now they need it. Every single soldier in that army knows that it’s take this bank or die. Unless Serrick gives them another option, they’re going to hit us hard and we won’t be able to hold.”
Killian didn’t question her. If Dareena said it was so, then it was so. He pushed Malahi back, noting the tense lines of her jaw. Gwen, Lena, and several other of her bodyguard stood watchfully, though Bercola’s absence made his hackles rise, as did the fact that none of the women were meeting his gaze. “You have a plan, I take it? And an explanation for why you are all standing five hundred feet from a battle we’re about to lose?”
“The plan is to remove Serrick from authority, and this time for good,” Hacken replied. “Now, all in favor of crowning Princess Malahi as Queen of Mudamora let it be known.”
All the men in the room lifted their hands. Then their eyes shifted to Dareena. “Allow me to remind you,” the High Lady said, “that my presence is not by command, request, or”—she gave Malahi a flat stare—“invitation. You willfully excluded me from your plans, Malahi. Risked a good many lives in order to ensure it would be your head the crown sat upon, not mine.”
“You had your chance, Dareena,” Malahi answered. “The Twelve chose not to stand behind you. But they have chosen to stand behind me.”
“Behind your gold, girl. Not you.” Dareena squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “But your father is a problem that needs to be remedied, and for that reason alone, I’ll stand behind you. For now.”
“Good,” Hacken replied, dipping a pen in a bottle of ink and scrawling his name on a sheet of paper. “Now everyone sign. We need to get a copy of this to the Royal Army with instructions that Her Majesty is ordering them to stand down until we are properly fortified. Killian—”
“I’ll go.” If he could get there in time, it might be possible to save what remained of his forces. It might be possible to end this war today.
“No!” Malahi blurted out, then took a measured breath. “No. You need to stay with me. One of the High Lady’s soldiers can go.”
Irritation flashed through Killian. “I’m not hiding behind the lines, Malahi. Not today. This is my fight.”
“Which is why you need to be in command.” The muscles of her jaw stood out against her skin, and her eyes flicked to Hacken.
Because even now, even in this moment when all their lives were in jeopardy, he was playing politics. Malahi needed Hacken’s support to retain her crown, and that meant Killian marrying her. Though for the life of him, Killian couldn’t understand what Hacken stood to gain from him on the throne. “No.”
Dareena snorted with obvious irritation. “I’ll send two of my best. We don’t have time for this.”
“I’ll go myself,” Killian said. “You can spout all the orders you want, Your Majesty. But you need to get on a horse with the rest of the High Lords and ride hard for Mudaire. Then you need to get on ships and sail to somewhere safe.”
“He’s right about that, my lady,” Hacken said. “Even if the Royal Army stands down, we still might lose the ford. And when the enemy discovers you were here, you can bet they’ll be in pursuit. But Killian, you are the commander. You’ve no business trying to cross enemy lines when you are needed here.”
Killian crossed his arms. “High Lady Falorn is just as capable as I am.” More so, if he was being honest.
“You aren’t thinking this through, Killian.” Hacken’s jaw tightened. “You’re too important to waste as a messenger.”
He knew why Hacken and Malahi were pushing this. They wanted the victory to be Killian’s, not Dareena’s, and they were willing to risk it not being a victory at all in order to have their way. “Not with a message this important.” Picking up the letter, he shoved it deep in one of his pockets.
“Killian—”
“Enough, both of you,” Malahi interrupted. “I need to speak with Lord Calorian in private. Everyone out!”
“Be quick about it,” Dareena said to him as she headed outside. “We’re running out of time.”
Killian waited until they were gone before rounding on Malahi. “Do you understand what’s going to happen if we don’t get word to the Royal Army to back off their advance? We’re going to be overrun and slaughtered. Then the Derin army will hold this bank against your father while