‘An old woman stumbled upon us in the forest, telling me that Princess Edrina had escaped with her baby. Normally, I would have ignored the ramblings of an old woman, but there was a hint of magic about her. I hunted Linorah, but to no avail. After searching many years, I about gave up, that’s when she reappeared and told me I needed to be ready for the day you would come into your power and would seek refuge. That’s when I knew what I had to do, to find a safe place to wait for you to find us.” Caelan picks up his huge sword and kneels before me. “Princess…Queen Andrina, I swear to be your sword and shield you with my life, and you have my counsel should you request it. The Tanith family will sit on the throne again.”
I awkwardly smile at him, not really sure what I’m supposed to be doing, or what I should say, all I can muster is, “Thank you.”
Over his shoulder, Wyatt lingers in the doorway, with his head tilted, behind him is Ronan with a lop-sided smile.
Misneach, this is happening.
Chapter Forty-Two
Wyatt
Andi’s face beams with pride when she bounces out of Caelan’s hut, and rightly so. Accepting her birthright, taking back her family’s throne, is a damn huge deal. I wrap my arms around her, squeezing her tight.
“Wyatt…can’t…breathe,” she says, hitting my back. I let her go, beaming from ear to ear.
“Did I hear Caelan right,QueenAndrina?” Andi rolls her eyes and pushes past me. “Hey, that’s no way for a queen to behave.”
Andi glares at me before walking back to her hut. I turn to Ronan, who I know is lurking behind me somewhere. Wherever Andi is, he isn’t far behind.
“If she’s heading out there, she needs to be trained with weapons, she has to be able to protect herself. She can’t rely on magic alone.” He watches her walk away beside me. Caelan calls us both in, ringing a bell outside the door.
“We’ll get started with her training after this,” he replies, before heading into the chief’s hut.
Caelan waits for everyone to quieten down before addressing the crowd.
“I’ve called you all here because Andi has decided she will be taking back her throne.” The quiet crowd erupts in whispered murmurs. “For her to do that, she needs to get to the Temple of Savni, hidden deep in Yiren’s Alsi forest. There she will learn more about her magic. While we’re there, we will be researchingeverything we can in regard to the attacker. I don’t believe for one minute Zayn killed it like he claimed.
‘At present, we know nothing more than that he is male and was known to the family, which doesn’t narrow things down much. But, in order to defeat him, we need to know what powers he has now. Where has he been hiding all these years? How can he be stopped? This will be no easy task and is volunteer only, I won’t ask any of you to come with us.”
Someone snickers within the crowd, “You’re going?” Someone else shouts, “Be careful out there, old man. You might break a hip.”
“Yes, I will be going. You might think I’m old, but I can still take on each one of you.” He smirks at the group, his eyes shift to one of the younger men, a teenager at best.
“Ronan will be left in charge.”
“What?” Ronan shouts at Caelan. “No. I am going with her. Try and stop me.” He scoffs and storms out of the hut.
Caelan watches after him, Arel shrugs his shoulders. Aron and Izaac smirk at me. I glower at them, unwilling to accept that they might be right about Ronan and Andi. Caelan rubs the bridge of his nose.
“Kaleb. I’ll leave you in charge. Unless you have any objections?” Kaleb shakes his head with a smile so big it reaches his eyes. Arel pats him on the back, congratulating him.
Caelan talks about the plans, but my mind wanders elsewhere. What is this thing Ronan has with Andi, another mating bond? Nah, can’t be. They’re supposed to be rare, how can Myles have one and then Andi, and to different folk. I had barely heard of it until Myles and Lura. It’s odd.
Since I arrived in Nu’cov, Ronan has been calm and collected, nothing ever gets under his skin. He is Caelan’s right hand, of course, he would be asked to take his place. His reaction is way out of character.
Folk start leaving the hut, and I realise I have been preoccupied the entire meeting. I’ll get Arel to fill me in later. Right now, I need to get Andi in that training field. Unless Ronan has already beaten me to it.
Iza nudges me and whispers, “Can we talk?” I nod and follow her out.
Iza walks towards the barrier at the side of the chief’s hut, digging her nails into the fence. “What’s up?” I ask.
Since that night she told me about our family, she has kept her distance, partly because of Andi, I presume.
“I take it you’re going with Andi?” I nod. Of course, I will be, I’m not leaving her side again. “Thought as much. While you are away, I will go and hunt for the remaining members of our order. A lot of people scattered after the attack.”
“How will you find them? It’s been fifteen years.”
“Oh, little cub, so much you don’t remember. The order had a way of calling for a meeting discreetly. I remember Mum hanging a blue piece of ripped fabric out of the window, the order knew to come that night. That’s what I’ll do.” She pulls out a ripped piece of fabric, freshly dyed based on the white patches remaining. “I’ll go to towns and find our members. Together, we will bring back Iron Claw and fight for Andi.”