There will be NO CHAPTER tomorrow (8

/9 December depending what timezone you're in) because I'm running a mass-release

/ Goodbye Forever event over at King of Beasts. If you aren't reading that book, go to linktr.ee

/aimeelynn and jump into my facebook page and enter the daily draw--there's paperbacks of QUEEN coming up as prizes in the next few days!

*****

AARYN

The night sky was an indigo blanket punctured by stars when they stepped outside. Aaryn had no idea how many hours they'd sat in that building, but it felt like they'd walked into it from one world, and were walking out of it in an entirely new age.

Holy **. He'd known it was important what they were doing… but this?

Elreth walked stiffly. She'd been pulled aside first by Lhern, then by Tarkyn when the meeting was disbanded. Aaryn still struggled seeing Tarkyn stand close to her and watching the two of them spar verbally—the Captain wanting to join her for the overview with Gar and Elia the next day, but Elreth determined to keep their group as small and mobile as possible.

She'd consented when he pointed out that he would understand the training better, and could be reviewing the disformed for becoming part of the Guard while Elreth learned how their training had been framed.

"Fine, but only you, Tark,

" she'd said finally.

"We can't be dragging the entire council around all day—for the coming days. However long it takes. I need to understand this first—understand how it is done and how it impacts the people and our world. Then… then we'll bring everyone else in where they're needed.

"

"Don't you get secretive now, El,

" Tarkyn had said, a warning in his dark gaze.

"This has come about because some of ours were working without accountability. Don't make the mistakes they made.

"

His mate bristled at that and Aaryn wanted to grin at the hard look Elreth gave him then.

"Wisdom in the pace and sharing of information is not a lack of accountability, Tarkyn,

" she nearly snarled.

"There are far too many of us involved now for that to happen anyway. This is about being able to absorb information as quickly as possible, ask my questions and have them answered, then move on. We can't afford to wade through two councils worth of questions and concerns at every turning point.

"

Tarkyn nodded and put his hands up.

"Fair enough, I just wanted to make sure. I know that was hard to hear in there,

" he said, and his eyes gave her compassion.

Aaryn put himself at her shoulder then, watching the handsome Captain, making sure he remembered that she was already won.

Tarkyn shot him a dry glance, but edged a few inches further back from her. Elreth didn't seem to notice.

The two farewelled each other and Elreth grabbed Aaryn's hand, tugging him out of the building before someone else asked for her time.

She was shaking, he realized. But with anger rather than fear. He could smell it on her. Had been able to smell it, really, since the moment Gar was revealed as the new disformed Alpha.

But she hadn't let go of his hand when they'd gotten outside. And despite the importance of everything they'd just heard, she didn't push their pace, or shift to run ahead of him.

Together they slipped down the trail, Aaryn holding her hand probably more tightly than was needed, but he was struggling to do anything in small measures that day.

His mind spun with images of his mother, the fight with Gar, the disformed training… all of it, the images flashing and shifting almost as quickly as they came to mind—as if even his brain couldn't decide what was most important to focus on then.

Until Elreth pulled his arm close to her and hugged it. She opened her mouth like she would speak, then closed it again.

Aaryn looked at the gaps between the trees ahead and admired the stars painted across the sky.

"What is it?

" he asked her quietly when he was certain they were out of earshot of anyone else.

"I don't even know where to start,

" she said with a humorless laugh.

"I was thinking the same thing.

"

They walked on a few steps more.

"You knew about Gar,

" she said quietly, but he heard the edge in her voice.

"Yes.

"

"Why didn't you tell me?

"

"Because he told me he would kill me if I did,

" Aaryn said honestly, though it sounded ridiculous.

"I don't think he was serious but… but I wasn't sure. And I knew without question that he didn't want to be revealed. He threatened to stop working with them if he was. I don't think it's about you, though, El. I think it's about your dad.

"

"Why wouldn't Gar want dad to know what he was doing if it was a good thing!

"

Aaryn had asked himself that question many times. And he thought he knew the answer, though he'd never gotten an actual response from Gar.

"I think… I think he wanted to prove something to himself—that he could do good, could succeed, even without your father driving him to it. I think… I think he wanted to see himself do something without the royal stamp of approval.

"

Elreth's head tilted.

"You might be right,

" she said uneasily.

"But it's still whacko if you ask me. Gar has some serious issues.

"

"Don't we all?

" Aaryn asked her quietly.

Elreth shrugged,

"I suppose we do. But now we have to put our own ** aside and figure out how we're going to deal with this very, very big pile of manure we've all been faced with.

" She hesitated, biting her lip.

"You're certain that the prophecy is real? That this is a real risk—to all of the Anima?

"

Aaryn nodded.

"Aren't you? I mean, I'd trust Elia's judgement anyway. But seeing what she's done over the past twenty years… and the way Gar fights for it… Yeah, I believe them.

"

Elreth sighed.

"So do I,

" she said.

"But I wish I didn't. I wish… I wish we were walking back to the cave right now just to be together and rest and have a normal night. I feel like my parents got time to be normal. What happened? Why is my life, my rule, just nothing but drama after drama?

"

"They were lucky, I guess,

" Aaryn said softly.

"I mean, they had the war and all that… so I guess there was drama for them, too.

"

"Nothing like this, though. Not the literal end of the world!

"

"No, the Creator saved that for you, I guess,

" Aaryn said and shot her a smile.

But she just sighed.

*****

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