew that Drayce couldn’t be trusted with dynamite on his own.

Prepping the sticky glue, he attached it to the side of the building about halfway up and tapped in the time. He glanced at his watch to confirm that he wasn’t running behind. Sucking in a deep breath, he pushed the activation button. His heart stopped as he waited for the bomb to go off. But it didn’t. The countdown started.

Oh, thank fuck.

Snatching up his bag, he moved to his right. Eno was placing charges in the center of the warehouse, which was connected to the command center, and on the far end of the warehouse. Caelan’s job was to place his final explosive near the western corner of the warehouse.

The second charge went up with a little less fear this time, and he turned toward Eno to find the man struggling to keep a guard silent. Slinging his bag on his shoulder, Caelan raced to help his companion. He started to draw a knife, but Eno shook his head.

“Set the charge still in my bag. I’ve got him,” he growled softly.

Caelan nodded and grabbed the bag sitting just a few feet away from Eno and worked on the charge. He only glanced back when he heard a sickening crunch of bone and a wet tear. Eno was still standing while the soldier slid to the ground with a heavy thud.

“Bastard came out of nowhere,” Eno grumbled as he took the empty bag from Caelan.

He didn’t look at his friend, only glanced at his watch to check the time as he set the timer on the bomb. They were down to less than a minute.

“We need to move,” Caelan whispered. “Less than forty-five seconds.”

“Shit,” Eno swore before they took off together toward the far edge of the southern barracks. They needed to get hidden. They needed—

A burst of gunfire shattered the silence of the base on their left, and Eno’s pace slowed sharply.

“Rayne!” he cried out softly.

The fighting sounded like it was coming from the direction of the eastern barracks, which was where Rayne was supposed to be setting his charges. Caelan grabbed Eno’s arm when he took his first step toward the barracks. Lights were popping on around them, and they were out in the fucking open. There was no way anyone was going to miss them in a second. They needed cover if they were going to help Rayne.

“This way!” Caelan hissed, trying to pull Eno behind the barracks so they could move along the southern wall. They were still too damn close to the charges on the warehouse.

As if waking from his dark thoughts, Eno nodded and they ran together past the barracks.

But they were already out of time.

An explosion rocked the northwest corner of the base. The tower and Drayce’s charges. Caelan’s knees wobbled as he thought of Drayce on his own. Or just Drayce with explosives. If he got his best friend back in one piece, it would be a fucking miracle.

Just as the thought passed through his brain, a massive explosion plowed through the eastern barracks, knocking Caelan to his knees. Eno’s strong hand wrapped around his biceps and hauled him to his feet so they could continue running, but that wasn’t an option.

Soldiers were pouring out of the remaining two barracks. Sirens filled the air, shrieking above the roar of flames and shouts of men. Both he and Eno drew their swords and started cutting through soldiers as soon as they spotted them.

Pure adrenaline replaced fear, blotting out thoughts and worries. It didn’t matter that they were horribly outnumbered. He slashed, blocked, parried, and slashed again. The only way to stay alive was to keep moving and let the rest of the world fall away. He pulled on the ball of anger that crackled in the pit of his stomach to fuel him when his arms trembled and his muscles ached. The Empire had stolen everything from him. He was going to steal it all back one life at a time if he had to.

For every one that fell, three more sprang up in their place. Sweat slipped down the sides of Caelan’s face and soaked into his shirt. The slightly cool night air had become a furnace.

In the chaos, the only bright side was that Rayne made it to where they were fighting soldiers. He was splattered with blood, but Caelan couldn’t tell if it belonged to him or the men he’d killed.

The final explosion of the command center and warehouse ripped the base apart. Some of the soldiers peeled off from the fight, likely to see if there were more intruders and to find their commanders, but there were still too many for just the three of them.

The Empire forces were slowly pushing them backward toward the flames. They were either going to be skewered, shot, or flame-roasted.

Swearing under his breath, Caelan knew they needed another option. Or at least a moment to think. He retreated a step and plunged his arm into the flames of the closest burning building. A laugh almost escaped him as he realized he hadn’t even thought of the possibility of his power not being there despite his family’s loss of the Godstone.

He simply pulled on the power from the flames, letting it wash through him and connect with the power from the Godstone that still crackled and hummed in every cell of his body. With little effort, the same protective bubble he’d placed over the camp in the Ordas fell over himself and his companions. He watched as Eno and Rayne easily finished off the few Empire soldiers who’d gotten trapped inside with them and then stopped. The soldiers fired on them, but the bullets couldn’t penetrate the bubble.

“What now?” Eno gasped, struggling to catch his breath.

“We can’t remain in this spell indefinitely. We’re trapped,” Rayne said.

“I know, but we were outnumbered and outgunned as it was with no route for escape.” Caelan also wanted to mention that they had no idea where Drayce was or if he was still alive. He should have rejoined them by now.

But if he was on the other side of this horde of soldiers, he at least had a chance of escaping.

“Do you have any more spells up your sleeve?” Eno demanded.

Caelan shook his head. He knew a couple of others, but nothing that could be of any use at that moment. He’d learned very few simply because he’d not bonded with the Godstone yet. There were supposed to be others in his repertoire, but he’d put it off. There was supposed to be more time.

“Any more explosives?”

Rayne shook his head. “We blew everything we were given.”

Suddenly, the light from the southwest tower swung around to focus on them. Caelan flinched and raised his hand to shield himself from the blinding glare. A disturbing whirring noise rose above the din followed by a deafening rattle of bullets being fired off at a blinding speed. He jerked again, half expecting the bullets to find a way to rip through his guard. But they didn’t.

Soldiers outside the protective bubble screamed and jerked as the bullets shredded their bodies. They immediately started to scatter as if they could outrun the firepower of the brutal turret gun mounted on the tower. Just barely above the gunfire Caelan could hear a familiar “Whooohoooooo!”

“Holy shit,” Eno breathed.

“Drayce,” Caelan choked out, a joyful lump in his throat. That fucking lunatic had managed to fight his way to the top of the tower, take out the guards, and steal their turret gun.

“Drop the shield!” Rayne shouted the moment the way was clear for their escape.

Caelan released the power from the flames and lowered the protective shield. They fought the remaining soldiers while on the run. The turret gun stopped firing, and Caelan could only pray that Drayce was racing to meet them at the hole in the fence.

More gunfire and explosions echoed through the night, but that was coming from the northern entrance of the base. Caelan laughed, not caring that he sounded a little mad. The Caspagir army was finally getting in on the fun. The Empire soldiers were enveloped in chaos. If they wanted any chance of survival, they needed to surrender now.

At the hole in the fence, Drayce was waiting. Relief made Caelan weak in the knees. Never in his life had he been so happy to see Drayce. Dirt, soot, and blood were streaked across his face and clothes, but his grin was positively wicked.

“Bout time you got here!” he called out with a laugh.

“Have fun with that gun?” Caelan shouted.

“Oh, I’m so getting one of those when we return home!”

“Plan later, escape now,” Rayne snapped.

Yeah, running was probably a good idea. They slipped through the fence and into the darkness of the Ordas, working their way toward Shallow Edge and Andy’s borrowed apartment. The mission hadn’t gone as smoothly as they hoped, but at least they were all still alive and in one piece. Katie would finish rounding up the surviving Empire soldiers and see that they were safely deposited on the other side of the border. Shallow Edge was safe from the Empire…for now at least.

12

Eno Bevyn

Relief coursed through Eno when they finally stumbled through the apartment door, and he locked it behind them. They’d destroyed more of the base than he’d wanted, but the Empire army had been killed or captured. Caspagir had the remains of their base back, which meant that the people of Shallow Edge had their protectors from the Ordas again.

And they had a potential bargaining chip when it came time to deal with the government of Caspagir.

“Anyone injured? Shall I get my medic bag?” Rayne called out.

They were a collective bloody, dirty, sweat-soaked mess. Clothes were ripped and the smell of smoke now permeated the room. Caelan managed to unbuckle his sword sheath and drop it to the floor with a loud clatter before he collapsed facedown on the couch. Drayce shed his gun holster with a thud and stretched out on the floor right next to Caelan, also on his face.

“I’m fine,” Caelan replied, his voice heavily muffled by the couch cushion.

“I’ve got a few splinters in my ass from the exploding tower.” Drayce lifted his head and smirked at Rayne. “Are you going to pull them out?”

“I think I’ll leave that to Cael since you’re such close friends,” Rayne said drily.

“Hard pass,” Caelan mumbled into the couch, causing Drayce to snicker.

Rayne turned toward Eno, his eyes sweeping over him. “Eno? Injuries?”

“I’m fine. Just a few minor bruises,” he muttered. He lifted a questioning brow at Rayne, but the man quickly looked away, seeming to avoid his gaze. But it was too late. Eno could see the lines of pain digging deep into his face. There was no missing the stiff way he was holding himself. He was hurt. Eno couldn’t be sure where or how badly until he got his hands on the man, but he knew that Rayne was hurt and hiding it. Fatigue and relief were pushed aside, replaced by a burning need to pull Rayne into his arms and care for him. He needed to be sure Rayne was okay.

“Cael, Drayce, get to bed. You can shower in the morning before we leave,” Eno ordered.

“Let me just sleep here. I don’t wanna move,” Cael moaned.

Eno took a few steps into the living room and kicked the end of the couch, giving it a good shake. “Go now,” he barked at them, leaving no room for question.

Caelan lifted up and glared at him over his shoulder. There was irritation there, but also worry. Luckily, whatever he was thinking, he kept it to himself as he levered the rest of the way upright. Nudging Drayce with his foot, he got his friend moving toward the one bedroom. The pair mumbled and joked with each other, shoulders bumping as they disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door.

“Get your medic bag and go take a shower,” Eno ordered, keeping his voice low so Caelan and Drayce couldn’t hear him. If Rayne didn’t want anyone to know he was injured, Eno could at least help him hide it from the other two.

“I’m fine,” Rayne said sharply. “It’s just a couple of scratches.”

Eno would bet his left nut that it was a hell of a lot more than scratches as the man stiffly grabbed his entire pack and carried it into the bathroom. He winced and clenched his teeth with every step as he disappeared behind the door.

Only when he was alone could Eno walk into the kitchen to get a water from the fridge. Before opening it, he found himself placing it on the counter and gripping the edge with both hands as a shadow of the terror that had hit him at the base swept through him. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to push it back down again.

The gunfire in the darkness. Rayne alone.

He could have been killed.

When they’d chosen to separate, when they entered the base, Eno had not allowed himself to think about what could possibly happen to them. But the moment that first burst of gunfire ripped through the night, all his mind could picture was Rayne’s long, lithe body ripped apart, blood splattered. His beautiful jade-green eyes staring lifeless at the midnight sky.

He hadn’t been able to breathe. Caelan had needed to force him forward, to remind his body how to operate.

Even now, when he closed his eyes, all he saw was Rayne dead, and something in him screamed.

Rayne had been a constant in his life for the past several years along with Caelan and now Drayce. While Drayce was a force of chaos, and Caelan enjoyed his moments of recklessness, Rayne had proved to be an unmovable rock of stability. He was tranquility. He was the path through the darkness.

If Rayne were gone, there would only be darkness and chaos.

Clenching his teeth, Eno pulled at the ragged edges of his mind and soul, trying to drag them together again. This was their life for the foreseeable future. Living on this edge where any of them could be killed without even a moment’s notice.

And he found he couldn’t live with the idea of either of them dying without…

Eno shoved away from the counter and straightened. The sound of water falling in the shower broke through the silence of the apartment, just barely reaching over the sound of both Caelan and Drayce snoring. The two men had probably dropped into the bed fully dressed and passed out. They were gone to the world for at least a few hours.

Grabbing the bottle of water, Eno walked to the bathroom and quietly opened the door, slipping inside. Unfortunately, Rayne heard him close the door and peeked around the curtain.

“Eno?”

“I brought you some water. I thought you might need it if you took some pills.”

Rayne disappeared behind the curtain and sighed a little. “Thank you. I took something with the water from the faucet, but a drink would be nice after the shower.”

Eno placed the bottle of water on the cracked and stained counter and hesitated only for a moment, then reached to snag the hem of his shirt. He ripped it over his head while he toed out of his shoes, his heart pounding so hard in his chest. Dropping it, he unfastened his pants and shoved off the remainder of his clothes.

Naked, the choice seemed so much easier now. So natural. He pushed aside the curtain just enough to step into the small bathtub. His quick movements blessed him with a brief picture of Rayne completely unguarded. He stood under the hot spray, his head tilted while one arm was braced against the wall, holding him upright. There was still pain in his expression, but also a hint of relief. He’d never seen Rayne like this, unguarded and vulnerable. It triggered every instinct in him to pull Rayne close and protect him.

But then Rayne opened his eyes and his entire body jerked. He scrambled backward a step, but there was nowhere to go in the small shower. Eno almost laughed when the proper man’s eyes dropped down and seemed to get caught on his cock before jerking to his face, cheeks flushing.

“Wha-what are you doing?” Rayne demanded in a harsh whisper, as though he were afraid of waking Caelan and Drayce. Eno felt fairly certain a bomb landing in the living room wouldn’t wake those two, but he had no desire to test his theory.

“I wanted to see you, see how badly you were injured, and knew you wouldn’t tell me,” Eno grumbled.

That wasn’t the entire truth, but that was enough of it for now. He lowered his gaze, taking in the large dark purple and almost black bruise across the left side of his rib cage. There was a white bandage secured with waterproof tape on his right side. More bruises decorated his thighs. He looked back up and discovered an ugly cut at the base of his throat as if he’d just narrowly avoided being decapitated. Blood leaked from it, mixing with the water before streaking down Rayne’s chest. A chill ran through him, and his lungs seized up. How close had he come to losing Rayne tonight?

“Broken?” he forced out in a rough voice, nodding toward his ribs.

“No. Just bruised. They’re fine,” he snapped.

He lifted his hand toward the bandage. “Do you need stitches?”

Rayne quickly caught his wrist, stopping him from touching him. He couldn’t understand Rayne’s hostility toward him. “I’m fine. It’s just a cut. I’ve taken care of it.”

“Anything else—”

“Everything is fine, Eno. I’m fine.”

Eno took a step toward him, closing what little distance there had been. Rayne gasped softly, his soft lips parted and rich green eyes wide. “Why won’t you let me help you? Why are you hiding?”

“Because I don’t want to give you a reason to leave me behind,” Rayne shot back in a harsh whisper.

This time, Eno jerked away. The idea had never even crossed his mind. “What?”

“If you think I can’t keep up, if you think that I’m a liability to Caelan’s safety, you will leave me behind. And Caelan needs me.”

With his free hand, Eno reached up and cupped the side of Rayne’s face. “I need you.”

Rayne’s mouth fell open in surprise, and Eno seized the advantage. He leaned in and kissed the man deeply.

Only in his darkest of moments, when it felt like the world was crumbling around him, did Eno allow himself to dream of this kiss. Rayne with his plans, his ambitions, and his endless drive. He had a vast future ahead of him, and it didn’t include a simple warrior like Eno. The man would have his choice of anyone from anywhere.

But this kiss. He could have this moment and this kiss.

And it was everything he’d hoped it could be.

Eno moved his lips gently over Rayne’s in a sweet caress, loving the tingle that spread from his face to encompass his entire body. Rayne’s breath caught again, but Eno teased it out with the swipe of his tongue across the tip of Rayne’s.

The man moaned into his mouth and kissed him. Rayne released his wrist and gripped his shoulders with both hands. Fingers bit into his muscles, and Rayne pressed into him as he deepened the kiss. Their bodies rubbed from chest to knees. Eno grabbed one ass cheek as he thrust his hips forward. Their rigid dicks pressed together, and Eno groaned. He wanted more. Needed more. Needed everything he could get from Rayne.

Rayne ripped his mouth away and tilted his head back, gasping for air, but he didn’t try to otherwise pull away. Eno carefully kissed his way along Rayne’s jaw and along his throat. His lips whispered lightly above the cut that could have ended Rayne’s life. He prayed that soldier was dead now. He wouldn’t survive without Rayne’s brilliant mind there to guide him.

“Oh, gods, Eno,” Rayne panted.

“Tell me.”

“I…I…” Whatever he was going to say broke off and seemed to get snagged behind whatever walls he’d built inside himself.

Still holding the side of his face, Eno forced Rayne to tilt his head down to look him. “For once, please just tell me what you want. Anything,” he pleaded, his husky voice wavering. There wasn’t much he could offer Rayne but himself, and right now he’d give Rayne anything to give him some relief, some bit of joy

A smirk played on Rayne’s lips, and some of the light returned to his eyes. “I tell you all the time what I want.”

Eno grinned at him. “Telling me to fetch Caelan or to keep Caelan out of trouble does not count.”

His answering smile faded too quickly, and his eyes darted away. Eno kissed him again and Rayne instantly returned it, desperate and hungry. Eno could taste his need in that kiss, and it matched his own.

Eno’s fingers gripped his ass before slipping between the cheeks and brushing tantalizingly over Rayne’s hole. The sexy man in his arms bucked against him and moaned. Greedy fingers slid into Eno’s hair and twisted as Rayne pressed into the pad of his finger.

“Is that what you want?” Eno teased, lightening the pressure as Rayne pushed into him.

“Eno.” Rayne’s voice trembled, and it was a beautiful sound.

Moving his lips to Rayne’s ear, he dropped to a wicked whisper. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

“Yes. Eno, yes.”

Eno groaned and nipped at his earlobe. He’d never fucked a man, never thought such a thing could appeal to him, but it was Rayne he was holding in his arms, Rayne who was panting against his wet skin and writhing along his body like he couldn’t get enough of him. All the rules and preconceived notions of his life were thrown out the window when it came to Rayne.

And right now, he couldn’t imagine wanting anything more in his life than to bury himself deep inside of Rayne, to leave part of himself with this man so that they’d never be separated again.

“Lube. We need something, right?” he said, hating the uncertainty in his voice. Rayne needed someone to take care of him, not ask questions.

But if it bothered Rayne, he gave no sign of it. There was a new, eager fire in his eyes when he gazed at Eno. His face was flushed with life and vitality. Eno couldn’t remember him ever looking so stunning and vibrant. Water dripped down his face, catching like little crystals in his beard. His hair was slicked back and his eyes, no longer hidden behind glasses, were watching him as though he held the keys to every great truth in the universe.

“Yes. Umm…the ointment. Grab the ointment from the sink!” Rayne directed. He started to go himself, but Eno quickly released him and dipped out of the shower. He nearly slipped on the tile floor with his damn wet feet, but he managed to locate the ointment with no trouble.

He hurried to the shower to find that Rayne had changed the shower spray so that it was straight down while he had pressed his chest into the rear wall.

“I thought it would be easier without the water washing the ointment away,” Rayne explained.

Eno carefully stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain shut to hold in the heat created by the water. With the tube of ointment clenched tight in one hand, he couldn’t stop himself from slowly running his hand along the elegant curve of Rayne’s spine and over his ass. Rayne had spread his legs, and Eno dipped his hand to lightly fondle the man’s sac. A choked sound left Rayne as if he were trying to hold in his responses, but his body betrayed him at every turn, pushing back into Eno’s hand, begging for more.

“Y-you’ll need to put a good amount on…on you and then I’ll need to…” Rayne broke off and Eno smiled.

He leaned forward, letting his dick slide through Rayne’s crease. “What’s that?” he teased.

“Eno.” Rayne was trying to give a stern warning, but the tremble of need in his voice ruined it.

“I think I can figure this out,” he replied as he opened the ointment and squeezed a large dollop on his fingers.

“I didn’t think you’d been with a man.”

“I haven’t been,” Eno easily admitted as he rubbed his finger across Rayne’s hole. It didn’t take much to carefully push inside, wringing the most delicious soft moan from the man. “But porn is porn, and what mostly gets me off are the sounds of pleasure they make.”

“Oh,” Rayne said in a shuddering voice that had Eno grinning.

He slowly worked his finger in and out, watching it disappear inside of Rayne up to the second knuckle. His body was so hot, so tight, pulling him in as if it demanded Eno become part of him.

“I know I have to get you ready for me,” he continued in a low voice. “And it gives me a chance to hear what kind of noises I can pull out of you.” Eno carefully added a second finger as he spoke, dragging a low sound out of Rayne. Such a moan left Eno wondering: if he fucked Rayne hard enough, deep enough, would he be able to pull cries straight from the man’s soul?

“Oh fuck, Eno,” Rayne panted. He’d started to move with him, fucking himself on Eno’s fingers.

Everything about Rayne was beautiful and graceful. The bruises and cuts couldn’t detract from his perfection. He needed in him, to be part of him.

“Tell me you’re ready,” Eno growled.

“Please. Hurry.”

Eno withdrew his fingers and snatched up the ointment again. He slathered an enormous amount on his dick, fearful of hurting Rayne more than he already was. And yet, he couldn’t stop himself. Not when everything in him was screaming for this. Not when Rayne was ready and begging.

Grabbing himself, he used his spare hand to part Rayne’s cheeks. He brushed against the sweet pucker once, teasing out a soft whimper of need, before he pressed forward. He got no farther than the head when a hiss of pain from Rayne had him freezing.

“Just a second,” Rayne whispered tightly.

Eno released Rayne’s ass and braced his hand on the mint-green tile wall, next to Rayne’s hand. Keeping his hips perfectly still, Eno leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss to Rayne’s tense shoulder and then another to the back of his neck. He kissed him, feeling muscles relax under him by tiny measures.

“Is it wrong?” Eno whispered, his breath brushing along Rayne’s damp skin.

“What?”

“I keep thinking that right now, you’re mine. I know your mind will always belong to Caelan, to the kingdom, but right now, your body belongs to me. That I don’t have to share that part of you with anyone. I get to care for you, protect you. You’re mine, and I get to keep you safe.”

“No, it’s not wrong.” Rayne’s voice wavered, and he finished on another soft moan as he pushed backward, taking more of Eno into him. Eno bit the side of Rayne’s neck and withdrew before pushing forward again, sliding even deeper.

He moved slowly, relishing the tight slide, the toe-curling grip of Rayne’s body around him. And then the sounds Rayne was making with each slow thrust. They were driving him closer to his own orgasm. Nothing had ever felt so tight, so intense. A hot velvet fist stroking him, pushing him to the edge. Years of fantasizing had never prepared him for this; he wanted to plunge deep inside of Rayne and never stop. After all this time, he finally had him.

“More, Eno. Harder. I need more,” Rayne panted.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Eno growled between clenched teeth.

“Please. Make me feel you. Make me feel alive.”

While trying to remember the placement of Rayne’s bruises, Eno wrapped his arm across his waist and pressed his face into Rayne’s neck as he punched his hips forward hard. Rayne turned his head, kissing Eno desperately. Eno had never felt so completely connected with another person. Fingers tangled in his hair, holding him captive, as if Rayne were suddenly afraid that he might pull away and disappear.

“Oh, gods. Eno. Eno, I’m close,” Rayne said brokenly in a near whine.

Eno groaned, loving the look of need and pleasure on his face. The pain was wiped completely away. He released Rayne’s side and lightly dragged his fingers to Rayne’s leaking cock.

A muffled whimper rippled up Rayne’s throat. “Please,” he begged, and Eno happily gave the man exactly what he wanted. He tightened his fingers around Rayne’s dick and stroked him hard while fucking his ass.

“Come for me, Rayne. I want to feel it,” he snarled. “Give me everything.”

Rayne cried out, the sound undoubtedly jumping above the noise created by the shower. But Eno didn’t care if Caelan and Drayce heard them. He didn’t fucking care if all of the Empire heard them. He wanted them to hear. Wanted them to know that the man they’d tried to kill was still alive, and he was shouting his pleasure in their faces.

Muscles tightened on Eno, and Rayne shouted again as he came. Eno held on to his own orgasm by his damn fingernails. He wanted to experience every bit of Rayne’s pleasure before he let go. In the end, it was the hot wash of Rayne’s cum hitting his hand that sent him over the edge.

Clenching his teeth, he filled Rayne’s tight channel with his release. The world blotted out, white and sharp, as pleasure scorched every nerve ending and left his knees wobbly. He closed his eyes and nuzzled his face into Rayne’s neck, wanting to get lost in the man.

Off-balance, they tilted, Eno’s shoulder hitting the wall and holding them upright.

“Sorry,” Eno mumbled against his skin, still unwilling to release him.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Did I hurt you?”

Rayne’s body shook with a barely heard laugh. “I can’t feel much of anything right now. Really relaxed. Tingly. I’m sure the pain will return soon enough.”

Eno’s chest tightened at that reminder of what had happened to bring them to this breaking point. “You can’t hide it from me anymore. Maybe from Caelan, but not me. Promise, Rayne.”

Twisting a little in his arms, Rayne met his eyes with his own serious gaze. “And will you promise to not leave me behind?”

Eno could feel his brow furrow at Rayne’s question. He tightened his arm around him so he couldn’t escape. “Why do you think I’d leave you behind?”

“Because I haven’t trained for this kind of thing as much as you or Cael or even Drayce. I’m sure you see me as some kind of liability to the prince’s safety.”

Eno closed the couple of inches between their mouths, silencing any further nonsense with a draining kiss. He didn’t stop until he could feel Rayne relaxing against him. Only then did he lift up his lips. “You’re not a liability. You’re the only sane one among us. You’re the only one keeping me from strangling Drayce.”

Rayne smiled slightly in answer, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I would only leave you behind if it meant saving your life,” Eno admitted on a heavy sigh. “Caelan needs you alive. Far more than he needs me or Drayce.”

“Eno—”

“I’m serious. There are plenty of soldiers out there who can fight for him, but there is no one else with your brain who can help him get his throne back. Who can help him save Erya.”

Licking his lips, Rayne met his gaze and held it for a second before asking, “What if I need you?”

Eno’s grin returned. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that I’m not planning to go anywhere.” He snagged one more kiss. He couldn’t help himself. Reluctantly, he released Rayne, leaving him leaning against the tile. Turning, he adjusted the water, only somewhat surprised to find that it was still warm, but it wasn’t likely to stay that way for long. He picked up the soap and quickly applied it to a soft cloth.

When Rayne tried to reach for it, Eno batted his hands away. Oh, no. He was taking care of Rayne. It was likely to be his only chance in the world to do it, and he was going to enjoy it while he could.

A soft sigh slipped from Rayne’s lips, and he dropped his head back, eyes closed as he handed himself over to Eno’s ministrations. He gently soaped up every bit of skin he found, washing away dirt, blood, and semen until Rayne’s pale skin shone like new.

“What are we doing?” Rayne whispered.

“If you don’t know what we’re doing, maybe you’re not as smart as I thought,” Eno teased, evading the question. Rayne cracked open an eye, and there was so much warning in that dark expression that Eno nearly laughed out loud. But he couldn’t. It was a fair question. “I don’t know, Rayne. Maybe this is it. Just this night and it never happens again.”

Just saying those words made his heart feel like it was tearing in half. He didn’t want it to be one night. They’d danced around each other for years. Countless shared looks, tiny bits of flirting, building to the point where Eno felt that Rayne was thoroughly dug into his brain. At long last, he’d gotten a taste of Rayne and he didn’t want to give it up yet.

“I don’t want it to be just tonight.”

Pride and something else he couldn’t quite name rose in Eno’s chest, nearly suffocating him. There was no waver, no give in Rayne’s voice. Only hard resolve. He wanted Eno, and Eno loved it.

“I want more too, but now is a bad time to ask for more. If I have my way, there’s going to be a lot more of this in the future.”

Rayne nodded, seeming to relax. “Then we figure it out in the future.”

Was it really that easy? Had they been avoiding this attraction for no reason? It almost seemed silly.

“But…we can’t let this interfere with our duty,” Rayne started slowly, his eyes locked on Eno’s face. “Cael, Eyra, they need to come first. Especially right now. I’m afraid of being distracted. Of worrying about you when I should be worried about the Empire.”

“Our duties are the same, and this isn’t going to interfere with our duty. We won’t let it.” He paused and smiled at Rayne, loving the way those crisp green eyes watched him. “And you have nothing to worry about with me. This is where I want to be.”

Pulling Rayne close, Eno wrapped his arms around him, sliding the soapy cloth up his back and over his perfect ass. Eno wanted that future so fucking much. There was no way he’d ever get tired of feeling Rayne in his arms, of seeing his stern looks, or hearing that strangled laugh like he’d been too surprised to stop it.

He dropped the cloth at Rayne’s feet and smoothed his slick fingers over one cheek, then down his crack. He couldn’t stop himself as he rubbed a finger over his hole, pushing inside. Rayne made a soft noise as he pressed his face into Eno’s shoulder.

Eno immediately froze. “Hurt?”

“Some, but don’t stop.”

Eno withdrew his finger to just the tip and pressed in to the knuckle. “I can’t help myself. I love how you feel. Love the sounds you make.”

Another sound broke from Rayne’s throat, and Eno thought it might have been his name. He grabbed the tube of ointment and spread more on his fingers before pushing two deep into his ass.

“Can you come again?” Eno gritted out.

“I don’t know,” Rayne gasped. He lifted his face, eyes wide and expression wild. “But I want to. Oh gods, I want to. Please.”

“You will. I’m going to wring every last drop of cum out of you. It’s mine,” he snarled. He kissed him roughly. Rayne moaned into his mouth, clinging to him.

Everything about their second time was rougher. Rayne bit and clawed at him while Eno fucked his ass hard with his fingers. They needed this even though they’d both come only minutes ago. They needed this second cry in the night, to remind them both they were still alive and fighting. Rayne keened in his ear, seeming to desperately reach for the orgasm just past his fingertips.

Finally, Rayne wrapped his hand around both their dicks, stroking them together. Eno swore, stars exploding behind his eyes as he came suddenly. His brain was just clicking on when he felt Rayne follow him over the edge.

His balls were fucking dust, and he barely had the strength to hold them both upright. It was on incredibly shaky legs that they both finished washing and rinsing in now ice-cold water. They dried and dressed in silence, with Eno helping Rayne as his sore muscles stiffened. Eno caught the smiles and glances from Rayne. A soft blush painted his pale cheeks, and Eno wanted to kiss his swollen lips all over again.

He wished they could linger in the bathroom, hiding from the rest of the world and life, but exhaustion was weighing on him, and Rayne was starting to sway on his feet. They needed sleep.

Eno slipped out of the bathroom first, breathing a sigh of relief at the sound of Caelan and Drayce’s snoring filling the apartment. They’d slept through the bathroom antics, thank the gods. He quickly put out a blanket and pillow on the couch for Rayne, then made a spot for himself on the floor next to the couch.

Rayne threw him one last smirk before stretching out on the sofa. Eno lay down and closed his eyes, sure that he’d never felt so tired or so relaxed in all his life.

“I think…we shouldn’t tell them,” Rayne whispered.

Eno smiled to himself in the darkness. He’d been expecting this. “Caelan has enough to worry about.”

Fingers threaded through his short hair in a soothing caress, and Eno opened his eyes to find the faint outline of Rayne’s smiling face above his. “But I am so looking forward to seeing their expressions when we do tell them.”

Eno grinned at him, his heart feeling light enough to float right out of his chest. Yes, that was going to be fun, too.

13

Caelan Talos

Sirelis was and wasn’t what Caelan expected it to be.

But after two days of driving, Caelan was happy to be anywhere that meant they could stop moving for a while. The old van Warner had sold them for a pittance proved to be a bit temperamental on the road, requiring several stops for repairs. The clunker’s shocks were also worn, making the ride more than a little uncomfortable through some of the rural parts of Caspagir.

Not that it mattered too much. Caelan had been trapped in a quagmire of his own thoughts for much of the ride. He still felt lost with the death of his mother and the capture of Stormbreak as well as the Godstone. Yes, they had a plan to talk to Queen Noemi, but then what? Was she really going to help them?

He was doubting more and more that Sirelis was a trap. If his mother had been trying to protect him, she wouldn’t send him straight into the waiting arms of enemies. At least not knowingly.

But if Amara wanted him safe, why didn’t she send him to Ilon? Why Caspagir? That was what didn’t make sense to him. He clenched his teeth against another swell of frustration that inevitably ebbed and gave way to more pain. Why did she have to trust him so little with her thoughts? Why couldn’t she have talked to him more?

Caelan leaned his head on the window of the van and rubbed his eyes. He was tired of trying to unravel the schemes and plans of his mother. It was too late to understand why she’d done anything. He needed to focus on the problems that were right in front of him. There were plenty of those.

“There. Take that exit to the Thrudesh Bridge,” Rayne instructed, breaking the silence of the van. The man hummed softly to himself. “How lovely. They were nearly finished with it when I left Sirelis.”

Caelan blinked and sat up to look out the front window around Eno in the driver’s seat. He glanced at Rayne as he winced and shifted in his seat again. His advisor was still stiff and sore from the battle, but he was starting to move easier now. As they left Shallow Edge, he’d tried to ask about his injuries, but Eno just murmured that he’d keep an eye on Rayne. Caelan had nodded and dropped the subject.

Spending so many years with Rayne had afforded him some insight into the reserved man. He always prided himself on being pulled together and prepared. He loathed weakness in himself. An injury of any kind would be classified under weakness, and Caelan didn’t want to add to his discomfort by asking a lot of questions. If Eno said he had the matter in hand, Caelan was happy to ignore Rayne’s winces for now.

“Whoa, nice bridge,” Drayce breathed.

Caelan turned his attention to the graceful curving steel-and-concrete edifice rising up in front of them. It was a masterpiece of art and function, not to mention a classy way of welcoming visitors to the royal city.

“It was named after Caspagir’s deceased king and husband to Queen Noemi,” Rayne replied.

As they started across the bridge, a strange tingle danced across Caelan’s flesh. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, but it didn’t go away. Goose bumps formed and the hair on his forearms rose up. At first, he thought it might be nerves, but that wasn’t right.

The frisson of energy was almost like what he felt when he returned to Stormbreak after being away for a period. The electric touch of the Godstone.

But that couldn’t be, because the Godstone wasn’t in Sirelis, right? The Empire wouldn’t have brought it here.

The only other option was that there was a second stone here in Sirelis. That was nonsense, though. Everyone knew there was only one godstone in all of Thia, and it rested in Stormbreak as it always had.

Caelan’s gaze strayed to his arms again. There was no mistaking the feeling, the low crackle of power in the air. Was this why his mother had sent him to Caspagir rather than Ilon?

The bridge dropped them straight into the heart of the royal capital city. It was an elegant, regal metropolis bustling with people and overflowing with obvious wealth, but there was an incredibly old feel to it, as if it were trapped within a period of time more than two hundred years old.

But then, it was clear that architecture and decor were taking their cues from the royal palace, which sat atop a hill above the city. No building stood taller than the towers and spires of the castle. The only exception seemed to be the lighthouse that stood out on a point overlooking both the city and the vast harbor.

Many of the streets were cobblestone, and all the lamps were a decadent curling wrought iron with a frosted-white glass globe. The soft glow did little to push back the morning fog rolling in from the sea. Rooftops were covered in red clay tiles and many of the buildings were a soft yellow or white, while others had red brick accents. Sirelis was like stepping into another time.

Caelan hadn’t realized how much he’d taken the impact the Godstone had on Stormbreak for granted until they were riding through Sirelis. His hometown was decorated in various shades of green, particularly the royal green of the Talos family and the Godstone. Everywhere he looked, there were constant reminders of the Godstone—from stone statues to green-stained glass in the shape of the stone lining shop windows.

But in Sirelis, the dominant color was a cool, deep blue. While there were no images of a godstone, blue with an accent of white was everywhere, particular in window frames and doors. The color gave the city a calming, peaceful vibe that he appreciated.

With surprising ease, Rayne directed them to a quiet part of town away from the thickest throng of people. He selected a hotel that appeared modest and unassuming. Not the first place that someone might search for a missing prince.

With the key in hand, Eno ushered Caelan inside, trying to shield him from view with his larger frame, while Rayne and Drayce hauled in the rest of their things. Eno quickly checked over their small suite, which held two bedrooms, a sitting area, and a small bathroom. There was only one bed in each room, but at least it was more comfortable than the lumpy beds in Shallow Edge or even the ground.

“How is it that you seem to know Sirelis so well?” Drayce drawled before pointedly waggling his eyebrows at Rayne. He flopped onto the small yellow sofa and propped one foot up on the arm. “I thought Erya and Caspagir only exchanged one diplomat on occasion.”

“While Erya and Caspagir have limited diplomatic relations, the borders between the two kingdoms are not closed,” Rayne replied stiffly. With a slight curl of his upper lip, he pinched the top of Drayce’s shoe and picked it up, moving the man’s foot so that it dropped off the sofa arm and onto the floor. “Relations are tepid, but open for trade and the exchange of information. As I told you earlier, I spent some time here when I was younger as part of an international study program. I lived in Sirelis for two years and got to know the city quite well. We’ll be safe here so long as you don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“What about that one?” Eno asked, jerking his thumb. Caelan turned from the window he was peeking out of to find Eno pointing at him.

Caelan looked up to find his friends were closely watching him. “What about me?”

“Andy didn’t have much trouble recognizing you. We need to be sure that others won’t. I fear that the citizens of Sirelis are far more likely to be attuned to international issues and the royal families than some of the smaller towns,” Rayne murmured thoughtfully.

“We could always shave his hair off and give him a fake mustache,” Drayce suggested.

Caelan’s hand jumped to his black hair and tightly gripped it for a second. “We are not shaving my head. Not an option.”

Eno scratched his jaw with one finger as he stared at Caelan. He seemed to be thinking about it, but Caelan recognized the playful laughter in his dark eyes. “It would make it harder to recognize you.”

“No.”

“But—”

“Think of something else,” he growled at Drayce when his friend seemed to want to push the idea. There was no way in hell he was shaving his head. Only if it was absolutely necessary, and it definitely wasn’t yet.

“A hat along with some appropriately casual clothes should be enough,” Rayne announced. Thank the gods for Rayne’s sensible mind. “Caelan, or rather Cael, is normally photographed wearing formal and typically black attire. If we can avoid those two things, he should be fine.”

“Is it always so cold here?” Caelan asked, turning away from the window to perch on the arm of the couch closest to Drayce’s head. The temperature had steadily dropped as they approached Sirelis, but then it was only natural since the city was in the northernmost part of the kingdom.

Drayce lifted his head and narrowed his eyes on Rayne. “Yeah, I figured for summer it would be warmer.”

“This is warm for Sirelis. The city spends at least six months out of the year covered in snow.”

“What’s the plan?” Eno inquired.

“I’m still trying to set up a meeting with my contact. It’s proving…difficult,” Rayne muttered.

“So, you continue to work on nailing down your contact and getting info about Caspagir’s government,” Caelan started, turning from Rayne to Eno. “And you try to get ahold of anyone in the Erya military. There has to be someone left. We need to know what’s happening at home. Has New Rosanthe occupied our home?”

Rayne narrowed his eyes on Caelan and gave him the skeptical look that Caelan knew so well. “And what will you be doing?”

Caelan dropped his hand and gave Drayce’s short blond hair a tug. “Drayce and I are going exploring,” he replied with a forced casualness he prayed Eno and Rayne didn’t see through. “I want to wander around Sirelis, stick my head in some shops, and listen to talk at some of the pubs. You might be able to get a line on the official government stance toward Erya and New Rosanthe, but I’m curious about what the people are saying.”

Rayne’s expression turned darker, his mouth flattening into a hard line, but it was Eno that shocked him.

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Caelan swung to stare at him and even Drayce sat up, asking, “Seriously?”

“Yes. Seriously?” Rayne repeated. From his expression, it was clear that Rayne thought Eno had lost his mind.

The bodyguard shrugged. “A little reconnaissance wouldn’t hurt, and it would allow us to compare what you learn from your contact to what they learn from the normal people. Plus, they know how to keep their heads down and out of trouble.”

“True. Fine,” Rayne said with a heavy sigh. He waved his hand absently at Caelan and Drayce. “Go, but don’t draw attention to yourselves.”

“Hell, yeah!” Drayce shouted as he jumped from the sofa. He grabbed Caelan and pulled him to one of the bedrooms with his pack in hand. “Come on! We gotta get you lookin’ less like you.”

Within thirty minutes, they were both showered and changed into fresh clothes. Their last bit of clean clothes, in fact. Caelan had pulled on Drayce’s bright-blue jacket and a hat with the bill pulled low over his face. Combined with the dark sunglasses, his disguise made it nearly impossible for anyone to recognize him.

It took another five minutes to get through more of Rayne’s warnings and admonishments. Eno had even started to appear worried when he realized they couldn’t walk around town with their normal complement of weapons. Local law enforcement wasn’t keen on citizens and visitors being heavily armed.

Concealing a couple of knives on themselves, he and Drayce finally got outside and away from the boutique hotel.

They wandered to the end of the block when Drayce glanced over his shoulder at the hotel. “You notice anything weird with Eno and Rayne?”

Caelan couldn’t help but glance back as well, but there was nothing to see. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I feel like…they’ve been agreeing with each other more since we left Shallow Edge. Rayne didn’t even argue with Eno when he suggested that it was a good idea that we went out.”

Caelan shrugged. “Rayne is probably worried about his contact and whether Caspagir has some elaborate scheme to kidnap me and sell me to New Rosanthe.”

“And Eno?”

He smirked. “Eno is probably happy to have us out of his hair for a few hours.”

Drayce chuckled, bumping his shoulder into Caelan. “Yeah, because we’re not tired of him and his early morning calisthenics.”

“Or his snoring.”

Drayce groaned and then laughed harder. “Yeah! We are definitely not swapping rooms. You can’t stick me with Eno.”

“That’s a hard choice. Eno’s snoring or your kicking.”

A wide grin spread across Drayce’s lips and waggled his eyebrows. “You could always sleep on the floor. Then you don’t have to deal with my kicking or Eno’s snoring.”

“Nah. I think I’ll just start kicking back.”

They laughed their way down the street, and for a moment, Caelan felt as if he were home again. No, Sirelis wasn’t anything like Stormbreak, and even the clothes people wore were different, but he was with his best friend in the world, and they were giggling like lunatics. Drayce could always make him laugh, and right now he needed that. He just wanted to forget who he was for a while.

But even if he couldn’t forget, at least he got to be alone with Drayce for a few hours. Things had been so insane recently, he hadn’t had the chance to simply enjoy the man’s company. It was strange to miss his crazy stories and outrageous demeanor when they’d been together nonstop for the past week. He was glad to have even a small taste of normalcy with Drayce.

“So, now that we’re free of the fun police, what did you have in mind?” Drayce asked.

“What makes you think that I wanted to do more than wander around the city?” He was trying for nonchalance, but there was no point. Drayce could always see right through him. No one knew him as well as Drayce.

“Because you’ve always got something in mind. Cael doesn’t just have fun. He always has a plan.”

Caelan snorted. He didn’t always have a plan. Sometimes it was just an idea. But yeah, he did have something in mind, and this was so very big. He hesitated, trying to figure out how best to explain it. Drayce wasn’t going to react well.

“There’s something in the air here,” Caelan whispered.

Drayce looked at him and inhaled deeply before leaning close again. “I don’t smell anything weird.”

There was no stopping his smile. Thank the gods Drayce had come on this journey with him. “Not what I meant at all.”

“Then what are you talking about?”

“I’m not sure. It just…there’s like a faint tingle in the air.”

Drayce’s eyes went wide. “Like magic?”

Caelan hit his arm. “Keep your voice down.”

“Oh yeah, ’cause that doesn’t seem suspicious at all. Two guys, clearly from out of town, whispering and being all secretive. The police have already pegged us as spies.” Caelan opened his mouth to argue that they didn’t look like spies at all, but Drayce was already talking again. “Do you know what would make us appear normal? Beer!”

“It’s like ten in the morning. If we walk into a pub or a bar now, all we’re going to look like are alcoholics.”

Drayce stopped walking and his face scrunched up. “Okay. That’s a good point.”

Caelan stood beside him, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. They’d wandered a few blocks from the hotel and were in a major shopping area. Even the street was closed off to all but pedestrians. Quaint shops with fancy colorful signs and extravagant displays offered clothing, soaps, handmade jewelry, and furniture. Everything about the place was cheerful and lively.

Well, everything except for the people.

The shoppers were all quiet and somber. Their heads were down, and they hurried about their business. The few people who were talking did so in hushed tones as if they were afraid of being overheard. While Caelan hadn’t been to Sirelis before, he had to admit that this was not what he’d expected.

He’d known a few people who traveled to Caspagir on vacations. The country was famous for its skiing resorts, and everyone always returned talking about how welcoming and happy the people of Caspagir were.

These people did not look happy. Rather than being surrounded by colorful buildings and cheerful flowers, Caelan felt as if the world should be washed in shades of gray.

He needed to talk to Rayne. His advisor had at least lived here for a while. Rayne would know what normal behavior should be. At the very least, he needed some warning prior to leaving for his meeting with this contact of his.

Which was another nerve-wracking problem.

Why wouldn’t Rayne tell them the name of his contact? Of course, he’d always known that Rayne had his secret “sources” for information, and they’d always helped him in the past. He never felt the need to push Rayne over it.

But this source was located in the royal city. Was it one of the queen’s advisors or another government official? Who?

It wasn’t a matter of not trusting Rayne. Caelan trusted the man completely. It was more of a concern for Rayne’s safety. He obviously intended to meet with this person alone. What if something went wrong? They would have no name, no way of beginning their search for Rayne.

Yet another reason to get out of the hotel room. Eno could growl and grumble at Rayne in private over the risk he was taking. Caelan didn’t have any desire to be present for that argument.

It all felt wrong, but they didn’t have a lot of options. They didn’t know what was happening in Erya. Caspagir was supposed to be an ally, but he wasn’t sure if they could be trusted. While Ilon had always been an ally of Erya, they were on the opposite side of the world. Physically reaching them would take weeks, and right now they were hesitant to let anyone know that the Crown Prince of Erya was still alive.

Caelan reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to massage away some of the tension that seemed to constantly knot up his neck and shoulders.

“So, this tingle…” Drayce started. His voice was perfectly serious. Caelan stared at him until his lips finally twitched and moved into a smile.

“You have to make it sound dirty,” Caelan replied drily.

“Only ’cause you’re so easy.”

“If only,” Caelan muttered under his breath. Easy was definitely not an option for the crown prince, but there wasn’t time for such thoughts.

“Sorry. I’ll be serious now. What have you noticed in the air here?” Drayce actually sounded serious, and Caelan appreciated it.

“I’m not sure. That’s part of the problem. But in Stormbreak, there’s a weight and tingle in the air.”

“Really? I’ve never noticed.”

Caelan nodded and dropped his voice to a whisper. “That’s because it’s from the Godstone.” He motioned for Drayce to walk with him through the shopping area. It looked more suspicious for them to simply stand there watching people. The mention of the Godstone had wiped all joking from Drayce’s expression.

“Wait! You feel the same tingle here?” Drayce demanded harshly. He glanced around them, making sure that no one was paying any attention to them before he continued. “Do you think the Empire moved the Erya Godstone here?”

“No. Err…maybe.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that what I feel isn’t my Godstone.” Drayce’s eyebrows jumped but didn’t say a word. Caelan winced and massaged his neck again. “I mean Erya’s Godstone. This is similar, but different.”

To his shock, Drayce wrapped an arm across his shoulders and squeezed him once before releasing him. “I get it. Your mom was connected to it. You’ve been connected to it in a way. Your whole family has. It makes sense for you to feel possessive.”

That was part of it, but it didn’t begin to cover the intensity that had been steadily growing by slow increments in the past few years. It was as if the Godstone had started to feel possessive of him, not that the thought made an ounce of sense.

“What I feel isn’t the Erya Godstone, but that doesn’t mean that the Empire doesn’t intend to bring it through Caspagir if it already has control of this area. Not that I think they do, but you never know.” Caelan threw up his hands. “It’s not like we really know anything for sure.”

“Yes, we do,” Drayce countered in a firm voice. “You know that you’ve got me, Eno, and Rayne at your back.”

“Yeah.”

“You know that we’re gonna get your fucking throne and the Godstone.”

Caelan lifted an eyebrow at Drayce, but he wasn’t sure if his friend could see it behind the glasses and hat. He liked to think that Drayce could at least feel his skepticism.

“And we’re gonna kick some New Rosanthe ass.”

“Uh-huh.”

Drayce waved a hand in front of them. “The rest is just details we’ll figure out along the way. That’s why we’ve got Rayne.”

Caelan snorted, feeling lighter. “I can’t wait to tell Rayne about his responsibility for the ‘details.’ ”

“Whatever. Back to what we were talking about. Your tingle.”

“You can’t call it that.”

“I have to. Your tingle.”

“Drayce—”

Caelan groaned. He could feel himself blushing, and it was stupid. Princes weren’t supposed to blush. Fuck, he was technically a king now. Kings were definitely not supposed to blush.

“So, we were talking about your ti—”

Caelan slapped his hand over Drayce’s mouth, and he could feel his friend grinning like a fool against his palm, the soft scrape of teeth sending a shiver down his spine. The feel of his soft lips. Drayce’s eyes danced with laughter.

No! Nonononono. He needed to behave. He couldn’t think like this.

Suppressing a shudder of pleasure, Caelan schooled his features, trying to look stern. “This feeling is like what I feel in Stormbreak, but different,” Caelan said in a low, firm voice. Slowly, he removed his hand. Drayce smiled at him for a second, but then his expression sobered. It was time to get past the joking.

“Like the Godstone, but not.”

Caelan nodded and they continued out of the shopping plaza. They headed along the sidewalk that was less crowded now. On the hill toward the right, he could see the royal castle a short distance off. If he remembered correctly, the parliament building for the National Assembly was just a short distance off from the castle.

While the King or Queen of Erya ruled with some guidance from the elected Parliament, the power was shared more equally in Caspagir between the royal family and the National Assembly. Caelan couldn’t remember the exact split, but he did know that Queen Noemi had significant influence over parliament and was well loved by her people.

“I don’t get it, Cael,” Drayce pressed, his voice barely audible over the rumble of cars on the road. “What’s like the Godstone?”

He paused, glancing up at the castle. “Nothing. Except for another godstone.”

Caelan started walking but had to stop when he realized that Drayce was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, his mouth hanging open. He shook his head at Caelan, who returned to his side and grabbed his arm.

“No,” Drayce finally managed.

“You really think I wouldn’t know what I’m talking about?”

“What?” Drayce’s tone was high and he gave a violent shake of his head before pulling his elbow free of Caelan’s hold. “No. Of course not. But think about what you’re saying.” He leaned close to Caelan, his words a hot whisper in Caelan’s ear. “Another godstone? How? There’s only one.” He pulled away and held up one finger in front of Caelan’s face as if he couldn’t understand what his friend was saying. “One, Cael. Everyone knows that. There’s only one, and the Empire has it.”

Not that Caelan needed that reminder either.

“Yeah, I get that. I understand what everyone knows, but yet I have this feeling.” Caelan held out both hands in front of him with his palms up as if to say, “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

Drayce sighed heavily, worried eyes meeting Caelan’s.

“It’s why we’re out here now. To figure out what’s going on before Rayne has his secret meeting and before Caspagir realizes that I’m still alive.”

“Why didn’t you tell Rayne and Eno about this feeling?”

Caelan smirked. “Do you think it would be just the two of us wandering through the city if I had told them?”

Drayce’s smile returned, and his friend nodded. “That is very true.”

“Like I said, we’re wandering. Scouting. No trouble.”

“And no reason for the babysitters to tag along.”

Chuckling to themselves, they continued to walk through Sirelis with Caelan leading. The feeling he was attempting to follow wasn’t distinct or clear. In fact, he only knew when he was heading in the wrong direction, and they were forced to turn around. In Stormbreak, the Godstone was like a pulsing line of warm energy. But in Sirelis, it was more like an electric crackle of energy, a static charge.

Their path led from the middle of the city, away from the fancy shops, expensive townhouses, and elegant homes with their wrought-iron fences. In what looked to be a quiet, working-class neighborhood, they stopped for lunch in a little pub but skipped the beer. They enjoyed fish sandwiches and a strange potato side dish that had an interesting kick to it.

It was only when they reached the harbor that the air became dense with the feel of magic. The wind stirred, ruffling Drayce’s blond hair and forcing Caelan to stuff his hat into his back pocket rather than risk losing it. Luckily, there were fewer people about, and no one really seemed to notice them.

Ships of different sizes filled the harbor, everything from private fishing boats to enormous cargo ships taking goods from one country to another. For centuries, Caspagir had established itself as a naval giant. No one hauled in as much seafood each year as Caspagir. And as far as anyone knew, no one had a bigger naval fleet than Caspagir, though New Rosanthe seemed determined to rival them.

Caelan was now beginning to wonder if the magical weight he felt in the air had something to do with that naval power.

The wind gusted and swirled around him, tugging at his clothes and seeming to riffle through his pockets as if checking him over, before rushing away. It was like being accosted by a gang of child pickpockets.

Overhead, a bank of clouds started rolling over the city, bringing on an early sunset, but a bright light pierced the darkness.

Standing on a hill above the harbor was a tall lighthouse painted white with blue rings. A conical red roof topped the structure, and a wide beam of bright light passed in a circle over the harbor and then the city over and over again.

“Any closer?” Drayce inquired. “Or do you think we should head to the hotel now? I’m sure Rayne and Eno are anxious for us to return.”

“In a minute. We’re close.”

“Really?”

Caelan nodded. “Yeah. The lighthouse. I want to check out the lighthouse.”

“The feeling is coming from there?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Or maybe it will just give us a better view of Sirelis.”

Turning away from the harbor, they started up a narrow dirt road that looked as if it hadn’t been used in a few years. The weeds on the hills leading up to the lighthouse grew thick. Halfway up, two short posts were partially fallen over on either side of the road and the chain connecting them was rusted and lying in the dirt. A No Trespassing sign was in the center of the chain while another was hanging at an angle on one of the posts. The magical snap and spark was thicker now. Caelan half expected Drayce to be able to see it.

“Should we continue?” Drayce asked.

Caelan shrugged. “Just a little ways. Maybe the lighthouse will have a sign on it. A name we can contact.”

Five feet.

They didn’t get more than five feet past the chain when he heard the ominous chunk of several guns being cocked and loaded.

“Halt!” a loud, authoritative voice barked. A chill swept over Caelan, and he froze exactly where he was. His gaze slid over to find Drayce frozen as well, his wide eyes staring straight ahead. This was bad.

“Put your hands in the air and slowly turn around,” the man barked again.

Caelan slowly lifted his hands above his head and could see Drayce doing the same from the corner of his eye. With the same care, he turned to find two dozen soldiers spread out behind them in a semi-circle, automatic weapons drawn and pointed right at their chests. Caelan’s heart skipped a beat, and his mouth went dry. He cleared his throat and tried to wet his lips.

“I’m sorry, but I think there’s been a mistake,” Caelan started.

“The only mistake here is you trespassing on private property,” the head of the armed squad bellowed.

“And trespassing requires a response from the army?” Drayce cried, causing Caelan to wince.

“Look, we’re just tourists. We’re in town sightseeing. That’s it. We thought we’d check out the lighthouse and the view from the top of the hill. We didn’t mean any trouble.”

“That could be true. Or you could be Empire spies—”

“Spies!” he and Drayce blurted out in shock at the same time.

“We’re not spies!” Drayce continued. “We’re tourists! Tourists!”

“Then you’re going to have no problem proving that in lockup,” the older man with the salt-and-pepper mustache said with an evil smile.

No, that was going to be incredibly difficult because they could not give their names. They couldn’t give any information to anyone who wasn’t a member of the royal family.

As they were handcuffed, one soldier ripped off Caelan’s sunglasses. He held his breath, waiting, but the man gave no sign that he recognized him, which was a good thing.

They were dragged down the hill and tossed into a military Jeep, joined by four guards. Caelan glanced at the lighthouse one last time before they were driven into the city. If anything, this swift and over-the-top response for a little trespassing proved one thing—something was hidden in the lighthouse. He wasn’t sure if it was a godstone, but it was definitely worthy of their attention.

That was for later.

Right now, his main concern was how badly Rayne and Eno were going to blow their tops when they discovered he and Drayce had been arrested and were suspected of being New Rosanthe spies.

14

Rayne Laurent

This was bad.

The sun was starting to set, and the streetlamp outside their hotel room had just popped on, giving the coming dusk a soft glow. Caelan and Drayce still hadn’t returned. There had been no word from them, and neither was answering their phone. On the plus side, there also had been zero news reports about the sudden discovery of Prince Caelan Talos of Erya wandering the streets of Sirelis, but that didn’t mean someone hadn’t found Caelan.

Turning away from the window, Rayne glanced up at the clock on the wall. He needed to leave if he was going to make his meeting on time. His contact had responded to his message as soon as Caelan and Drayce had left the hotel that morning. His heart tripped in his chest, and his palms grew sweaty at the thought of seeing him after so many years.

His mind raced down the different avenues of potential reactions when they saw each other again. They’d parted ways amiably. He’d had his life and expectations, as had Rayne back in Stormbreak. There had been no chance for them.

But it was weird meeting him now and so soon after what had happened between him and Eno. It felt dishonest and messy, two things Rayne didn’t like to have in his life. And yet, he couldn’t deny that he was actually excited at the prospect of seeing him, seeing that devilish smile after so long.

“You need to leave, don’t you?” Eno said, clearly reading the growing anxiety on his face.

“Yes. If I miss this meeting, I might not get another shot at it.”

“Then go.”

Rayne shook his head. Eno was being surprisingly calm through all of this, which helped immensely, but he also knew Eno. The warrior had to be losing his mind on the inside. But he was always a protector first and right now, he was staying calm and collected to keep Rayne from panicking. And yeah, maybe that made him fall a little more for the man.

Rayne wanted to wrap his arms around Eno and comfort him, to be comforted, but things were still so new between them. He wasn’t sure where the lines were. Would he accept it? Would he laugh or brush Rayne off? Make things awkward?

New relationships were always so complicated and littered with missteps. People talked about loving the discovery phase, but Rayne preferred to just have a list of dos and don’ts handed to him so that he knew the best course of action without hurting the other person.

For now, he settled on just giving Eno a weak, reassuring smile.

His companion had spent all day making phone calls to anyone and everyone he knew within the Erya military with zero results. The best he’d managed was to reach a couple of soldiers who were outside the palace but living within the city.

They reported that the city proper close to the ministry and royal towers was completely cordoned off by the Empire as well as the main route to the harbor. The rest of the Empire’s army hadn’t been seen throughout other parts of the city. At a guess, it seemed as though the Empire hadn’t successfully moved the Godstone from the city yet, which gave them some small hope.

Eno had instructed his friends to tell any Erya military members they found to call him as soon as possible. He made no mention of Caelan, but it was still a dangerous ploy all the same. If anyone from New Rosanthe realized that Eno was alive and trying to contact the military, they might wonder if Caelan was alive as well.

“You need to leave,” Eno pressed. He walked over to Rayne and placed his hands on his shoulders, forcing him to meet his gaze. “It’s like you said, you have to make this meeting, or you won’t get another shot. Caelan is alive and safe. We need to get him in to speak with the queen. Will this meeting arrange that?”

“Yes. Yes, I think it will,” Rayne said, nodding.

“Is your phone charged?”

“Yes.”

“So is mine. You go to your meeting, and I will go find them.” Eno released Rayne and walked over to pull his phone off the charger. “I’ve been studying a map of the city. I’ve got a few ideas where they might have gone.”

“What the hell will I do if I lose all of you?” The words suddenly burst from his mouth, and he inwardly winced, wishing he could grab them back. He was supposed to be the pulled-together one, but the events in Stormbreak, all these new feelings with Eno, and now being in Sirelis were rattling him more than he cared to admit to himself. Having Caelan, Eno, and even Drayce with him gave him a sense of control and purpose.

One corner of Eno’s mouth lifted into a weak smile. “You won’t.”

“Eno.”

Eno walked over to him and pressed a kiss right behind his earlobe, sending a wonderful chill down his spine. “You’re not going to lose me or Caelan or Drayce. I’ll find them. You focus that magnificent mind on cracking Caspagir’s games and winning us an ally.”

“Of course.”

“And I’ll text you my location once every fifteen minutes. If something happens to me, you’ll be able to track my progress.” Of course, Rayne had tracked Caelan in the past with his phone, but it wasn’t working now. At least Eno was likely to have more sense and not turn his phone off.

He didn’t like the idea of something happening to Eno, but it was the best plan they had for now.

“Okay. Be careful.”

“I will.” Grabbing his leather jacket, Eno started for the door. The warrior had already secreted ample weapons on his person, but then, the man was a walking weapon whether he was armed or not.

“Eno,” Rayne called out suddenly.

“Yes?”

“When you find them, don’t kill them. I’m claiming that right.”

Eno grinned at him and winked. “We’ll see about that.” He disappeared out the door and Rayne’s heart gave a painful skip in his chest. He was alone. The plan was always for him to go to this meeting alone, but it felt different than he’d expected. Caelan and Drayce were missing. Eno had gone to find them. Was Eno going to disappear in Sirelis too?

And if they all disappeared, how the hell was Rayne going to save Erya from New Rosanthe without them?

He wasn’t. There was no avoiding that truth. No matter what happened in this meeting tonight, he would have to locate Caelan and Drayce next. Possibly even Eno.

Turning toward the mirror, he made one last pass over his appearance. He slid his fingers through his hair, smoothing out the light-brown locks one last time before straightening his tie, even if it didn’t need it. He was wearing his best suit. There were only a few wrinkles in this pale-green shirt, but it was hidden beneath the dark-brown suit jacket.

Everything about his appearance screamed Erya: the cut of his suit, the somber color, even the severity of his hairstyle. Despite the coolness of the climate, the people of Caspagir preferred cool, pale colors and longer haircuts. Erya basked in warm colors of deep green and browns. Drayce and Caelan had blended decently when they left that morning, but the city would know when Rayne stepped out that he was from Erya. It was going to be interesting to see if anyone reacted.

Grabbing his silver-handled walking stick that doubled as a staff, Rayne left the hotel room with his cell phone in his pocket.

The walk to the restaurant he’d chosen was a short one, still in the neighborhood that held their hotel. It had been one of his favorites when he’d been living in Sirelis, and it was discreet enough for this secret meeting.

As he walked, he kept glancing around and over his shoulder, checking to make sure that he wasn’t being followed. When he was only a block from the restaurant, he finally spotted the first of the hidden personal guards that he’d been expecting. Each guard watched him as he passed, but no one moved to intercept him.

At the corner of the next block, the bright yellow lights of the restaurant pushed against the encroaching darkness. The building was narrow with a large front window decorated with a flowerbox overflowing with blue and white flowers. Rayne ducked inside and for a moment, he was whisked backward in time by the rich scent of spices and sauces. Nothing had changed over the years. The exposed red-brick walls were covered in watercolor scenes of the city and neighboring countryside. People were sitting at small tables covered in white cloths, and no one gave him more than a glance.

But there was Panu rushing across the room, his hand held out in front of him in eager greeting.

“Master Laurent!” Panu cried out when he was still several feet away from Rayne. The little man with the shining bald head and bristly mustache smiled at Rayne. “It has been years since I have seen you. It is so wonderful to visit.” He gripped Rayne’s hands and Rayne dutifully leaned down so Panu could buss a kiss across each of Rayne’s cheeks.

“It is wonderful to see you again, Panu. I trust that business has been good.”

Panu blew out a breath between his lips, ruffling his mustache while rocking both hands in the air. “Oh, you know how it goes. Busy enough. People still gotta eat regardless of what the kings and queens decide to do.”

“That’s good.”

“Let me get you a good table.”

“I’m actually here to meet a friend.” He paused and made sure to hold Panu’s eye. “At my usual table.”

Panu smiled broadly. “Yes, he’s already here.” He waved a hand at him, beckoning him forward, but Rayne already knew the table’s location. “When he showed up tonight and said he was meeting someone, I hoped it would be you.”

Rayne clung to his smile. That was an interesting bit of information. Had he stopped coming to the restaurant when Rayne left Sirelis? That was…unexpected.

Panu led the way through a narrow hallway paneled with dark wood. He stopped halfway along the hall and pressed on a special spot on the panel, opening a secret door. Panu waved for Rayne to enter with a smile. “The wine has already been served, and he has ordered. Would you like your usual?”

“Yes, please. And please see that we’re not disturbed.”

“Of course, Master Laurent. Only I will be serving you this evening.”

As Rayne stepped into the surprisingly large room that housed exactly one table and two chairs, he found his heart doing an odd little skip in his chest as his eyes locked on the only person in the room.

“Thank the gods you’re still alive!” Crown Prince Shey Thrudesh-Vo, heir to the Caspagir throne, exclaimed as he bounded out of his chair. It took two long steps to close the distance between them, and then Rayne was wrapped tightly in Shey’s strong arms.

Rayne stood frozen. He’d never thought he’d experience this ever again. To be held by the prince of Caspagir, to smell the warm hints of his cologne or to hear his ragged breath in his ear. A shudder ran through Rayne as an unexpectedly intense feeling of safety and rightness surged through him. For the first time since they’d heard the news of Queen Amara’s murder, he felt truly safe and protected. Shey would never do anything to hurt him.

Shey’s arms tightened around him as if he could read Rayne’s thoughts, and he whispered, “I’ve got you.”

The prince knew him far too well, had always been able to read him even though they’d been lovers for less than two years. A lump grew in Rayne’s throat, and he allowed himself to cling to Shey. He shouldn’t. This was wrong. It felt like a betrayal of Eno, but for just a moment he indulged himself. After all the running, hiding, and simply being afraid for their lives, Rayne needed a few seconds of this.

Releasing a slow breath, Rayne closed his eyes and allowed himself this time to rest his cheek on Shey’s shoulder and hug him.

“I’m alive and well,” Rayne said, his voice rough to his own ear.

“I can’t believe it. When I got your message, I thought for sure it was a cruel joke.” Shey loosened his hold on Rayne and took a small step back so he could meet his eyes, but he didn’t release Rayne.

Shey was one of the few men he knew who were as tall as he was, allowing them to easily meet each other’s gaze. But where Rayne was tall and lanky, Shey was broad shouldered with hard muscles from a lifetime of demanding physical activity. He wasn’t stuck in diplomatic meetings and royal appearances. Those tasks were handed over to his sister, Fiona. Shey was a fighting prince, determined to keep his kingdom safe with his sword.

“You thought it was a joke and you still met me?” Rayne demanded.

Shey smiled, looking a little sheepish. “I did bring extra guards.”

“I saw them.”

“And I am armed. I’m quite prepared to blow your brains out.” There was a twinkle in his blue eyes as if there was a hidden meaning in his words, but Rayne was taking care to ignore that meaning completely. Shey had always liked to take risks. Rayne had hoped that he might have outgrown it, or at least learn to be more cautious after what had happened with Erya.

“Dammit, Shey.” Rayne cupped the side of his face, glaring into the other man’s eyes. “Please tell me you’re being careful.”

“I swear to you, Rayne, I am careful. Maybe not this time, but I didn’t care about the risks. I wanted it to be you.” He grabbed the hand on his cheek and pulled it forward, pressing a kiss to the center of Rayne’s palm. “I needed it to be you.”

Rayne held on to his smile while hating the awkward swirl of emotions in his stomach. This couldn’t happen. The old days were gone now, and they both had to move forward with their lives.

Gently, Rayne pulled his hand from Shey’s grip. “We must talk and quickly. We have a lot of ground to cover, and I worry there isn’t much time.”

Shey blew out a deep breath and nodded as he took a step backward. “No, you are right. Let’s sit and have a drink. You must eat and tell me what the hell is going on.” He started to walk toward the table and then stopped, swinging around to Rayne. “Your Prince Caelan? He’s dead. Rayne, I’m so very sorry. I know what he meant to you. Tell me what I can do.”

“Yes, we’ll talk about everything, but you must be frank with me as well. I need to know what is going on in Caspagir. You have Empire soldiers inside your borders.”

Shey’s expression soured, and he waved a hand in the air while cursing the Empire. “Bastards. All of them are fucking bastards.” He dropped into his seat and snatched up his wineglass, draining it in a single swallow.

Rayne sat in the chair opposite him and picked up his own glass, sipping the amber-colored wine. It was good, too good to be found in a small restaurant like this. Shey had probably brought it from his private reserve.

“Please, Shey. What’s going on?” Rayne asked.

Shey smirked at him. “I’m just supposed to hand all the details over to you, and you offer up nothing.”

Rayne nearly moaned in frustration. Shey could be incurably playful when he was in the mood, and it was with very few people. Only those he trusted and was close to, making it all the more special that he clearly still trusted Rayne. “I have far more to lose and far more at stake than you. Trust me, the information I have to share will be worth it,” he pressed, trying to tease his companion’s curiosity.

Shey made a show of pouring more wine into his glass and examining it.

“Would it help if I told you that I also like the blue?” Rayne lifted his eyes to peer at Shey’s hair, which was now a brilliant shade of electric blue. The style was the same as it had always been with the sides cut short and the top left to grow long so that it partially fell across the scar on his face. When Rayne had left Sirelis years ago, Shey’s hair had been his natural shade of pale-blond. He’d seen pictures of the new color over the years, but they’d not done it justice.

Shey rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. “Now you’re just mocking me.”

“I would never mock you.” And it was the truth. Shey was an incredibly handsome man, but he was also very insecure about his looks, thanks to the long scar that ran along his left cheek. He’d been attacked as a child by a wolf and very nearly lost his left eye. The healers had saved his life, but they couldn’t remove the scar.

The scar was the reason he made few public appearances and why he usually stood so that he was only presenting his right side to people.

After a time, though, Rayne noticed that he’d stopped making that attempt with him.

“I dyed it to match my soul after you left.”

Rayne tossed his head back and laughed. “Now I know that is a lie.”

Shey shrugged. “Only partially. I did color it because I missed you, but I also did it to annoy my mother.”

“Please, Shey. What is going on in Caspagir? Has your mother formed an alliance with the Empire?”

“Truly? That’s what you think of her? Of my kingdom?” Shey demanded, nearly coming across the table.

Rayne threw up his hands. “What am I to think? Look at my world right now!”

Shey sighed and dropped into his seat. “Yes, I’m sorry. You’re right.” He gave a shake of his head and picked up his wineglass again but didn’t take a drink. “No, we haven’t formed an alliance with the Empire. I would love nothing more than to see all of New Rosanthe destroyed and turned into a No-Man’s-Land like the Ordas. I’d toss the Emperor to the dragons and allow them to eat him alive.”

That was at least reassuring in part.

“What about the soldiers in your borders? We found New Rosanthe occupying a base in a small town called Shallow Edge near the Ordas border. You have to know about that.”

“We?”

Rayne frowned at Shey. “You can’t think I’ve made the trip to Sirelis completely alone.”

One broad shoulder lifted in a partial shrug. “True. Maybe I was just hoping that you’d returned to me at last.”

An old ache throbbed in Rayne’s heart for the future they could have had together. In the end, Rayne had been the one to end things between them. It had been time for him to return home, to the life he’d been steadily building for himself. If he’d stayed with Shey in Caspagir, he wasn’t sure he would have ever been more than Shey’s boyfriend. As someone from Erya, he was confident members of the National Assembly wouldn’t have trusted him as an advisor.

Shey had always understood, but it didn’t mean that they both weren’t hurt for a time over it. But clinging to old dreams wasn’t going to save anyone’s life or stop the Empire.

“Now is not the time—” Rayne broke off when the door to the room opened and Panu stepped inside carrying a massive tray laden with a couple of plates of seafood pasta, salads, and fresh-baked bread. The man had planned it so that everything was ready at the same time, allowing him to enter the room only once.

“Here you go, Your Highness and Master Laurent.” Panu smiled as he set the food down in front of them. “I hope everything is to your liking. I am just so happy to have you both back in my restaurant.”

“It smells delicious, Panu. Thank you for accommodating us on such short notice,” Shey said with a warm smile.

“Anytime. Anytime at all.” Panu quickly bowed his way out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaving them alone.

Rayne had been introduced to the restaurant and the secret room not long after moving to Sirelis. Panu’s restaurant had been covertly serving the royal family of Caspagir for generations, which was why the restaurant had survived for so long.

Of course, it also had amazing food. Rayne felt only a little guilt when he dug into his salad, trying not to seem like he was stuffing his face in front of the prince. The food since leaving home had been subpar at the best of times. Well, the meal Andy had provided was nice if a bit greasy, and he greatly appreciated her thoughtfulness.

“I’m worried about you, Rayne,” Shey admitted softly.

Rayne shook his head. “I’m fine. Battered and bruised, but fine considering. Tell me about the Empire soldiers.”

Shey nodded. They had to get down to business. “The Empire started attacking the smaller bases along our border with the Ordas about a week before the attack on Erya. They attacked, kicked out our men, and remained inside. Our diplomats met and New Rosanthe promised to make no further inroads into Caspagir.”

“Did you try to attack them?”

“We cleaned out a few, but they returned with stronger forces and retook the bases with even larger casualties. Then they warned us that if we attacked their men again, our fate would be the same as Erya’s. We didn’t know what they were talking about at first, which is why my mother demanded a meeting. She told me that Prince Caelan was being secretly sent to us.” He paused and waved his empty fork in front of him. “Then there was this mess with a train problem and then the Empire’s attack on your capital. When we heard that Caelan was dead, we assumed that he’d returned to the capital because of the problem with the train.”

Rayne hesitated, keeping his eyes locked on the remains of his own salad. He was afraid to meet Shey’s eyes. The man knew him. He’d be able to read the truth, and he couldn’t yet decide if it was safe to tell him. Rayne trusted him, but it was Caelan’s life that was on the line.

A soft beep of his phone had Rayne putting his fork down and pulling out his phone. It was only a brief message from Eno. He was on the university campus. Yes, that would be a good place to search for Caelan and Drayce, but there was no word of their discovery.

“Problem?” Shey inquired.

“Yes, but it is being investigated now.”

“Rayne, please let me help you. Even if you feel like you can’t trust my mother, you must know that you can trust me.”

Rayne frowned at him. “You would never help me if it meant betraying your people.”

Shey flashed him a smile. “Yes, but I know that you would never ask anything of me that would be a betrayal of my people. We are not aligned with the Empire. We will never be aligned with them or their puppet nations. You know this of me.”

Staring into Shey’s eyes, he had to admit that he did know this. He knew Shey. There was no doubt of his integrity or his sense of what was morally right. Shey was as dedicated to the honor and sovereignty of Caspagir as Rayne was to Erya. Just one of the reasons they couldn’t be together. Rayne was dedicated to Erya.

But Shey would never side with New Rosanthe. It was why Rayne had always struggled with the idea of the trip to Caspagir being a trap. Caspagir might not be as warm and inviting as Ilon, but that didn’t mean they weren’t trusted allies.

Rayne took a deep breath and prayed his instincts were right. “Prince Caelan is alive, and he is in Sirelis right now.”

The silence that followed Rayne’s announcement was broken by the loud clatter of Shey’s fork against his plate. His mouth fell open, but no words came out. He stood suddenly, tossing his cloth napkin into his chair. “We must go. We must—”

“There is a problem,” Rayne said evenly.

Shey dropped into his seat and frowned. “Yes, I’m sure there is. There are a hell of a lot of problems right now.” He shook his head and motioned toward his untouched plate of pasta and seafood. “But you must eat. I’m sure you’ve not been enjoying your usual palace fare recently and you’ve always been such a picky eater.”

Rayne frowned at his companion, but he bit his tongue as he pushed aside his empty salad bowl and pulled his plate closer.

A low chuckle wrapped around him like an embrace and Shey started to eat his pasta as well. “I’m not wrong, Rayne. I know you.”

“I’m not that picky.”

“Shallow Edge…that was you?” Shey gasped suddenly. “We just got a report from a Captain Hopewell that said the Empire had experienced some unexpected trouble one night and they were able to retake the base.”

“Yes, that was us. Sorry about that. A patrol recognized Caelan. We thought it best to eliminate them before they could send word about him to anyone else.”

Shey shook his head. “No, we are in your debt. Thank you. After what happened to Queen Amara and Erya, I have little doubt that New Rosanthe’s emperor has the same plans for us. It is only a matter of time. We need to be rid of them completely.”

“What are they doing in your kingdom, though? You said they took the base and then nothing.”

“Yes, and it doesn’t make any sense. They have been moving through the Ordas near our border. They strike quickly, take the base, and remain locked inside. Occasionally supplies are brought in through the Ordas.”

He and his companions had not seen the Empire in the Ordas, but that didn’t mean anything since the Ordas was so vast. It was unnerving that the Empire felt comfortable sending its troops through that region, though.

“What about your other borders? The one you share with Zastrad? Or even along your shorelines?”

Shey shook his head. “No. It seems they are interested in the Ordas.”

“This makes no sense.”

“What about your prince? What can we do to help?”

“We need information first. Have you heard anything out of Erya? We’ve been unable to get in contact with any of the military leaders. We don’t know where they’ve taken the stone.”

Shey offered up a weak smile. “We have a few people left inside of Erya, but news has been incredibly sparse. I think the remains of your military inside the city have gone underground and we are trying to establish reliable lines of contact so we can offer assistance.”

“Can you get us a secret meeting with your mother?”

“Yes, of course. I’m sure Caelan and she will have plenty to discuss.”

Rayne’s fingers tightened on his fork and his stomach churned with the food he’d just eaten. “Yes, as soon as we find him.”

“What?” Shey squawked.

Rayne put his fork on his plate. The food was delicious, but he’d managed to only eat half of it. His appetite was gone with the thought of Caelan missing and Eno wandering the streets of this huge city searching for any sign of him and Drayce.

“Caelan and his friend Drayce went exploring the city today, and they’ve disappeared. They left late this morning, and we’ve not heard from them since. Our other companion, Eno Bevyn, has gone looking for them.”

Shey reached across the table and covered one of Rayne’s hands with his own. The gentle scrape of callouses across his own smooth skin was surprisingly comforting and familiar after all this time. “We’ll find them, Rayne. Even if I have to send out my entire police force to search house to house and building to building, we will find them.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what kind of trouble they could have found.” Rayne paused and licked his bottom lip, hating to admit this to Shey but he needed to know. “Though he didn’t say it, I think Caelan went to see if there was any sign of Empire presence here.”

“I understand. He’s lost nearly everything. But I assure you, and I will assure him when he’s found that Caspagir is not helping the Empire.” A little self-mocking smirk teased one corner of his mouth. “But I’m not foolish enough to think that Empire spies aren’t within my city. We are doing what we can to root them out.”

“And what would happen if Caelan and Drayce were mistaken for Empire spies?”

Shey’s face went pale, and all laughter left his eyes. “For their sake, I pray that does not happen.”

15

Caelan Talos

Caelan slumped on the hard, metal bench and glared at the bars in front of him. He was in jail. Yes, it wasn’t bad enough that his country had been invaded, his mother killed, and the Godstone stolen, but he was now sitting in a Caspagir jail with his best friend.

Hands down, the worst week of his life.

The Caspagir guards had made quick work of bringing them to a nondescript building that did not look like the police headquarters for Sirelis. No, this was definitely a military installation within the city for people who were suspected of being Empire spies.

Upon arriving, they were separated and questioned. Luckily, they’d gotten their stories worked out long prior to arriving in Sirelis. Cael and Dray were just a pair of friends traveling across Caspagir from Erya as part of a final hurrah before returning to the university for their last year of classes. Both of them still appeared young enough to pass for college students, even though both he and Drayce had been out for a few years.

Neither of them would give up their real names until Caelan decided they had no choice. And Caelan fully believed that nothing would pull the truth out of Drayce. His friend would die protecting his prince, which was what scared Caelan so thoroughly. He wasn’t going to let Drayce die over this. Caelan would admit to who they were to protect Drayce.

The only problem was convincing them that he really was the prince of Erya. He had no identification on him whatsoever.

After a couple of hours of relentless questioning, they were both permitted a phone call, but neither took the chance. They couldn’t risk calling Eno or Rayne, giving away their friends to the Caspagir military. They had to know it if was safe first.

The only thing that had sort of worked in their favor was the fact that whatever energy was flowing from the lighthouse had zapped both his and Drayce’s cell phone batteries. Last he saw when they were confiscated, some poor grunt was scrambling to find a matching charging cable so they could access the phones.

They’d been a little roughly handled, but they hadn’t been treated too badly so far. They were both shoved into the same cell and the door slammed shut behind them. Of course, Caelan knew that the military were hoping to hear them talking about something incriminating.

Drayce paced in front of the bars for the hundredth time, glancing down the corridor in one direction and then the other. The walls were concrete and painted the most unexpected shade of seafoam green as if the soothing color put prisoners at ease in their final minutes of life. The bars were painted a darker shade of blue like a stormy sky.

Besides the single metal bunk, there was also a wood table pushed against the wall like a desk and a rickety wooden chair. There was a toilet as well that looked at least moderately clean, but Caelan was hoping to get out of there first, skipping the need to use it altogether.

“It’s not that bad,” Drayce declared as he turned to face Caelan.

His mouth just hung open as he stared at his friend. “Not that bad?”

Drayce gave his typical full-body shrug before dropping heavily on the bench beside Caelan. He scooted back until his shoulders were pressed into the corner and rested one of his heels on the edge of the bench. “Yeah. They could have shot us instead of bringing us here.”

Caelan groaned. “Yes, but if they think we’re spies, they can’t learn anything of value if we’re dead.”

Drayce snorted. “They’re not going to learn anything interesting, because we’re not spies. You think they’re going to serve us dinner? Lunch was soooo long ago.”

Twisting around, Caelan looked over his shoulder at his friend. Drayce was a short, slender man with long, lean muscles. He couldn’t be more than one hundred and sixty pounds, but he ate like he was Eno’s size. In all their years of being friends, he couldn’t figure out where Drayce stored all that food. Maybe his stomach was actually a black hole.

“I’m in no rush to eat. I don’t trust them—what if they drug us?”

“Really?” Drayce’s nose wrinkled, and his lips curled a little. “That sucks.” It meant they had to be cautious about eating while they were being held.

Not that Caelan thought they were going to be held long. If they couldn’t prove to be exactly what they said, then there was a good chance they were going to be executed. After the Empire’s attack on Erya, Caspagir couldn’t take any chances, assuming they weren’t truly in league with New Rosanthe. Maybe they knew exactly who Caelan and Drayce were. Maybe they were waiting until someone high up in the Empire government could arrive to fetch them.

Caelan dropped his head into his hands and groaned. All this second and third guessing was giving him a headache. Where the hell was Rayne? He enjoyed this shit. He could sort through all this nonsense and tell Caelan exactly what to expect.

“Hey, come here.” Drayce’s voice had dropped, becoming softer. Caelan glanced over to find that Drayce had extended one arm out toward him, beckoning him closer, offering himself up as a pillow. A comfort.

“Stop it.”

“I’m serious.” Drayce grabbed Caelan’s shoulder and pulled him backward.

With a sigh, Caelan shifted on the bench until Drayce had his arm wrapped around his shoulders. He rested partially on his friend, his head dropping to settle on Drayce’s shoulder.

“Stop worrying,” Drayce instructed in the same gentle tone. “We’ll figure it out.”

Caelan took a deep breath and slowly released it. There wasn’t much they could do for now. If they were lucky, Rayne was either meeting with his contact or would soon. He was dying to grill his advisor over that one. Rayne had refused to give up the person’s name, stating that it was for everyone’s protection, but he’d promised to tell all when he returned from the meeting.

At this point, Eno had to be losing his mind. Rayne meeting with only the gods knew who, and now Drayce and Caelan were missing. He could only hope that Eno had managed to get ahold of someone back home. There had to be someone who could tell them what was happening in the city.

“Who do you think is angrier, Mom or Dad?” Drayce suddenly asked. There was a hint of laughter in his voice.

Caelan chuckled softly. Rayne and Eno really were like overprotective parents. Naturally, Caelan and Drayce gave them plenty of reasons to worry, not the least of those being their current imprisonment.

“I don’t know. They’re both going to blow their tops when they find out we were arrested as spies.”

Drayce gave his shoulder a little squeeze, pulling him in tighter. “It might be safer if they just keep us in here.”

“So true.” Caelan closed his eyes and just let himself sink into the warmth of Drayce’s body. His friend always seemed to be his own personal heater. There had been plenty of times during the winter when the cold had never seemed to bother him, and Caelan had huddled close in hopes of stealing some of his heat. Now the warmth was soothing and familiar.

They sat in silence for several minutes, Caelan getting lost in the steady sound of Drayce’s breathing as his brain ran off in a few dozen different directions. He’d almost forgotten where they were when Drayce spoke again.

“I was thinking about what Andy said a few nights ago.”

Caelan grinned, though Drayce couldn’t see it. “You’re gonna have to be more specific. Andy said a lot of things the other night.”

“I was thinking about how she shipped you…you know…with that one guy.”

Caelan blinked. He knew exactly who Drayce was talking about. Andy thought he’d make a cute couple with Prince Shey. “Do I even want to know why you’re thinking about that?”

“Well, you said you’ve met, right?”

“Just once or twice. Formal dinner things,” Caelan replied, trying to keep things vague in case the military really was listening to them.

“That’s it?”

“Yep.”

“Did you…you know…hit it off?”

Caelan froze, his mind desperately trying to figure out why Drayce wanted to know that. It was so unexpected. Drayce had never inquired about his personal life like this—though that was usually because Drayce was involved in his personal life.

But dating, that was different. They’d never discussed dating or sex or any of it. The most they’d covered was that Caelan liked men, and that had only come up when Drayce had asked his opinion on a woman. Not an area Caelan felt comfortable commenting on.

“What do you mean? He seemed okay, I guess. A little pompous, but you kind of expect that considering his family. He was nice.”

“I think I remember him being hot too. Older. Maybe he could be a daddy—”

Caelan groaned and tried to shove away from Drayce, but his friend tightened his hold, keeping him in place as he laughed.

“I’m joking! I’m joking!” Drayce cried out.

Caelan growled. “Not funny. I’m not hunting for some older guy to take control of my life or tell me what to do or whatever.” He reluctantly settled into place against Drayce and found himself relaxing when his friend threaded his fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp.

“I guess I kind of wondered if you and he had ever hooked up or talked about a future. Because of your families.” Drayce’s voice was light, as if he were trying for nonchalance, but there was something else there that made Caelan think that his answer really mattered to his friend.

“No, seriously. We haven’t talked more than a total of twenty minutes in all the times we’ve met. And the future never came up.”

“What about your mom?”

Caelan twisted so he could stare up at Drayce in the eye as he smiled. “What? Him and my mom?”

“No!” Drayce tugged on Caelan’s hair and moved him back into place. “Did your mom ever try to pressure you into something with him?”

Caelan shook his head and replied drily, “Mom wasn’t the type to force a union.”

Drayce’s chest jumped with a silent laugh. “Yeah, your mom wasn’t a big fan of marriage.”

“I get it, though. She was the first woman to do her job. She didn’t want a man to muddy the waters.”

It still struck Caelan as shocking that Amara had been the first queen to rule Erya absolutely. Prior to his mother, there had been a long line of kings who had taken men and women as consorts. But in all the centuries, she’d been the first daughter to ascend to the throne. He’d always thought his mother refused to marry because she was afraid that people might turn to her husband as a decision maker. She wanted to be the one true power on the throne.

But had it meant that she was lonely?

Some of the anger that bubbled in him toward his mother’s refusal to tell him anything finally gave way to sadness and regret. Caelan hated to admit it, but he honestly had no idea if his mother had been lonely or happy. He’d seen so little of his mother when he was growing up and he’d seen even less that he would describe as emotional. Queen Amara had been about control. She’d wanted her son to be strong and prepared for the world ahead of him. She’d wanted him to be surrounded by people he could trust. But there had been no talk of love and happiness.

“Why do you ask?”

Drayce shrugged under Caelan’s head. “I was thinking about what Andy said, and it got me wondering. We never talked about dating. Since we spent so much time together, I guess I kind of assumed that…you didn’t, but maybe you did and I didn’t know it. Or maybe you didn’t because something had already been arranged.”

Caelan shook his head. “No. No arrangements.”

“And the other?”

This time, it was Caelan’s turn to shrug. How was he supposed to explain to his friend that he didn’t date, that he’d never fucking tried to? It had been hard enough being the Crown Prince of Erya. How was he supposed to meet someone and warn them about the epic amount of background checks that awaited them if they wanted to see the prince socially?

And if it didn’t work out? Everyone was going to be all too happy to talk about the prince’s dating fail. Would they wonder if something was wrong with him?

The idea of the gossip that would swirl if he ever attempted sex made him sick to his stomach. How was he ever going to meet someone he trusted enough to make himself vulnerable in such a way? And that was assuming he ever got over his infatuation with Drayce.

Besides, he’d had enough to worry about when it came to politics and running the kingdom when his mother was ready to hand off the reins. For the past few years, his main concern had been the threat of the Empire…and well, being attracted to his best friend. He hadn’t given much thought to dating. His free time had been happily devoted to hanging out with Drayce. It hadn’t been bad to have Rayne and Eno around as well.

“I’ve been busy. Haven’t given it much thought. What about you?”

“What about me?” Drayce repeated, instantly sounding defensive.

“Have you dated someone?”

Drayce laughed. “Do you seriously think I could date someone, and you not know about it? I totally tell you everything.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Caelan muttered under his breath. Sometimes Drayce overshared, but it was part of his charm. He left Caelan feeling like he had no secrets, and it was nice to be able to trust someone so completely. “But what about that blond woman from the bar? The one who always wears the pink shoes. I’ve seen you talking to her a few times. You’ve not asked her out on a date?”

“Nah. She’s nice and all, but I don’t think she’s my type.”

Caelan chuckled. “I doubt you even know what your type is.” Drayce made a noise that Caelan wasn’t quite sure how to interpret, so he pressed on. “Why don’t you date? Is it because of me?” Caelan winced. He hadn’t quite meant it the way it had sounded. “I mean, because people know you’re friends with me. Does knowing me make dating difficult?”

“No, it’s not you. I can naturally sort through the people who are using me to get closer to you. That’s nothing. I just don’t have any interest in dating. We’re having too much fun, right?” Drayce paused and cleared his throat. “Well, not right now so much, but usually.”

Caelan’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Do you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

He sort of rolled against Drayce’s shoulder to face him, but Drayce moved at the same time, knocking him off-balance. Caelan caught himself by bracing his hand on Drayce’s chest. Heat crawled through his cheeks as he stared at his friend while practically lying on top of him. His mind flashed to a few days ago when they’d been wrestling in the tent, to the wonderful feel of Drayce’s body pressing down on his own.

“Regret what?” Drayce repeated in a rough voice. He gripped Caelan’s shoulder to hold him steady, but Caelan was now wrapped in Drayce’s arms, and it was the best thing in the world. What were they talking about? Oh right, Caelan ruining his life.

“Regret being my friend. Regret knowing me.”

Drayce’s smile was so slow and warm, Caelan could feel the force of it ripple all the way to his toes. “When it comes to you, there is nothing I regret. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it always will be.”

Caelan believed him. Despite everything that happened, Drayce still believed in him. His friend still wanted to be around him. Warmth flooded through him, and Caelan didn’t care if the world’s goofiest grin was spreading across his lips. It was almost like being drunk. Drayce liked him, even if it was only as a friend.

So, was it wrong that he found himself wanting more? Should he even dare to be so greedy as to want a kiss? They were so close now that he could feel a puff of Drayce’s breath across his lips. His gaze dropped as his friend’s mouth opened and the tip of his tongue darted out to wet his plush bottom lip. His heart sped up, and it felt like a thousand condors were trying to take flight in his stomach. Would Drayce regret a kiss?

The hand gripping his shoulder tightened slightly, seeming to pull him in just a bit, gathering him close. Caelan tilted his head up toward Drayce. So close.

Behind him, someone cleared their throat. Caelan jerked away from Drayce, sitting up on the bench to stare through the bars. On the other side, Rayne glared back at him, but there was a lift to one brow as if questioning the interesting position he’d discovered him and Drayce in. Lovely. Just fucking lovely.

Oh, it was great that Rayne had discovered them, and it didn’t look like he was under arrest by the way the military was standing with him, but could they have waited five more minutes? When was he going to get another chance to maybe kiss his best friend? He’d waited years for this moment—and yeah, he’d never imagined it happening in a fucking jail—but he still didn’t want it to slip away.

He shifted uncomfortably as his ill-timed hard-on pressed against the front of his pants. At least his T-shirt was long enough to cover it. He glanced over at Drayce to find him a little red cheeked, but still grinning like a loon. Did he realize what had nearly happened? Or was he amused that Rayne was now giving them the evil eye?

Even if Drayce was clueless as to what Caelan wanted, Caelan didn’t regret it. He already missed the feel of Drayce’s warmth, the soft secretive whisper in his voice.

But it was time to return to reality.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Rayne drawled in a dry voice. “They do belong to me.”

A new set of footsteps approached and a tall man with bright-blue hair and sharp dark-blue eyes came to stand beside Rayne, a smirk playing on his lips. “Are you sure? They seem like a disreputable pair.”

Caelan dropped his head back and groaned loudly. Why yes, of course. Let’s just make this nightmare even worse. Of course Rayne was there to fetch them with Prince Shey Thrudesh-Vo.

“Wait, is that—” Drayce started.

“Yes,” Calean moaned.

“They are, but they belong to me all the same,” Rayne answered Shey, ignoring Caelan’s pained sounds.

“Release our guests, Captain. I’ll take them with me.” There was no missing the hint of laughter in his deep voice. This just kept getting better.

The captain of the military guard who’d arrested them stood beside Prince Shey, his eyes down and expression strained. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but we need some kind of proof that he’s who you claim him to be. There are reports that Prince Caelan is dead. There have been Empire spies in the city recently. We…we need proof he is who he claims to be.”

Caelan rolled his eyes and shoved to his feet. “Don’t believe me that I’m a tourist. Don’t believe me that I’m a prince.”

“You don’t look like much of either at the moment,” Rayne murmured.

He narrowed his eyes at his friend through the bars. “You’re not helping.”

“How would you like me to assist?” Rayne’s tone held a note of mocking rather than its usual tartness. Hopefully that meant his mood wasn’t completely foul.

“Got a lighter on you?” Caelan inquired with a tight smile.

Rayne patted his pockets, but it was the captain who produced the lighter first. At Caelan’s instructions, he flicked the flint and sparked a teardrop of flame that he thrust through the bars. Reaching out toward the fire while remaining in the center of the room, Caelan summoned the power of the fire toward him and let it wrap around him. Energy sparked and crackled through the room. He felt it pour into him, and a breeze stirred from the ether to ruffle his hair.

He could barely hear the whispered gasps over the rush of energy across his ears. There shouldn’t be so much power churning for such a little flame, but he suspected he knew already where it was coming from. It was more than the warm pulse from the Godstone. There was the second crackle of energy he’d felt since entering Sirelis. Oddly the two energies didn’t fight or shove against each other, but they seemed to naturally weave together. Very curious.

With a drop of his hand, the protective bubble fell over him with an angry snap and crackle that had Rayne’s eyes widening. Only his friends would recognize the difference.

“Holy shit,” Shey whispered.

“By the gods!” the captain exclaimed. The hand holding the flame shook, and he quickly extinguished the lighter.

“As you might know, Prince Caelan can call on the power of the Godstone just like his mother,” Rayne said in a firm tone that left no room for argument. “That’s not something that can be faked by the Empire or anyone.”

“Release Prince Caelan immediately,” Shey added in the same tone.

The captain could only nod, fumbling with the key to the cell in his haste to release the member of the royal family from his military jail.

Caelan let go of his hold on the protection spell, letting the bubble of power fall away. There was still a tingle dancing along his skin, a whisper in the air, but it was fading as well. As he stepped out of the cell, he was greeted immediately by Shey.

“Prince Caelan, I must apologize—”

Caelan held up a hand, halting his words. “Don’t. They didn’t know who I was. They were acting to protect your people, which I respect.”

“Thank you for your understanding.” Shey deeply bowed his head to Caelan.

Caelan’s lips quirked into a small smile. “I am hoping this means that we can have a nice long conversation.”

“It does. But first, let’s go to the palace so that you can relax and refresh yourself.”

“Thank you. That would be wonderful.” He motioned for Shey to precede him down the hall with the captain. Caelan glanced at Rayne, who was watching him with eyes full of questions in regard to his magic show. Caelan slowly grinned and tilted his head toward Shey. “It appears that we both have a lot to talk about.”

As he’d expected, Rayne looked away, his expression stern and maybe a little flustered. While they urgently needed to talk about the lighthouse without the presence of Prince Shey, Caelan was dying to know exactly how Rayne knew the prince and how well they knew each other.

16

Eno Bevyn

Lights twinkled against the blackness of the night. The city of Sirelis was laid out before him like a blanket spread for a picnic. The view reminded him of home, but still so different. Sirelis seemed older in places and held deeper pockets of darkness at night, while Stormbreak was a blaze of lights. His home only slept in those very early hours of the morning, when the sky was turning from black to pale gray as the sun rose. It all happened in a blink. People fell into their beds after a night of work or revelry and then woke up again to start making the first bread of the day.

The perfect time for a morning run prior to rousting Caelan from his bed to launch his busy schedule of meetings and appearances. He’d been alone to enjoy the city as she dozed. Alone with his thoughts and a deep sense of peace.

But that peace was gone now, and the city he looked down on was not home.

He should have felt better about being in the royal palace, but he found himself wishing they were back at the little hotel, still unknown to the world. Despite Rayne’s assurances, he wasn’t sure he trusted Prince Shey and the rest of the Caspagir royal family. Caelan and Erya had already lost so much. They had to be careful with every decision they made, and who they chose to trust.

He’d been searching for nearly three hours when he’d gotten a call from Rayne telling him that Caelan and Drayce had been found. Rayne hadn’t given any more details than to say that he was to head straight to the palace and give his name at the gate.

Not loving the lack of information, Eno still did as Rayne instructed because he trusted the man completely. After giving his name, he was whisked in through a secret entrance and down a series of tunnels that finally took him to a luxurious suite of rooms that overlooked the city. Five minutes later, Rayne walked in with Caelan and Drayce, who seemed fine if a little embarrassed.

Eno was introduced to Prince Shey, and then they were left on their own with the promise that Prince Caelan would meet with the queen tomorrow morning.

“It’s a long story,” Caelan announced the second the door shut behind him. “But first, I’m safe and fine. Drayce is safe and fine.”

“You won’t be for long if you don’t explain what happened,” Eno growled.

“I will, but I need a shower and food first.” He turned and looked over at Rayne, who nodded once.

“I’ll make a call to the kitchens. I’m sure something can be quickly prepared,” Rayne agreed, already moving toward an elegant white phone on a table. Ugh, everything in the room seemed to be various shades of white. It felt like his mere presence was making things dirty.

“Good.” Caelan met Eno’s stern glare with one of his own. “Shower and food. It’ll give me some time to think. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.”

The prince and Drayce left the room in search of a shower. Eno had glimpsed sight of their things in the rooms, brought from the hotel, and it hadn’t given him a warm, fuzzy feeling. It was easier to direct his glare at Rayne than think about someone from the Caspagir palace packing up his things.

“I don’t know anything.” Rayne spoke preemptively, as if trying to hold back any rants that were brewing. “Prince Shey was with us the entire time, so Caelan said nothing to me.”

“Where was he?”

Rayne made a face that was a strange mix of exasperated and amused. “Held prisoner in a military jail. He and Drayce were suspected of being Empire spies. They were caught near the harbor.”

Eno groaned, the thought of Prince Caelan sitting in jail making him sick to his stomach. Even now, with everyone safe and sound in the palace, the idea of Caelan suspected as a spy sent a chill through him. He could have been killed before they reached him.

* * *

Earlier, during their meal, Rayne had brought them up to speed about what he’d learned from Prince Shey about the Empire’s movements through the country as well as their stance toward Erya. For now, it appeared Caspagir was in favor of helping them, but there was something in Caelan’s frown as he listened to Rayne that set Eno ill at ease. It also didn’t help that when Rayne spoke of Shey, he didn’t quite meet his eyes. He was hiding something, but Eno couldn’t guess as to what it was.

They’d been in the palace for a couple of hours now. They’d cleaned up and eaten, but Eno was still worried.

He turned from the window to face his companion who lounged on the puffy white sofa with a ridiculous number of pillows. Eno dropped into one of the chairs and pinned Caelan with a stare. It was time to cough up what he knew.

“I think it’s great that Prince Shey wants to help Caelan, but how well do you know him?” Drayce asked Rayne. “I mean do you know him know him?” He added a lascivious eyebrow waggle to make it clear to everyone that he meant in a more physical sense.

Rayne didn’t blink. “As I’ve stated, I spent some time in Sirelis as part of an exchange program while completing my studies. It just so happened that Prince Shey was taking the same political theory and philosophy classes as I was. That is how we became acquainted.”

The response failed to answer Drayce’s real question and in truth, Eno wasn’t ready to hear that answer. Rayne’s familiarity with Shey grated on Eno’s nerves, and it wasn’t helped by Rayne’s evasiveness during dinner. Part of him wanted to grab Rayne and shake the full story out of him. But most of him just wanted to kiss him and fuck him until there was no doubt that Rayne belonged to him and not some Caspagir prince.

Clearly, that wasn’t an option at that moment.

And did he even have any right to Rayne’s past? So he and Rayne had fucked. They said they wanted more than a one-time thing, but did that really give Eno any rights to him? Did Eno even have more claim on Rayne than Shey when it was obvious they had history together?

Caelan’s brow furrowed. “Do you trust him?”

“More than most, but not as completely as I trust the three of you,” Rayne replied bluntly. “I think he believes helping you will help Caspagir and hurt the Empire. As long as your goals benefit Caspagir in the long-term, I think you can rely on Shey and his mother for trustworthy assistance.”

To Eno’s surprise, Caelan didn’t appear reassured, judging by the frown that cut lines across his face. Eno thought Rayne sounded logical and correct in his assessment of Prince Shey.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Shey and his mother are hiding something,” Caelan announced.

“I’m sure they are.” Rayne lightly shrugged as he turned on the sofa to regard Caelan beside him. “Every government has its secrets, and I certainly wouldn’t expect Shey to divulge everything in our brief meeting. We’re learning more from the queen tomorrow.”

“Like the fact that they have a godstone?”

Everything stopped. No one moved. No one breathed but Caelan and Drayce, and even Drayce seemed shaken by Caelan’s confidence. A cold chill swept through Eno while his mind rebelled against Caelan’s words. He had to have heard him wrong. But he didn’t, and this wasn’t something to joke about. Caelan was utterly sure of what he was saying and completely serious.

Rayne recovered first, shaking his head as he shoved to his feet. He paced across the room to a white marble fireplace. “That…that is impossible. There is one godstone, and the Empire has it. Are you saying that Caspagir possesses the Godstone of Erya?”

The man was bristling with every word he spoke. Eno got it. Caelan’s question was threatening to shatter what they knew of the world, his trust of Prince Shey and Caspagir.

“No, I didn’t say it was the Godstone. Or the Erya Godstone. Or as it is more formally known, the Life Stone. What’s sitting in Sirelis is a godstone.”

“It’s still nonsense. There is only one, regardless of what you call it. It is, or at least was, in the royal city of Erya, where it has been for the last couple of millennia, since the end of the war.” Rayne’s voice trembled as he spoke and Eno wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but he didn’t trust that his legs would keep him upright. He was shaken to the core.

What Rayne recited were the same facts they all knew. All the people of Thia. Caelan’s claim was threatening to the entire balance of the world. It was all too big, too much to even contemplate.

Caelan shifted on the couch, leaning forward to brace his forearms on his knees as he stared at Rayne. “I’m not wrong, and you know I wouldn’t make a mistake like this. I can feel it. It’s similar to what I sense when I’m home, the sense of power and presence that comes from the Godstone. Similar but different. It’s not our Godstone, but a different one.”

“But…no. There’s one. There’s only one. Everyone in all the world knows there is only one,” Rayne countered. It wasn’t a logical argument, and he almost sounded as though he was begging Caelan to make it true.

The harsh desperation in Rayne’s tone finally gave Eno the strength to rise and walk over to the advisor. Gently, he took him by the shoulders and ushered him over to the chair he’d just left and pushed him down.

“Dude, you totally broke Rayne,” Drayce said with a kind of nervous chuckle.

“Think about it. This is the first time my mother has ever sent me to Sirelis. The few times I’ve met Prince Shey, we were in Ilon. If it’s a secret from everyone, they have to keep out everyone who might be able to sense its presence. That would be me and my mother.”

“This is unbelievable,” Rayne whispered.

“Do you think my mother knew about it?”

“I-I don’t know. I couldn’t even begin to guess at what Queen Amara did and didn’t know. I’ve always thought it safest to work under the assumption that she knew everything.”

Caelan snorted and dropped back against the sofa. “You’re probably right.”

“If there is another godstone in Caspagir, does that mean there could be others? And how many?” Eno inquired.

Rayne pressed his fingers into his temples, looking as if he were on the verge of panic. “I have no idea. Maybe. I can’t recall ever reading a mention of other godstones. I don’t think I could even research it. Keeping such a secret would be about controlling any and all information. Internet searches would likely be flagged, and I’m miles away from the old tomes in the royal library. I think I could get access to Caspagir’s royal library, but I’d worry about alerting them to what we suspect.”

“Oh, I have every intention of talking to Queen Noemi about this tomorrow morning. You can count on it,” Caelan declared. “If they’ve got a godstone, I want to know if I can tap the power, use it until I at least get our godstone.”

“Are you insane?” Rayne shouted. Eno lurched and even Drayce’s eyebrows flew to his hairline. Eno couldn’t remember if he’d ever heard Rayne shout. He was definitely not handling this unexpected news well. “You want to just borrow Caspagir’s godstone so we can fetch our own.”

“You saw it yourself in the cell. The power from this godstone is already attempting to merge with the power I can still draw from the Erya Godstone.”

“What?” Eno gasped. He took an unsteady step back and sat down on the arm of Rayne’s chair. “What the hell happened?”

“The guard wanted proof that Caelan wasn’t an imposter, so he cast his protection spell,” Drayce explained.

Caelan nodded. “And it was like lightning was weaving itself into the spell. I’ve never had that happen before, and I could feel the energy from the other godstone. It’s…it’s like it’s calling to me. It’s close.”

Eno jumped to his feet, rubbing one hand across his mouth as he thought. The first spark of new hope lit in his chest. Could Caelan actually use this power? What would that mean against the Empire? He dropped his hand and looked at Caelan. “Close? How close? In the palace?”

“No, the lighthouse.”

“Yep, totally had to be the lighthouse,” Drayce agreed with a smile.

Eno’s eyes darted from Caelan to Drayce. “What lighthouse? Is that where you were when you were arrested?”

“There? It can’t be,” Rayne said, his brow furrowed with confusion. “I’ve seen that lighthouse. It’s old. Forgotten.”

“A disguise. The second we were within a quarter mile of the place, all these army personnel popped up from out of nowhere. Guns drawn. Enough to overtake a small city.” Drayce’s arms waved wildly about as he spoke, and his eyes were wide as if he half expected the soldiers to appear here in the room with them.

Rayne took a deep breath and removed his glasses. He rubbed his eyes and then replaced them. He seemed calmer and more pulled together, which eased some of the worry gathered in Eno’s chest. “Cael, I don’t mean to sound dismissive or that I don’t believe you,” Rayne started slowly.

“I get it, Rayne. I do,” Caelan replied, the first hint of a smile moving across his features. “I wasn’t expecting this either. I grew up my entire life with the knowledge that there was just one godstone. It is safe in a secure room and represented my entire future.” He paused and shook his head. “I don’t know whether I’m horrified or relieved to know there could be another. But I just wanted you to know what we might be dealing with tomorrow when I confront the queen.”

A wry smile twisted Rayne’s lips as he gazed across the room to Caelan. He was still pale and appearing shaky, but closer to his usual self. “Yes, I appreciate the heads up.”

“What about you, grumpy?” Drayce asked with a grin directed at Eno. “Were you able to get in touch with anyone in Erya?”

Eno just sort of mutely blinked at Drayce. The words made sense all on their own, but he couldn’t figure out what the man was talking about. His brain downshifted from talk of godstones to remember that he’d been looking for information about Stormbreak and the Erya military.

“Actually…I was.” His expression might have become a little smug when Rayne twisted around to stare at him in indignant shock, as if he couldn’t believe that Eno would dare keep something from him. Yes, well, Rayne wasn’t the only one with secrets. Eno was sure that his secrets weren’t half as interesting as Rayne’s, though.

“What? Who? When?”

Caelan snorted. “I think Rayne only missed how and why.” Drayce fell against Caelan, cackling, and Eno felt like laughing himself.

“Tomas Soto and Melita Rey are the who. I won’t bore you with the long chain of messages that were passed along, but I finally reached them. They’re both here in Sirelis. I think their intention was to try to meet with the queen or someone in the Caspagir government to get help.”

“Did you tell them about Caelan?” Rayne inquired.

Eno shook his head. “No. Just that I’m here with you. I wanted to talk to you and Cael first before I let the cat out of the bag.”

“What are you thinking?” Caelan pressed.

Eno sighed, shoving one hand through his short hair. He scratched his scalp as he paced over to the fireplace. “A month ago, I would have said that I trust Tomas and Melita with my life, with your life.” He motioned toward Caelan and then dropped his hand to his side. “But now? I don’t know what happened that day in the palace. Had someone betrayed us? Is that how they were able to…” He drifted off and shook his head as if to shake away the thought. “Or were they simply overpowered? I don’t know. The only thing I do know is that I trust just the people in this room with your life.”

“Are you planning to meet with them?”

Eno nodded. “Tomorrow. I’m hoping to find out exactly what happened that day and what’s left of Erya military.”

“Take Drayce with you. I want someone watching your back. I’ll have Rayne with me.”

“I’ve got you, big guy,” Drayce said, pointing his finger at Eno like it was a gun.

“And I trust your judgment,” Caelan continued, holding Eno’s gaze. “If you want to tell them that I’m still alive, I leave that up to you.”

A surprise wave of pride and gratitude swept through Eno at Caelan’s words. He’d known the man since he’d been a bratty teenager, but on this journey he’d seen a new side to Caelan. A stronger, more confident man willing to step forward and take command. The man who would be king.

“Thanks,” Eno murmured. He appreciated Caelan’s trust and faith in him. Nothing in this world could make him betray Caelan. The young prince was going to be the one to save them all, and one day, he would be a great king when he could finally reclaim his throne. Eno was happy to give his life to keep him safe.

But the thought that Tomas or Melita or even both of them might have betrayed the queen, betrayed their kingdom, seemed impossible to him. They had always been strong, loyal fighters for the crown.

Until they got to the truth of what happened that day and finally got rid of the Empire, they were all potential betrayers in Eno’s mind. No one would get near the prince to threaten his life.

17

Caelan Talos

Breakfast arrived shortly after dawn along with a message that Caelan’s appointment with Noemi Thrudesh-Vo, Queen of Caspagir and mother of Prince Shey, would be in one hour.

Which gave Caelan just enough time to moan about the time, suck down a cup of coffee, and nibble on some toast before throwing himself into a hot shower. His first night of sleep in Caspagir hadn’t been great, but he was surprised that sleeping in the castle had been even worse. The bed and linens had been the absolute best.

No, he’d been plagued with dreams of a massive storm. Black churning clouds, thick bolts of lightning as wide as trees slamming into the ground. And wind. Endless amounts of wind hammering him and pushing him to his knees.

Even after coffee and a shower, it felt as if the storm were still attempting to rage around his brain.

Luckily Rayne was there to keep him moving and focused. His advisor was appropriately attired in a dark, neatly pressed suit when Caelan found him in the main sitting area of their suite. Caelan’s one suit was also black with some fine emerald-green stitching. The big difference was the tie pin that resembled the Godstone.

“She couldn’t have waited a couple of hours more?” Caelan grumbled.

“We should be happy that she is seeing us so quickly, if at all,” Rayne pointed out as he finished the last of his coffee and stood. He placed his cup and saucer on the serving tray, then ran his hand along the front of his jacket as if inspecting for any last-minute bits of lint or wrinkles.

“Eno?”

“I woke him while you were in the shower. He’s in the shower now.”

Caelan nodded. “Should I wake Drayce?” He barely finished the question when a loud snore crashed through the room, bringing a chuckle to his lips.

“Leave him. Let Eno. We need to go.”

Caelan nodded and followed his companion out of the room. His tiny smirk grew into a wide grin as Rayne wove through the massive castle, heading down one corridor after another, up a set of stairs and down another. He moved as if he could have led Caelan through the castle in his sleep.

“One of these days you’re going to have to tell me about this friendship with Shey,” Caelan teased.

“What?” Rayne said in almost a gasp. His steps faltered and he slowed.

“You move through the castle like you lived here.”

Rayne glanced over at Caelan, who was only a step behind him, a little wrinkle between his brows and a slight pink to his cheeks. “Your Highness, if I have given you any reason to doubt my loyalty—”

Caelan groaned and shoved Rayne’s shoulder lightly. “You know I don’t. Stop being ridiculous.” His grin returned and he stepped closer to Rayne, their arms brushing. “But you and Shey, huh?”

Rayne cleared his throat and quickly directed eyes back down the corridor. The blush in his cheeks growing darker. “It was many years ago, but yes, for a time, we were…close.”

“What happened?”

Rayne blinked at him, seeming confused by the question. “It was time for me to return.”

Caelan could only sigh, an unexpected twinge of sadness gripping his heart. Maybe it had never been serious. Maybe Rayne didn’t let it become serious. Wrapping his arm around Rayne’s shoulders, he squeezed him and chuckled softly. “I can only be grateful that all this ambition and your big brain are working for Erya and not against it.”

“It’s not just for Erya.” Rayne stopped walking and turned to face him. All the uncertainty was gone from his pale-green eyes, and his auburn brows were pressed together over his nose. His mouth had become stern. “I believe in you, Caelan. Maybe if it had been someone else standing in front of me right now, I would have considered staying in Caspagir, but I believe in you and what you can do for Erya. For all of Thia. Your destiny is something much larger than us and I wish to be part of it, even if it is only a small part.”

He didn’t know how he did it, but Rayne had a way of reminding him their job was so much bigger than leading a single kingdom. It was like all the air had been sucked from his lungs and unexpected nerves twisted in his stomach. Was this panic? Could he truly live up to Rayne’s expectations of greatness? Most days he barely knew what he was doing. He would be utterly lost without Rayne, Eno, and even Drayce at his side.

But maybe that was the point. His mother might have stood before the people alone in her decrees, but she always surrounded herself with the wisest people to help guide her decisions. Rayne’s faith kept him from floundering in doubt and indecision. Eno’s strength and loyalty kept him on the right path. Drayce’s devotion and lightness reminded him that there was more to life than heavy decisions.

Taking a step away, Caelan wiped the last of his own teasing from his expression and straightened his spine He offered his companion a shallow bow of gratitude. He wasn’t sure he was worthy of Rayne and his friends, but he would always try to be. “I will continue to endeavor to be worthy of your faith in me.”

“And I shall support you in all ways that I can until my dying breath.”

When Caelan straightened, his smirk returned and he lightly punched Rayne’s shoulder. “But do try to have a little fun too.”

With a roll of his eyes, Rayne continued to lead him through the castle, but Caelan didn’t miss the smile teasing at the corners of his mouth. Had Rayne found a bit of fun Caelan didn’t know about? Maybe rekindled an old spark with Prince Shey?

Walking a short distance farther, they came to a pair of tall double doors with two guards standing on either side along with one page. The young man stepped forward and bowed to them both. He was dressed in a sort of buttercream yellow slacks and a white shirt. Only the guards tended to wear dark colors in Caspagir. Caelan didn’t know if it was to make them stand out against the soft colors of the city or to make them more foreboding. Probably both.

“Good morning, gentlemen. Thank you for coming. I will see if her majesty is ready for you.” The page quickly turned around and disappeared inside only to return a few seconds later with a tense smile on his face. “Please, go in.” He held the door open, waving them forward.

This time, Caelan led the way but was surprised that the page didn’t accompany them to announce him.

But then, he needed to take just a couple of steps inside to realize there was no need. He wasn’t meeting Queen Noemi in a formal chamber with other cabinet members and advisors. He was meeting her in what was an exquisite conservatory for the queen’s private use.

Caelan’s pace slowed as he lifted his eyes to the curved glass walls and steel supports extending up more than two stories. Early morning sunlight poured through the windows, gilding the lush green jungle around them in soft gold. The sweet-smelling air was warm and humid. There was a wild, almost untamed quality to the beauty that unexpectedly reminded him of the Ordas. Well, the Ordas without the eyes watching them.

He followed the stone path as it wove between some trees and lush plants until he came to a small table and chairs. In one of the chairs sat a woman who looked incredibly fragile. Her dress was black, her delicate slippers were black, and she even wore black lace gloves on her hands. Her pale-blond hair was piled on her head in a sort of messy bun as if she couldn’t be bothered with it.

Caelan paused several feet away from the woman, his brow furrowed and lips pulled into a hard line. Who was she? This…this couldn’t be Queen Noemi Thrudesh-Vo. How could she be the ruler of Caspagir? She appeared as if she might break under the force of a strong breeze.

Beside him, Rayne pressed his hand to his heart and bowed deeply to her. “It is a great honor to meet with you, Your Majesty.”

Caelan stared openmouthed at Rayne and then back at the woman to find her faintly smiling at him. “We weren’t supposed to meet for the first time like this,” she said in a rough voice. She cleared her throat and turned her attention to Rayne. “It’s good to see you again, Master Laurent. I trust you’ve already visited with Shey.”

There was no expression on Rayne’s face, but there was a rise of color in his cheeks. “His Highness was kind enough to share some information with me and assist in a small matter.”

The smile returned with a twinkle in her eye. “I heard about that.” She turned her attention to Caelan and rose.

Sense finally slammed into his brain, and he bowed deeply to her. She was the queen of Caspagir and he was a king without a kingdom, dependent on her goodwill. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder, applying just enough pressure for him to straighten. When he did, she placed both of her lace-covered hands on his cheeks and stared deeply into his eyes, then slowly moved over the rest of his face like she was trying to memorize it.

“You look like her. So much.” Her voice trembled on those whispered words. “But I also see…” She drifted off and Caelan was desperate for her to finish those words. However, her next ones blew away that thought. “I loved your mother.”

She paused as she started to turn toward her chair and placed her hand on Rayne’s arm, squeezing lightly before continuing. Surprise widened Rayne’s eyes, but he said nothing.

“Did you know I had hopes of Rayne marrying Shey one day?”

Caelan’s mind was spinning with just the simple things she’d already said. He glanced over at Rayne to find his friend would no longer meet his gaze. “No, I did not.”

Noemi sighed heavily as she sat again. “He had an almost magical way of reining in some of Shey’s more dangerous impulses.” She motioned toward the chair closest to her and Caelan took it. When Rayne simply took up position behind Caelan, Noemi huffed at him and jerked her head toward the remaining chair on the other side of the table. “Come along, Rayne. Considering it’s just the three of us and all that’s happened, I think we can drop some of the ceremony. Besides, staring up at you makes my neck hurt.”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty.” Rayne bowed to her and dropped into the final chair.

“I’m sorry, but you said you loved my mother. Then you knew her well. I didn’t know,” Caelan started, drawing Noemi’s eyes to him. The deep sadness in her blue eyes returned and she rapidly blinked away tears.

“I know it must be hard to believe. We were so different. Amara would never have dropped all the royal pretexts and rules, even if it was just us. I was able to get her to drop it all only a few times in the years that I knew her. She said it was what people expected and what held the line.”

That definitely sounded like his mother, though his brain was still reeling from the shock that his mother had a friend. He had some very early memories of her smiling and being freer around him, but not many and none when he was older. She was always queen first and his mother second.

Except for their final night together. She’d held his shoulders. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d even touched him before that.

Her skin had been so soft but cold, as if she’d had a chill that she couldn’t shed. She had held both his shoulders, fingers squeezing so tight. Had she suspected they might never see each other again?

Why hadn’t she said more? Told him that she loved him? That she was proud of him?

Because he would have known something was wrong and wouldn’t have left.

“Yes, but how? You never came to Erya and Queen—mother never traveled to Caspagir,” he corrected himself. “Relations between Erya and Caspagir have always been lukewarm at best. Everyone knows that Erya is much closer with Ilon.”

Noemi gave a delicate snort. “That’s due to the fact that Ilon has little military. It’s a kingdom of dreamers and scholars. They could make a better weapon if they wanted to, but they’re more interested in their books and building irrigation systems or weaving a prettier cloth. Or is it all computer chips now?” She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “Ilon needs Erya for protection. Caspagir does not.”

“But that doesn’t mean relations between our kingdoms has to be so cool. And it doesn’t explain how you know my mother so well.”

Noemi smiled at Rayne. “You’re proud, aren’t you?”

Rayne nodded. “He does have a sharp mind when he wants to use it.” Caelan shot his companion a disgruntled glare, but that only made his smile widen.

“You are quite right, Caelan. Amara and I followed in the footsteps of our parents and grandparents and so down the line, maintaining the mirage that we were only coolly civil to each other. We thought it would protect both of our countries in the long run.”

“Because Caspagir also has a godstone.”

The queen had been staring at her hands, but her head popped up and her lips parted in the form of a perfect O. “How?” she breathed. “How did you know? Did Amara tell you?”

“No.”

Noemi’s shoulders slumped, a frown drawing her slender eyebrows together. “I figured as much. I think she clung to the hope that she’d be able to hold back the Empire or at least escape with Hagen. She probably thought she still had time to tell you everything.”

Caelan reached across and picked up one of Noemi’s hands from where it rested on the table, holding it between both of his. “Please, can you tell me what’s going on? Did you know about this meeting with the Empire? Was there even a meeting? How are there two godstones and no one knows about it?”

Sighing heavily, the queen tightened her hand around Caelan’s fingers, a frail smile pulling her mouth upward. “Even though I adored Amara, I swear I would kick her square in the ass right now.”

“It is…odd,” Rayne ventured slowly. “She was always such a careful planner. Very detail oriented. How she failed to provide Caelan with the information that he needed is confusing.”

Noemi nodded. “The situation with New Rosanthe developed faster than we expected. We made plans and then had to make new plans. In the end, I think we all struggle to believe that we are at the end of our lives. She must have clung to the idea that there was still time.”

The queen released a final breath and shook her head before sitting up straighter in her chair and regarding Caelan fully. “To start in the middle of things, your mother and I spoke every day, whether it was a call or emails or a text. We were always in contact.”

Caelan pulled a hand free and held it up. “Wait. My mother had a phone? In all my years, I have never seen her with a cell phone in her hand.”

Noemi smirked. “I believe Hagen carried it for her. She thought it was inappropriate for a queen to be seen with such a device. She also didn’t want anyone to think there were other channels for reaching her than the usual ones.”

Caelan slouched in his chair in a huff. He couldn’t believe that his mother had a cell phone and she’d never told him. He glared over at Rayne. “Did you know?”

“No. Did you really want your mother texting you? Would you have texted her?”

His nose wrinkled at the thought. Maybe it was for the best. He was happy that Queen Amara hadn’t sent him commands via text. And it wasn’t like he was going to send her silly memes.

The queen gave a shake of her head, though Caelan would bet she was pursing her lips to keep from smiling. “There had been a secret meeting set up between her and Lord High Commander Thorald Grim of New Rosanthe. The agreement had been to speak in private about steps to keep the Empire out of Erya and Ilon. I have no idea what the terms were supposed to be, but Amara was aware that the Empire was dotting my border with designs on the Ordas.”

“The Ordas?” Rayne broke in. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It will,” Noemi said with a bleak look.

“But my mother suspected the Empire was plotting something, so she made sure that I was secreted out of the castle.”

Noemi nodded. “The plan was for you to be safely within these castle walls before the Lord High Commander arrived.” A shiver ran through her entire body, and she sucked in a shuddering breath. “When we heard news of the train troubles, I’d begun to fear the worst. There was no news of you. I didn’t know if you’d returned home to seek an alternate route. And then the reports hit of Amara’s and your deaths.” Her voice caught on the final two words, and Caelan grabbed her hand again.

An echo of the same pain that had been haunting him for nearly five days squeezed his heart and tightened his throat, but he pushed through it. Now was not the time to wallow in what-ifs and whys when it came to his mother’s decision to send him away. He needed to know what was going on if he was even to save his kingdom and stop New Rosanthe.

“We weren’t sure if the rockslide was natural or an Empire ploy. We crossed the Ordas on foot and caught a ride from a small border town called Shallow Edge.”

Noemi’s eyes widened and her free hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my!”

Caelan offered her a small smile. “It was an interesting adventure.” The smile fell away as quickly as it formed, and he released her hand. “When we reached Shallow Edge, the news was hitting the world of the attack. We thought it best if no one knew I was alive.”

“And you had no idea what was going on. Who to trust.”

Caelan’s gaze hardened. “I will be honest with you, Queen Noemi. I still don’t know. What do you know of the Empire’s plans? And how the hell are there two godstones?”

For the first time, Noemi frowned at him, her gaze sharpening, but Caelan didn’t flinch or look away. Yes, he was being rude to their generous host, but Caelan was tired of niceties and being delicate. He’d lost his mother, his home, his birthright. He wanted fucking answers at last.

“The Empire wants the godstones. All of them.”

“Well, they’re halfway there!” Caelan shoved to his feet and moved to pace the area around the table.

“Your Majesty, I apologize—” Rayne started but Noemi cut him off.

“You’re wrong.”

For a heartbeat, no one moved. Caelan was pretty sure both he and Rayne had stopped breathing completely. He sucked in a breath, almost afraid to hope. “You mean the Empire doesn’t have the Godstone—I meant the Erya Godstone.”

Noemi shook her head, her sad expression seemed to accentuate the dark circles under her sparkling blue eyes. He had a feeling that she was always a delicate woman, but the death of her old friend appeared to have drained the very life from her. Her pale skin was almost paper thin and her fingers trembled slightly. “No, I’m quite sure that godstone is in the hands of the Empire. Though we’re not entirely sure where it is or how they plan on moving it. We’re still checking into that.” She paused and frowned up at Caelan. “What I mean is that there are six godstones. Well, rather, five now.”

Caelan’s knees gave out and he dropped heavily into his seat. His brain simply shorted out. It wasn’t enough that he’d been shocked to find that a godstone had been hidden in Caspagir for quite some time, but instead of there being one or two, now there were six?

Thousands of questions raged through his brain and none of them had clear answers, though one kept repeating, What did it matter if I’m the last Talos bound to the Erya Godstone, when the world has five other stones? This grand destiny that lay before him suddenly seemed…less. He was smaller.

But that didn’t matter. One, two, six. He had a throne to reclaim and a people to protect. The Erya Godstone was merely a tool to help his kingdom.

A strange, choked, gasping sound was coming out of Rayne. Well, at least his friend was as shocked as he was.

“I don’t understand,” was all Caelan could manage.

Noemi’s expression softened, and she smiled at him. “I guess it starts like most good stories do, a long time ago, with the discovery of the godstones. The gods had fought their war, and…” she paused and held her empty hands in front of her, “well, across the world, the stones were found. In the beginning, people didn’t try to hide the fact that there were six, but then it was your ancestor who discovered that the power of the godstone could be harnessed. The relationship the Talos family started with the Godstone was one of respect and dedication to the protection of the people of Erya as well as the goddess. Other families and leaders tried to establish the same bond with the remaining godstones, but it never worked. As a result, animosity and mistrust grew.”

“War?” Rayne inquired.

“And worse,” Noemi whispered. Caelan didn’t ask her to elaborate. Their world had lost enough to war and violence over the centuries. Add in the powers of the gods and the results could only be catastrophic.

“Are you telling me the stones were hidden?” Caelan pushed.

“And purposefully forgotten. The leaders of the kingdoms who had the stones met in a secret location centuries ago. We agreed that we couldn’t make the world forget about them completely, so the king of Erya agreed to make the Life Stone the one that the world remembered. It became known as the Godstone, and the Talos family were its sole keepers. Only the Talos family would bond with their godstone.”

“And the others?”

“Forgotten. Lost. The leaders of the various kingdoms destroyed all written record of the other stones. We commissioned new tales, new songs, new works of art. A thousand years passed, and the world forgot about the stones. They didn’t even exist in the realm of myth.”

“And the Godstone of Erya essentially became bait for any and all who wanted to steal its power.”

Noemi nodded. “Yes, but we’d all agreed to support Erya and her king or queen. We would all fight to protect the Godstone.”

Anger started to bubble up in Caelan again and he clenched his fists at his sides. “Who knows about the godstones? All of them.”

“We believe only the leaders of the kingdoms who possess godstones are aware of them and their locations.”

Caelan lurched to his feet. “Then what happened? Where was our support? Why is my mother dead and the stone stolen?” His voice lifted to a trembling shout at the end. He was trying not to shout, but he felt betrayed by the people who were supposed to support his mother. To his surprise, Rayne didn’t try to calm him. The muscle in Rayne’s jaw jumped and flexed as if he were barely holding back similar words.

“The Empire surprised us all. When New Rosanthe slowly conquered Damardor and Uris-Oladul, we thought the Emperor was interested in only more land, more people. Neither country has ever possessed a godstone.” Noemi shook her head, her hands fisted together in her lap. “When the Empire crawled like a snake on its belly into Caspagir, when we heard rumors that the Empire was amassing along the border of Ilon, we started to worry that the Emperor had somehow discovered that stones were hidden there.”

“Ilon has a godstone?” Rayne gasped.

“You thought the Emperor would go after one of the hidden ones, one that might not be as heavily guarded,” Caelan finished dully.

Noemi drew a shuddering breath. “Amara sent much of her army south to Ilon to protect the kingdom and the stone.”

“And you kept your soldiers here in Sirelis, trained on the lighthouse.”

The queen shook her head and rapidly blinked her eyes as if fighting tears. “We thought an attack on Erya was possible, but not the Emperor’s first choice. We were wrong.”

Caelan shoved both of his hands into his hair and paced away from the table. He didn’t know what to think or feel. He understood their logic. Considering the actions of the Empire in the past, he would have thought the same thing, but the angry, irrational part of his brain was still demanding to know why no one was there to stop them, why his mother had died and the stone taken.

“I’m so very sorry, Caelan,” Noemi whispered, tears choking her voice.

He stiffly nodded. He didn’t want her apologies. There was no mistaking that she was in pain, missing the close friend she’d once had in Amara. Noemi would have done anything to protect Amara.

“The godstones,” he started and then paused to clear his throat. “What can you tell me? Or can you tell me anything?”

“I can tell you everything I know, which isn’t as much as I wish it was,” the queen said. She delicately sniffed, her eyes still glistening.

Taking in a deep breath, Caelan returned to his seat. He couldn’t afford to cling to his anger and ask questions about why certain actions were taken. None of it would help them now. It was too late to save his mother, but he was hoping that it wasn’t too late to save Erya.

As Caelan sat, Rayne surprised him by rising to his feet. “I feel that it may be best, Prince Caelan, if I leave now.”

“No.” He reached across the table toward Rayne but locked his eyes on Noemi. “Everything you say to me can be said to Lord Rayne Laurent as well. He is my advisor. I trust him with all my secrets and trust him with the future of Erya. If something happens to me, I know that he will carry on in my place.”

Noemi nodded and regarded him with such a glow of pride that Caelan almost had to look away in embarrassment. But he meant it. He trusted Rayne with his life and the future of Erya.

Noemi turned her smile over to Rayne. “There are few besides the kings and queens who know the secrets of the stones, but I think you are worthy of those secrets.”

Rayne bowed deeply to both of them before resuming his seat. “I am honored,” he whispered. His advisor was masking it well, but Caelan swore he saw a mix of excitement and pride buzzing through his tense form as he leaned forward, practically balanced on the edge of his seat.

“As you know, the first is the Godstone in Erya, but it is more accurately called the Life Stone since it holds the Goddess of Life,” Noemi started.

“I’m sorry, ‘holds the goddess’?” Caelan repeated. “As in the body of the goddess is trapped in the stone? I thought the Godstone was just a vessel for the powers of the gods.”

Noemi smiled. “No, the goddess actually sleeps in the stone.”

Caelan’s poor brain was going to be mush before he left Caspagir. He’d stood in front of the stone hundreds of times, and he’d been standing in the presence of a goddess. That was almost too much.

If Noemi noticed his distress, she didn’t let it stop her explanation. “In Caspagir, we possess the Wind Stone, as it holds the God of Storms.”

“But why is it in the lighthouse? Why wouldn’t you keep it in a chamber in the castle where it is easier for you to secure?”

Noemi chuckled. “You make it sound like we have any real control over the stones. The Talos family are still the only ones who bond with the god or goddess within the stones. The rest of us are only the keepers. And the God of Storms wishes to be in a place where the sea and the wind meet. It won’t allow us to move it farther inland.”

Caelan leaned forward, his brain struggling to wrap around what he’d just taken as normal. “As keepers, you don’t harness the power of the Wind Stone? At all? Do you speak to the god?”

Some emotion Caelan couldn’t quite name passed over Noemi’s face. “I speak to the god, but he does not speak to me. And no, I don’t pull on the power of the god. Amara told me some of her relationship with the Goddess of Life. In my youth, I might have envied her a little, but I’ve since come to understand that it was an added weight that no ruler should have to bear.” She looked as if she wanted to say more, wanted to ask him something, but she didn’t and Caelan felt no need to volunteer anything. Not yet, at least.

He had not officially bonded with the Godstone, but he had access to some of the power. The goddess had never directly spoken to him, but he’d always felt something. He’d just not realized it was the goddess he was feeling. Maybe it was a burden, but he’d also felt that it was his birthright, his responsibility.

“Ilon?” he prompted in a rough voice. There was too much that he still needed to think about.

“In Ilon, you will find the Light Stone, for it contains the God of Wisdom.”

Rayne huffed a soft laugh. “A country of scholars and artists. It explains much.”

Noemi offered up a small smile and nodded. “Yes, the God of Wisdom definitely had an influence on the development of Ilon.”

“But if there are a total of six stones, where could the others possibly be? The Empire can’t have one and there was no worry when New Rosanthe seized Damardor and Uris-Oladul.” Caelan made a scoffing noise in the back of his throat and shook his head. “You can’t possibly mean that there’s a stone in Zastrad, the land that worships a dead god.”

Noemi didn’t blink and something cold slithered through Caelan’s veins. “We know little about the Godstone of Zastard other than it’s fractured down the center. We don’t even know what god was contained within the stone, only that it is dead now.”

“And…and the other two?” Rayne whispered, his voice rough. No one wanted to speak about a god that had died.

“The Fire Stone is, not surprisingly, on the Isle of Stone, where it is guarded by the dragons. It holds the Goddess of Fire. We’ve never given much worry over that one. I think we all agreed that the Empire couldn’t attempt to steal the Fire Stone unless it already possessed another one of the stones and could harness its power.”

“Like they now have the Godstone,” Caelan murmured.

“And the final stone? What god is inside and where is it?” Rayne said, pushing them forward, but Noemi didn’t speak for several seconds. She seemed to grow paler before their eyes. She stared at the tabletop, lost in her thoughts. Caelan was getting ready to ask what worried her, but the question seemed silly. There was plenty they all had to worry about.

“The final is the Blood Stone. It’s the one we have all prayed would stay hidden. We believe the Goddess of the Hunt lies locked inside. I’ve heard just a few stories, but she was a brutal goddess that bathed in the blood of her prey. I fear what power she might bestow on any who might be able to commune with her.”

The chill was back, wrapping tight around Caelan. “The Blood Stone is hidden within the Ordas, isn’t it? That’s why the Empire hasn’t shown interest in moving its troops from the border toward Sirelis. The Empire won’t attempt to take the Wind Stone that way. It’s preparing to go after the Blood Stone.”

“That is what I fear,” Noemi whispered. “It’s what Amara feared as well.”

“And if the Emperor gets his hands on the Blood Stone?” Rayne inquired.

“Then I think there will be no saving any of us. All of Thia will be doomed.”

The weight of this new knowledge came crushing down on his chest and he struggled to breathe. It was more than the loss of his mother and his kingdom. The Empire had the Godstone, and there was no question that the Emperor had much bigger plans. He wanted the Blood Stone. He wanted all of Thia.

A soft knock at the conservatory door tore Caelan from his thoughts. His head jerked up in time to see the same page who had waved them into the room was now crossing toward them. The young man bowed deep, his voice a respectful whisper.

“I apologize, Your Majesty, for my intrusion, but it is time for your meeting with the Minister of Defense. He is waiting for you now in your office.”

Noemi nodded. “In a moment.” She turned her attention to Caelan and captured his hand. “We will talk again. You and your party can remain here in Sirelis as long as you wish.”

Caelan seemed to wake from his trance of wild thoughts and squeezed her hand. “One question—does Prince Shey know?”

Noemi nodded. “Yes. The night I learned of Queen Amara’s fate, I told him everything that I just told you. With what lay ahead of us, I thought it best.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Caelan murmured. His brain was completely on autopilot, but it didn’t seem like Queen Noemi was too surprised by it. With a final understanding smile, she stood and walked out of the conservatory with the page.

When the door shut, Rayne leaned across the table toward Caelan, his expression tense. “Caelan? What do you think?”

“Honestly…I don’t know. It’s too much. More than I was expecting. We need time to think on this. To come up with new plans.”

“Eno and Drayce?”

At least that was one answer he knew. “We’re telling them everything.” He met Rayne’s eyes, decision made. “This is worse than we imagined. If they are going to risk their lives for me, for Erya, it’s only right for them to know the entire story.” He forced a smirk he didn’t quite feel. “Plus, we can use all the brainpower on this one that we can get. Even Drayce’s.”

Rayne made a show of rolling his eyes, but Caelan knew he was teasing when he muttered, “May the gods help us.”

18

Drayce Ladon

Why the hell did Eno have to take such large steps? It was bad enough that he seemed to tower over Drayce, but each of his strides was one and a half of Drayce’s, which meant that every so often Drayce had to take a couple of skipping steps to catch up with the man. That meant he had no time to check out his surroundings, soak in the sights, and generally enjoy being in the city of Sirelis.

Of course, his outing with Caelan the other day had largely cured him of that curiosity. There was nothing like being accused of being a spy and getting locked up in a military jail to leave a person wanting to remain hiding under his bed.

Speaking of, he was already missing his new bed. He’d heard Caelan and Rayne leaving their temporary apartment this morning just before Eno showed up to dump him out of his bed and onto the floor. No, literally. Onto the floor. Freaking monster.

Drayce went through the motions, showering and dressing. Thought didn’t kick in until he’d sucked down his first glorious coffee of the day.

And then Eno had him out on the street, leaving the palace through a secret exit that put them in a narrow but clean alley.

They’d been walking for over twenty minutes, putting more and more distance between themselves and the palace. The buildings were getting closer together and more rundown as they progressed. Shops were boarded up here and there, or their wares started looking more basic. That didn’t worry Drayce; he’d frequented neighborhoods just like this back home plenty of times. These types of areas had the best dive bars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Also, dragging Caelan to these parts of town was a surefire way to drive Rayne insane, and that was just too much fun to pass up.

The only problem Drayce saw was that Eno’s course was taking them close to the harbor, and Drayce didn’t want to get anywhere near the lighthouse. It didn’t matter if Prince Shey had already vouched for them. He didn’t want to press his luck.

“Are you sure you’re going the right way?” Drayce inquired, trying to not sound nervous. Just curious.

Eno glanced over his shoulder and smirked. “Not feeling safe with me?”

“That’s not the problem, and you know it. This reminds me of the neighborhood we visited back home to go to the Pink Pig.” Drayce skipped up to walk next to Eno, watching his smirk turn into a full grin.

“Good ribs,” Eno replied with a happy hum.

“And cheap beer. Rayne wasn’t happy, though.”

The warrior beside him snorted. “Not to find Cael there, no. The Pink Pig was also a known illegal gambling den.”

“Not that known. I hadn’t heard that. We were just there for the food.”

“Yeah, but I knew and let you and Cael talk me into it. That’s why Rayne was so pissed when he showed up. Not the kind of place Cael could afford to be spotted in.”

Drayce shrugged. They’d had a damn good time that night. Snagging a booth near the rear of the place, they’d eaten until they nearly exploded and finished with a nice buzz from the beer. Even Rayne had relaxed a bit and remarked on how good the food was once he’d stopped worrying about a police raid or the media discovering Caelan there.

“But as I was saying…are you sure?”

“Yeah, of course. Why?” Eno stopped at an intersection, waiting for the light to change in their favor to safely cross. It gave Drayce a chance to catch his breath and stop chasing after the freaking gorilla.

“Because we’re getting damn close to the harbor.” Drayce dropped his voice to a harsh whisper, praying that no one was listening to him.

“So?”

Drayce’s mouth fell open and he just sort of stared at Eno. The man knew exactly where he and Caelan had been grabbed and labeled as spies. Was Eno that dense?

Eno’s serious expression broke first, and the bastard laughed. Drayce punched him in the shoulder but only ended up hurting his knuckles. Clearly, Eno was made of stone or steel.

“Asshole!” Drayce snarled, still keeping his voice low. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get labeled as a freaking spy again. Once was more than enough.”

“Couldn’t have been that bad. Rayne said you and Cael were cuddled up together, sharing secrets.”

Drayce ignored Eno’s playful tone and worried more about the flutter in his heart at the memory. Yeah, he had been terrified when they were locked up in that cell together. Their phones taken away. No one to call to verify their identity and then there was the question of whether to admit to their true identities. Would that have gotten them killed faster if Caspagir was aligned with New Rosanthe?

But for a short time, that fear had slipped away and Drayce had only been aware of Caelan leaning on him. When he’d turned and fallen against Drayce, his heart had stopped. His chest had felt permanently scorched where Caelan’s hand had burned through his shirt. It was the best kind of torturous heaven.

And once again, he’d found himself wanting to pull Caelan in closer, pressing their lips together. He wanted to know what it felt like to kiss his best friend. He needed to hear Caelan’s breath catch, to taste his mouth, to know that Caelan wanted him back.

Insane. All those thoughts were insane. Wrong and insane. Stupid, too.

Caelan was his best friend in the world. Caelan was the prince—no! King of Erya. At least, Caelan would be king after he completed the official ascension ceremony in Stormbreak. He had much bigger worries on his mind than his weird friend who was starting to think about him in ways that had nothing to do with friendship.

“We’ll be fine,” Eno said confidently. It helped to settle some of his twisting nerves, but not all of them. He was also worried about Caelan’s meeting with Queen Noemi Thrudesh-Vo. Everything seemed civil and supportive right now, but Drayce had no illusions on how quickly that shit could fall apart.

Eno slowed his steps at the next corner and gave a little sigh. “There.”

Drayce gazed up at the street sign that read Hope Pass. Yeah, it looked like hope had passed this place a long time ago. The sidewalk was broken, and weeds filled in the cracks. Most of the buildings were dark, and the shades were pulled over all the windows of the houses. Few people were out, and they kept their heads down. No one wanted to meet his eye. No one wanted to be noticed, which was fine with him, because it was best if he and Eno weren’t noticed either.

“Follow my lead in there, and lower your voice,” Eno instructed, his tone already dropping to a low rumble.

“Gotcha. You want me to hang back? Cover you?”

Eno shook his head. “No. We can be cautious, but I don’t want to hide your presence from them. Don’t mention Cael first. Let me feel them out.”

Drayce nodded. He understood that one with no problem. He was not going to be the idiot giving away Caelan’s secret, even if they were members of the royal guard.

Eno stopped in front of a building with darkened windows and an old-fashioned wooden sign hanging over the door. “This is the place,” he murmured as he reached for the door.

Drayce stared at the sign over his head. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. The Slippery Duck Pub. Did you pick a strip joint?”

“It’s not a strip joint,” Eno growled. “It’s a pub. A tavern. I looked it up. They serve a lot of the people who work third shift. Apparently, they’ve got a pretty awesome breakfast.”

Drayce snorted. “I can’t wait to tell Cael.”

He followed Eno into the tavern and stood blinking, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the deep darkness inside the tavern after the bright sunlight that poured through the city. The place smelled of stale beer, fried potatoes, and strawberries, but he was willing to put money on the fact that the strawberries weren’t real. Just some kind of air freshener.

When his eyes adjusted, he saw what appeared to be a normal tavern with wooden tables and chairs. A handful of men lined the bar, nursing beers and plates of fluffy scrambled eggs. Maybe breakfast wasn’t such a bad idea. He’d only had one cup of coffee and a cold piece of toast as Eno pushed him toward the door.

“Will we have time to eat?”

“Yep. I’ve got my eye on a breakfast burrito filled with eggs and pot roast.”

Drayce’s stomach grumbled loudly, tossing its vote in for the same burrito.

“Sit wherever you want. Menus on the tables. I’ll be around in a minute,” the barman called out to them as he filled a pint glass from the tap.

Eno waved one hand in acknowledgment before heading toward the rear of the tavern, likely looking for a spot where they’d not be overheard but still have a good view of the door.

Halfway across the room, a tall woman with a long braid of rich brown hair slid out of the booth and grinned at him. Holy shit! Drayce nearly plowed through Eno to get to the woman who was holding her arms out to him.

“Melita!” he cried out as he threw himself into her arms.

Yes, this was the perfect spot for her to drive a knife into him, and it would be no less than he deserved, but this was motherfucking Melita Rey. The most badass of the royal guards and the sweetest woman he’d met in his entire life. If she’d not made it her life goal to mother him to death, Drayce would have proposed to this beautiful creature a hundred times over already.

Strong arms wrapped around him and squeezed tight, lifting him up to his toes and cracking his back in a couple of places. He was used to Melita’s spine-cracking hugs. They were the best. Drayce closed his eyes as they unexpectedly burned with tears. Since the horrible news, she was the first thing that felt like home to him.

“Thank all the gods living and dead you’re still alive,” she whispered in his ear. Her thick accent curled like smoke through his brain, calling up warm images of his adventures in the capital with Caelan.

Melita Rey had grown up in a southern Erya city where the accents of Erya and Ilon blended into their own rich stew. She’d grown up one of six girls in her incredibly wealthy family. Supposedly, her mother had wanted her to marry well and carry on the tradition of making Erya wine. She’d laughed. From her earliest memory, she wanted to be a guard of the royal family of Talos.

And from Drayce’s experience, nothing could stop Melita once she decided something was going to happen.

“Ditto girl,” Drayce gasped when he could draw in a breath. There was so much he wanted to ask her, but he bit his tongue. He’d likely caused a big enough scene already so that everyone was going to remember him and a woman named Melita. He was going to be lucky if Eno didn’t strangle him when they left.

When Melita released him with her wide grin, she stepped away and Drayce finally caught sight of her companion. All the fuzzy warmth drained out of him through his toes and his knees nearly gave out of him as the man unfolded himself from the table, no expression on his grizzled face.

Tomas Soto.

Drayce was fucked. Forget Eno strangling him. Tomas Soto could eviscerate him with just a look.

Tomas Soto was the head of the royal guards of Erya. There had been only two people in the world he’d had to answer to—Queen Amara and Hagen Sigurd, the queen’s personal bodyguard. Not even Caelan could boss this man around.

Well, technically he could now as king, but there was a part of Drayce that wondered if he’d listen.

“Drayce,” Tomas greeted, his voice a low roll of thunder.

Drayce gulped at him and nodded. He didn’t know what to say. Normally, he’d give a bow or a fucking salute to him, but they were trying to be incognito. Though his shout and super hug might have ruined that plan.

Technically, Drayce was never part of the royal guard. He didn’t actually answer to Tomas.

But when he and Caelan were spending nearly every day together after their first year of friendship, Eno and Tomas had secretly pulled him aside. The talk had been brutal, but they’d laid it out in very plain terms. If Drayce wanted to remain close friends with Caelan, he needed to finish a series of secret and intense training courses. Being Caelan’s friend came with serious responsibilities, and the first was to always keep Caelan safe, even if Eno was right there with them. As the one most likely standing closest to Caelan, Drayce would serve as Caelan’s final line of defense.

While it had never been explicitly stated, Drayce was sure that if he’d not completed his training to Tomas’s liking, he would have been quietly separated from Caelan and they would have never seen each other again. An ugly thought, but he wouldn’t have been able to fault Tomas for it.

Eno reached around Drayce and shook Tomas’s hand like they were old friends. The warrior smiled broadly at him, while Tomas managed a semi-friendly-looking smirk that didn’t quite reach his gray eyes.

“We just ordered breakfast and coffee,” Tomas said, motioning for them to slide into the booth with them.

Melita moved to scoot into the booth beside Tomas while Drayce slid inside after a poke from Eno to wake him from his locked thoughts. Which, of course, put him directly opposite Tomas. Caelan would definitely have been laughing at him, but then Caelan had never worried about their friendship ending because Drayce didn’t know enough ways to keep him safe. One dark look from Tomas had made that abundantly clear.

Drayce snagged the menus and slid one over to Eno. A Bloody Mary would have been welcome, but not with Tomas sitting across from him. Coffee probably would have been a bad idea too. He was already wired. Juice. And a burrito. Maybe some potatoes. Oooh…and they had fresh strawberries and cream. Maybe that was real strawberries he smelled.

“I’m not carrying you out of here,” Eno said with a smirk.

“How did you know I want everything?” Drayce asked, glancing over at Eno.

But it was Melita’s throaty chuckle that drew his gaze across the table. “Because you’ve been humming to yourself and bouncing in your seat for the past minute.”

“I’m hungry,” Drayce mumbled.

Eno laughed. “You’re always hungry.”

The barman with the handlebar mustache brought them four coffees in white mugs and then took his and Eno’s orders. Drayce reluctantly limited himself to the burrito and strawberries. The potatoes, while extremely tasty, would have put him in a food coma for the next few hours. He needed to stay sharp.

If Caelan had been there, he could have stolen a few of his potatoes while Cael raided his strawberries. He missed Cael. Well, that was a crazy thought. Drayce nearly sighed at himself. He’d see his friend soon enough, and hopefully he’d have news for him.

Conversation stopped while they waited for the bartender to drop the order off and return to the bar. Over hidden speakers, there was a low chatter from what sounded like a talk news radio station. Drayce wanted to explore, but it wasn’t possible. The booth was taller than his head, and Eno had given him the inside seat. They were also positioned with their backs to the door. Not a settling feeling.

But it was okay. It was Tomas and Melita. They wouldn’t betray the queen and Erya. They couldn’t. His very soul rebelled at the idea. Besides himself, Eno, and Rayne, he couldn’t think of anyone more dedicated to the safety of the royal family.

Still…if that were true, how was Queen Amara dead while they were alive? Shouldn’t they have died fighting to protect her? Not that he wanted either of them dead.

“Is it safe to talk?” Eno murmured.

Tomas grunted. “We’ve been here for the better part of an hour. No one has taken notice of us. How long have you been in Sirelis?”

“Not long,” Eno replied immediately. Tomas’s frown deepened. Yeah, not the most helpful answer.

Tomas turned his threatening gaze on Drayce and Eno chuckled. “Not going to work. He’s not saying anything. You have to talk to me. What happened in the capital?”

Tomas’s glare snapped back to Eno. “How did you come to be in Sirelis?”

Drayce peeked at Melita to see the woman roll her eyes as she lifted her mug of coffee to her lips. She winced at the first sip and Drayce grabbed the sugar container on the table, sliding it closer to her.

“You can not trust each other all you want, but this is Drayce,” Melita said. She snatched up the sugar and poured some into her mug. “He’d die before he betrayed him.”

There was no question who the “him” was. It warmed Drayce to think that she believed in him that much.

Drayce winked at her. “And this is Melita. The Melita. The most badass warrior woman ever. She’d die before betraying her honor.”

Tomas did not appear impressed. He looked irritated. Or maybe constipated. But then, his face always had that uncomfortable, blocked-up twist to his features.

“We were sent to Sirelis for a meeting with Noemi,” Eno said, his voice barely over a whisper. “She’d made the request for a meeting when the Empire crossed her border and started taking over some of the border bases. The train ran into some trouble in the Ordas, and we were forced to walk the last bit to a border town.”

“You walked in the Ordas,” Melita gasped, her mug forgotten halfway to her mouth. She lowered it again without drinking, leaning closer to Drayce. “Seriously?”

Drayce nodded. “Dude, it was insane. We were attacked by a group of these crazy huge purple cats. Or is it a herd? A pride? No, that’s—”

Eno placed a hand over Drayce’s mouth and groaned softly. “It was treacherous, but we survived.”

“Is Rayne Laurent with you?” Tomas demanded.

Eno lowered his hand, but Drayce pinched his lips tightly together as he watched his companion. He wasn’t saying a goddamn word about Rayne or Caelan without Eno’s approval first. Yes, he believed that Melita and Tomas were on the up-and-up, but did they believe the same about Rayne?

Tomas sighed heavily. “He was rarely more than a dozen steps away from him at any time. When he wasn’t found with him, we wondered…” Tomas paused and frowned at the mug of coffee caged between his scarred hands. “We’re still trying to locate people, but you three were among the most notable who were missing.”

“Some of us wanted to hope that it meant…” Melita said but drifted off and shook her head. “But we also feared.”

Drayce thought he was going to be sick. The idea that anyone thought he could be a traitor, that he could betray Caelan, was disgusting. No, he didn’t blame anyone for thinking it, even briefly. Their world had been turned upside down in the blink of an eye, but still…a traitor? Never. He was prepared to die for Caelan.

Eno frowned and looked over at Drayce. He shrugged at the big man. “We’re not getting anywhere. Not really.”

Sighing, Eno shifted in his seat and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket along with a pair of earbuds. He handed one to Melita and the other to Tomas before starting to tap on his phone, searching for something in particular. When they had the earbuds in place, Eno set the phone in the middle of the table and pressed the play button.

Melita gasped at the sight of Caelan sitting on the sofa within their apartment at the Sirelis palace. Behind him stood Eno and Rayne while Drayce rushed to get into the shot so Tomas and Melita could see them all.

While Drayce couldn’t hear Caelan now, the memory of shooting that video last night was clear in his head.

“Hello. I am Crown Prince Caelan Talos of Erya, the last living heir of the Talos line and would-be king of Erya.” He paused to give a tiny wry smile that didn’t wipe the pain from his eyes. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t meet with you today. I’m sending Eno and Drayce as my emissaries while I meet with Queen Noemi Thrudesh-Vo. I ask that you give my companions a full accounting of the events leading up to my mother’s death and the theft of the Godstone. I want to know what forces are left and where the Godstone is. I am working to gain us the military support needed to regain the Godstone and our kingdom. Together, we will crush the Empire and save our people. I swear it.”

Melita was openly weeping by the time the brief video was completed, and Tomas wasn’t a whole lot better. His eyes were screwed up tightly, and his hand was covering his mouth. Drayce hadn’t realized how much hope had hinged on whether Caelan might still be alive.

Eno picked up his phone, closed out of the video screen, and shoved it into his pocket. Tomas sucked in a shuddering breath as he handed back the earbud. Melita did the same and accepted a paper napkin from Drayce to wipe her face.

“Body double,” Eno whispered, and Tomas nodded. “We left well before the attack for our meeting with Caspagir. We knew nothing until we left the Ordas and entered Caspagir.”

They all suddenly straightened, conversation stopping when the bartender carried over a large tray loaded with food. He wordlessly set each plate in front of a person and then left. He returned a minute later, refreshed their coffee, and beat a hasty retreat. Drayce could only guess that they looked like they were in an intense conversation that shouldn’t be interrupted. So much for not appearing shady.

Grabbing up his knife and fork, Drayce dug into the food, moaning happily at the blending of egg, cheese, and meat in his mouth. It was a damn good burrito, and the strawberries were exquisite.

Melita’s surprised laugh drew his attention. Drayce lifted his eyes to find them all staring at him.

“What?” he demanded around another mouthful of food.

“At least your appetite hasn’t changed,” Melita laughed again.

Drayce snorted. “He barely let me grab a cup of coffee this morning. I need to keep my strength up.”

Tomas chuckled softly, and the last of the tension seemed to be broken. They ate quietly for a few minutes, and Drayce found himself enjoying the companionable silence more than he expected. He was looking forward to joining Rayne and Caelan to find out what the queen said, but this was nice too. Almost like the old days.

“It happened suddenly,” Tomas began. His voice was low and rough, as if some part of him were reliving the memory. “The day of the attack, I was contacted briefly by Hagen Sigurd. He confided in me that she was meeting with an emissary from New Rosanthe in secret. I wasn’t to tell anyone of the meeting, but the guards were to be placed on high alert until he told me otherwise.

“I doubled and tripled the guards where I could without it being obvious. I figured the most critical attack points were her, him, and the ministry.” He paused and licked his lips. Tomas had started to lift a forkful of eggs to his mouth but stopped, resting the fork on his plate. “I was in the middle of contacting the head of the navy to increase the guard on the harbor. I guessed that was how they were entering the capital, and then there was the explosion.”

“It was like Thia was being torn in half. The thunder of it. The shaking of the ground,” Melita murmured. “I had been heading up to his tower. To protect him. I saw this beam of light slice through the center tower like a knife through butter. Windows exploded in all the towers, and I was thrown backward.”

“I was in the lower floors, still trying to get the guard in position,” Tomas explained. “I didn’t see it. Just the falling concrete, steel, and glass that hit the ground, crushing hundreds in their panic. I got a quick call from the head of the navy. The weapon…it was hidden in one of the ships disguised as a trading shipment from Ilon. They were fighting it. The blast stopped, but it wasn’t over. I tried to get up to what remained of the top levels.”

Melita shook her head. “Everything had been blown away but the stone and two figures. An answering blast went out, and I thought it was from the stone at first, but I realized it was actually coming from a person. Her. She was fighting the Empire. In the light and smoke, I swear I thought I saw massive wings, but it had to be a trick of the smoke.” Melita shuddered. “The Empire fired another blast. When it stopped, there was only the stone. The two figures were gone.”

Drayce frowned down at his half-eaten burrito and put his fork aside. Melita had seen the death of Queen Amara and likely, her trusted bodyguard, Hagen. A coldness sank deep inside of Drayce’s bones, chilling his appetite and freezing his heart. It was worse than they’d feared.

There had been no meeting. No talks. Nothing. The Empire had just attacked and slaughtered hundreds, including their queen.

“I ran to find him, but he wasn’t in his rooms or the tower. It was hours later that we discovered that he’d been in the main tower.”

“It was chaotic. The fighting. The troops pouring out of the ship, flooding the harbor,” Tomas said, taking up the tale. “We fought as well as we could, but we weren’t prepared for the onslaught. We retreated into the neighborhoods to try to keep them corralled. The Empire didn’t follow. From what we were able to discern, their only interest is in the stone and the harbor.”

“The city?” Eno inquired, speaking for the first time in a bit.

“Split. The royal corridor belongs to the Empire, and they aren’t budging unless we get more help. The rest of the city is in our hands, though not openly.” Tomas swore softly under his breath and took a bite of his food. “Our numbers were sharply reduced prior to the attack. She’d sent many of our forces to Ilon and the border. I don’t know what was happening. I was hoping to get an update soon from an army commander I’m friends with, but…” he finished with a shrug. There hadn’t been time before their world fell apart.

“Our forces have gone underground,” Melita said. “We hold our ground and attack weak points, stealing ground and weapons where we can, but there’s no removing them from the stone or the harbor.”

“The stone is still in the city?” Drayce demanded in shock. He’d been sure the Empire would be moving it to their own home capital by now.

Tomas nodded. “They can’t move it.”

“What?” Eno gasped.

Melita nodded in agreement. “We’ve been watching them and yeah, it’s the strangest thing. They can get close to it, but for some reason, they can’t get it out of the tower. They’ve even tried using their weapon on it. Like if they can’t have it, then they’d rather see it destroyed.”

Drayce sort of blinked at his food. That was…unexpected. Not that he knew how the Godstone was kept in the tower, but he hadn’t expected it to refuse to be moved. And based on his conversations with Caelan, the prince didn’t expect that either.

“What’s his plan?” Tomas demanded.

Eno sat back, pushing his nearly empty plate away. He folded his arms over his chest and frowned. “You give your contact info to me and Drayce. We’ll share it with the others. We can’t make any decisions until he gets an update about home.”

“I want to see him,” Tomas growled.

Eno shocked Drayce by shaking his head. He had never thought Eno would deny Tomas any request. Tomas was his boss. But then, Eno’s job to keep Caelan safe and alive came before Tomas’s desires. “I’ll tell him of your request, but I’m going to tell him also that I’m against it.”

“What? Are you kidding me?” Melita snapped.

“My first duty is to his safety. The fewer people who see him, the better. He is our only hope of saving Erya. I will not risk him if I can help it.” Eno was confident and unwavering in his decision. And Drayce couldn’t be prouder of the man.

“What are we to do?”

Eno frowned. “Go home. We’ll take care of Caspagir. There are bigger things going on here that we are trying to get to the truth of. He needs you holding the stone in our home. Don’t let them take it out of the tower.”

Melita’s shoulders slumped. “I was hoping for more.”

Drayce reached across the table and covered her hand with one of his. “He’s alive. We’re still alive and we’re fighting. We’ll get our home back and stop the Empire from hurting anyone ever again. I know it.”

“He will contact you soon. We need some time to talk and plan. The sooner you return home, the sooner we can enact our plans,” Eno said calmly.

Tomas nodded. “You’re right. It’s more than we should have expected. But the stone—”

“We have to know where the stone is at all times. We have to get him to the stone, and it will be far easier if it’s in a place he knows better than any other.”

Drayce snorted. “Even if it is crawling with Empire soldiers.”

Tomas gave a jerky nod. “We’ll see what we can do about that.”

Eno grabbed his wallet and tossed some money onto the table before sliding out of the booth. Drayce shoved a bunch of strawberries into his mouth, moaning softly at the sweet taste. He followed Eno out, barely resisting the urge to throw a crooked smile at Melita. It felt wrong leaving them so quickly, but what else were they supposed to do? Eno was right. As much as he wanted to trust them completely, they couldn’t be allowed near Caelan. It was the only way to keep him safe.

“What do you think?” Drayce asked Eno when they were more than a block from the Slippery Duck Pub, weaving between the other pedestrians on their way to various destinations.

Eno looked over at him for a second, his expression grim. “We have a long, ugly road ahead of us. Hopefully he managed to get us a little more help today.”

It went without saying that if Caspagir couldn’t or wouldn’t help them, they didn’t have much chance of defeating the Empire.

19

Rayne Laurent

Even after Queen Noemi left for her meeting, they lingered in the conservatory, not speaking. Rayne didn’t know where to begin, really. Six godstones for six trapped gods. Well, now one of them was dead, leaving only five, but still, five was significantly bigger than one.

Naturally, he’d grown up hearing stories about the old gods, though he struggled to remember any of them. What had he thought? That they were all dead and gone? Or maybe they were simply existing wherever it was that gods existed, far from them and their troubles.

The Godstone had been created by the gods, but he hadn’t believed that a god was sleeping in that stone. If he had, he would have been sure to keep a much bigger distance between himself and it.

And where did that leave Caelan? He’d been raised with the idea that he would one day bond with the Godstone, draw power from it, and give over his life to its service. He clearly hadn’t known that he’d be bonding directly with a god. Not just any god, but the Goddess of Life. Lady Tula.

“At least my brain isn’t the only one clogged up by all of this.”

Caelan’s softly spoken words jerked Rayne from this torrent of thoughts. He blinked and found Caelan smiling at him, but there was worry filling his eyes. He slouched in his chair, his legs stretched before him, and his head resting against his fist. It was like all energy had been drained from him. His prince was simply overwhelmed. It was Rayne’s job to process all of this information and provide him with options that would lead them all to success.

But right now, Rayne was floundering in the worst way. Normally, this kind of discovery would leave him excited. He would be thrilled to have something new to research and learn about, but there wasn’t time for idle exploration and study. Erya was under Empire control, the Godstone was in their possession, and this was likely just the first step in the Empire’s grand scheme. Caelan needed answers and options right now, but Rayne wasn’t quite sure what to say.

That didn’t matter. They needed to meet and discuss all they’d learned. As they pondered the various angles of this new dilemma, Rayne would be able to come up with solutions. Yes, he could do this.

Straightening, Rayne pushed to his feet and forced a smile on his lips. “We should head to our chambers. Eno and Drayce are likely to be there. They’ll have news, and we can share what we’ve learned with them.”

Caelan’s fake smile fell away and he nodded. “Yes, we need to learn what has happened at home and what we can do.”

Rayne moved around the table and led the way out of the conservatory. When they stepped into the hall, one of the guards and the page were gone now. A single guard had been left behind to watch over them should something be needed. Rayne’s feet found their way to their apartments on their own, while his brain returned to the information they had learned, trying to sort through it all so he knew how best to relay it to Eno and the volatile Drayce.

His prince moved slower than before, his mind lost to his thoughts. Several times, Rayne had been forced to reduce his pace and even backtrack when he’d nearly lost Caelan to his wanderings. Not that Rayne could blame him. He would have preferred to find a comfortable chair in front of a window filled with sunlight. There, he would stare out over the beautiful city and leave his mind to turn this problem of what to do about the Empire and its potential plans to claim all the godstones.

At an intersection in the hall near their apartment, Prince Shey popped out and Rayne very nearly jumped. His footsteps were soft, and sadly Rayne’s mind was thoroughly distracted.

“Prince Shey, good morning,” Rayne said, recovering and bowing to the man.

He caught the playful smirk on Shey’s lips as he turned his attention to Caelan behind Rayne. “Good morning, Rayne. Good morning, Your Majesty. I wish to give my sincerest condolences.”

“Thank you,” Caelan replied. He stepped up beside Rayne and extended his hand. “And Caelan is fine between us, Shey.”

Shey took Caelan’s hand and shook it. “I take it you’ve been speaking to Mother this morning.”

Caelan nodded. “She’s given me a great deal to think about.” He paused and a small grin slid across his face as he observed Rayne. Oh yes, of course Caelan was thinking about his past with Shey, which was the least interesting thing Noemi had told them. But the smile quickly fell away, and he turned serious again. “There is much I need to think about and discuss with my companions. However, I was wondering if I might steal some time with you later to get your thoughts.”

“Of course. I am happy to be at your service.”

“Excellent.” Caelan looked as if he were going to resume walking toward the apartment, but Shey cleared his throat, stopping him.

“I was also hoping that I might steal Rayne for a moment to discuss just a small thing.”

The grin had returned, and Rayne fought the urge to roll his eyes. Shey was not thinking of anything romantic, but that was obviously where Caelan’s mind had gone.

“Of course,” Caelan said, with a wave of his hand. “I’ll be in my chambers. I’ll catch up with you in a bit, Rayne.” Caelan resumed his stroll along the hallway.

They watched him disappear into the room before Rayne turned his attention to Shey. When Rayne opened his mouth to ask what Shey wanted, the man grabbed his wrist and pulled him along the corridor past their apartment and to a hidden nook tucked away out of immediate sight of anyone coming down the hall.

Rayne found himself pushed up against the wall. One of Shey’s hands was braced on the wall right next to his head while the other pressed on his chest, holding him in place. A slow, wicked grin spread across Shey’s lips, and there was no question that he could feel Rayne’s heart racing in his chest.

But how could it not? To once again be the focus of that intense gaze was undeniably thrilling. His fondness for Shey, his concern for him had never faded. He couldn’t imagine a time when he wouldn’t care for the handsome man in some small way at least.

However, he was very careful to keep his hands clenched at his sides when his first instinct had been to rest his hand on Shey’s hip as he had so many times in the past.

Things between them hadn’t exactly fizzled out so many years ago. They hadn’t separated because of a fight or boredom or even some great rift in their ideologies. Shey hadn’t tried to hide Rayne from his mother. Of course, they hadn’t proclaimed their relationship to the world. They’d just enjoyed each other’s company while they had it, understanding that one day Shey would have to rule Caspagir and Rayne would return to Erya to work for the royal family.

And he had enjoyed his time with Shey. Treasured it, really. Shey had been impulsive and a bit wild. Maybe their association had even made Rayne a little reckless at times. He’d worried less about the expectations of his father and all his own ambitious goals.

When they were together, hidden away from the world, the young prince had been free, and he’d made Rayne the center of their world for as long as they could disappear together. Shey worried less about the opinions of others. He didn’t feel the weight of the scars on his handsome face. And they’d worshiped each other every moment they had.

It wasn’t all sex, though.

Well, a lot of it was sex.

Gods, it had been amazing sex.

After the sex, they’d lain tangled in each other and talked. They’d shared a hundred and one dreams, thoughts, and insane ideas without worrying about being laughed at or mocked. With Shey, it had been safe to dream big, ridiculous dreams. That life had been intoxicating.

Naturally, returning home had meant returning to reality, where he learned that so many of those dreams were completely impossible, but bits and pieces of them could be slowly implemented. He’d taken his place next to Caelan and worked alongside others in the Erya government. He’d learned much from Queen Amara even if it was from a distance.

But he’d never forgotten his time with Shey. Maybe he did yearn for those old days and dreams when he was alone.

“What are you doing, Shey?” Rayne was trying to sound stern, but the attempt was lost in his breathless voice as he was nearly swept out to sea by a tidal wave of memories.

“I thought I would steal you away so we could talk.” His answering grin was positively wolfish, sending the most delicious flush of warmth through his body. There was something so intoxicating about being desired by a powerful man, knowing that of all the people in the kingdom, he was the one Shey wanted more than any other. Rayne had forgotten what it was like to be desired by someone like that.

Except it wasn’t like being held in the dark gaze of Eno Bevyn. Nothing in this world could match that.

“Now is not a good time.”

Shey threw his head back and laughed. “It’s like you’ve forgotten everything. There was never a good time for us. We always said we had to steal the time, steal the moments before they slipped away.” The Caspagir prince took a step closer so that their chests bumped lightly. “And if I must, I will steal you while I can.”

Rayne lifted his hand and dragged his fingertips across Shey’s cheek, following the white line of the old scars. As he’d expected, Shey closed his eyes and pressed his face into his touch, relaxing. Rayne was sure he was the only one who could touch Shey there, and part of him ached for his old lover. Shey needed someone who could give all of himself over, to care and protect the prince when he would allow no others close.

“We’re in the middle of a war.”

“All the more reason to grab this time.” Shey opened his eyes and held Rayne’s gaze. “And maybe I want to also give you a reason to return to Sirelis after this is all over. To tempt you to stay permanently.”

“Shey,” Rayne started, but anything else became caught in his throat. When Rayne had lived in Sirelis, they had never discussed Rayne staying longer. They’d never even whispered the idea that their relationship was anything other than temporary.

“Letting you leave without a fight was an enormous mistake on my part. I should have been fighting for you from the first second we met. But you’re back. I’ve been given another chance. I know things ahead of us are difficult, but there will be an end to it, and I want you here.”

“Shey, I-I can’t.” Rayne’s brain was scrambling. Of all the things he thought he’d be dealing with when they arrived in Sirelis, this had not even flashed across his brain. He’d never imagined that he’d meant so much to Shey. The man had always kept his emotions so close to his chest.

Years ago, Rayne would have been throwing his arms around the prince’s neck and kissing him while murmuring his agreement into his mouth. He would have given anything to have Shey claim him. He’d adored Shey. Together, they could have shaped Caspagir into greatness.

But time changed all people. The love he felt for Shey had mellowed into something closer to warm admiration and friendship. Rayne had a life that he loved in Erya, a duty that drove his every waking moment.

And for a few years now, there was a man who’d slowly claimed more and more of his soul. He had no idea if a life with Eno was even possible, but he wouldn’t be satisfied if he didn’t at least try.

“I know that you need to help Caelan right now. I completely understand that. I’m willing to wait. When this nonsense with New Rosanthe is over and Caelan is on his throne, I want you here beside me.”

“It’s more than Caelan,” Rayne finally got out. He slid his hand to rest on Shey’s shoulder. “It’s more than my duty to Erya. There’s…there’s someone else.”

Shey stiffened but didn’t pull away. “Someone else? You’ve met someone. Another prince?”

Rayne narrowed his eyes on his former lover. “Don’t be a snob.”

“I’m teasing and you know it. I didn’t realize I had competition for your heart. If that is the case, I think I should double my efforts.”

“I’m not a prize to be won, Shey.”

“Your love and devotion are the greatest prize of all.”

Someone cleared their throat and they jerked as one. Shey remained close to Rayne as if he meant to shield him, but there was no protecting him from Eno’s dark glare. His normally warm chestnut-brown eyes appeared almost black as he pinned Rayne, then moved that cold stare to Shey. Rayne’s heart sank into his stomach, and he immediately dropped his hand from Shey’s shoulder. Oh, this was very bad.

“Excuse me,” Eno bit out. “Caelan needs Rayne. Now.”

“Eno,” Rayne said in a rough voice. “This is Prince Shey Thrudesh-Vo of Caspagir. Your Highness, this is Eno Bevyn, bodyguard of Prince Caelan Talos of Erya.”

Rayne wanted to groan. This was easily the most awkward introduction he’d ever made, particularly when one person was a member of royalty. Shey was still crowded close, positioned somewhere between protecting Rayne and kissing the life out of him, while they faced the man who could make Rayne melt completely.

“Master Bevyn, a pleasure,” Shey greeted tightly without moving.

“Your Highness.” Eno managed to grind those two words between his teeth. He bowed his head, but he never lowered his eyes from Shey’s face. The warning was obvious, and it only made a slow, predatory smile spread across Shey’s lips. “Rayne.”

Rayne barely suppressed a shiver, his cock plumping against his will at the sound of Eno’s voice. The control. He craved it at that moment. Everything about his life was about control and denial, analyzing piles of data to make countless decisions that could mean life and death. But with Eno, for one brief shining moment, he could let it all go and place the control into his strong hands.

“A moment—”

“Shey,” Rayne said softly, interrupting his game.

His former lover looked at him, eyes searching his face and reading what he couldn’t bring himself to say. Shey’s smile softened and he nodded. “Too late to this contest, am I?”

“It’s no contest or game. I’m no prize.”

Shey rubbed his thumb along the edge of Rayne’s chin, and his heart skipped at the longing he could so clearly read in Shey’s eyes. “You are a man worth fighting for.” Releasing Rayne, Shey stepped backward and bowed his head to Eno as if ceding the field of battle. But Shey wouldn’t be Shey if he didn’t toss out one last challenge. “You’re also a man worth waiting for. You know where to find me, Rayne.”

Shey went down the hall the way he came, and Rayne leaned heavily on the wall, releasing a sigh of relief. He wasn’t entirely sure his knees would support him. He closed his eyes to try to gather his thoughts before attempting to come up with some way to explain all this to Eno. He never got a chance.

Eno slammed his mouth over Rayne’s, swallowing Rayne’s cry of shock. Rough, possessive hands grabbed him, holding him while Eno swept his tongue through Rayne’s mouth. He could feel the stamp of ownership, taste the anger but also the worry and fear. Everything between them was so new and fragile. Rayne was sure he wouldn’t handle seeing one of Eno’s past conquests wrapped around him with nearly the same amount of control Eno had displayed.

Rayne had barely managed to relax into the kiss, submitting to it completely. He wanted everything Eno was willing to give him, even if it was jealousy and rage. But Eno was pulling away too quickly.

“Take us somewhere private. Now,” Eno growled.

“What?” Rayne blinked, trying to get his poor brain back online. It really didn’t stand a chance. Between Noemi’s shocking announcement, Shey’s surprise, and now Eno’s kisses, Rayne was ready to just let it close up shop until the next day.

“A private room now or I will fuck you here where Shey or even Caelan can find us.”

Rayne wanted to argue that Eno was being ridiculous, but he didn’t look as if he were willing to be pushed. Straightening from the wall, Rayne grabbed Eno’s hand in his and pulled him along the corridor. He prayed that Caelan or Drayce didn’t choose that moment to peer out into the hall as they passed the door.

Cursing himself and his sudden reckless streak, Rayne continued a bit farther before dipping down another corridor. Panic and excitement surged through his veins, making him lightheaded. He knew the palace from previous visits, but not well enough to start poking his head into just any room. But he couldn’t delay too long. Eno was a bubbling cauldron behind him. If he didn’t find them a private spot, Eno was going to act, and Rayne wasn’t sure he had enough common sense left in his brain to stop him.

Halfway along the hall, he grabbed the handle of a door that likely belonged to another bedroom. He silently opened it and poked his head in to find a small but lovely bedroom with no personal items anywhere. It was plain enough to serve as a guest room for any visiting dignitary, and right now it was empty.

He pulled Eno inside and started to release his hand as he turned to face him. Eno closed the door and turned the lock in the knob before shoving Rayne against the wall next to the door.

“Eno—”

“He’s your ex?” Eno snarled.

“Yes.”

Rayne didn’t have the chance to say more. Eno’s mouth covered his again in a brutal, draining kiss. His legs gave out and the only things holding him upright were the wall and Eno’s strong hands. One tightly gripped his hip while the other held the side of his face. Rayne kissed him with everything that he had, wrapping his arms tightly around Eno. He pulled him in, wanting to make this amazing man part of him so they could never be separated.

“He can’t have you,” Eno declared, pulling away enough to bite Rayne’s bottom lip. Rayne whimpered, but Eno quickly licked it away. The kiss grew hungrier, Eno’s sharp stubble scratching his face. Their tongues tangled and fought, but it wasn’t enough.

“More,” Rayne moaned into Eno’s mouth, and his lover nodded.

The hand holding his hip moved between them and started pulling at his belt. Deftly Eno opened his pants and slid his callous-rough fingers into his underwear. They closed on his dick and pulled. Rayne cried out, suddenly not caring who the hell heard them. Let all of the castle know that he belonged to Eno Bevyn.

“Shhh…I’ve got you,” Eno whispered so close their lips brushed. And then he was kissing him again. Slowly this time, but still so possessive. Eno’s confidence was back. The appearance of Shey had likely rattled him, but it felt like he was growing more confident with each sound that escaped Rayne.

Rayne dropped his hands to Eno’s jeans, fighting the damn button and zipper to free the man’s impressive length. “Not enough. Fuck me. You said you’d fuck me.” Eno hissed with pleasure when Rayne grabbed his cock and proceeded to stroke him. He loved the feel of him, that hot, velvet girth.

A low chuckle from Eno sent the best tingles down his spine, and Rayne found himself thrusting into Eno’s hand, chasing that thrill.

“We can’t. No supplies.”

“I don’t care,” Rayne panted.

“I’m not hurting you, my darling.”

Rayne narrowed his eyes. “You want me to beg?”

Eno smiled and held up two fingers on his free hand. “No, I want you to suck.” He squeezed Rayne’s dick, wringing a gasp out of Rayne. At that moment, Eno placed his fingers into Rayne’s mouth.

No more questions. Rayne sucked those fingers as if his life depended on it. Or at the very least, the orgasm that was starting to tingle at the base of his spine. His tongue moved along Eno’s thick digits, drawing out the best hum of pleasure. He didn’t know what Eno had planned, but then his brain had stopped working a while ago.

“I will always take care of you, because you are mine,” Eno whispered, slowing his strokes. “Such a beautiful mouth and a sharp tongue. I’d love to see that mouth around my dick. Too full to argue with me for once.” Rayne groaned around Eno’s fingers. He wanted that too. Eno pulled his fingers from Rayne’s mouth and replaced them with his tongue.

Rayne let the larger man maneuver him, too lost to the swell of need in him. Eno released his cock and battled Rayne’s hand away so he could gather them together in his large fist. At the same time, those wet fingers slid along Rayne’s crack and toyed with his hole, pressing so lightly while he began to stroke them together.

His hips thrust and shoved backward, chasing the teasing orgasm while desperate to feel Eno inside of him. “Please,” he panted into his lover’s ear, clinging to his broad shoulders.

“Tell me you’re mine,” Eno snarled.

“Yours. Only yours. Shey won’t touch me. Only you. For as long as you want me.”

Eno lifted his face to stare right into Rayne’s eyes. “I will always want you.” He shoved both slick fingers into Rayne’s ass. The burn and stretch were exquisite, like lighting crackling along his soul. He cried out, but Eno captured the sound with his own mouth. Eno fucked him hard with his hands. Rayne had no chance to stop the orgasm that ripped through him. His lover owned him completely.

Pleasure washed over him and all he could do was let it pull him under. He clung to Eno, basking in the feel and sound of Eno following behind him. Eno pulled his fingers free, but cupped his ass, holding him close. Rayne wrapped his arms around him, burying his face into the man’s neck. He felt strangely at peace, even though his world had been turned upside-down time and again over the past week. In Eno’s arms, he was safe.

“We should clean up before Caelan and Drayce start searching for us,” Eno murmured.

Rayne nodded against him. He wasn’t ready for reality to intrude on their tiny bubble, but it was the truth. He’d been missing for far too long, and now Eno was missing. They couldn’t afford to have the other two growing curious.

Reluctantly pulling away, Rayne held up the front of his shirt and caught the waist of his pants. A mess was smeared across his stomach, but not as much as he was expecting. Judging by the way Eno was holding his hand, it appeared the man had deftly caught most of it.

Leading the way across the room, Rayne flipped on the light to the en suite bathroom, wincing briefly at the brightness and then his own rumpled reflection. Lovely. His lips were swollen. And was that beard burn? He stepped to the far sink and turned on the faucet, warming the water while Eno chose the other sink.

A heavy sigh had Rayne’s eyes snapping over to see Eno frowning at the water. He would have hoped the man would have remained happier a bit longer after the orgasm.

“I know this is a stupid question, but which of the many things that are wrong with our lives is troubling you right now?” Rayne inquired.

“A prince, Rayne? Your ex had to be a prince?” Eno said as he washed his hands.

Rayne could only blink at him. Not quite the answer he’d been expecting. “I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t,” Eno muttered. He quickly soaped up a washcloth and cleaned himself while Rayne did the same.

“Please, talk to me. I’m sorry if you misunderstood about Shey. He caught me off guard as we returned to our chambers, but I’ve been clear with him that what happened in the past between us is over.”

Eno shook his head. “It’s not that. We haven’t made any promises to each other. You can sleep with whoever you want. I just…I’m so out of my depth here. You’re not some prize, but he’s right too. You are worth fighting for, worth dying for, and so worth waiting a lifetime for. How am I to compete with a prince? My only value is in my sword and the life I can sacrifice for another.”

Rayne tossed aside the towel he’d been using to dry off with and wrapped his long arms around Eno, pulling him in tight. “You are more than a sword. You are a wonderful mind and a loving heart. You are devotion, loyalty, and strength.”

Strong arms hugged him, and Rayne felt some of the tension leave Eno’s shoulders. “I feel like I’ve wanted you for years,” Eno whispered, warming something deep inside of Rayne. “What do you want?”

Pulling away enough to meet Eno’s gaze, Rayne smiled. “I want you to want me. I want you to possess me completely, body and soul. I want to know that no matter where we are in the world, I will always belong to you.”

“Done. You are mine, Rayne Laurent. Always.”

Rayne kissed him one last time, promising himself there would be longer moments like this. Moments that didn’t feel hurried or stolen.

He reluctantly stepped away and started to pull his clothes together. “We need to get back.”

Eno groaned. “We have a lot to discuss.”

That was a massive understatement. Their world was being torn apart and put together in strange and unexpected ways. But Rayne had to believe they would find a way through it together. For all their sakes.

20

Caelan Talos

“You have the look of a man who could use a drink.”

At the sound of Prince Shey’s voice, Calean straightened in the chair he’d been lounging in. He turned to see the prince strolling onto the balcony with the neck of a wine bottle clenched in one hand and a pair of wineglasses in the other.

He’d been seated on the balcony for nearly two hours now, watching the sun set and the lights brighten across the city of Sirelis. After the return of Rayne and Eno to their chambers, they’d had a long discussion about the godstones and the current fate of their home. Some of the discussion had devolved into shouting and maybe even a few threats.

It hadn’t been a pretty talk. His shoulders ached under the new heavy weight of his position of king. Calean was still recovering from learning there were so many other godstones in the world, but Eno had refused to even hear of it. He’d simply refused to believe it for several minutes. The man had always been stubborn, but this seemed to be extreme even for him. How could he not believe in Caelan’s senses and abilities?

But it wasn’t about not believing in Caelan so much as an unwillingness to have his entire perception of their world uprooted and flipped on its head.

For some strange reason, Drayce seemed to take it all in stride, as if it wasn’t a huge shock. But then, Drayce had always had the ability to have unbelievable things roll right off his back.

When they’d finally stopped arguing over the existence of multiple godstones, they moved on to arguing about what to do about the Empire in their home. They had too little information about the Empire’s weapon, how many troops they had at their disposal, or even the arrangement of the Empire’s forces.

So far, all Caelan had been able to do on that front was to call Tomas, which seemed to settle the old soldier, and reiterate Eno’s instructions to force the Empire to keep the stone in Stormbreak.

Until Caelan could cook up some firepower that allowed them to stand toe-to-toe with the Empire, there wasn’t much he could do. He did have one idea, but it felt like a long shot.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Shey suddenly apologized. He bowed deeply to Caelan, and it took Caelan a moment to realize that Shey was correcting himself. He’d first addressed Caelan as an equal but then remembered that Caelan was a king now. A bit of a king without a kingdom, but a king all the same. Caelan’s own mind shied away from the title at times, but there was no avoiding the responsibilities. Not that he wished to. He only wanted to protect his people.

But when it came to Shey and his own friends, he preferred to be just Caelan for a little while. Especially since Shey had at least ten years on him. It simply felt strange to have Shey bowing and addressing him so formally when they’d been seen as equals not that long ago.

“Caelan, remember,” he corrected Shey.

“Oh. Yes. Sorry.”

A bark of laughter jumped from Caelan, and he was left trying to ignore the bitter taste of it on his tongue. He waved Shey forward with a crooked smile. “Please sit. A drink sounds amazing.”

Shey instantly relaxed and closed the distance between them. Dropping into the seat next to Caelan, he made short work of opening the wine and pouring them each a glass.

Lifting his glass, Shey toasted, “To a quick end of the Empire menace and a slow death to the Emperor for all the suffering he has caused.”

Caelan clinked his glass against Shey’s. That was a toast he could drink to.

They lounged in their chairs, allowing the silence to settle over them before Caelan’s mind finally found a neutral enough topic to start with.

“I’m sorry that I’ve not been able to greet Princess Fiona since I arrived at the palace,” Caelan said.

Shey’s smile stiffened a little. “Yes, I know she’s quite upset at missing you. She’s the social butterfly of us all and enjoys entertaining guests, but my mother thought it best if she went to stay at our winter home in the mountains for a time.”

Caelan nodded and grunted softly. It was something he understood far too well, considering his own mother had sent him to Sirelis when she’d suspected there would be trouble.

“When the queen first told me of my trip to Caspagir, I jokingly asked if she was arranging my marriage to you. I had no idea that you had already dated my advisor. That was a shock.” Caelan flashed Shey a quick grin. “In truth, I’ve always struggled to imagine Rayne dating anyone. He’s always so serious and focused on his work.”

Shey chuckled. “It must have come as an even bigger shock when you discovered who he is dating now.”

Unfortunately, Caelan had been in the middle of taking a sip of his wine. He gasped, inhaling a swallow. He leaned all the way forward, choking and coughing on the wine. Shey placed his glass on the small table between them, patting Caelan firmly on the back.

“I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

“Fine. I’m fine,” Caelan wheezed, trying to clear his throat. He wiped the tears from his eyes and took a tiny sip of wine. “But what you were saying? Rayne is seeing someone now?”

The prince winced. “You didn’t know?”

“No! I had no idea. Getting Rayne to talk about his personal life can be like trying to pull secrets from the gods.” Caelan made a noise. “No, it’s easier to get dead gods to talk.”

Caelan slouched in his seat and stared out at the city without actually seeing it. Rayne was dating someone? How? When? It felt as if Rayne spent his every waking moment in Caelan’s presence. When would he possibly have a chance to see anyone socially?

The only people he ever saw Rayne with were himself, Drayce, and Eno. Rayne and Drayce? No. Absolutely not. Well, maybe. Drayce did listen to Rayne a lot better than he did to Eno. And Drayce was pretty good at getting Rayne to laugh when no one else could.

But if Drayce and Rayne were involved, then that moment when they were in the jail cell wasn’t what he thought it was.

On the other hand, if Rayne wasn’t with Drayce, did that mean he was dating Eno? Nope. Not a chance. They were total opposites. It had to be someone Caelan wasn’t thinking of.

“Who?” Caelan inquired, his voice still rough from nearly choking on the wine.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty—”

“Just Caelan, please.”

“Caelan,” Shey agreed with a small nod. “I don’t want to betray Rayne’s privacy. I discovered the truth quite by accident.”

Caelan let him off with a wave. He was right. Part of him might be dying to know who had captured Rayne’s eye simply because he couldn’t imagine Rayne interested in anyone. “I appreciate your respect for Rayne’s privacy. I hope he confides in me because I’m curious, but he deserves to have some privacy.”

Shey smirked. “It’s not like we can expect much,” he muttered with a wave toward the rest of Sirelis.

“Very true.”

“And as a side note, if our mothers had arranged for our marriage, I would count myself very lucky.” Shey tipped his glass at him and Caelan could feel his cheeks heat. Shey Thrudesh-Vo was a very handsome man who’d played a part in some of Caelan’s fantasies for a time, but he just wasn’t Caelan’s type. The compliment was nice all the same.

“I appreciate that, but I’m sure that Rayne has explained that I’m not the greatest catch. Moody, slow to get moving in the morning, and I’m a king without a kingdom.”

Caelan’s cheerfulness fell away, and he stared out at the city. Sirelis was beautiful, but it wasn’t his home. He needed to return home, claim what was his, and help his people.

“I’ve spoken with Queen Noemi. Caspagir will give any help that we can to rid Erya of the Empire and reclaim the Godstone. We’ve begun preparing a fleet to send across the sea toward Erya. Our admirals are pulling together proposals for attack.”

Shey’s words should have been comforting, given him some hope, but an attack by Caspagir’s navy wasn’t enough. Not if the Empire had a weapon strong enough to destroy his mother and claim the Godstone.

“Forgive me, but did you not know that Sirelis was the home of a godstone until Queen Noemi told you?”

Shey picked up his wineglass and drank half the contents before placing it on the table again. “I did not, and there is a part of me that wishes that she never told me.”

His words felt like a slap to the face. Caelan couldn’t believe Shey felt that way. “Really? I don’t understand.”

Shey looked over at him, his eyes narrowed and head tilted slightly to the side as if he were truly seeing Caelan for the first time. “Maybe you wouldn’t. You’ve grown up knowing a godstone lay just outside your door. All that power sitting there. What kind of risk is that to all your people? And it has made Erya a target for centuries.” Shey stared at his empty hands between his legs and shook his head. “I don’t want to bring that kind of danger to my people. What if the Empire knows that our godstone exists?”

“Then you use it to protect your people. You use it to make their lives better.”

Shoving to his feet, Shey paced over to the stone railing at the edge of the balcony and stared at his kingdom, arms folded over his chest. Caelan studied him in the waning light. Even when he was relaxed, his posture was straight and unyielding. His frown brought out little lines of worry about his mouth and eyes. Everything about him screamed soldier while Caelan had largely spent his existence as a diplomat. The difference between them felt so very stark.

“I wouldn’t even begin to know how,” Shey muttered with a shake of his head. “I didn’t even know the damn thing was there.”

Caelan rose, crossing to stand beside him. “You can’t feel it, can you? You can’t hear it? Queen Noemi said that she has never heard from the God of Storms, but have you—”

“No.” Shey peered over at him, eyes narrowed. “But you can hear him?”

“I feel the power in the air. Like lightning waiting in the wind for a chance to escape. I hear whispers, but the words are too low for me to understand,” Caelan admitted. “I’ve felt your godstone from the first moment I set foot in Sirelis.”

“Can…can you talk to the god?”

“I think so.” Caelan paused and licked his lips. This question had bounced through his brain almost since they’d first set foot in the city. “I think I can bond with the Caspagir godstone. All your kingdom is offering is wonderful and greatly appreciated, but I don’t think I can defeat the Empire and get back my godstone without the power of a godstone at my fingertips.”

Shey waited for only a heartbeat before he nodded and turned to face Caelan. “Okay. I’ll take you to the God of Storms tomorrow. You can talk to him and bond with the stone or whatever your family does. I don’t relish the idea of throwing my entire navy against the Empire, but if you’ve got some magic that can help, I say let’s do it.”

Caelan grinned at Shey. Yeah, he could see how the prince was still dangerously impulsive. He bowed his head to the man. “I’m honored, but I don’t think you understand. Once I bond with the Wind Stone, the bond can’t be undone. The power of the Wind Stone can only move to another after my death. At least that’s how it works with the Life Stone. I’m going to assume the God of Storms works the same way.” Caelan shook his head. “I won’t steal your birthright. I’ve had mine stolen by the Empire, and I won’t do the same to you.”

A low chuckle surprised Caelan, and his head snapped up to see Shey smiling at him. “Considering I didn’t know it existed and no Thrudesh-Vo has ever bonded with the Wind Stone, I don’t see it as much of a birthright. More of a burden to keep hidden from the world. I say you are welcome to the power of the Wind Stone if you can get the old god to talk to you.”

“Thank you.” Caelan allowed a small sheepish smile to sneak out before he moved to pick up his glass of wine again. His mind was still somewhat boggled over Shey’s easy acceptance, but then the man also seemed to regard the stone as more curse than boon. “Of course, this is all assuming the God of Storms will talk to me in the first place. He may decide I’m not worth his attention. That the Talos family belongs to the Goddess of Life.”

“If you are able to bond with the Wind Stone, will that affect your bond with the Erya godstone?”

Caelan sighed. “I’m not formally bonded with the Life Stone.”

“What? But the magic bubble you made in the cell?”

Caelan turned to face Shey. “Only Queen Amara was formally bonded with the Life Stone. When she died, I was already here in Caspagir and the Godstone was in the hands of the Empire. I have to be with the stone, to be able to speak to the dead god, in order to complete the bond.”

Shey rubbed his forehead with one hand as if a headache were coming on. Caelan picked up the bottle of wine and refilled Shey’s glass before handing it to him. “This is all more than I ever wanted to know about the gods. I felt better when everyone was calling them dead and they weren’t talking to us.”

Caelan huffed a laugh. Maybe it didn’t bother him as much simply because he had been raised on it. Gods and the Godstone were facts of life. “Dead is a misnomer, I guess. They’re trapped in the stones. Well, all except the one in Zastrad. I’m guessing that one really is dead.”

“Unless he’s running loose somewhere, and we don’t know it.”

Not a comforting thought.

“But as I was saying, only one person can bond with a godstone at a time. Right now, I’m hoping that they’ll let me bond with two. I can feel the power from both. I can very nearly pull on the power from the Wind Stone.” Caelan paused and smiled at Shey. “You see, Amara might have had a bond with the Life Stone, but she was permitted to share some of that power with me. I could use a fraction of what she could ultimately tap. When I speak to the God of Storms, would you like me to see if he’d let me share some of the power from the Wind Stone with you?”

Shey stumbled backward a step, catching himself on the stone wall and leaning heavily on it when it seemed his legs would no longer support him. His mouth bobbed open, but no words came out. Just a strangled sound that resembled Caelan’s name.

“It won’t be a full bond, but you could use the power to protect your people.”

“I-I don’t know. It doesn’t seem wise. I don’t wish to make Caspagir a target.”

“New Rosanthe is within your borders. If the Emperor’s target is the Blood Stone within the Ordas, all of Thia is a target.”

“I worry that I will hurt my people with this power. What if I can’t control it?”

Shey’s unsteady words only made Caelan feel better about his offer. He walked over and clinked his glass against Shey’s. “And that is why I want you to have it. Think of the small bit of power the god might share with you as a shield. The bonding is the sword.”

A heavy breath left Shey and his shoulders slumped a little. “I’d be more comfortable with that.”

“If the God of Storms agrees to the deal, I’ll try to teach you what I can before we face the Empire. The protection spells I learned were pretty simple but effective when it came to keeping people safe.”

A sharp laugh left Shey, and he walked over to the chair, sitting in it heavily. He emptied his glass again. “You speak of talking to gods like it’s a normal thing. Did you have many conversations with the Goddess of Life?”

Caelan joined him in his seat. “Not as many as I probably should have. I spoke to her a few times. She never spoke directly to me, but I always had the feeling that she was there, listening to me. At the time, I thought it was all in my head, so I felt less crazy about talking to a magic rock, but maybe she was listening. My mother spoke to her often, and I think the goddess spoke to her.” He paused as a lump grew in his throat. “I wonder…I wonder if she knew that my mother was dying. Why didn’t she do anything? She’s the Goddess of Life. Why…why did she just let her die?”

A hand landed on his shoulder and gently squeezed, reminding him of his mother’s much smaller hand holding on to his shoulder just a week ago. “Maybe it’s like you said. She’s a trapped goddess. Maybe she can’t do anything but lend you power and watch. She’d known Queen Amara her entire life. If the gods can feel anything in those stones, that couldn’t have been an easy moment for her.”

“Maybe,” Caelan whispered past the lump. His throat felt raw and ragged. He finished his wine to ease the pain, but it only moved down to his chest.

“At least when you get the Life Stone back, you’ll be able to ask the goddess.”

That was true, but Caelan doubted the goddess would have an answer for him that he liked.

For now, he needed to focus on winning over the God of Storms. A Talos might be good enough for the Goddess of Life, but there was no telling if any of the other gods were as agreeable. This all could have been for nothing.

Or the God of Storms could simply kill him because he was bored.

21

Caelan Talos

Caelan sat in the back seat of the SUV, behind Shey, as he drove them from the palace toward the lighthouse. Rayne was sitting in the front seat beside Shey while Eno and Drayce were in the rear with him. As they passed through the city, Caelan’s gaze drifted to Rayne, wondering yet again who had caught his advisor’s attention.

Seeing Rayne and Shey standing close together as they’d prepared to leave the palace, Caelan didn’t miss that they actually looked good together. They were about the same height and build. Shey seemed to have a bit more muscle mass, but there was a natural regalness to Rayne as if the man were meant to be matched up with royalty or at least someone from the nobility. It didn’t hurt that Caelan knew for a fact that Rayne had a taste for the finer things in life.

Of course, Rayne was also a brilliant tactician. He knew how to handle people and difficult situations. There were more than a few times that Caelan felt that Rayne would make a much better ruler. He could only hope that whoever Rayne was dating understood the man’s true worth.

Glancing out the window as they wove their way through the crowded streets toward the harbor, Caelan found himself wondering how his own people were doing. In Sirelis, the citizens were happily going about their business, shopping and enjoying the warm summer day. Were his people able to get the food and supplies they needed to survive? Was the Empire causing trouble for them?

Tomas had told Eno that the Empire was focused mostly on holding the towers and the Godstone. With any luck, the people of Erya could live their lives safely enough until Caelan could return to set them free.

Before they reached the harbor, Shey turned onto a narrow, little-used road that seemed to wind away from the harbor. After close to a mile, it dipped underground. It made sense that the royal family had a secret entrance to where the stone was being held. The charge of power in the air was growing thicker as they continued down the concrete tunnel.

Drayce leaned closer, a grin on his lips. “How’s the tingle?”

“You are such a pain in the ass,” Caelan muttered under his breath while trying very hard to not smile. That only helped to encourage Drayce.

“Tingle?” Shey inquired from the front seat and Caelan rolled his eyes, swearing silently in his head. Yes, of course Prince Shey had heard Drayce.

“Caelan said the power from the Wind Stone feels like a tingle along his skin.” Drayce happily explained.

“If that’s how it works, I’m glad that the old god hasn’t paid any attention to me,” Shey replied.

With any luck, that was going to be a temporary situation that he fixed very soon. Shey would make a strong ally against New Rosanthe. If something went wrong, Caelan needed to know that there was someone waiting in the wings to pick up the mantle and continue fighting. His friends and the armies of Erya would never stop, but there needed to be someone who could wield the power of a godstone.

After a few minutes, the underground road opened up into a large parking lot. There were several military vehicles parked in the area and a group of soldiers guarding a set of doors. The queen of Caspagir had clearly done all she could to keep the Godstone hidden and safe.

Shey deftly parked the car and they piled out. The tingle had turned into more like pinpricks along his arms and down his spine. It had also moved from mildly annoying to uncomfortable. This was not reassuring for when he would actually be in the same room as the Wind Stone.

Standing by the closed car door, Caelan closed his eyes and focused all his attention on the powers swirling in the air. The God of Storms was the dominant power in the air, but he could still pick up hints of lighter power from the Goddess of Life. It was like a spring breeze, cool and refreshing. He mentally reached out for that power from the distant Life Stone, wrapping it around himself like a coat of armor.

Immediately, the sharp prickles stopped, backing off to the slightest tingling sensation. Far more manageable now.

“Cael?” Drayce inquired softly. His voice sounded distant, but his presence felt so very close. Almost like his personal body heat was mixing with the coolness of the goddess’s power.

Opening his eyes, he looked over to find Drayce standing right beside him, concern filling his bright emerald-green eyes. He stared at his friend, a smile rising on his lips. He’d never noticed it, but Drayce’s eyes were very nearly the same shade of green as the center of the Life Stone. How odd.

“I’m fine. Let’s go.”

Caelan walked to the front of the SUV to find the rest of his companions waiting a short distance away. The guards hadn’t moved from their spots, but Shey had previously revealed that his mother had called ahead to inform the guards that they were permitted to pass through.

“How far is it?” Caelan asked.

“My mother said that from here, we need to only go down one long hall. The final doors open to the holding room under the lighthouse,” Shey explained.

Caelan nodded and gazed over at his companions. “I want you to wait here. I wish to go alone with Shey.”

“No,” Eno immediately growled.

“Don’t trust me with your king?” Shey taunted with a wicked grin.

“Honestly, I don’t. I don’t trust anyone with him,” Eno shot back without hesitation.

Caelan placed a hand on Eno’s rigid shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ve got this.” Eno wasn’t placated in the least, and Caelan’s smile grew. “I’ve got more than enough juice from the Life Stone to protect myself. If there’s trouble, trust me, you’ll hear it.”

“Fine,” Eno muttered, his shoulders slumping. “Just try to stay out of trouble in the first place.”

“Good luck, Your Majesty,” Rayne said with a bow of his head.

Drayce lifted his hand over his head and waved. “Give the God of Storms my love.”

Caelan snorted and started toward the double doors with Shey at his side. The man was easily five inches taller than him and nearly ten years older. It was hard not to feel like a kid next to him and remember that he was king now.

As they got close to the doors, the guards simultaneously swiped cards to release the electronic locks. They pulled both doors open as one, allowing him and Shey to pass together.

The long corridor had been painted completely white, and faint lights were hidden every few feet, giving the hallways a sort of creepy glow. The only sound was their footsteps echoing off the walls and bouncing off the ceiling.

“I should have asked yesterday, but exactly how do you bond with a godstone?” Shey’s voice was barely more than a whisper, but it sounded significantly louder.

“From what little my mother was willing to tell me, it sounds like I’m not bonding with the stone but rather praying to the god to accept me as a vessel for his power.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“No, I guess it doesn’t,” Caelan murmured. He shook his head, trying to shed any lingering worries about linking himself with a god. When his mother was still alive, he’d not given his own eventual bonding much thought. His mother had always been young and strong, never suffering from any kind of illness. He’d always known that his own bonding with the Life Stone was a long way off.

Until the Empire attacked.

“There is no formal ritual or words that need to be said to invoke the bond. It’s supposed to be just you and the Godstone in the room. I think the god is supposed to speak to you, and you ask for his or her blessing.”

Shey stopped suddenly and looked at Caelan like he’d lost his mind. “You think?”

Caelan narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to Shey, refusing to be intimidated by the man’s size. “Yes, I think. I’ve done this the same number of times as you have. I’ve spoken to Queen Amara about it, but she didn’t go into great detail since my own bonding was supposed to be many years away from now.”

Shey at least winced at Caelan’s words and backed off. “I’m sorry.”

With a small huff, Caelan resumed walking down the hall with Shey quickly catching up. “It’s okay. I did try to get more details out of her once. She didn’t say much. Just that there’s no formal ceremony or prayer or offering. You just talk to the god and convince him that you’re worthy of his power.”

“How?”

Caelan shrugged. “I have no idea what the God of Storms deems worthy of him. In Erya, we focus on living a good, rich life. We focus on helping our neighbors and doing things that support Thia. I always thought if I upheld those values and protected my people, Tula would bless me with her power.”

“Shit. What is the name of the God of Storms?”

“I have no fucking clue,” Caelan muttered.

“This is not going to go well.”

Caelan was feeling the same way. His gut churned and his palms were growing sweaty. Even his fingertips felt cold. But it was far too late to turn around. Caelan needed the power of the God of Storms if he was to have any hope of saving his kingdom and stopping New Rosanthe.

At the end of the hall was another set of thick double doors as well as another pair of guards. The two guards moved to swipe yet another set of key cards, but Shey held up his hand, halting them, as he looked over at Caelan.

“Do you want to go in alone?”

Caelan shook his head. “No. You don’t have to talk, but I want you in there. I want him to see you when I make my case for both of us.”

Shey seemed to straighten a little more and dragged in a deep breath as if he were steeling himself against what was to come. Caelan wanted to warn him that it was unlikely to be as traumatic as he was expecting. From his experience with the Life Stone, if the gods weren’t interested in you, nothing happened.

But then, the God of Storms could prove him wrong.

With a nod from Shey, the guards unlocked the doors and pulled them open. Caelan found himself strangely relieved to find that the room that held the Godstone reminded him of the room in which the Life Stone resided at home.

He stepped inside, and the floor instantly changed from concrete to exquisite black marble while the walls were a paler seafoam-blue marble. In the center of the circular room was a magnificent blue stone that appeared to be roughly the same size as the Life stone.

And just like the Life Stone, the Wind Stone hovered approximately one foot off the ground.

As soon as they entered the room, the doors closed behind them with a resounding thud. Caelan gazed up and smiled to find that the ceiling actually stretched nearly a dozen floors straight up. They were under the lighthouse overlooking the harbor, and he could see nearly straight up to the light at the peak.

The air was tinged with the scent of the sea, and he swore he could hear the crash of the distant waves. Closing his eyes, Caelan breathed deep, listening to the rush of the wind and the far-off rumble of thunder.

“It’s not what I expected,” Shey whispered.

Caelan huffed a nearly silent laugh and glanced over at the other man. He’d not moved from the doors. Hadn’t even taken a step closer to the stone as if he were afraid the god would make a grab for him if he ventured too close. “Eno said the same thing once.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb your concentration.”

“You didn’t. I’m just taking it all in, like you. I have a feeling you’ll know when I’m speaking to the god.”

Shey nodded. “The tingle?”

“Still there.” In fact, it had gotten significantly stronger since they’d entered the room so that it was practically crawling under the armor he’d created for himself. Now that he was so close to the stone, the tingling came with something else. Emotions.

From the God of Storms, there was a feeling of curiosity, which was more than a little surprising. And maybe even reassuring. Curiosity didn’t feel half as foreboding as anger.

Caelan slowly circled the stone, stopping only when he had his back to the double doors. The God of Storms was definitely watching him and waiting. Drawing in one final deep breath, Caelan lifted his hand and placed it against the smooth surface of the stone. It was surprisingly warm to the touch. He’d expected it to be as cool as the air in the room. The sizzle of an electric current ran through the air, and Caelan flinched but kept his hand on the stone while trying to get his thoughts in order.

What the hell was he supposed to say?

He’d spent too many hours last night lying awake in bed, trying to figure out exactly what the God of Storms might want to hear, but he’d largely come up with a blank. Why couldn’t his mother have told him more about her own bonding with the Life Stone? Maybe he’d be better prepared for this moment.

There were so many things she should have told him. Maybe he shouldn’t have waited. Maybe he should have pressed harder. Forced her to tell him what she knew. What would she have done? Banish her own son?

Like she did just before the Empire’s attack on Erya.

“You can’t spend your life looking backward. Otherwise, you’ll end up drowning in regret. Can’t forget how to swim toward your future.”

Caelan blinked at the new voice. Had he actually heard that? With his hand still on the stone, he peeked over his shoulder at Shey to find the prince staring up at the stone. Caelan then leaned to his left, peering around the massive stone to find a small old man with a bushy white mustache and a dingy tan fishing hat on his head, complete with shiny fishing lures.

How in the gods’ names did he even get in here?

There was only one door in the circular room, and Shey was standing in front of it.

“I beg your pardon?” Caelan asked. His brow furrowed at the man as his brain scrambled to figure out what was happening.

“You’re spending an awful lot of time worrying about what your mother didn’t tell you,” the man replied. He took a step closer. A soft jingle rose from him and there was a squeak of damp rubber on the marble floor. “You can make only so many plans. Eventually, a storm is going to rise up, blow all the plans aside. Then you’ll have to figure out what you’re really made of.”

“Who are you?”

The man smiled. Under his equally bushy eyebrows, his blue-gray eyes swirled like churning storm clouds. They flashed bright white like lightning, and Caelan blinked. When his vision cleared, the room, Shey, and the Godstone were gone. He was sitting in a worn old rowboat opposite the old man, bobbing on the waves.

“Name’s Kaes,” the old man said. He had a long fiberglass fishing pole gripped between his thighs as he tied a new lure to the end of the line. “We’ve never spoken before.” He paused and cackled. “Never expected to, to be honest with ya. But Tula spoke of you here and there.”

“Tula,” Caelan whispered. His brain was still swirling like dead leaves caught up in a brisk fall wind. He couldn’t hold on to anything for too long. His eyes slipped away from the old man and his fishing pole to sweep out over the deep blue water with little white caps as the waves broke. In the distance, the sky directly in front of him was a crystal blue, but a storm was approaching from behind him, turning the blue to slate gray. Clouds boiled and bubbled, black and menacing, while thunder growled low in the throat of the clouds.

“Yep.”

“Tula, Goddess of Life,” Caelan gasped, and the old man smiled. It wasn’t the same friendly grin as earlier. This was something heavier and infinitely scarier, sending a sizzle of electrical current up his arms. “And you’re Kaes, God of Storms. You’re in the Wind Stone, but…”

Caelan jerked in the boat, clutching both sides as the tiny vessel rocked hard in the water.

“Whoa there, boy! You don’t need to send us both into the drink!” Kaes shouted, making a grab for the side with one hand while holding his fishing pole above his head in the other.

“Sorry. I…what…is this real?”

Kaes cackled before casting his line far out into the water so that the lure was lost in the waves. With an expert hand, he slowly drew it in again. “Does it matter? Can’t a god enjoy some fishing while we talk?” He jerked his head to the side and Caelan looked down to find another pole resting on the side of the boat. “Join me.”

With a slightly trembling hand, Caelan reached out and picked up the pole. Fear and elation battled in his chest. He was talking to a god. Not exactly how he’d expected it after all these years, but it was definitely happening.

He hadn’t fished since he was a kid. It had been a vacation of sorts away from the royal city. His mother had remained in their tiny cabin on the lake while Hagen had taken him to the water with a cane pole to catch bluegill.

Kaes drew his gaze from his own pole long enough to give Caelan instructions on how to cast his line and slowly draw it back in.

“What about the storm?” Caelan inquired, glancing over his shoulder as he reeled in his line.

“Some storms you can’t avoid in life,” Kaes murmured before casting out his line again. He smirked at Caelan and leaned toward him. “Besides, it’s interesting to see what a good storm will stir up.”

“What good is that if we’re going to drown in the first place? We should have never been in the path of this storm,” Caelan grumbled. He drew his line in and cast it again with more force. The pieces were fitting together in his brain easier now. The boat, the sea, the storm—none of it was real. Most likely. Probably not real.

What was real was that he was Caelan Talos of Erya, he’d lost the Life Stone of Erya, his mother had been killed, and his capital was occupied by the Empire of New Rosanthe. If the Empire figured out how to use the power of the Godstone, the other kingdoms were in danger of falling like Damardor and Uris-Oladul.

What was real was that he was speaking to the God of Storms, and he needed to convince the lost deity that he needed his power if he was going to have any hope of saving his people.

“Not everyone has the luxury of running from a storm,” Kaes observed.

“I’m not running,” Caelan said sharply. “I didn’t run from the Empire. She sent me away. I would have stayed and fought. I would have happily faced the Empire’s attack.”

The old man laughed hard enough to rock the entire boat. Caelan cursed under his breath and grabbed both sides, nearly dropping his pole in the water. “Boy, I’ve got to wonder about that head of yours if you think the Empire is the storm coming for you.”

“What? Of course they are!” he snapped. He mentally scolded himself for his tone and even arguing with a god in the first place, but Kaes wasn’t making any sense. Had the god been trapped in the stone for far too long? Lost all touch with what was happening in the outside world?

“Nope. Not even close.” Kaes brought his line in and cast it flawlessly with little more than a flick of his wrist.

“Look, the Empire has killed my mother and stolen the Godstone, stolen the Goddess of Life. I have no idea if the Emperor even knows about the other stones, but if he does, we’re all in trouble. I have no doubt the bastard is going to make a straight line for either Caspagir or Ilon to capture their stones.”

Kaes seemed to shrink in his seat, his old shoulders slumping under some weight or maybe just the weight of his years. There was something about him that seemed so very small and frail, but the same incredible charge he’d felt in the air while standing outside the stone still snapped along his skin. There was a weight around him, pressing him down into the boat. The boiling storm behind him was edging closer, as if the god could hold back his true presence for only so long. The animal part of Caelan’s brain was screaming for him to run, to hide, to escape before he was crushed like a tiny bug.

“Great Kaes—” Caelan’s plea was cut off by a sudden bark of laughter. The god seemed to instantly perk up.

“Great Kaes!” he repeated, still laughing. “Just a few seconds ago, you made it sound like you thought I was an old crackpot.”

Okay, so there was a part of Caelan that also wanted to shake the old man, but he really didn’t think it would go over too well.

“Please, do you know if the Empire can even unlock Tula’s power? I was raised on the idea that only someone of the Talos line could bond with the Godstone.”

Kaes looked over his shoulder at Caelan, his expression unreadable as lightning flashed again in his murky eyes. “Do you think that’s true?”

“No. No, I don’t. I think it’s another lie they came up with to keep people from attempting to steal the gods.”

“Smart boy,” Kaes murmured.

A half smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Am I smart enough for you to agree to bond with me?”

Kaes’s gaze narrowed, and the charge sizzled through Caelan, touching him down to his very soul. He felt utterly exposed, as if the old god could see all of him. His past and present. Every doubt, bad decision, and foolish hope. He could see every time he was weak, arrogant, or selfish.

“Smart enough?” Kaes asked. “Nope. Not even close.”

Caelan felt his heart squeeze and a lump form in his throat. It had been his greatest fear when the time came for him to stand before the Goddess of Life. He was sure that she would take one look at him and judge him as not worthy of her gift, that he would let down the entire line of Talos ancestors who had lived, served, and died.

He’d failed. He’d failed everyone—friends, mother, kingdom. For a time, he couldn’t even breathe, didn’t want to. Why couldn’t he have tried harder? Studied longer? Done…something, anything more.

Caelan shook his head, shoving against the suffocating feeling of failure and disappointment. If he wasn’t enough, then he’d act as an intermediary. He’d find someone who was good enough for Kaes. Maybe he already had.

“Shey,” Caelan rasped, pushing past the feeling that some part of his soul had died. “Prince Shey Thrudesh-Vo. His family has been the secret guardians of the Wind Stone for generations. He’s a brave man, true of heart, and brilliant strategist. What about—” he broke off at Kaes’s laughter.

“Not even gonna let me finish my thought. You’re just gonna let someone step into your place rather than fight for something you’ve always thought of as your birthright.”

Caelan could only stare at Kaes, his brain locking up and not accepting any new thoughts until it got through the current log jam. “The Life Stone, I thought that was my birthright. Not the Wind Stone. I don’t want to steal that from Shey.”

Kaes arched a brow at him, his smile twisting into a skeptical smirk. “Never thought of stealing the wind to save Erya?”

Yeah, he’d forgotten who he was talking to. Of course he’d thought about it. Maybe even tossed around a few plans for getting in to see the stone without Prince Shey or Queen Noemi knowing about it. He’d do anything to save his people, but he didn’t want to do it at the cost of hurting someone else.

With a gentle chuckle, Kaes surprised him by reaching across the boat and patting Caelan’s knee. “Ahh, you’re a good kid. No wonder Tula is so fond of you.” Kaes reeled in his line and set his fishing pole aside. “What I was trying to say was that you’re not as smart as you need to be. The storm bearing down on you is bigger than you know. You’ll need the people you trust most close by you.”

“You’ll help?”

Kaes grinned and shrugged. “For Tula.” The old man started to reach for him, but Caelan suddenly remembered one last request, jerking him backward.

“Shey,” he whispered. He’d promised Shey, and himself. “I’ve been able to tap into some of the power from the Life Stone even though my mother was bonded to Tula. Would you be willing to share some of your power with Prince Shey? I want him to be able to protect his people.”

To his surprise, Kaes straightened, his expression growing cold. “Shey is not our choice. He was not trained for this responsibility.” Kaes paused, and his face softened before he winked. “But I do like his hair. Always been partial to that shade of blue myself.”

“He might not have been trained for this responsibility, but he was trained to give his life for his people. He was trained to protect them. He is my choice, and if I must, I will claim responsibility for his actions.”

Kaes grunted. “And if your choice fails, you will be the one to take his power away.”

Caelan had a feeling Kaes meant that it was his job to kill Shey if the prince failed to use his newfound gift to protect the citizens of Caspagir. Not a pleasant thought, but he nodded all the same. It wouldn’t come to that. Shey wouldn’t disappoint him. Shey might not want the gift, but he needed it, especially if Caelan failed to stop the Empire.

“I will. I promise.”

The lightning flashed in Kaes’s eyes again, and suddenly the old man was gone.

Caelan dropped the fishing pole he’d been clinging to and twisted around. He was completely alone in the tiny rowboat as it bobbed in what appeared to be in the middle of the ocean. There was no sight of land in any direction.

The bright clear blue sky was also gone. While they’d talked, the storm had rolled in, swallowing up the sky so that there was only the mass of dark clouds overhead. Waves grew larger, breaking and crashing. The rowboat swayed in the waves, forcing him to grip the sides.

Caelan’s heart pounded in his chest and his breath came in short, broken pants. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. It all had to be happening in his head. He was still standing in the room with Shey, his hand on the stone while the God of Storms created this illusion in his head. It was pure fantasy. He was safe.

He’d even started to believe that. Right up until a wave crashed over the side of the boat, covering him in icy water. He spat and choked, tasting the salt on his tongue and the sharp bite of cold as his wet clothes clung to him.

This was real.

Lightning flashed, briefly brightening the black sky, and thunder crashed loud enough to rattle his teeth in his head. Wind whipped the water, stirring up the waves and chilling him to the bone.

“Kaes!” Caelan shouted as panic gripped him. “God of Storms?”

What the hell was he supposed to do? He’d thought receiving the god’s power was going to be some kind of blessing or prayer or even a complicated spell. Not drowning in the ocean as a storm broke on his head.

The clouds opened up in a torrent of rain, and Caelan cursed. He reached for one of the oars resting in the bottom of the boat that was starting to fill with water. There was no land in sight, but he couldn’t just sit there. He had to get out of the storm and at least to the safety of land. From there, he could try to figure out how to get to Sirelis.

His fingers had barely wrapped around the wood when another large wave slammed into the boat, capsizing it. Caelan managed one last gasp of air before he plunged into the dark water. He flipped, sinking deeper as the water churned. He righted himself and gazed up to find only darkness. He looked down and the darkness was the same. Where was the sky? The land?

Had this all been a trick? Was the God of Storms only playing with him? Teasing him with the promise of power while always planning to kill him?

No! No, it couldn’t end this way. He had to get to his friends. He had to get to Erya. The Empire needed to be stopped. His people needed him. He would not fail them. He wouldn’t fail his mother who’d sacrificed her own life so he could be safe, so he could fight on in her place.

He couldn’t fail.

Embrace the storm or be swallowed by it.

Lungs burning, head pounding, limbs heavy with fatigue and cold, Caelan didn’t know where to go. There was no one there to guide him. No friends to help him to his feet again. He wasn’t even sure if the voice that had whispered about embracing the storm had been real.

Closing his eyes against the darkness. Caelan stopped trying to tread water.

That was when he could finally feel it. The crackling power of the Wind Stone hidden beneath the fury of the storm. It was Kaes. Endless force and rage. Raw power like the boom of thunder and the slam of lightning to the ground. It was wind tearing the world apart. All of it surrounded him at once.

All he had to do was give himself over, to trust that the storm would not tear him apart.

For Erya, he would be the storm. He would be power and justice for his people. He would be a cleansing force to wash away the evil of the Empire.

He was the storm.

22

Drayce Ladon

Drayce slumped in the fancy high-back chair, his legs stretched out in front of him. The index finger on his left hand was idly running through the carved grooves in the arm of the chair, leaving him wondering if he’d been rubbing it long enough to wear the grooves even deeper.

Probably not. But soon.

Loud chirping drew his gaze over to the window to find the dark sky starting to lighten from deep blue to hints of gray and yellow. An emerald-green finch had perched on the balcony railing to sing a song before darting away for breakfast.

Gods, it’s morning already.

He blinked sore, bleary eyes to Caelan’s unconscious form in the middle of his bed. Still no movement beyond the shallow rise and fall of his chest for each breath. His prince—er, king—looked pale to him. Caelan was always a little pale. His naturally fair skin didn’t tan well, but right now, he was paler than normal. There were circles under his eyes, and his cheeks had taken on a slightly hollow cast. Yes, he needed his rest, but this wouldn’t be so nerve-wracking if he’d just wake up for a minute.

“This stopped being funny twenty hours ago, Cael. You need to wake up,” Drayce said irritably.

Far from funny. This felt like a nightmare.

When a guard had come running in a panic toward them from the Wind Stone, Drayce’s heart had stopped in his chest. They’d all run down the long corridor to find a pale Shey holding a drenched and unconscious Caelan in his arms.

The prince had said that one second Caelan was standing there with his hand on the stone, and the next he’d collapsed to the floor, completely soaked to the bone and not breathing. Shey had started to lift Caelan when he suddenly lurched upright, coughed out several swallows of water, and passed out again.

Since then, Caelan hadn’t moved. He’d barely breathed. Upon returning to the royal palace, Caelan had been seen by the queen’s personal physician as well as a healer priestess. Neither could find anything wrong with him. To them, he was merely sleeping.

The only problem was that he wouldn’t wake up.

What initial panic had seized Drayce’s heart had given way to gnawing worry as the hours passed. The three of them had taken turns pacing in Caelan’s bedroom, waiting for him to wake. Rayne had retreated to the queen’s personal library with Prince Shey to see if there was any information about the god trapped in the Wind Stone. Eno was alternating between checking on Caelan and checking on Rayne. Drayce wasn’t sure if he was worried that Rayne would get lost under a pile of books or if he didn’t trust Prince Shey after what had happened to Caelan.

Drayce rubbed his eyes and shifted in his seat, leaning forward to place both his elbows on his knees. He didn’t think this was Shey’s doing. No, this was caused by that god.

What were they supposed to do? For now it was a waiting game, but part of Drayce was dreading the inevitable question if Caelan didn’t stir soon. How did they move forward against the Empire without Caelan?

They didn’t.

Or rather, Drayce didn’t. He wasn’t leaving Calean’s side. He knew he should care about what had happened in Erya, and he did, but it didn’t compare to Caelan. He wasn’t leaving his friend. He’d wait. He’d wait a lifetime if he had to, but he wasn’t going anywhere until Caelan opened his eyes again. This was where he belonged.

Of course, it was also tempting to go to where the Wind Stone was being held and have a few words with the god there. Drayce snorted at the idea. Like the god would give him the time of day. Assuming the god listened to him, he’d be lucky if he didn’t get zapped by lightning or nearly drowned like Caelan.

But he’d do it. He’d do it if it meant Caelan would open his eyes.

Groaning softly at the pull of stiff muscles in his back, Drayce dipped his head and scrubbed his hands over his face. He was exhausted, but he didn’t want to sleep. Maybe he could call a servant to bring him the biggest cup of coffee Sirelis had ever seen.

“You look tired.”

Drayce’s head snapped up at the sound of those three sleepy words. Caelan’s eyes were open and watching him from where he lay in the bed. Drayce’s heart completed a couple of somersaults in his chest as he lurched to his feet.

“You’re awake!”

Caelan quirked an eyebrow at him. “I am,” he agreed, frowning at Drayce. His friend had lost his mind. But then his brow furrowed like missing pieces were starting to come together in his brain. “How…how did I get here? What happened?”

Drayce grabbed his phone and shot off a quick text of HE’S AWAKE!!!!!!! to Eno and Rayne before jumping on the bed. He stretched out next to his best friend, loving the feel of the slight shake of the bed as Caelan chuckled.

“You’ve been asleep for nearly a day,” Drayce said.

“How? I…we went to the stone, right?”

“Yep. Shey said that you had your hand on the stone for barely a second and then you fell over, soaking wet and coughing up water. Like you’d drowned.”

“What?”

“I know! Insane!” Drayce held up his cell phone in front of them and pressed his head against Caelan’s. He snapped a quick selfie, ignoring the disgruntled noises from Caelan as he sent the photo to Rayne and Eno. They were likely racing to the room already unless one or both of them had finally managed to fall asleep somewhere.

“Kaes,” Caelan whispered.

“What?”

“Kaes,” he repeated, looking more awake. “The God of Storms. I spoke to him.”

“What?” Okay, he was usually capable of slightly more intelligent conversation than this, but his brain was just happy that Caelan was awake and talking. He certainly sounded like himself, if a bit groggy, despite having spoken to a god.

Before his friend could answer, the outer door to Caelan’s private chambers was thrown open and two sets of footsteps hammered across the polished wood floors. A second later Eno and Rayne appeared, both exhausted and rumpled, still dressed in the same clothes as the previous day.

“You’re awake!” Eno exclaimed.

Caelan turned his head and smirked at Drayce. “This seems to be a recurring theme.”

It was so good to have his smartass friend back and grinning at him. “It’s hard to believe, but you were kind of missed.”

“Drayce, get out of the bed. Give him some room,” Eno grumped.

“No, he’s fine,” Caelan said immediately. His hand came out from under the blankets and clamped on Drayce’s wrist with surprising force. Those calloused fingers were warm on his skin, sending a wonderful flush through his body. Oh, he wasn’t moving one inch. Screw Eno.

“I’m calling for the queen’s physician,” Rayne announced. He started for the phone next to Caelan’s bedside, but Caelan waved him off.

“I’m fine, I swear.”

“You’re not fine. You passed out at the Godstone, and we couldn’t wake you.”

Caelan tried to push himself into a sitting position, but ended up flopping back again. He held out his hand toward his advisor. “Rayne, seriously, I feel fine. Great even. Just…sleepy. Like I’ve been sleeping for days, and my brain isn’t completely awake yet.”

“You slept for a full day,” Eno informed him and gave a shrug. “But you seem okay now.”

Rayne relented and moved to stand at the foot of the bed next to Eno. His scowl had eased and he now only looked worried. “Can you tell us what happened? What’s the last thing you remember?”

Caelan sat up and Drayce immediately grabbed another pillow and placed it behind Caelan’s back so he could recline against them. Yeah, he might agree with Caelan that he was fine, but he’d scared them all enough that he was more than happy to coddle his friend for a while longer. The prince’s brow furrowed in thought before unexpectedly lightening into a strange giggle.

“A giant wave hit, and I fell out of the boat.”

Drayce’s heart lurched in his chest, and he very nearly pulled Caelan into his arms to keep him safe. As it was, he had to tighten his hands into fists to keep from reaching for his friend. “What?”

“I spoke to Kaes, God of Storms. He appeared as an old man in a worn fishing hat. We spoke out in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. We were fishing.”

“Only you would go fishing with the God of Storms.” Eno chuckled.

Rayne looked like he was going to pass out. He took a couple of stumbling steps over to the chair Drayce had been sitting in and dropped into it as if his legs could no longer hold him. “You could have drowned.”

“I think that was the point,” Caelan replied.

His advisor shuddered. “You’re not helping.” Drayce had to agree. He was still happy to have a few stern words with the old god about putting his friend’s life in danger.

“Did he give you his powers?” Drayce prodded. He certainly hoped so. That had been the entire point of this meeting. He hated to think that Caelan had nearly died and didn’t come out with the prize in the end.

“I…I don’t know.” He stared down at his empty hands in his lap, frowning. “I think so. Now that I’m more awake, I feel…more. Like there’s more of me.”

Drayce pulled away enough that he could skim his eyes across Caelan’s bare chest and arms. When they’d gotten him to the palace, Rayne had shooed them all away as he stripped Caelan out of his wet clothes and into a pair of soft pajama pants.

“You appear the same to me.”

His friend gave him a playful shove while crossing one arm over his chest. “Don’t ogle me. I’m not a piece of meat.”

Drayce could feel the flush burning his cheeks and the tips of his ears. It didn’t help when Eno’s low chuckle filled the room.

“Give the new powers a try,” Eno urged.

“Absolutely not!” Rayne snapped, drawing all their eyes to him. “He received a gift from the God of Storms. I’d rather not have to explain to Queen Noemi why one of the guest chambers—and possibly more—was destroyed by an indoor thunderstorm.”

“Spoilsport,” Drayce said, flopping down on the corner of the pillow Caelan was reclining on. They were sitting close enough that their shoulders and arms kept rubbing. That was just fine with Drayce. He had no interest in being far enough away from Caelan that he couldn’t feel him, couldn’t smell him every time he inhaled.

“He’s probably right. I want to try them out, but inside the castle is probably not the best place.”

“I’ll check with Prince Shey to see if we can borrow a vehicle. We can drive outside the city and find an open place in which to try out your new powers.”

“Shit! Shey!” Caelan had started to relax against the pillows but had bolted upright suddenly, his expression twisting with fear. “Is he all right?”

“Yes, he’s fine. He didn’t lose consciousness like you. He’s the one who found you,” Eno replied.

“Did it work? Did he get some of the god’s power as well?”

“We think so, but he hasn’t tried anything yet,” Rayne confirmed. “Like you, he reports feeling something. The air is heavier to him.”

“He said he’s feeling tingly like you were,” Drayce teased, earning him the eye roll he’d been angling for.

“I believe Prince Shey is waiting to confer with you on exactly what he can do with this new gift before he attempts anything,” Rayne continued.

Caelan snorted, falling back on his pillows again. “Yeah, there isn’t going to be too much I can tell him. I got even less instruction about these powers than I got in regard to my gift from Tula.” Which, if Drayce was remembering what Caelan had told him, was a two-minute conversation with his mother and Hagen about using fire to guide a protective bubble.

“Tula, huh? You’re on a first-name basis with the gods now?” Eno teased.

A wide grin spread across Caelan’s lips. “Apparently Tula told Kaes about me.”

Rayne just sort of blinked at Caelan. “Tula and Kaes,” he whispered in stunned wonder. “I don’t know that I’ve ever heard the names of the gods.”

Eno snorted. “No one has had reason to talk about them in centuries. We all thought they were dead and the Godstone was all that was left of their power.”

“Astounding,” Rayne murmured and rubbed his eyes.

“You guys are exhausted,” Caelan observed.

Drayce couldn’t help it. A loud bubble of laughter erupted from his throat, and he dropped against the pillows. The sky had grown lighter as they spoke. The sun had just risen on a new day, and he hadn’t slept a second during the night.

“We didn’t sleep last night,” Eno murmured and yawned as if just stating it made him sleepy.

“Go,” Caelan ordered with a wave of his hand. “Go. Sleep. We can meet up later this afternoon. Borrow that car and check out these new powers.”

“Are you sure?” Rayne hesitated, though he looked as if he could stretch out in that stiff and uncomfortable chair and sleep with no problem. Drayce could vouch that it would not be a wise decision. His ass had fallen asleep numerous times in that chair and his back was still aching.

“Definitely. I’m not going anywhere other than to possibly check on Shey. I need to think about my meeting with Kaes as well as our next steps. We’ll meet and talk later today.”

It didn’t take any more goading or prodding from Caelan for Eno and Rayne to turn and leave the room. At the same time, Drayce rearranged the pillows, fluffing them slightly before sinking down.

He glanced up to find Caelan smiling at him, laughter shining in his pale-blue eyes. “You’re staying, I presume?”

“Please,” Drayce begged in his best pathetic voice. “My bed is soooo far away and I’m so comfortable right here. And you know I don’t snore.”

Caelan’s laugh was the best sound he’d heard in the past day. “Oh, my God, you totally snore, and you know it.”

“But little, cute snores. Like kitten snores.”

Caelan laughed and Drayce could almost convince himself that he didn’t need to sleep if he could just keep Caelan laughing. But his eyes were burning, and his body felt way too heavy to move. If he could just catch a couple of hours, he’d be ready to go again.

“Go to sleep, Drayce. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Are you sure you feel okay?”

The bed shifted and Drayce opened his eyes. He hadn’t even realized he’d closed them, but now Caelan was lying in the bed with him. He’d turned on his side so that they were facing each other as their heads rested on separate pillows. Caelan’s black hair was mussed and standing up against the white pillowcases. His cheeks had a healthy flush to them, but there was something about his eyes. They seemed brighter, somehow more, but Drayce couldn’t even begin to explain it.

“I’m good, I swear.” His smile was soft and warm like a pair of fuzzy feet pajamas.

“Do you worry about taking on this power? Is the Goddess of Life still going to let you bond with the Life Stone now that you’ve struck this deal with Kaes?”

“I honestly don’t know.” Caelan sighed heavily. “I did this because I believe that we won’t be able to defeat the Empire without it. They’ve got a weapon we don’t understand yet. We need something to hopefully equal it. And when it’s over,” he paused and shrugged one shoulder, “yeah, I’m hoping that she’ll let me bond with the Godstone just to keep it out of the Empire’s hands along with anyone else’s.”

Drayce wasn’t fond of the idea of Caelan standing against the Empire, no matter what powers he had. But it was a fight that he knew had been brewing since the Empire had started its campaign of acquisition. The fight was made only a little more tolerable because he knew that he’d be right there with Caelan along with Eno and Rayne. They weren’t going to let Caelan face any kind of trouble without them right there protecting his back.

But there were things that maybe they couldn’t protect Caelan from.

Like gods.

“Do…do you owe Kaes anything? Like is there some kind of debt that you owe for him giving you his power?”

His friend immediately shook his head. “I like to think he’d have mentioned something like that. At least given a warning. He seemed pretty up front about most things, though he didn’t exactly explain how this gift worked. But he didn’t mention any debt or something I had to give him in exchange for this power.”

“Didn’t sell your soul?” Drayce teased as the weight on his chest eased, and he found he could breathe easier.

“I don’t think so. But I am glad that I don’t have to bond with the other gods. At least, no more than Tula. I feel like I got off easy with Kaes. He appeared like a sweet old man who had a soft spot for the Goddess of Life.”

Drayce wrinkled his nose. “Yeah. What would happen if you had to deal with a god who didn’t like Kaes or Tula? That could be bad.”

“Kaes did warn me that a storm was coming. Something big. It was going to threaten all of Thia.”

“The Empire.”

Caelan shook his head and a knot started to twist in Drayce’s stomach at the haunted look that entered Caelan’s blue eyes. “No, he said it wasn’t the Empire.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t know.” The clouds seemed to clear from Caelan’s eyes, but the smile he flashed Drayce still seemed troubled. “But right now, the Empire is the problem we know about. I have a feeling that once New Rosanthe is dealt with, everything will settle down for a bit. Life will return to normal, and we’ll be able to rebuild Stormbreak Point.”

“You’ll bring the God of Storms to Stormbreak.”

“Scary thought.”

Drayce tried to smile at Caelan, but he knew it fell short. If a god was warning of more danger on the horizon, it was likely to be a long time before they enjoyed anything that resembled normal.

“Get some sleep. Drayce. I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

He narrowed his eyes at his friend and tried for a somewhat serious expression. “And you promise to not try out your cool new powers without me.”

“Yes, I promise.”

Sleep fell over Drayce faster than he’d wanted. While he was exhausted and relieved that Caelan was okay, he preferred to turn over what his friend had told him about Kaes, Tula, and this coming storm. What was headed their way?

And did Caelan really need to bond with two gods? He might have mentally prepared his entire life to bond with the Godstone of Erya, but there had been no talk of bonding with the Godstone of Caspagir. What would happen to Caelan with the power of two gods flowing through his very human body?

What worried him the most was that Caelan would do it without blinking an eye. All in the name of protecting his people. To live up to the expectations and greatness of his mother and other ancestors. To live up to the name of Talos.

Drayce refused to let him die at the hands of the Empire or the gods.

He just had to figure out how to keep his prince safe.

23

Caelan Talos

Caelan stood in the middle of the field with his arms stretched over his head. The sun was warm on his bare skin and the wind was gently ruffling his hair. For one brief moment, all the chaos, death, destruction, and frustration felt a million miles away. There was only the wind and the sun. The distant flutter of leaves on the branches as they danced in the wind. The smell of grass, dirt, and maybe even some rain waiting in the clouds.

It had been a full forty-eight hours since he’d bonded with Kaes. He’d recovered from his encounter with the God of Storms and had given his companions a day to catch up on their sleep, while he took the opportunity to meet privately with Queen Noemi about assistance against the Empire as well as some more insight into his aloof mother. One had proved far easier to get than the other.

“If I get struck by lightning, I’m kicking your ass,” Eno drawled and Caelan nearly choked on a laugh.

Dropping his hands to his sides, he turned to find his friends standing with Shey a short distance off. Shey had grabbed one of the SUVs from the royal motor pool and driven them outside the city to some local farmland.

Now they were standing amid the gently rolling hills covered in hip-high grasses that swayed lightly in the breeze like waves in a green ocean.

Shey was still hanging back with his three companions, watching him with a wary eye. He wasn’t sure if it was the new power or that he’d been there when Caelan had nearly drowned in an empty room that had left him looking so apprehensive.

Squinting against the setting sun, Caelan extended a hand toward Shey. “You know, this might be easier for both of us if you come closer.”

“I thought we’d just let you try out your thing first before we worry about me.”

That was what Caelan had been afraid of. He didn’t know how to exactly tap this new power, and he definitely didn’t know what it could do. He had been happy to let Shey test things out first while he tried to get a read of Shey’s power as well as his own. But this had been his idea, and he’d used the power of the Goddess of Life in the past. It only made sense for him to go first.

“Do you need some fire?” Drayce called out.

Caelan frowned and stared at his hands. The flame had been a point of focus for him to center his mind and gather the power of his gift. But now, it was starting to feel like a crutch. The power had always been there, buzzing along in the cells of his body. He should be able to pull it together and just direct it to do his bidding, right?

At least, that was how it felt now. He wasn’t an eleven-year-old boy trying to impress his mother with his connection to the Godstone. He had been formally blessed by Kaes, the God of Storms. And even now, he could feel the green swirl of energy from the Life Stone despite the fact that it was in the Empire’s hands. He could do this.

Whatever the hell this was.

“No, I’ve got this.”

Turning his back on his friends—because it was easier to try this without seeing their expressions—Caelan stared up at the sky, his eyes narrowed on a thin strip of clouds a good distance off. They were thin and wispy, looking as if they’d completely come apart in a strong wind. He had the power of the God of Storms. Then maybe he could turn those clouds into storm clouds. A rumble of thunder, too. Yes, that would be nice.

He reached out his right hand toward the clouds and closed his eyes while mentally pulling together the crackle of energy that now resided in his chest. He imagined that energy going into the cloud, growing and swelling, turning shades of dark gray while it bubbled. In his mind, he fed it more power and the cloud churned, rumbling angrily.

“Um…Cael?” Drayce’s soft, unsteady voice slipped into his ear.

“Caelan!” Rayne shouted.

Caelan’s eyes snapped open, and he was forced to squint against the force of the wind whipping across his face. His gaze locked on the distant cloud to find that it was utterly unchanged. Still wispy and thin, barely there on the bright-blue sky.

“Dammit,” he muttered, dropping his gaze down to discover that the ground was nearly a dozen feet below him. The wind had lifted him into the air. He was floating above the ground as the wind circled and danced around him, holding him up. His companions had gotten closer and were now staring up at him in wonder.

But it didn’t last. His concentration broken, the wind eased quickly, and he was falling. “Shit!”

Eno jumped forward and deftly caught him with a grunt before he could crash into the unforgiving ground. His bodyguard staggered under the weight and then placed him on his feet again.

“Holy crap! You were flying!” Drayce shouted. He hooted and danced in a small circle.

“Was it flying? Or just floating?” Rayne inquired.

“Closer to floating,” Caelan admitted. He shoved one hand through his wind-blown hair, moving it out of his eyes.

“Were you trying to do that?” Shey asked.

“No.” Caelan frowned, glaring at the cloud that was just drifting lazily across the sky, refusing to become the storm he wanted it to be. “I was trying to create a small storm cloud and ended up floating.”

“Well, I think you should be proud that you were able to do anything on your first try,” Rayne said. He crossed his arms over his slender chest and shifted to rest his weight on his left foot. “I can’t imagine Kaes provided you with step-by-step instructions for using his powers.”

“That would be a no,” Caelan grumbled.

Shey stepped in front of him, his blue hair whipping in the wind as it rushed off toward the city and the ocean. “What about when you used your powers from the Goddess of Life? Did you have any kind of instructions on that?”

“Minimal, actually.” There were journals from the previous kings about using the power of the Godstone and the bond, but he’d not been permitted to read them. They had been kept in a special safe, and only his mother had the key. He wasn’t permitted to read those journals until he sat on the throne.

Had the Empire gotten their hands on those journals? Were they using them now to claim the power of the Life Stone? Caelan mentally cringed at the idea of those raiding bastards touching anything that belonged to his mother, to their ancestors.

No. He couldn’t think about that. Not now. Shey needed his help.

Turning toward Drayce, he smiled at his friend. “Could you grab me a bottle of water out of the SUV? Also, see if there is something that I can pour the water into.”

“Gotcha!” Drayce said before jogging off toward the SUV.

Caelan turned to Shey and grinned. “All right, your turn.”

“What?” Shey gasped, stumbling a step backward. “I think that’s a little fast. You barely tried anything, and it didn’t turn out how you wanted.”

“Yes, but talking you through using your gift might help me with mine.” Caelan placed his hand on Shey’s elbow and pulled him away from the others, positioning him so that he was facing the open field rather than their vehicle. No reason to risk the SUV and leave them trapped out in the middle of nowhere until they could be rescued by someone from the palace.

“This is a bad idea,” Shey grumbled.

“My mother didn’t explain much about the gift from the Goddess of Life, but she was adamant about one thing: you can’t be afraid of this power, or you’ll never learn how to use it. You will have wasted this amazing gift and honor. You will have helped no one.”

Caelan’s words seemed to help, because Shey straightened his shoulders and nodded.

“Okay. I can do this. Kaes believes in me,” Shey murmured.

“And he likes your hair,” Caelan tossed out.

Shey twisted around to look at Caelan, his eyes narrowed as if he didn’t believe him at all.

“I’m serious. He was the one who mentioned it. He likes the color.” Caelan didn’t see any point in mentioning that Kaes was skeptical of Shey. Didn’t matter. Caelan believed in him. Shey was going to make the God of Storms and all the people of Caspagir proud. Caelan believed that above all things.

Drayce jogged over with a bottle of water in one hand and a small plastic bowl that appeared as if it belonged to a camping mess kit. “It’s the best I could find.”

Caelan accepted both with a smile. “This should be fine.”

He walked a few feet away from Shey and kneeled down. Placing the bowl in the spot where the grass had gotten flattened, Caelan unscrewed the cap, sneaked a quick drink, and then filled the bowl with half the water. He stood again, handing the bottle of water to Drayce before motioning for Eno, Rayne, and Drayce to back up toward the SUV while he moved over to stand beside Shey.

“When I was learning to use the gift I received from Tula, my mother and her bodyguard Hagen used fire as my focal point. I didn’t draw power from the fire. The power was already in here.” He tapped the center of Shey’s chest near his heart. “You pull the power from within you and direct it to use on your focal point. Since you are near the ocean and Kaes has blessed you, I thought water might be a good choice for your focal point.”

“Okay, so what did you tell your power to do to the fire?”

Caelan hesitated. He didn’t want Shey just simply imitating him. He wanted the man exploring what his own gift could do. But, on the other hand, it could give him a safe starting point from which to launch that exploration.

“I told it that I wanted to create a shield to protect my friends.” Caelan turned to ask for a lighter, but Rayne had already pulled one out of his pocket. He flicked it, cupping his hand around it to shield it from the wind. When the flint sparked and caught the fluid inside, Rayne lifted his hand away and confidently stared at him. May the gods always protect Rayne. This was the first time Caelan was attempting this while the power of Tula and Kaes vibrated through his body. Please don’t let him hurt Rayne.

But as he’d just told Shey, he couldn’t fear his powers.

The two gifts twined together in his chest, twisting and writhing like two snakes. Tula remained a warm, pulsing force of life while Kaes’s power was cool and untamed. Reaching out his right hand as if he were grabbing the flames, he whipped his hand over their heads. The power within him easily zipped from the flame to a point over their heads with surprising ease. There was a brief burst of green-and-blue light before it cascaded down over them in a wide dome of sparkling light. The protective sphere was significantly larger than he’d ever created in the past. Big enough to not only surround all five of them but the SUV parked near the side of the road.

“This is what you told the gift to create? What I need to instruct it to do with the water?” Shey asked in a kind of awed whisper.

“No, I told it to protect my friends.”

“Awww, I think he likes us,” Drayce drawled, elbowing Eno in the side. The bodyguard snorted and gave Drayce a shove.

With another small wave of his hand, Caelan ended the protection spell and the shield gradually disintegrated in a shower of harmless green sparks. The energy returned to him on the wind, swirling and sinking into his skin as if it had always belonged to him. At least the power from Kaes didn’t mind obeying him when it came to protective shields. Now he just needed to figure out how to create something a little more aggressive. Offensive rather than defensive.

“Yeah. Okay. I can do that.” Shey turned to the bowl of water still waiting for him in the sunlight. Caelan took a step back, giving the prince some breathing room in which to work.

Shey reached out both hands toward the water, and Caelan could feel the small swirl of energy around the other man. It was gathering within him, but not moving outward. He could almost imagine it sort of sitting within his chest, its head cocked to the side like a dog trying to figure out what its master wanted it to do.

Caelan took a step closer to Shey and lowered his voice so that no one else could hear him over the whistle and rush of the wind. “Just think about Rayne. Just think about keeping Rayne safe.”

Shey’s lips quirked slightly, as if he were trying to fight a smile. “You’re too astute.”

“I see how you watch him when you think no one is paying attention to you,” Caelan murmured. “Just think about protecting him. The rest of us are too much of a bother.”

A sharp bark of laughter left Shey. At the same time, the water rose up in the middle of the bowl, almost like the start of a fountain, and dropped down. The power had rushed out of Shey to circle the bowl of water as if it were trying to figure out what to do with it.

“There! Hold on to that happiness. Be calm. At peace,” Caelan instructed, excitement buzzing through him. It made sense. He had to be calm and relaxed when he created the barrier. Protection was about safety and embracing the love and concern for others.

Did that mean he needed to be embracing other darker, more violent emotions in order to direct his power toward offensive means?

The water moved, but this time blue energy spouted upward like a geyser toward the sky. It arced over them, moving toward Rayne, but Shey’s phone suddenly started ringing. Shey jumped and the spell lost its cohesion with his concentration broken. Apparently there was still some water clinging to the energy because it fell like fat raindrops on Rayne’s head.

Drayce cackled and darted closed to Eno, using his larger form to hide behind him. Rayne looked grumpy and even Eno failed to find it amusing, which was surprising.

“Whoops!” Shey cried out, wincing and chuckling softly as he reached for his phone in his back pocket.

“Lovely,” Rayne grumbled as he pulled his glasses off his face and ran a hand through his now wet hair.

“You’ll definitely need to work on your concentration, but it’s coming along,” Caelan said.

Shey smirked at him as he lifted his phone to his ear. Caelan walked toward Rayne, who was cleaning the water from his glasses with a cloth from the inner pocket of his jacket. He was not amused, but Drayce was clutching his sides as he continued to giggle like a lunatic.

“Do I even want to ask what I did to deserve that?” Rayne grumbled.

Caelan shook his head. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. He was—”

“The Empire! We need to leave now!” Shey shouted. He was already running toward the SUV. Caelan’s heart jumped into his throat, and he joined Shey with the others falling in behind them.

“What’s going on?” Eno demanded.

“It looks like half the New Rosanthe fleet is heading straight for the Sirelis harbor,” Shey replied.

“What?” Drayce squawked.

“How close are they?” Caelan asked. He grabbed the door handle for the passenger door behind the driver.

“Too close. We’re scrambling ships now to meet them, but they’ll be outnumbered. At best, we can slow them until midnight.” Shey threw himself behind the wheel and the engine roared to life. Rayne barely managed to close the front passenger door before Shey gunned the engine and they sped toward Sirelis.

Shey was cursing under his breath while Caelan hung on for dear life. Shey was pushing the SUV as fast as he could to get into the city, but the country road was narrow and winding. They were moving far too fast for these turns.

“How much of the fleet is guarding Godfall?” Rayne asked.

“What? How did you know about that?” Shey gasped. He took his eyes off the road to glare at Rayne and Caelan cringed, only partially relaxing when Shey turned his attention in front of them.

“What’s Godfall?” Caelan asked.

“It’s an uninhabited island some distance off the coast of Zastrad. However, it stands between Caspagir and Uris-Oladul,” Rayne explained.

“It would make a perfect staging area for Uris-Oladul to launch attacks on Caspagir,” Shey snarled. “Ever since Uris-Oladul fell to New Rosanthe, I’ve been arguing that we needed to claim Godfall for ourselves just to protect us against an attack.”

“I know. When did you send the fleet and how much?”

“They were sent when Uris-Oladul sent soldiers through New Rosanthe to attack Caspagir. I sent all of the Western fleet. We kept the Eastern Fleet here, but they’re spread out. I don’t know how they got around our destroyers.”

“They hid in the ice,” Rayne grumbled. “No one has ships that cut through the ice like New Rosanthe.”

“Fuck!” Shey snarled, hammering his fist on the steering wheel.

“We need to protect the Wind Stone,” Caelan said softly when silence had fallen over the vehicle.

Shey’s eyes snapped up to the rearview mirror and met Caelan’s worried gaze. “You think that’s why they’re here? You think they know about the Wind Stone?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I hope not, but I’d rather not let our future rest on hopes. They already have one godstone. We can’t risk them capturing another.”

“True.”

“We need to get the stone out of Sirelis. Find a place to hide it until the Empire can be defeated.”

Shey was already shaking his head. “The Wind Stone can’t be moved. I already asked my mother about moving the stone within the castle walls for better protection. The stone can’t be moved by any means. That’s why the lighthouse and facility were built around it.”

“Did anyone ask Kaes about moving the stone?”

“I—” Shey started and then his mouth snapped shut. He huffed a little laugh and met Caelan’s gaze in the mirror. “I would wager not.”

“When we get in the city, drop Eno and me as close to the stone as you can. Take Rayne and Drayce with you,” Caelan said.

Rayne twisted in his seat to look at Caelan. “What do you want us to do?”

“Help Shey. Find out how we can best stop the Empire and save these people. No matter what it takes.” He glanced over at Eno. “We will go see Kaes. I’ll try to convince him to let us move the stone. If we can, we’ll get it loaded on a truck and out of Sirelis as quickly as possible.”

“And if Kaes doesn’t want to move?” Eno inquired.

“Then we borrow some explosives, and we bring the lighthouse down on top of the Godstone, preferably in the middle of the fight so the Empire thinks it destroyed the lighthouse.” Caelan replied without hesitation.

“What? You’re going to crush the stone?” Drayce gasped.

“The stone will be fine,” Caelan stated, infusing as much confidence as he could into that statement. He had no idea if the stone would be fine, but if he had to choose between destroying the stone and allowing it to fall into the hands of the Empire, he was going to choose destruction.

“Hiding the stone under a pile of rubble will make it that much harder for the Empire to get to it if we’re forced to temporarily retreat.” Shey nodded. “I’ll make some phone calls so the path is cleared for you.”

“Thanks,” Caelan murmured, sitting back in his seat while his hand tightened on the handle on the door. They had a plan in place, but his mind kept tripping over their growing list of problems. Why was New Rosanthe making a move on Caspagir now? Did the emperor know about the other stones? Or was there another reason for him to attack now?

He wished he’d had more time to work on using the new gift he’d gotten from the God of Storms. He wasn’t ready for a fight with the Empire, but he couldn’t allow Sirelis to fall like his home. Caspagir had to be saved.

24

Caelan Talos

Cars filled the road heading out of Sirelis and into the countryside. Other people were loaded with overflowing packs and carrying more items in their arms as they hurried out of the city on foot. It was clear that an announcement had been made to the populace that Sirelis was under the threat of attack from New Rosanthe. After the news of what happened with Erya’s capital, no one was taking any chances. They were running to safety.

But all the fleeing people had slowed their own progress into the city, making it almost impossible to move in the large SUV, even with the royal flags and police officers shouting for people to get out of their way.

Time was slipping through their fingers. Caelan was struggling to sit still in the back seat of the vehicle as panic and fear swelled in his chest to the point of nearly choking him. He’d wondered what it had been like in Stormbreak when the Empire had attacked. Now he feared he was seeing it.

It had taken them nearly an hour to reach just the outskirts of the city. At this rate, it would take them another two hours to get to the city center.

They needed to move faster. Gripping the driver’s seat, Caelan pulled himself forward so that he could look between the two front seats. Shey had made a series of phone calls on his way into the city, shouting brisk orders to whoever answered, but now he was sitting silently, gripping the wheel so tight his knuckles were turning white. Rayne was silent beside him, his jaw tense like he was clenching his teeth. Cars were stopped in front of them, clogging their path, while people raced around them on foot.

“The lighthouse is west of here, right?” Caelan demanded.

Shey twisted slightly to peer at him over his shoulder. “On foot?”

Caelan nodded. “It would be faster.”

Shey grunted. “Yes, to the west. Your best option is to go straight from here about three blocks and then turn west. If you can’t find the entrance we used, just go to the lighthouse. The guards are expecting you. They can take you to the Wind Stone.”

“Thanks.” Caelan grabbed the door handle, but paused, looking at Drayce and Rayne. “We’ve got our phones. Keep Eno updated on what’s happening and where you are. As soon as we get Kaes secured, we’ll come to you.”

“Catch you later,” Eno said with a salute before pushing his door open.

“Stay out of trouble!” Drayce teased. Caelan didn’t miss the worry that clouded his eyes.

For a heartbeat, he thought about reaching for the front of Drayce’s shirt, pulling him in close, and stealing the kiss he’d wanted for far too long. Just one taste in case all of this went to shit and he never had another chance. His fingers twitched and started to reach for his best friend.

But what if Drayce didn’t want it? Did he really want Drayce’s last memory of him to be some awkward kiss that ruined their friendship? No, he wanted Drayce to remember him with a cocky grin.

“That’s why I’m sending you with Rayne. Only way to keep you out of trouble!” Caelan shot back with a wide grin he didn’t quite feel.

“Hey!” Drayce shouted as Caelan hopped out of the SUV and shut the door in his face. Better to leave him looking forward to the snarky reply he’d get to deliver when they were reunited.

Shey lowered his window. “I’m going to pull this onto the sidewalk and we’re going to run from here to the palace to get a briefing before heading to the harbor.”

“We’ll catch up to you,” Caelan agreed. He darted off down the street with Eno immediately on his heels.

The crowded city was trying to drain itself of its civilians as quickly as possible. Caelan had to avert his eyes from the mothers and fathers attempting to keep their children together while holding on to the meager belongings they could pile on their backs. Everything within him screamed to help them. Help with the little kids. Help carry their things. Guide them to a police officer or the safest route out into the country.

But he couldn’t stop. If he stopped, he wouldn’t be able to reach the Wind Stone. If the Empire got its hands on both the Life Stone and the Wind Stone, he couldn’t imagine how they would ever be stopped.

As his mind finally let go of the worries of the Sirelis citizens, it skipped over to his own people. The panic inside Stormbreak had to have been a hundred times worse. They’d had zero warning before New Rosanthe’s attack. The meeting had been planned in secret.

The day had likely been peaceful. Sunny and warm, with the promise of nothing strange happening. And then the royal tower had exploded. The queen and her only son had been declared dead. All the promise of protection and safety evaporated in a matter of seconds.

How many had died that day? Were they still dying in the royal city from a lack of food and medication?

“Hey!” Eno barked. He roughly grabbed Caelan’s elbow at the corner. “This way.” Caelan looked to where Eno was pointing only to realize that they’d run the three blocks and now had to turn west toward the harbor and lighthouse.

Fuck, he needed to pay attention. Now was not the time to get lost in a bunch of wayward thoughts. He couldn’t save the people of Caspagir or Erya if he was distracted.

Growling at himself, Caelan turned sharply and wove his way through the crowds. The muscles in his legs were starting to burn and he was drenched in sweat. It had been way too long since he’d gone for a run. If they survived this, he saw a future that included some very horrible training sessions with Eno.

Luckily, Eno remembered the way to the underground entrance better than he did. His bodyguard directed him through back streets and alleys until they finally reached the entrance that appeared to be blocked by another black SUV. A guard jumped from the driver’s seat and saluted him.

“Your Majesty, I’ve been instructed to take you inside,” the guard announced.

“Let’s go!” Caelan shouted, grabbing the passenger-side door and hopping inside while Eno climbed in.

The kid—because he couldn’t have been more than sixteen—jumped behind the wheel and stomped on the gas. They raced inside, the concrete walls a blur and the lights flashing overhead. “The doors have been opened for you and two of our lead demolitions officers have just arrived. They are surveying the lighthouse right now.”

“Excellent. Thank you.” Caelan couldn’t help but feel surprised at how quickly they worked, or how quickly they’d agreed to his proposal to bury the Wind Stone in rubble. But if the alternative was risking it falling into the hands of the Empire, buried was better.

He wasn’t sure if this kid or even the demolitions officers understood exactly what they were planning to bury under the lighthouse, though.

In the blink of an eye, he and Eno were running down the white corridor toward the Wind Stone. Caelan hadn’t thought he’d be back here so soon. He’d thought he might make one more visit to talk to Kaes before he left Caspagir for Erya, but definitely not under these circumstances.

There were no guards this time. Just the two of them. The doors to the Godstone’s room were already standing open, and shining in the center of the room was the giant blue crystal reflecting the sunlight that bounced around the lighthouse.

Together, they stopped just inside the doorway and Eno let out a heavy breath.

“I didn’t expect it to look the same. Just a different color,” Eno murmured. “Feels the same too.”

Caelan jerked in surprise. “You can sense the stone?”

Eno shook his head. “No, not like that. Not like you. Just a feeling of it being overwhelming. Like it’s sort of sucking all the air out of the room.”

Reaching out, Caelan placed his hand on Eno’s shoulder. “You good to be in here?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

Caelan smirked at Eno’s sharp tone and dropped his hand to his side. The man was ready for anything, even if it happened to be crazy shit that included sleeping gods. “Good. I’m giving us five minutes, and then we have to leave. I might need you to pull me out if I take too long.”

“And if he knocks you out again? We don’t have twenty-four hours for you to sleep off your god hangover.”

Caelan frowned at the Wind Stone that continued to hover in the room as if the entire world around it wasn’t on the brink of war and death. “If I’m not awake to tell you to move the stone, then give the order to bury it.” He paused and grinned. “After we’re moved to safety, of course.”

“Of course.”

“From there, I want you, Rayne, and Drayce to do whatever you can to protect Caspagir and Sirelis. Don’t let what happened to our home happen here.”

Eno placed his fist over his heart and bowed his head to Caelan “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

Caelan nearly rolled his eyes, but Eno was right. This was a royal command he was issuing. They might spend their days as friends, forgetting the class difference between them, but right now, Caelan had to act like a king. He needed to do what was best for the people who were in his care. And right now, that included the people of Caspagir.

Taking a deep breath, Caelan placed his hand on the cool, smooth surface of the stone. Naturally, it was only now that he was standing here that he realized that he didn’t have a reliable way to summon the God of Storms. Kaes could decide that he’d done enough for Caelan and have nothing more to say to him. Really, he needed to learn to think things through better. He couldn’t rely on Rayne to call him out every time he missed something big. Such as the fact that gods weren’t beholden to his needs.

“I swear, kid. You have got some of the strangest thoughts.” Kaes laughed.

Caelan blinked and saw the old man in the fishing hat leaning against the wall just on the other side of the stone. He moved around the stone so that he could more clearly see the old man. It was on the tip of his tongue to snap at the god for not warning him about the entire drowning thing in order to receive the powers of the Wind Stone, but now was definitely not the time.

“The Empire is here,” Caelan immediately said.

Kaes grunted and nodded. “Annoying little twits.”

“We can’t let them get the Wind Stone.” Caelan shook his head and realized what he was saying. “We can’t let the Empire get their hands on you.”

Kaes shrugged as if this wasn’t a problem. “Have you forgotten already that you’ve bonded with me? Only one bond per stone.”

“Yes, but if the Empire kills me and gets their hands on the stone, it will be a lot easier for them to force a bond. We need to hide you.”

“Nope.”

“What?” Caelan gasped. Why had he ever thought that it was difficult to talk to his mother? Talking to Kaes was far more infuriating. He could only hope that when the time came, Tula was more agreeable.

Kaes straightened suddenly and took a couple of steps closer to Caelan. The god in human form was a few inches shorter, but at that moment, Caelan got the sense that something monstrously huge was approaching him. His hind brain was screaming to run, to cower, to hide. Something large was coming and it was going to rip his throat out. He wasn’t quite sure how he did it, but he held his ground.

Lightning flashed in Kaes’s stormy eyes. “I’m not moving. None of us are.”

“But the Empire…” Caelan choked out.

“There are things more dangerous than the Empire in this world. We can’t be moved.”

Caelan’s brain scrambled to make sense of his words. Was the “we” and “us” Kaes kept referring to the other gods trapped in stones? Caelan hadn’t realized that the Life Stone couldn’t be moved until he heard that the Empire had attempted to move it and failed. All his life, the Life Stone had been in the tower. Why would they ever attempt to move it?

Kaes leaned close and smiled. “You don’t need to worry about all that right now, but it’s coming.”

“I don’t understand.”

The god reached up and gently patted his cheek. His hand was cool and slightly calloused, but softer than he expected. The touch left behind a tingle that slithered along his spine. “I know, kid, but you will. I think you just need to remember that none of us wants to be here. It was the only way to keep you safe. We can’t be moved.”

“And I can’t let you fall into the hands of the Empire.”

Kaes retreated a step and looked up, staring into the lighthouse that towered above them. “This was a pretty nice spot. They could have done more to keep up with the lighthouse.”

Caelan smiled. “I think letting it get rundown helped to reduce the tourist traffic. Easier to keep you hidden.”

Kaes smirked at him. “Yeah, yeah. I get it. Just tell that queen when she rebuilds to make it a pretty lighthouse and leave a few holes so I can hear the wind on the water.”

“Got it. I’ll make sure it’s done. Thank you.” Caelan took a step back, hesitating. He knew he needed to return to Eno—not that he had a clue how to do that without Kaes’s permission—but he also wasn’t ready to end this conversation with Kaes. The Godstone was going to be buried under all this rubble. When would he be able to speak to him again?

Kaes cackled suddenly and shook his head. “Ahh, kid. We’re bonded. You’ve got my power running through you.” He tapped the center of Caelan’s forehead. “I’m already in here. You don’t need to visit this stone.”

“Oh,” Caelan mumbled, hating the blush that burned his cheeks.

“But just because you want to talk to me doesn’t mean I’m going to come out. You’re not getting all my secrets.”

“Okay. That works.”

“What works?” Eno asked.

Caelan blinked and Kaes was gone. He was standing with his hand on the stone, and he had a feeling that only a second or two had passed rather than minutes. He dropped his hand from the stone and turned to face his companion. “Kaes says that we can’t move the stone, but he’s fine with us burying it under the lighthouse.”

Eno’s eyes widened. “Really? You talked to him already?”

“Apparently, gods can move fast when they want to.” Caelan led the way back out of the room, and they jogged together down the hall. They needed to talk to the demolitions experts and then get in contact with Rayne and Drayce.

“Why not just move the stone?” Eno asked, a couple of steps behind him.

“Don’t know. He just said that it can’t be moved. That it’s protecting us from something more dangerous than the Empire.”

“What?”

“No idea. He didn’t say, but apparently I’m going to get more information about it in the future.” That was assuming he survived all of this mess in the first place, but he couldn’t worry about that now. One thing at a time.

Luckily, the demolitions specialists were waiting for them in the garage. After some quick instructions to bring the lighthouse straight down when Prince Shey gave the command, they were being whisked out in the SUV with the sixteen-year-old guard.

Unfortunately, the moment they reached the surface, Caelan discovered that both he and Eno had missed calls from Rayne. They’d been far enough underground that the cell signal had been unable to reach their phones.

“What’s the problem?” Eno demanded when he returned Rayne’s call the second they were out of the SUV. He grunted at whatever Rayne said and switched his phone over to Speaker.

“We have a new problem,” Rayne announced, his voice dark and a little unsteady. “The Lord High Commander of the New Rosanthe navy has been in contact with Queen Noemi. The Empire is demanding that Prince Caelan Talos be handed over to their custody in the next five hours. If he is not handed over by the deadline, Sirelis will be leveled.”

“They don’t want the stone?” Caelan demanded.

“There has been no mention of it,” Rayne replied.

“How the fuck did the Empire even discover he was here?” Eno snarled. He started to pace away with the phone tightly clenched in his fist, but Caelan grabbed his arm, holding him in place so he could hear Rayne’s response.

“We don’t know.” Rayne sighed heavily. “Shey is livid, but he is the first to admit that there are Empire spies running around the city. We haven’t been as cautious as we should have been about disguising Cael.”

“What do we do?” Eno asked.

“Queen Noemi has already replied to the Lord High Commander. She has not only denied that you are here, but she has also stated that even if you were in Sirelis, there is no way in hell she would ever hand you over after the Empire’s heinous attack on Erya.”

Caelan cursed softly and spun around to pace. He needed to think. This was spiraling out of control. He couldn’t let Noemi place the city or kingdom in danger to protect him. They needed to act.

And that meant using the power of the God of Storms that he’d been gifted.

Spinning back toward the phone, he leaned close. “Where are you and Drayce?”

“We’re heading toward the harbor now.”

“Shey with you?”

“No. He’s still in the palace, organizing their defenses. He said that he’d be meeting us at the harbor later.”

“We’re going to the harbor now. I want you to find a meeting place for us to plan. Away from the Caspagir forces. We need to make our own plans. I’m not letting Noemi put her kingdom in danger for me.”

“Keeping you out of Empire hands protects all of Thia, Caelan,” Rayne growled. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Caelan glanced up at Eno and found an answering smirk.

“Crazy probably, but never stupid,” Eno said.

“Get moving. Call or text your final location.”

Eno ended the call and shoved the phone into his pocket. “This is going to get stupid, isn’t it?”

“I really hope not, but we’ve got to stop the Empire. Sirelis is in danger, thanks to us.” Caelan shook his head. “These people aren’t going to die for us.”

“If anyone dies, it’s because the Empire is full of fucking assholes. Not you.”

Caelan tried to find some comfort in Eno’s words, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he held the safety of all the people of Sirelis in his hands. He needed to do something about the Empire.

But in the end, he knew it wasn’t just for the sake of Caspagir. He also wanted to strike at them for all the people who died in Stormbreak. He wanted to rip the Empire to shreds for the death of his mother. She had welcomed an envoy from the Empire for peaceful talks. They’d used that as a way to gain entrance and kill her. He was not going to let that go unpunished.

“Let’s head toward the harbor and see if we can find a good vantage point from which to view the layout of the potential battle ahead of us.”

Eno glanced up at the sky and frowned. The sun was sinking below the horizon fast, casting the city in long, deep shadows. “I doubt we’re going to be able to see much. The Empire is obviously waiting for full dark before it strikes.”

Caelan took the lead, jogging only a few steps ahead of Eno. The streets were emptier now than they had been. He wasn’t sure how long it had taken them to reach the Godstone, speak with Kaes, and then organize things with the demolitions team, but it had been enough to get people largely out of their way. A few shops here and there had been boarded up, but for the most part, places were closed and windows were pitch-black. It was a good bet that people had either left the city entirely or retreated to the southern half of the city, which was farthest from the harbor and the Empire’s looming threat.

“Do you think the Empire will limit the attack ships it’s bringing against Caspagir?” Caelan tossed over his shoulder after they’d gotten a few blocks.

“No, I—” Eno’s response was broken off when a man dressed entirely in black jumped out of the thicker shadows of a nearby alley with a wicked blade in hand.

Eno grabbed Caelan’s shoulder and jerked him backward while Eno launched himself forward, knife in hand. Caelan’s heart stopped in his chest and only seemed to jolt into beating when his shoulders slammed into a brick wall of a nearby building. Where the fuck had he come from?

Caelan tried to follow the action as Eno fought with their attacker, but he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He jerked his head in time to see another figure in black racing toward him, knife glinting in the light cast by a streetlamp. Cursing under his breath that they’d left their weapons at the palace. It had seemed rude to run through Sirelis fully armed. Now Caelan wanted nothing more than to have his sword in his hand.

Snatching up a metal trash can lid, Caelan ducked under the man’s arm and slammed the lid across his face with a loud metallic clang. The man staggered, struggling to keep his feet. Caelan stepped up and smashed the lid over his head, sending him into a parked car. As the man regained his feet, something silver flashed past him and a knife embedded itself in the man’s chest, straight in his heart.

Caelan twisted on a gasp to find Eno straightening from where he’d thrown the knife. He crossed by Caelan and pulled the knife free. With his empty hand, he brushed his fingers over the man’s eyelids, closing them.

“What the hell?” Caelan panted. He dropped the metal lid with a loud clatter and wiped his face. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was wiping away sweat or blood, possibly both. Either way, he didn’t want to know.

Eno bent and picked up the knife that had fallen from the attacker’s hand. He tilted the blade toward Caelan so he could see the eagle stamp for the royal house of New Rosanthe on the metal. “Empire assassins.”

“The Lord High Commander isn’t going to wait for Queen Noemi to hand me over. He’s sent his assassins in.”

“We need to be careful and stick to the shadows,” Eno said. This time he moved into the lead toward the harbor.

“Any chance Drayce and Rayne were kind enough to grab our gear?” Caelan asked as he chased after Eno.

“Damn. They better have.”

The race was now on. Caelan followed Eno as closely as he possibly could, darting across the street and down alleys. Hiding meant they couldn’t take a direct route.

But hiding only did so much good. It was as if an alert had been sent out that Prince Caelan Talos was on the loose in the streets of Sirelis. Hunting season was open. They were seemingly crawling out of the woodwork. They ran into four more small groups on their way.

Caelan was snatching up weapons from the dead men as he moved. The gun he’d recovered had only three bullets left, but it felt better than the poorly balanced short sword in his hand. If this was the kind the weaponry the Empire was supplying its assassins, it was surprising they had conquered as many people as they had.

“Do you think Rayne and Drayce are having the same problems?” Caelan panted as they hid inside an old warehouse two blocks over from the docks. The place was largely falling apart around them. The ceiling was mostly missing. The windows were broken out of half the frames and the other half was boarded up. The place smelled of alcohol, piss, and mildew.

“Yes.” Eno held up his phone to show a quick text from Rayne reporting that they had encountered assassins.

“Fuck,” Caelan snarled. He paced a short distance away from Eno, trying to keep to the deepest shadows as they waited to hear from their companions. Eno had already texted their location. Either they would join them in the warehouse or Rayne would text a new location.

“They’ll be okay. Both Rayne and Drayce have been trained for this,” Eno said calmly.

Caelan shook his head. “I was just thinking about something that Shey told me recently about Rayne.”

“Huh?” Eno perked up. “What? What’s up with Rayne?”

“No, he just said that Rayne was seeing someone.” Caelan sighed. “I hate to say that I never even considered it. Rayne…well, he’s always been there. Like you and Drayce. All three of you sort of jump into whatever insanity is going on in my life. I take it for granted that you’re just going to be there for me. I don’t consider that you might have a life that I’m interfering with.” Caelan spun on his heel, slashing the horrible Empire-made blade through the air. “What about this person that Rayne’s seeing? Does this person know what’s going on in Rayne’s life? If Rayne just disappears or stops calling, are they going to understand?”

Eno’s low chuckle surprised Caelan, and he lowered the blade as he turned to where Eno was peering out one of the broken windows at the street. A smirk was lifting one corner of his mouth. “I don’t feel like you take us for granted. We all knew what we were getting into when we became part of your personal entourage.” Eno glanced over at him and smiled. “This is more than a job for me and Rayne. We believe in you. We want to help you to protect our home.”

“And poor Drayce is just stuck with me.”

Eno snorted. “Don’t let Drayce fool you. He’s loving every second of the adventure. Even when he’s bitching.”

A smile started to form on Caelan’s lips. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“As for whoever Rayne is seeing, you gotta remember, this is Rayne. He’s always very up front. He’d set this person straight from the very beginning. This person would understand Rayne’s priorities and have to respect them if they were to get even a little attention from that man.”

Caelan nodded and returned to pacing. He wanted more for his friends. And that was what they were to him. They had become his friends first, bodyguard and advisor second. He wanted them to have something that resembled a normal life with love, friends, and laughter. But maybe that wasn’t the kind of life he could expect for them because they’d chosen to be with him.

The quick slap of footsteps echoed off the pavement as at least two people ran toward them. Caelan retreated to Eno’s side and his bodyguard pulled out a pair of knives, but they instantly relaxed again when Drayce popped through a sizeable hole in one of the walls. Rayne followed immediately behind him. Both men looked sweaty, dirty, and blood splattered. There was a rip in Drayce’s shirt and a large spot on Rayne’s dark pants that appeared to be blood. It also didn’t help that Rayne was now walking with a limp.

“Are you okay?” Eno demanded before Caelan could get the words out.

“Yeah, Empire bastards,” Drayce grumbled.

“Minor cuts and contusions. Nothing more,” Rayne reassured them.

“But we brought gifts,” Drayce crowed. While Rayne hefted Eno’s broadsword from the sheath across his back, Drayce handed over Caelan’s sword and sheath. A cry of joy nearly left Caelan’s throat as he snatched up his weapon. It had been specially crafted and perfectly balanced for him.

“What’s the news?” Eno demanded as he settled his own sheath in place.

“The Caspagir Navy has been ordered to form a blockade across the harbor to hold them as long as possible,” Rayne’s shoulders slumped slightly, and he shook his head. “Right now, we are just trying to buy time. The rest of the fleet is rushing to Sirelis, but it could be at least forty-eight hours before the first of the ships arrive. Four days for the entire fleet.”

“Erya couldn’t possibly send any help,” Caelan grumbled. Because his own fleet was either trapped by the Empire ships that were left behind, or there simply wasn’t anyone in a position of leadership to order assistance to Caspagir.

“The Empire has also sneaked in some ground forces. Fires are popping up all over the city. Not just the assassins that we encountered.”

Eno swore, and Drayce even looked grim as he checked over his gun and repositioned his spare magazines in his pockets.

“They are going to squeeze and hammer at Sirelis until Queen Noemi finally breaks,” Eno growled.

“That’s why some of her advisors have suggested that we leave town, loudly.”

“Make the Empire chase us,” Drayce added.

“Chase us where?” Eno snapped.

“The Ordas,” Caelan answered. “As far as we know, the Ordas is the one place the Empire would hesitate to follow, but I’m not even sure of that anymore.” Caelan shook his head. “It’s not happening. I didn’t get the powers from Kaes and not plan to use them.”

“Yeah, but you’re still trying to figure out how to use them,” Drayce pointed out, which did not help the churning in Caelan’s stomach.

“I guess I’d better figure them out fast.” Caelan stared at his friends for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest and his palms sweaty. “We need to find a place where I can get a good view of the harbor. While I’m focused on the ships, I’ll need you to protect my back.”

“We got you,” Eno said easily.

“We won’t let Sirelis suffer like Erya,” Rayne added as if he could read Caelan’s mind.

With weapons ready, they left the cover of the warehouse and edged closer to the docks. After a lot of skulking and sneaking, Eno finally pushed Caelan toward the flat roof of another warehouse right on the bay. The rusted metal of the ladder dug into his hands as he climbed the side of the building. His companions were staying on the ground to keep anyone who might spot him away, but he was hoping that no one noticed him.

Heart thudding painfully, Caelan jogged to the edge of the roof and stared out into the darkness, past the brightly lit harbor. It was easy to spot the ring of ships guarding the entrance to the harbor. The Empire ships were farther out and reduced to mostly just lights and dark shadows cutting through black waters. To have reached Caspagir so quickly, these ships had to have come from Erya.

These were the same ships that had launched an attack on his home. These were the soldiers who’d killed his mother, killed his people. They had stolen his godstone.

There was no struggle to gather together the power gifted by Kaes. It rushed through him like a brutal wind sweeping hard and cold across the plains. It stole his breath away and sent a jolt of electricity through every nerve ending. Wind poured over the rooftop and swirled around him, sending his black hair dancing about his head and tugging at his clothes.

He was vaguely aware of the wind lifting him higher and higher into the air. The Empire ships came clearly into view. The wind snapped and whipped up the waves, gilding them with white caps against the dark ships. Overhead, clouds churned and spread across the sky, blotting out the sparkling white stars and sliver of moon. Blotting out the heavens. They didn’t need to see what he was going to do.

Anger boiled in his veins. Here, he could finally have a taste of vengeance. These people had betrayed and killed his mother. They’d stolen a good queen from her people years too early. They’d robbed too many people of Erya of their lives. And now he was running and hiding, unable to go home.

That was fine. He didn’t want to go home until they were all dead anyway.

Caelan lifted both of his arms and thrust them forward, commanding a great gust of wind. Waves grew and battered the ships. He clenched his teeth, snarling low in his throat. Caspagir ships were getting rocked, too. He didn’t want to hurt the Caspagir soldiers, but they were getting in his damn way.

Thick bolts of lightning snaked across the sky in tattered threads followed by booms of thunder. The clouds fractured and let loose sheets of ice-cold rain. But Caelan barely felt it. He needed more. Needed to finish off the Empire ships as they rocked and tumbled in the water.

Power poured through him in thick, molten waves. He could barely breathe, barely think. He was drowning and couldn’t catch a lungful of air. It was too much. The storm was slipping from his grasp. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t crush the Empire without endangering the Caspagir forces, and possibly even himself.

“You’re not ready yet, kid,” Kaes murmured in his ear.

“No!” he tried to scream, but the word came out choked and broken.

“You’re trying to tackle the power of a god, and you haven’t figured out how to be a king yet, Prince Caelan.”

Caelan clenched his eyes shut against Kaes’s words. But it was true. He was still clinging to the title of prince, because if he was still a prince, his mother wasn’t dead and he wasn’t left to try to lead a country all alone.

But he could do this. He could get vengeance. Justice for his mother. He could do this.

“Don’t forget that a god’s power is good for more than brute force, and you still need some answers.”

And just like that, the wind left him. The world spun and he became lightheaded, barely clinging to consciousness. He was falling and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Kaes had left him or cut off his access to the power, or maybe he’d just broken something in his brain. Muscles clenched, trying to prepare for the potentially bone-shattering impact when he saw a green sparkle before his eyes.

Tula.

On a gasp, Caelan reached for the power that had woven itself through his very DNA almost since birth. It sparked and lit him up the same way it always did when he cast the protection dome. His descent to the hard concrete roof slowed and he landed with a splash in a thin puddle of dirty water.

He groaned softly. Definitely not as hard a landing as it could have been, but not like flopping on a featherbed either. The hard slap of shoes across the wet roof echoed above the pounding rain and Caelan tried to push himself upright to meet the threat but released another moan of relief instead when he found it was only Drayce running toward him.

“Cael!” he shouted, his voice high and worried.

“I’m okay,” he grunted, though he was beginning to wonder if he was exaggerating. Muscles ached and his head throbbed. This wasn’t from the fall. He must have pulled something when using the God of Storms’s powers.

Drayce slid to a stop beside him and kneeled, one arm wrapping around Caelan’s shoulders to pull him close. “I saw you fall. The storm—”

“I can’t. I can’t control it,” he choked out, hating to admit his failure.

“It’s okay. The storm is enough cover for us to slip out of town while Caspagir keeps the Empire busy. But we need to get moving now. Rayne and Eno are holding them back.”

Caelan shook his head. Kaes was right. Killing them all wouldn’t get him any closer to the answers they desperately needed. Nor would Drayce’s suggestion. “If we run, what will that have gotten us?”

“We’d still be alive.”

There was another option. Something more than protecting their own survival. One that could give them what they needed, but it meant Caelan taking an even bigger risk. Alone.

Shifting so that he was sitting up, Caelan turned to face Drayce. His blond hair was soaked and slicked out of his face while fat drops of water ran down his cheeks and nose. Despite the rain, his clothes were filthy and splattered with blood. And he was still the sexiest man he’d ever known, especially when he smiled. But it was going to be a long time before he saw Drayce smile again.

“If we run, we won’t know why the Empire wants me or how they found me in the first place. We won’t know if they know about the other godstones. We need more information, and there’s only one way to get it.”

“But-but you can’t mean…?” Drayce stammered, his eyes wide while lines of horror dug into his face.

“I hand myself over to the Empire, get their secrets, and get out again.” Caelan’s heart hammered so hard he felt like he could taste it in his throat.

“No! You can’t! They could kill you,” Drayce argued, but Caelan just shook his head.

“I’ve got enough power from the Life Stone to put up the protective barrier if I need to. They won’t be able to shoot me, stab me, or kill me in most other ways.”

Drayce wiped his hand violently across his face, but it did little to remove the water that still fell on them both in buckets. “You can’t keep that up forever.”

“I can’t. That’s why you, Eno, and Rayne have to rescue me in twenty-four hours.”

“Cael…” he whispered, his voice broken.

Caelan reached out and wrapped his hand around the back of Drayce’s neck, pulling his friend forward until their foreheads bumped. “This is for our people. For their future. The Empire has to be stopped.”

“I don’t give a damn about anyone else,” Drayce snarled and Caelan just smiled.

“Then do it for me. You’ll save me, right?”

Drayce jerked away from him, his expression twisting into a scowl. “Of course I’ll save you! That’s a stupid que—”

Caelan tightened his hand on Drayce’s neck and pulled him in, slamming his mouth over Drayce’s. This kiss was hard and too fast. For just a moment, the rain stopped, the thunder drifted away, and the Empire disappeared. Drayce’s lips were softer than he’d expected, and he smelled of rain, sweat, and something smoky—a scent he’d associated with his best friend almost from the very beginning.

Everything in Caelan tingled. He’d kissed other men, but no one he’d wanted to kiss as badly as Drayce. He’d waited years for this kiss, and if he was going to hand himself over to the Empire, then he was going to steal this kiss at long last.

On a final impulse, he stuck his tongue out and swiped it across Drayce’s plump bottom lip, grabbing just a hint of a taste. A noise left Drayce’s throat, and Caelan wasn’t quite sure how to interpret it.

Releasing Drayce, Caelan planted both his hands on the soggy rooftop and grinned at his friend’s stunned expression. No idea if it was a good stunned or a bad stunned. Well, they would just have to figure that out later. In twenty-four hours, Drayce was either going to kiss him again or punch him. Maybe both.

“Twenty-four hours. Save me,” Caelan said as he pushed to his feet.

Before Drayce could react, Caelan ran as fast as he could to the edge of the roof and threw himself down the ladder. Drayce’s shout echoed through the night, rising above the thunder and rain, causing Caelan’s heart to skip in his chest.

Drayce was going to kill him.

And maybe kiss him.

That was a damn good reason to escape the Empire.

Licking his lips, Caelan was nearly laughing when he ran straight into a small group of the Empire’s forces poorly sneaking along a street. Caelan stopped in the center of the road, his hands on his hips, and his chin tilted up.

“I am Prince Caelan Talos of Erya. I demand to be taken to the Lord High Commander immediately.”

Twenty-four hours. Starting…now.

* * *

The count down is on!

Caelan faces more than just Empire problems when he, Rayne, Eno, and Drayce return in Breath of Life, book 2 of the Godstone Saga.

It’s time to go home to Stormbreak, but will his throne be waiting for him?

Pre-order Breath of Life now. Available on November 12.

About the Author

New York Times Bestselling author Jocelynn Drake loves a good story, whether she is reading it or writing one of her own.

Over the years, her stories have allowed her to explore space, talk to dragons, dodge bullets with assassins, hang with vampires, and fall in love again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her husband. Recently, they’ve settled near the Rockies.

When she is not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can be found walking her dog Ace or playing video games. She loves Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

Check out all her books at JocelynnDrake.com or join her newsletter and get regular updates on all upcoming books.

Join the fun in her Facebook Group, Jocelynn Drake’s Darlings. Exclusive giveaways, cover reveals, and sneak peeks!

Also by Jocelynn Drake

The Godstone Saga

Steal the Wind

Breath of Life (November 2021)

Wake the Dead (December 2021)

Lords of Discord

Claiming Marcus

Saving Rafe

Waking Bel

Embracing Winter

Healing Aiden

Exit Strategy

Deadly Lover: Special Edition

Vengeful Lover

Final Lover

Forbidden Lover

Accidental Lover

Ice and Snow Christmas Series

Walking on Thin Ice

Ice, Snow, & Mistletoe

Snowball’s Chance

Defrosting Jack

By AJ Sherwood and Jocelynn Drake

Scales ’N’ Spells Series

Origin

Breath

Wish: A Novella

Blood

Embers

By Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott

The Unbreakable Bonds Series

Shiver

Shatter

Torch

Devour

Blaze

Fracture

Ignite

Rialto

Unbreakable Bonds Short Story Collections

Unbreakable Stories: Lucas

Unbreakable Stories: Snow

Unbreakable Stories: Rowe

Unbreakable Stories: Ian

Ward Security

Psycho Romeo

Dantes Unglued

Deadly Dorian

Jackson

Sadistic Sherlock

King of Romance

Killer Bond

Seth

Wicked Outlaw

Pineapple Grove

Something About Jace

Drew & Mr. Grumpy

All for Wesley

Weavers Circle

Broken Warrior

Wild Warrior

Blind Warrior

Tangled Warriors