“The Ash Queen,” I whispered, the words tasting like ash.
“It’s the only explanation that makes sense.” He said quietly. “I should have told you sooner, but you were planning an army. I feared that if we provoked her, she’d destroy it completely before we even arrived.”
I narrowed my eyes, unsettled. “Then why tell me now? Why risk it?”
“Because Elias was there. And I don’t think he cares about this realm… not like you do. You’ve seen what it used to be. You know the beauty that was lost. You’d want to restore it. Him? He’d just kill the Queen and get back home. I can’t blame him for wanting that… but that’s not what this world needs.”
I exhaled slowly, the weight of his words settling into my chest like a stone. “I know. I agree. It’s not what this world needs.”
Arthur’s gaze lingere
