feet ten inches with white-blond hair. Izak’s icy blue eyes stayed the same color all year. Kerrick had been the only family member to be gifted with magic, which had always been a source of conflict between them.
“Let me rephrase,” Kerrick said in an even tone. “I don’t need your permission. I—”
“You haven’t been here in three years. What you need is to reacquaint yourself with what’s going on in Alga Realm.”
He gave Izak a cold stare. “Just what has been going on?”
Izak gestured to the windows. They were in the sitting area of their father’s royal suite. When King Neil died from the plague five years ago, Kerrick had inherited the position. However, he had stayed in his own rooms and refused to allow anyone to call him king. But Izak had moved into the expansive suite of rooms right away. He also had no qualms about being called king.
“Peace and prosperity,” Izak said. “Alga is a safe haven for the plague survivors.”
“Because of Prince Ryne, you idiot. Without his help, Alga Realm wouldn’t exist.”
“And I’m grateful, but I can’t let you take my soldiers because of some crazy rumor.”
By pure force of will, Kerrick did not strangle his brother. Avry would be proud of him, provided she’d speak to him after he failed to show up with Ryne and half his army. The other half was bivouacking in the fields north of Orel, Kerrick’s hometown. Ryne had asked him to gather more troops and address the threat from the northern wildlands. He couldn’t refuse. It was too important. But he had insisted Quain and Loren go with Ryne, despite their protests. Kerrick knew they would protect Avry once her secret was out.
“They are not yours, Izak. I did not abdicate the throne.” He held up a hand, stopping his younger brother’s outburst. “It isn’t a rumor. If the northern tribes reach Alga, then the peace and prosperity you’re so proud of will be gone.”
Izak pished. “We can defend against the tribes. The message could have been from one of Tohon’s spies. What a great tactic. Lure all our soldiers north while he sneaks in over the Nine Mountains.”
“Ryne already ruled that out. The source of the message is reliable, and he detailed hundreds of warriors. The tribal people are ruthless, they—”
“Probably have been decimated by the plague, as well.”
Kerrick ceased arguing. It was a waste of time. He strode to the door, yanked it open and ordered one of the guards standing outside to fetch General Zamiel.
“You can’t …”
Kerrick waited, but Izak didn’t finish. Good. “Before General Zamiel arrives, I’ve another matter to discuss.” He settled into his father’s favorite armchair.
Wary, Izak perched on the edge of the desk, crossing his arms. “Go on.”
“I brought two children with me. Zila and Danny and their nanny, Berna. The kids are … special. And they’re going to need protection while I’m in the north.”
“How much protection?”
“A squad dedicated to keeping them safe.”
Izak dropped his arms. “That is special. What are you worried about?”
“Kidnappers sent by Tohon.”
He stood in alarm. “Why did you bring them here? We’re closer to Tohon. They’d be safer in Ryne’s castle.”
Kerrick agreed. However, with this new threat from the north, Ryne believed they’d be better protected in Orel. “You have the pass between Alga and Sogra guarded, right?”
“Of course. And I’ve a couple battalions along the coast in case Tohon decides to invade from the Endless Sea.”
“Tohon’s been too busy with Estrid to worry about the northern realms. The kids should be fine,” Kerrick said, trying to convince himself.
“I think you and Ryne are being rather naive regarding Tohon.”
An odd statement. Izak’s demeanor set off a warning, but before Kerrick could question him, the door burst open.
Great-Aunt Yasmin entered with a swish of skirts. She clutched her shawl tight, but her sharp gaze sliced right through Kerrick. Uh-oh.
“Three years, Kerry.” She held up three gnarled fingers. “You’re gone three years and I have to hear about your return from my maid.” She radiated indignation, anger and guilt-inducing energy at him.
Izak’s smirk died when she rounded on him. “Don’t be so smug, young man. You haven’t seen your brother in years and you’ve been fighting with him! What kind of welcome is that?”
“How did—”
She harrumphed. “I’m old, not stupid. Now come here, Kerry, and give your favorite auntie a hug.”
Kerrick bent over and gave her a gentle squeeze. She was half his size and all bones. Her white hair had been pulled up into a neat bun. Great-Aunt Yasmin looked pretty good for a ninety-year-old.
She rested her hand on his cheek and smiled. “Ah, Kerry. You’ve found your heart. Who is she?”
He shouldn’t have been surprised. Despite her claim to have no magical abilities, she had a canny knack for reading a person’s soul.
“A healer, but she’s … gone.”
She patted his cheek as if consoling him, but the shrewd gleam in her gray eyes told him she wasn’t buying his act at all. Great-Aunt Yasmin stepped away instead of questioning him further.
“What have you boys been arguing about?” she asked.
They exchanged a glance.
“I’m old, not fragile. If it’s bad news, you’d be better off if I heard it from you and not my maid.”
Kerrick explained about the northern tribes invading Krakowa. “I want to take at least half of the Algan army and drive the tribes back into the wildlands.”
Surprised, Great-Aunt Yasmin turned to Izak. “Didn’t you tell Kerry about the deal?”
Izak’s face paled. “How did …? Never mind. Old, not stupid, I know.”
“What deal?” Kerrick asked.
Izak stepped back as if expecting a blow. “You weren’t here. I did what I could for our people.”
“He was too young when you left him in charge, Kerry. Don’t blame him for panicking and making a deal with King Tohon.”
CHAPTER 6
I scanned the soldiers’ faces a third and fourth time, hoping Kerrick had decided to arrive at Estrid’s camp incognito. It would have been an excellent idea since Jael had no qualms about killing him either. However, no one even resembled
