General Uldor could only manage a nod, but the drumming of the king’s nails on the golden throne sent a chill down his spine, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
“Well then,” the king began, rising to his feet and stepping forward, his gaze piercing down at Ranier, “I must assume that a skilled Iron Claw general such as yourself would have gatheredvaluableinformation after an entire month. Information such as why she left Bryniard, where they are heading, how much of the truth they’ve uncovered, and who they’ve shared it with.” The king’s words fell like a hammer, each question pressing down heavier than the last.
The king’s gaze locked onto Ranier, heavy with unmistakable disdain. “Tell me you know the answers to those questions.”
Embarrassed by his failure, the general broke their stares, lowering his head to the black-and-white checkered tiles of the throne room floor. “The man was unbreakable,” he admittedquietly. Eldric had never yielded, not even under the most creative forms of torture Ranier could devise.
“Do you know what the word on the street is right now, General Uldor?” The look on Ranier’s face said enough for the king to continue. He drew out a long, disappointed breath. “The rumor is that your guard has broken his own chains usingKsarenpower and that theLizienfaith has brought magic back to Heldraine.”
Ranier’s eyebrows shot up, his eyes widening in surprise. “We have no witnesses to his escape, Your Majesty, but if the man were a mage, he wouldn’t have allowed himself to be captured in the first place.”
The king stepped closer, standing an arm’s length from Ranier, who was desperately trying to regain his king’s trust. With each passing moment, his chances of leaving the palace alive seemed to diminish.
“Our true threat isn’t the magic itself, General. It’s the fact that people believe it has returned.”
“They will not bel—” Ranier’s words were abruptly cut off by the king’s roar.
“Quiet!” King Luwrel’s scream reverberated through the room, shattering any remaining semblance of patience. “You do not seem to grasp the real gravity of the situation, General. We cannot feed our people with hope. We cannot let them feel comfortable delving into matters that are buried. We cannot allow them to learn more about magic and history. Do you know what they will find if they do? Lies. Lies that will plunge my kingdom into war, lies that will turn every beating heart in Heldraine against us, lies that will threaten my crown and my family. And I will not tolerate that!”
Ranier maintained his gaze with the king, his lips pursed as he struggled to contain his own outburst. Luwrel was so closeand his furious speech was delivered with such intensity that several drops of saliva spattered onto Ranier’s face.
“All that I, as your king, am owed is your blade piercing through the hearts of our enemies,” King Luwrel said, his voice trembling with anger. “Yet you have failed me repeatedly, and when you fail to eliminate those who threaten my crown and my power, I must consider you a threat, too.”
Ranier clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. “I would never dare threaten you, my king. I am your loyal servant.”
His entire body went rigid as strong hands tightened around his throat, cutting off his air supply. “You will pay for your failure with your life,” the king spoke through gritted teeth.
As Ranier’s face turned red and his vision began to darken, he caught a glimpse of the beautiful woman standing beside the king. Her hands rested gently on the arms that were choking him as she whispered softly, “We do not want to be hasty with matters such as this, my love.”
The queen’s soothing voice was the only thing that softened the determination in Luwrel’s eyes. His grip on Ranier’s neck loosened slightly as he turned his gaze to his wife. “He failed us, Gianna.”
“I know, my love,” she replied gently. “But Ranier has also delivered countless victories for us in the past. What message would we send our subjects if one mistake caused us to overlook all his previous successes?”
As Gianna’s words sank in, Luwrel released his grip on the general. Ranier stumbled, desperately seeking air.
“I’m sure some time to rest and reflect will be enough for General Uldor to learn from his mistakes and return stronger than ever next season.” Ranier was still coughing when the queen’s words caught his attention.
“Next season, my queen?”
“Yes, General. You will step away from your duties for the time being.”
The queen’s promise drove Ranier to the brink of desperation. “Forgive me, my queen, but I cannot accept that. I can still be of use to you. Iwillfind them.”
“We already have your entire battalion spread across Heldraine searching for them,” Gianna said calmly. “And I’m confident that Keilan will continue to follow up with instructions based on your previous guidance and training. Trust your soldiers. Let them handle it from now on. We will call for you when the time is right.”
Seeing his discontent, she added. “Do you prefer death, General?”
Death seemed a merciful end compared to being deprived of his duties. Ranier had no life outside of the Iron Claw. This was everything to him; it had been his purpose his entire life. The thought of stepping away from everything he had fought so hard to achieve made him feel hollow. Every accomplishment, every victory, seemed jeopardized by a single mistake. His pride and ego had been struck by a blow he could barely endure. Yet even though he would have preferred the king’s hands around his throat until his last breath, he could not bring himself to defy the queen, not when she had shown such grace.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I believe I misspoke in expressing my gratitude for your kindness. I will respect your wishes and use this time away to improve and return stronger and better, to serve you to the best of my abilities.” His deep blue eyes shifted to the couple. Gianna’s hands, gently wrapped around her husband’s arms, seemed to calm the king’s temperament.
Ranier continued, “My only concern is for our people and our mission. If the targets are not defeated in my absence anda magical threat is indeed a possibility, what would be our next step then?”
The king and queen exchanged glances, their lips curling into a twisted smile.
It was Luwrel who spoke next. “If your soldiers do not succeed, we may need to resort to more extraordinary measures. And we know our neighbors might have the perfect name for it.”
The sinister smiles on their faces sent a chill running down his spine. Ranier had no clue who they were referring to, but the fact that the king was considering seeking aid from the Kingdom of Trent despite all their animosities was not a good sign. It made clear that this person was no ordinary threat. The general could only hope that his men—the ones he had trained for years and who had loyally followed his lead—would be able to achieve what he could not before it was too late.