“Jade—”
“No,” she raised a hand to cut off the vampire. “Sheena, listen to me. Toran came for me when the wraith’s army began to materialize. I couldn’t let them penetrate the woods—that was resolutely established between the slayers and the king. So instead of becoming a sitting duck or cowering helplessly, I took a stand. I won’t defend that anymore. I did what I had to do. What I’m obligated to do, officially and morally.”
The vampire stewed. Jade permitted her to do so.
Then Sheena got to her feet as well and demanded, “What about the king?”
Jade had no idea what to say on that subject, other than, “I’ll deal with him when he cools down.”
Spearing her with a severe look, Sheena said, “There might not be anything with which to deal. And I wouldn’t expect him to ‘cool down’ anytime soon. You constantly negate his good intentions when it comes to you. I understand you’ve basically raised yourself and find it difficult to answer to someone else. But Jade, there’s one thing you continually forget—you are not alone anymore.”
She pushed past Jade and, in a blink of an eye, disappeared into the dark night.
Leaving, in her wake, tears tumbling down Jade’s cold cheeks.
* * *
Morgan delivered news to Jade a few hours later.
“We’ve annihilated the entire rogue army,” he told her. “I can’t guarantee there aren’t other renegades out there. My guess is, there are. But nothing like what we’ve just encountered. And I can’t imagine them rising up anytime soon. They won’t have the numbers to band together and they certainly won’t be inclined to take on the alliance following such a
hasty and violent victory over those who moved close to Ryleigh, considering it a weak link.”
“We’re not a weak link,” she said adamantly. “Toran and I are determined to protect and serve, whether or not the king still accepts me as his ambassador.”
Morgan, who stood outside her front door, stepped away and asked, “Will you come out on the patio for a moment?”
She had no idea what he was up to, but she trusted him. As her father had. As Davian did.
She followed him outdoors and found the two demons who’d stood by her, Toran and Michael during the invasion.
The one who’d taken the lead on the battlefield moved forward. He extended his hand and said, “I’m Sebastian.”
“And I’m Landford,” the other told her.
She shook hands with the demons.
Sebastian said, “You were impressive earlier. You knew the fire wraith’s army intended to attack the village, not advance on the kingdom. That’s good instinct. And you fight valiantly.”
“I’ve had excellent instructors.”
Landford added, “You’re not just well trained, Jade. You have a gift. We’ll stand by you and fight with you anytime.”
“As will I,” Morgan offered.
She felt oddly choked up, but said, “I appreciate that, from all of you.”
“We’ll be on our way now.” The general gave her a half-smile meant to comfort her, she suspected. And that did not bode well for her hopes of a reconciliation with Davian. In Morgan’s eyes, she saw doubt the Demon King would come around and forgive her this final time. “Sebastian and Landford will continue to patrol on our side of the border, as a precautionary measure.”
“Toran and I will also agree upon shifts,” she told them, her voice reflecting her dismay. She couldn’t hide her pain over betraying Davian and losing his confidence in her—perhaps even his love.
“Be careful,” Morgan said.
“We will.”
Jade walked back into the cottage, securing the door behind her, since she didn’t anticipate any other visitors. Least of all the Demon King.
She stood in the entryway of her bedroom, her shoulder propped against the frame and her arms crossed over her chest. She stared at the enormous bed that took up a good portion of the room. It was her favorite piece of furniture in the cottage, for many reasons. Davian had given it to her and they’d shared several beautiful nights underneath those sensuous covers.