Judd snickers.
“Something funny?” Ryatt demands. “Sorry we can’t all laugh everything off and pretend it’s fine like you do, but Drollard is in serious fucking danger of being starved out if your king doesn’t get off his ass and fucking do something!”
My eyes flare wide, bouncing between them as they all seem to snarl and snap at each other like a bunch of hungry dogs.
Across the table, Lu gives me an eye roll. “You see what I put up with all the time?” she tells me before getting to her feet. Then she hops on top of the table and, quick as a whip, launches a dagger from…I don’t even know where, and makes it slam point-first into the wood, pinning the letters down.
Everyone stops talking at the same time, looking up at her.
“Now that I have your Divine-damned attention…” She places her fists on her waist, looking down at them like the captain she is. “I need you all to tuck your dicks in for a second and try to think rationally. Like a woman.”
Despite the severity of the situation, I can’t help but grin.
“It’s clear what we need to do,” she goes on, and she points at Ryatt. “You need to stop being a prick. Slade cares about Drollard and everyone in it—and you know this. Just like we also know that you’re stressed as fuck about it because this place is your home. But like I said, stop being a prick.”
Ryatt looks mulish, but he keeps his mouth shut.
Her finger moves to Judd. “Stop being an instigating asshole.”
“And you,” she says next, pointing at Slade. “You’ve been gone way too long from your kingdom, and you know it.”
“You…” she says to Digby next, making him look up at her warily. “Keep up the good work. Same for you, Hojatty,” she adds, and the mender gives her a shy smile.
“And Gildy.” I stare cautiously at her finger, bracing myself for her words. “You need to yank up your big girl britches and figure out your magic. Because we all know Rip sure as hell isn’t going to leave without you, and frankly, you need to do it before we let you near another ballroom. It’s time.”
I know she’s right. I’m past the point of dragging my feet. I need to be stronger physically and magically. So even though it fills me with dread, I nod. “I know.”
“I know you do,” she replies. When she drops her hand to her side, everyone seems to relax a little. I’d find it funny if I weren’t so anxious. “Now, we’re not going to argue and waste time anymore. Os is already getting the last third of the army crossed back into our territory. Which means we are going to have thousands of tired troops we need to take care of, and letters to answer. We need to come up with a plan. Together.”
Collectively, everyone nods.
Lu hops down from the table and then looks to Slade, and I see his own demeanor shift. He looks like he did in his Rip form—the devious commander of the world’s most fearsome army.
He braces his hands against the wood, eyes skimming over the rolled scrolls beneath his fingers. “The other kingdoms think they can try to bully me into handing over Auren, but it’s not going to work,” he says, and I finally hear it—the rage that he’s kept hidden, the need to act that he’s been suppressing. After a moment, he lifts his head from the letters, and a wicked grin spreads over his face. “Maybe I need to remind them of why no one fucks with King Rot.”
CHAPTER 40
AUREN
Yesterday, as everyone filled me in on all the political moves that’ve been happening since Ranhold, I realized just how sheltered I’ve been. How much they’ve tried to shield from me. But now that those shields are down, they included me in all the talks. Several times, one of them would look over to me and ask my thoughts on the matter. I startled the first couple times, caught myself frowning in confusion another.
I’ve been a silent witness to hundreds of political meetings over the years, but the key word is silent. I was never invited to voice an opinion, never allowed to ask questions. I was just the caged pet meant to be gawked at.
We all spoke for hours, and admittedly, I was out of my element. I’m not used to being asked for my judgment on things like this. But that’s just another reason why Slade and his Wrath are different. They all work together. Even when they argue, Slade isn’t pulling rank and meting out punishment. He opens every discussion, hears everyone’s say in the matter, from his Wrath to his mender—to even my guard. He listens to everyone, taking it all into account.