well as the queen of Madra.
“Just tell me, Ara, is this mistake you made going to get all of us killed?”
She lifted her face to meet his kind gaze, far kinder than she deserved. “When I spoke to you with my magic this morning, Eirik heard me.”
His jaw ticked, but he otherwise showed no reaction. “You mean the warlord you’re supposed to be watching? And how, dearest Ara, did he hear you use your power?”
Her face heated as he nodded, understanding without words.
A sigh rattled through his chest. “I know a little something of falling in love with someone I’m not supposed to get closed to.”
“I didn’t say I loved him.”
Edmund raised a brow. “What else would make Ara Caron cry?” He stood and extended a hand down to her. “Come. It seems you will be joining us on the road tomorrow when we set off for Madra and eventually sail home to Bela.”
“You’re not angry?”
“I’ll leave the anger to our lovely queen. Soon, I’ll be home with my husband. Getting there is all that matters right now. Our talks with the warlords have already failed, and I’m ready to face the consequences of that, but I’d really like to get you out of Cana alive.”
She slid her hand into his and let him pull her up. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“If you were going to reveal your betrayal to the most dangerous man in Cana, at least you did it when we were here.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Come. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
With Edmund by her side, Ara’s tears dried. Soon, she’d return home where she wouldn’t risk her life every single day, where the people wouldn’t look to her with suspicion in their eyes.
Bela, with its rolling green hills, white-faced cliffs, and beautiful sandy beaches had been like a dream for four years as she fought for everything she’d gained in the harsher Cana.
Now, that dream would become her life once more.
It should have brought her joy. It should have stolen the grief from her mind.
But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream had changed, and now she wasn’t running toward it.
She was leaving it behind.
• • •
The mood in the small home where the delegation gathered could only be described as somber. Over the last few days, the Madrans and Belaens who traveled to towns controlled by other warlords returned with similar reports. Talks were getting nowhere. In Cana, the leaders wouldn’t even ally themselves with each other, let alone foreign rulers.
“Well.” Edmund leaned back in his chair. “There’s some good knowledge that has come of this. Cana will not attack surrounding kingdoms if they’re fractured.”
Ara sighed. “A fact I told the queen months before she sent you.”
Prince Quinn drummed his fingers on the table. He’d come to represent Madran interests along with a few of his people. “Who is this?” He gestured to Ara. The Madra prince wasn’t unkind, only exhausted, as were they all.
Still, she bristled at his insinuation that she didn’t belong. Ara stood and approached the long wooden table the delegation surrounded. “My name is Ara Caron. Who the hell are you?” She knew the answer, but still, she enjoyed seeing the surprise flash across his face.
Edmund chuckled. “Back down. Both of you. Quinn, Ara has been stationed in this town for four years.”
“A spy?” He narrowed his eyes. “What is she doing here?”
Before Ara could answer, Edmund’s words had her stepping back. “She blew her cover. Eirik Anger now wants her dead, and I very much don’t want him to get his wish. She will leave with us.” He pinned her with a stare. “And until then, she will not leave this house.”
A grimace flashed across her face, but she knew he was right.
Edmund surveyed the table. “If Eirik knows there was a spy in his midst, there’s a chance he wants us all dead. I am the only one who will go speak to him.”
“You can’t.” Fear stole the air from Ara’s lungs. If something happened to Edmund because of her, she’d never forgive herself. He was the most beloved man in Bela, the best among them.
His brow scrunched. “I will do as I please, Ara.” He stood and looked to Quinn. “Make sure she stays here.”
Without another word, he walked from the room. Most of the delegates trickled out until Ara sat alone with Quinn.
“You aren’t really going to keep me here, are you?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
He didn’t meet her eyes. “Edmund