Page 92 of Shadow Wings
“The other matters being what?” the king asked drily, his mouth twisting into a sardonic smile. Zakai wasn’t a fool, regardless of hisfrailty.
Dyter wiped at his chin. “Joining our alliance against EmperorDraedyn.”
One of the servers gasped, and the king cut the woman a severe look. The servers fellsilent.
“Indeed,” the king said, his gaze flitting between us, spending a long time on me before he leaned forward and opened thecase.
The Gemond king’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. Several moments passed before he lifted his gaze to Dyter and asked, “This isn’t—isthis—”
“Two vials of Phaetyn blood,” Dyter finished for him. “Enough to heal your lands now and for a long time tocome.”
The king didn’t speak, staring at the vials. Tears gathered in his rich blue eyes, dripping to the stone table, staining the dark gray slate black withmoisture.
33
Alumpof emotion formed at the back of my throat. King Zakai was nothing like I’d anticipated, and the contradiction of depravity I’d seen in the mountains to the emotion of the ruler of Gemond made nosense.
“Thank you,” he whispered, lifting his head. “You cannot know what this means to us, what it will mean to ourpeople.”
Dyter dipped his head. “Actually, I do. Most of Verald was on the brink of starving for the last twenty years. I’ve starved more often than I’d like in mylifetime.”
The king swallowed hard, blinking several times. “Yes, of course. Everyone in this realm ishungry.”
“Not Verald,” I said. “And with this, not your people.” Dyter shot me a look I couldn’t fail to interpret asI told you so.I was prepared to grudgingly admit he’d been partially right about the Gemond king. The guy was crying over Phaetyn blood, so whatever monster he was, he wasn’t completely oblivious or calloused to the struggles of hispeople.
He closed the lid as though the case held his heart, and his expression became reflective. He leaned back in his chair. “You have twoDrae.”
Well, that made me feel like apossession.
“We do,” Dyter said with an amused glance atme.
“I’m actually a bit Phaetyn,” I said, resumingeating.
The king started, and I enjoyed his shocked reaction insilence.
“You’re a land healer?” he asked. “How?”
I shrugged and swallowed. “Emperor’s experiments. Anyway, yes our side has two Drae, and Tyrrik is normally really strong. And he can breathefire.”
“We also have thirty-seven Druman who are sworn to King Caltevyn and the people of Verald. Recently, we passed through the Zivost Forest, and the new leaders have assured us of aid when the time comes tofight.”
That was stretching the truth, but more important was the way the king’s face had dimmed at the mention of the ZivostForest.
“New rulers, you say?” heasked.
I nodded. “Things were hectic when we left, but Princess Kamini is expected to rule.” I decided to take a risk by adding, “She formed a rebellion against Queen Alani and KingKaelan.”
“Good,” the king spat, his face turning fierce. They were the first bitter words to leave his mouth since ourarrival.
“You’ve had dealings withAlani?”
“Me, my father, and even my grandfather. We’ve begged them for aid, and occasionally we’ll see evidence of their work in the mountains, but they refused to come to Gemond. Did they let you in because you’re Phaetyn? That’s why they agreed to analliance?”
I frowned as his stomach rumbled again. Why wasn’t he eating? “Initially, yes. I’d hoped to learn more about my Phaetyn side, but we caught them in the middle of a civil war. I squashed Queen Alani and killed theKing.”
The king’s eyes rounded. “They’redead?”
The word kill had left a sour taste in my mouth, so I just noddedagain.