76

“Come,” I said, “we’ll get breakfast. There’s much I need to catch you up on.”

We ended up in the kitchens, seated at a small wooden table in the corner while the servants fried more bacon and cracked more eggs into the cast iron on the immense fire. They didn’t seem to mind us, and I was happy to let Elias catch the generals of Duskmoon and Starcrest up on our plan to take back Efra. I caught them up on everything—my time in Draunar’s hoard, Corinne’s takeover of Shianga, and now Daybreak’s opportunistic coup in Efra.

“Do you really think this will work?” Fina asked. “Going through the tunnels?”

“It’s the best option we have,” I said. “We’ve been hurt enough by battling Shianga. I don’t want us to lose any more wolves trying to fight through the soldiers of Daybreak to get to the duke. If we can take out the duke first, Daybreak will fall back.” I nodded to myself. “I know they will.”

“How do you know?” Adora asked.

“The duke has lost sight of the pack,” I said. “First he sent me to Efra, where I promptly dropped all affiliation with the Daybreak pack—surely that wasn’t good for them.”

“I got word of some surprise in the court when that happened,” Adora confirmed.

“Then he lost another wolf to a failed challenge, and now he’s trying to take Efra through a connection with the Duchess of Nightfall. The wolves of Daybreak must know Elias will return.”

“It’s well-fortified,” Fina said, “according to the Duskmoon scouts. But yes, there’s a sense of… Anticipation. Nervousness.”

“The duke has proven himself rash and impulsive,” I said. “Daybreak would be better served by a different leader.”

“Like who?” Adora asked.

I sighed. “That I don’t know.” I thought immediately of Barion. He was a loyal man—foolishly loyal to my father, but a good man at heart. I wondered what he might do if my father were removed from power. If he might be willing to lead the pack.

I pushed the question aside. That could be resolved later. What was important now was removing the duke from this farcical takeover. Elias was still the true King of Nightfall—and I was still his queen. Somehow. Against all odds.

In the tunnels under the manor, I’d prove it.

25

T

wo days later, I stood on the west side of Lake Argoen, as the sun dipped low in the horizon. We’d set up camp on the banks of the lake—just those of us who would be going into the tunnels for the initial push. Elias would lead us, with Kodan at his side, then a handful of the finest wolves of Siena, Duskmoon, and Starcrest. There would be a few wolves between Elias and me. It was a compromise I was willing to make to be a part of the initial convoy.

“You ready for this?” Fina asked as she sharpened the edge of her short sword.

I’d been surprised when Fina had insisted on coming, but I hadn’t tried to talk her out of it. She was just as stubborn as I was. Adora was with Sida and Thaddeus, leading the rest of the battalion to the woods outside Efra to lie in wait until the king called for their presence.

“More than.” I had my own steel armor from Siena’s barracks, a sword on my hip, and determination in my heart. I was ready.

At the edge of the lake, Elias fastened his bracers over his forearms. He was in leather armor, for ease of movement, with a sword on his back and a small knife at his hip for use in close-quarters fighting. He’d shaved his face and tied his dark hair back. He was deep in conversation with Ealric of Starcrest, who had traded his polished ceremonial armor for studded leather as well. His jaw was set, gaze hard as he talked with Elias.

I’d never seen him like this—war-ready, with his wolf close to the surface, but still in possession of that regal air about him. It was different than when he moved around the manor in Efra, on his own turf. It was different than when he was alone and wild in the mountains. It was almost like I was seeing his true self for the first time—all of the roles he played coming together to make up the man.

He finished his conversation with Ealric, then looked over like he could feel my eyes on him. Heat shot through me; I held his gaze a little unsteadily. Things still felt delicate between us, like we were on opposite sides of a frozen lake, trying to make our way over cracking ice back to each other.

He strode over. Fina glanced up, then muttered an excuse about getting a few more knives as she shoved her sword back in its scabbard. I was grateful for the imagined privacy as the rest of the soldiers readied themselves around the campsite.

“Reyna,” he said. “You’re certain about this?”

I smiled gently. “Of course I am,” I said.

He nodded. I knew he’d prefer that I stay with Adora and the rest of the soldiers in the forests outside Efra, but we both knew that wasn’t going to happen. “Remember,” he said, “I’ll be at the front—”

“And then Ealric and Kodan behind you, and then the soldiers of Siena, and then Fina and me,” I interrupted. I set my hand at his shoulder and tugged him closer. “I know.”

He sighed, then set his hands at my waist and pulled me almost flush against him. “Be careful,” he said. “Stay safe.”

I kissed him briefly, like a promise for later. “I will if you will.”

Elias laughed, low and private between us, then flashed me that familiar wolfish grin. My heart did a somersault. He squeezed my hip fondly, and then stepped away.

“Wolves of Nightfall,” he said. “Today you are all wolves of Nightfall.”

The soldiers looked up from their tasks and hooted in agreement.