Page 94 of Twisted Bonds
My mates and I silently observe the rest of the meeting, our eyes tracing the movements of those gathered in the room. The intense atmosphere is equal parts war room meeting and diplomacy council. Despite all this, I know deep down which side will be crucial to our success in the end. As they move the pieces over the map, it's like watching a dance of war and diplomacy, a delicate balance between strategy and sacrifice.
“At the break of dawn, our full army will march out to join the fight. Yurghen’s forces should be outnumbered, with a 2-to-1 ratio in our favor. Hopefully, he is not completely irrational and will see reason with these odds stacked against him. However, we must be prepared to battle if necessary.” Cor’than mutters this last statement to himself before addressing the council members. “Inform the nobles about this new danger and instruct them to mobilize their house guards. As you leave, order the guards outside to lower the Dampening Shields now that we have confirmed the threat.”
Once the strangers have finally departed, only the king and two of his personal guards remain in the room with us. Almost as soon as the door clicks shut, a flood of Chroma and my bonds come rolling back inside me. I smile to myself with a contented sigh as the threads of Sunder, Callum, and Bobble swirl in my mind. My fingers itch to channel, to release the pent-up energy inside me.
Sunder’s body also seems to release a wave of tension as he finally collapses into a seat, sinking down with a heavy thud. With a deep breath, he rubs his rough hands over his scruffy face, the lines of worry and exhaustion etched deeply into his features. “This attempt to negotiate with Yurghen is—”
“A necessary step in responsible diplomacy, Dan’thiel.”
His words are like daggers, cutting through the air with a clear warning. I recoil in my chair, feeling as though I’ve been struck across the face when he refers to him by that name. Once again, I’m reminded how short our time may be together. We’ll be lucky if we ever make it to the day when I must say goodbye to the Shards in favor of Dan’thiel. A secret hope inside me wishes it’ll never come. That they’ll decide to stay with me instead. My eyes find Callum. I know he feels the same way I do, but will he change his mind when this is over?
Callum mutters bitterly under his breath beside me, too softly for the King to hear. “Responsible diplomacy will be the death of us.” His nose wrinkles and he folds his arms, leaning back in his chair to gaze at the high vaulted ceilings.
The moment seems endless, with Sunder just as taken aback by the label as I am. After what feels like an eternity, he speaks up. “So you expect us to stay here, cowering while you go off on and play the hero?”
“Quite the opposite, actually. I will need as many channelers as I can get. Although, if this threat against Mira is true, I suggest she stays behind Valenfall walls. It’s safer here.”
Separated from my mates again? A wave of anger rushes over me, causing my cheeks to burn with fiery heat. “No, I refuse to be left behind while you all confront him without me. That’s not an option. I am just as capable of channeling as any of you.”
It’s not entirely untrue. I possess raw power, but it’s the finesse and mastery over my red Chroma that I struggle with. I haven’t had a chance to practice what little Tairyn taught me about the threads of fate or channeling white Chroma to sever a tethered soul, but that changes tonight now that my shield is gone.
When I look around the table, I see no allies in this. I glare at Bobble. “You can’t be serious. You agree that I’m better left behind? Do I not get the courtesy of making my own decisions anymore?”
Bobble meets my stare with a calmness that does nothing to reduce my growing ire. He spreads his large, calloused hands in a helpless gesture. “Mira… I just… I want you safe. We all do.”
“Did you all discuss this already? Behind my back deciding what’s best for me?” The shared looks of guilt and dropping eyes tells me the answer. For a long moment, I stare down each of them, boring my fury through the bond. “Well, I’m going. You can’t stop me.”
King Cor’than clears his throat and gives me an apologetic look. “I am sorry, Mira. It does not seem a wise choice for you to join us. In the unlikely event that we fail, we can’t risk you falling into the hands of Yurghen.”
As they each nod their heads in agreement, I can sense their genuine concern for me. They may have good intentions and logical reasoning, but they didn’t even bother to ask for my thoughts on the matter. A pang of hurt rises in my gut as I stand up abruptly from the table, my hands trembling with anger as I lock eyes with Sunder. “Then I guess you all don’t need me for the rest of this meeting,” I say through gritted teeth before storming out of the room.
Elora and Amirah walk beside me as I make my way to my room.
“Tough night?” Elora playfully asks, her voice filled with sympathy despite the lighthearted words.
“Not yet.” I refuse to let them leave me behind. When they come to my room later, they will hear every last argument I can muster. They’ll need to lock me up to keep me here.
forty-five
Mira
It doesn’t take long for me to tire of pacing my bedroom. The fiery rage inside me reduces to a simmer as I exude the air of ‘approach me if you dare’. I know their meeting with Cor’than ended an hour ago because I felt them each go off in different directions. And yet, none have come to this room.
Instead, I spend my energy practicing. Only half of my attempts to pull out threads of good fortune from my magic are successful and less than half of those to wrap them around myself. Less than 25% success rate isn’t great, but I need to move on. If Tairyn was right, I’m our best chance against Yurghen. I need to channel white Chroma. Not for the first time I wish a could sense Tairyn in my mind. Make sure he’s ok. Alive at least.
I release a long, pouty sigh as I curl my feet onto the small couch in the sitting room. I hug my knees to my chest, staring into the fire. I can’t believe they want to leave me here. I understand the risk is too high for me to join them. But… did they have to decide this behind my back? I’m so sick of being treated like a child, unable to make her own choices.
My forehead touches my knees as someone finally enters the antechamber. I sense my connection to Sunder and Bobble, but it’s not either of them. To my surprise, it’s Callum, the person who seemed so determined to avoid this room, that cautiously approaches me.
He scans his surroundings with a watchful gaze, searching for any telltale signs of behavior he would rather turn a blind eye to. The way his eyes dart from one corner to the next reveals his unease and discomfort with what he may find in the room I share with Sunder and Bobble.
“Here to tell me you’ve decided what I’ll eat for dinner?”
He stops in his tracks, his shoulders slumping as he lets out a heavy sigh. The weight of my words is heavy before they even leave my mouth, but I can’t help the petulant tone that seeps into them. Right now, I’m filled with pettiness and frustration, and it’s all spilling out.
“It’s completely understandable if you’re angry with us. We should have included you in the discussion, and I apologize for not doing so. It was never our intention to leave you out.”
His genuine, apologetic tone makes it hard for me to hold on to my anger, no matter how hard I try. My words lose their bite, but the hurt remains. “You guys just accidentally made a very important decision for me?”