Kingdom of Sea and Stone (Crown of Coral and Pearl #2) - Mara Rutherford Page 0,59

brother,” Talin said. “But I believe it was his intention to let you all die, if need be. I’m sorry. It seems he controlled you completely while you wore that stone.”

Rage and disgust for Ceren coursed through me. Once, he had used his power to intimidate others. Now, he could literally control them like puppets, and he did so remorselessly, with no regard for anyone but himself. How many people could he control at once, I wondered? A hundred? A thousand? An entire army?

I could see the guard was on the verge of tears. “What became of my brothers?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” Talin placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “What’s your name?”

“Jerem.”

“I hope we’ll find your brothers, Jerem.”

Roan stepped forward. “We’ll need to vote, but as far as I’m concerned, you can leave Galeth with Talin and his men.”

Talin nodded his thanks. “You’ll be free once we reach Ilara. You can go your own way, or you can join my side and fight against my brother. It’s your choice to make.”

The man’s eyes darted around the small room, taking us all in as if he suspected this was a trap. “What is your side?” he asked finally.

“I fight for the woman king,” Talin answered, and Roan’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. “And I am here to ask the Galethians to join me.”

* * *

Yana looked like she was ready to kill Talin, but Hoff managed to escort her back to the meeting room while Roan led us to another part of the fortress. There was a large sitting room decorated with tapestries and carved furniture, similar to what I’d seen in New Castle. Roan collapsed into an overstuffed chair and flicked his hand at us, indicating we should all sit.

“I’m sorry,” Talin said, still standing. “I didn’t want to ask for your help before you understood the magnitude of what we were up against.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Roan asked, sitting up. “I knew your purpose from the start. Why else would you elect to stay, when your mother is about to start a war?”

I wasn’t entirely surprised Roan had guessed our plans. “You understand why we didn’t mention it to the rest of the council, though, don’t you?” I said. “We couldn’t risk being thrown out of Galeth.”

“I do understand. What I can’t figure out,” Roan went on, “is why you didn’t tell me you were on the side of the woman king.” He was looking at me when he said this, but Talin answered.

“I did. I told you my mother and sister were alive and my sister was the rightful heir of Ilara.”

“But you didn’t tell me she was the woman king.”

“I’m sorry,” Talin said, blinking. “I thought that part was obvious.”

Roan sighed in exasperation. “It wasn’t. And besides, do you know what this so-called woman king—I imagine that refers to your mother, since your sister is barely out of her swaddling clothes—is doing?”

My thoughts went immediately to Shale and Ella. I had wanted to believe that they were wrong about Talin’s mother, but if Roan had heard something similar, it would be harder to dismiss.

“I’ve heard rumors,” Talin said, his voice hardening. “But they are just that, rumors.”

“Most rumors have some truth to them,” Roan retorted. “Even if she isn’t conscripting everyone to her army, why should we side with her any more than Ceren? We’re not interested in a monarchy, whether it’s a kingdom or a queendom.”

“I would think some people would be very fond of the idea,” I mumbled.

Roan smirked. “Yana likes to believe she’s in charge. She’s not.”

“I can assure you that my mother is nothing like Ceren,” Talin said. “She’s the gentlest woman I’ve ever known.”

My eyebrows rose at that, but I kept my mouth shut. Talia had survived a murder attempt, escaped New Castle while pregnant, and raised a child—and an army—in exile. I doubted anyone who knew her now would describe her as gentle. But Talin had only known her as his mother.

“Gentle women don’t command armies,” Roan said. “And we won’t commit our forces to hers. You were delusional for thinking we would.”

“Even after what that Jerem said?” Talin asked, his voice rising with anger.

“He told us what Ceren wants to do, not what he’s actually doing. We’ve protected our borders without breach for decades. If we send our fighters south, how will we do that?”

“You don’t need to send everyone,” Talin said. “A thousand riders would—”

Roan laughed, a deep, booming chuckle that rang completely false. “You’d