“Hey, Drayce…”
His head popped up at the cautious and worried tone in his companion’s voice. He forced a carefree smile on his face that he didn’t feel. “Yeah. What’s up?”
“The Godstone…do you know how you’re going to get it from the Empire? I mean, the prince plans to get it back, right? He’s not going to let them have it so we can kick them out of Erya.”
Drayce turned toward Kristopher, the smile instantly falling away. “Listen here, there is no way in hell the Empire is keeping the Godstone. It is the heart of Erya, and as long as there is a Talos alive, it will be protected and defended in Stormbreak. No one will take it from us. Queen Amara and Hagen Sigurd died protecting it. And the four of us will die taking it back if that’s what needs to happen.”
Kristopher’s expression relaxed, and he smiled a little timidly. “Good. I mean, I don’t want any of you to die, but good that the Godstone is staying in Erya. I…well, it’s who we are. If someone were to take that away, I don’t know what it would do to the kingdom.”
“I get it. Don’t worry.” He grabbed Kristopher’s shoulder with his free hand and squeezed. “We’re reclaiming it, and everything is going to be okay.”
Drayce released him when Kristopher finally smiled again, and they quickly finished the last of their shopping. Loaded down with bags of food that probably wouldn’t meet with Rayne’s approval in the slightest—particularly the Erya delicacy of double chocolate cookies with caramel centers—they walked to where Eno and the others were waiting for them at the car.
The poor, pathetic thing wasn’t much. At least twenty years old with nearly bald tires, the sedan was a faded maroon with patches of rust on the doors and wheel wells. The mechanic reassured them that it still had enough life left in it to get them all the way to Stonehaven on the northwestern edge of Stormbreak. Drayce was skeptical. Particularly when he saw a case of oil loaded into the trunk along with the food.
“It’ll get us there,” Eno said after seeing Drayce’s worried expression. Drayce wasn’t sure if Eno believed that or if he was simply trying to will his words into being truth.
The other Hollowind guardians gathered with Kristopher a few feet away to trade stories about the impressive Eno. Drayce sidled up next to his companion and smirked. “I’m guessing you didn’t have any problems.”
Eno tossed him a look that threatened to smack him for even saying those words.
“Kristopher’s worried about the Godstone,” Drayce murmured.
The bodyguard grunted. “So are the others. It’s to be expected.”
“We need to get home.”
Eno cocked his head to the side a little, his brow furrowing. “You don’t have family there, right?”
Drayce shook his head quickly. “No. None. You?”
Eno straightened. “Adopted parents died years ago. They were all I had.” He paused and licked his lips. “But Rayne…both his parents and younger sister live in Stormbreak.”
Drayce’s heart skipped a beat as his wide eyes locked on Eno’s face. “Has he been able to contact them? Has he heard anything?”
“I don’t think he’s tried. His focus has been on Caelan, plus…”
“What?”
“I think he might be afraid that the Empire might try to use them to get to him, and by extension, Caelan.” Eno frowned at the car. “But his father retired from his advisor position years ago. He wouldn’t still be living in King’s Square. The family would be out in East Ward or Uni Gardens. They have to be safe.”
Drayce also frowned. The fact that Eno didn’t seem to know any of this for sure left him feeling that either Eno was afraid to ask Rayne out of fear of putting more worries on his shoulders or that Rayne simply refused to talk about it. Rayne did not like to reveal personal information about himself. Drayce had started to believe that Rayne had been hatched from an egg, dressed in a suit and a disapproving expression.
“Also, they showed me a video that’s floating around on the Internet from Sirelis.”
Drayce glanced up to see that Eno’s face had suddenly gone pale, and Drayce’s stomach sank. “What?”
“It’s not very clear, but it’s of Caelan as he took out the Empire flagship. Right before he fell out of the sky.” Eno shook his head, his mouth becoming pinched and thin. “I had to walk away. I couldn’t watch that a second time.”
Shit, no. Drayce wouldn’t be able to watch that again either. He’d barely survived watching it live. “What…what are people saying about the video? Do they think Cael’s dead?”
“The speculation is all over the place. That the video is fake, that Caelan is dead, that he’s a god now.”
“Do you think this will help us sneak into Stormbreak?”
“I don’t know. If New Rosanthe thinks Caelan is dead, that could put more pressure on Sirelis since the Empire wants the Wind Stone. But if Caelan is alive, they have to kill him in order to even get access to the God of Storms.”