the meeting room gliding open. Essie didn’t bother glancing over her shoulder. It was probably yet another elf scout or elf army officer bringing another report to add to this meeting.
Hands settled on her shoulders. “What did I miss?”
“Avie!” Essie shot to her feet, spun, and flung herself into Averett’s hug. “It’s only been three days. How did you get here so quickly? I thought it would take at least a week for Parliament to ratify the new treaty, authorize going to war, and prepare the army.”
Averett’s mouth tipped into a smile. “I am the king. When I want something to get done, it happens.”
“Oh, yes. Because playing the king card has worked so well with Parliament before.” Essie shook her head and gave another squeal and hugged him yet again. “I’m just so glad you’re here.”
“Are you not happy to see me?”
Only when she spoke did Essie finally notice that Jalissa had entered the room behind Averett. Essie waved a hand over Averett’s shoulder. “Yes. I’m so happy to see both of you.”
“So I gathered.” Averett chuckled and turned her to face the rest of the room. Edmund and Julien were both smirking, while all the elven generals and scouts were giving her various versions of the raised eyebrow, scandalized look she got far too often from the elves. Weylind, however, looked like he was trying to suppress a smile, even as he gave her his own raised eyebrow.
“Oh, right.” Essie gave the entire room a wry smile. Apparently shrieking loudly was a good way to interrupt a tactical meeting. “As you can see, my brother, King Averett of Escarland, has arrived.”
Averett patted her shoulder one last time, then stepped forward. “My army is mustered at the border and just awaits word that Tarenhiel is ready to host us.”
Weylind tipped his head in a nod. “We are ready, though a few of the preparations will take a few more days. You are here earlier than expected.”
Somehow, Weylind managed to sound mildly affronted. As if Averett arriving early was a bad thing.
Essie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Elves.
Averett strolled forward and worked his way between Julien and Weylind to stand next to the table. “After one of their own turned out to be a traitor, Parliament was rather motivated to cooperate. Charles Hadley’s testimony decrying his own son’s traitorous activities and listing the number of weapons given to the trolls turned out to be particularly compelling. And the army has been prepared to rally at the border in case of an elven invasion for the past twenty years. It was simple to revise the plan to a peaceful march across Tarenhiel.”
Essie wormed between all the elven warriors to find a place next to Edmund. Now that Averett was here, the plans could go from mere plans to actual action.
Averett nodded to Weylind. “It will take time to gather enough steamboats and elven ships to shuttle all of my army and supplies across, but we might as well start the process. I, for one, do not want to delay.”
“Nor do I.” Weylind clenched his fists and glanced at Essie.
Essie pressed her hand over her chest. The iron wall was still up, but at least that meant Farrendel was still alive.
For now.
Essie stepped from the train into the bustle of an army camp, following King Weylind. Spread out between the massive tree trunks were rows upon rows of Escarlish army tents made from a dull brown canvas. In a small clearing before the train’s stop, several officers oversaw a group of soldiers drilling, their muskets clacking first against their shoulders, then into their palms as they moved between positions.
It was impressive, especially considering this was only one of several regiments camped in the deep forest below the Tarenhieli-Kostarian border.
Essie adjusted the rifle hanging from its strap across her back and eased to the side to give Averett room to disembark.
Weylind halted at the edge of the train platform, a moss-covered mound of dirt several feet higher than the surrounding forest floor. His mouth flattened as he surveyed the encampment.
Essie halted next to him. “It must be a strange sight, seeing the Escarlish army camped in your kingdom. Your armies fought hard to keep the Escarlish army out of your kingdom fifteen years ago.”
Weylind’s shoulders lifted with a deep breath. “It is a disconcerting sight. But necessary.”
For Farrendel’s sake, Weylind was willing to go to great lengths. Essie would have hugged him, but he probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
Averett halted on Weylind’s