Chapter 163: Of sent letters and hidden clues

Ares stood outside his tent, staring into the distance. Their camp stretched behind him.

Hundreds of soldiers in their tents.

Everything they needed for war and yet none of it made him feel any closer to bringing Ayla home.

He clenched his jaw.

They had spent hours planning, identifying the weakest points along Emberfall’s borders and decided exactly where to strike.

The first move had already been made.

A few abandoned houses near the edge of the territory had been set ablaze. No civilians had been harmed.They had made certain of that.

They were not here to slaughter innocent people but to send a message.

Ares had hoped Lucius would understand that message. He wanted him afraid and desperate. Most of all, he wanted him to make a mistake.

Ares closed his eyes. His chest tightened as he thought of Ayla and the last time he had seen her, unconscious in Lucius’s arms. He did not know what Lucius had done to her.

That was the part that terrified him most.

His father, Kieran had argued about how wise it was for all three princes to go to the borders but he had told him point blank that he had to be the one to bring her back to safety.

Damon and Cassian had also expressed their willingness to bring Ayla back. It did not matter what would happen. Only that she would be safe and protected when it was all over.

That was the only outcome they were willing to accept.

"Brother."

Ares turned. Damon stood at the mouth of the tent.

"You have a messenger," Damon said. "From Lucius."

Ares smiled at this.

If Ares knew anything about Lucius, it was that the man could not resist making a show of his power.

"Send him in." Ares said, walking into his tent.

The messenger was brought before them several minutes later.

Ares stared at him.

"Speak."

"My lord Lucius demands an audience," the man said, and his voice shook on the last word.

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"He demands?"

The messenger swallowed. "Yes, my lord."

Ares glanced at Damon then back at the man.

"Then where is he?"

The messenger hesitated.

"He believes that you should meet him."

"How convenient." Ares laughed. "If your lord wants an audience so badly, tell him to come here. He can come with as many men as he likes and he can have my assurance that he will not be harmed."

Damon snickered behind him.

The messenger looked between them.

"That is your answer?"

"That is my answer."

The man bowed.

"I will inform my lord."

"Good."

The messenger turned and hurried away.

Damon watched him disappear.

"You think he would show up?"

"We will have to wait and see."

...

Lucius did come and he brought an entourage of nearly fifty men.

Just as they neared, they saw a woman beside Lucius.

Ayla.

She was here too.

The bastard had brought her as a show.

Ares felt his jaw tighten with anger.

Lucius stood at the edge of Emberfall’s territory, surrounded by his men with her on his right, her shoulders straight and her expression cold.

Ares heard his own pulse like a drum in his ears.

She was dressed in fine clothes the color of wine, her hair arranged, her face pale and composed. She looked like a queen and that is what Lucius wanted them to see.

Ares stepped up beside Damon, and he felt his brother go still.

"Easy," Damon murmured to him.

"Princes of the north." Lucius gestured to them. "I see that you have been busy."

Ares forced his feet forward until he was standing at the edge of the line and close enough that he could see the color of Ayla’s eyes and he let himself drink her in like a man dying of thirst.

She, on the other hand regarded him with a baleful stare.

"Ayla," Cassian called out, coming up to join Ares. "How are you? Are you... are you well?"

Ayla tilted her head to look at him.

"What do you think you are doing attacking innocent people...burning their homes. You should be ashamed of yourselves." her voice rang out.

Cassian took a step back like she had struck him.

"She doesn’t recognize us" Cassian whispered.

Lucius smiled in satisfaction.

"You must forgive my Luna." He glanced at Ayla. "She has very strong thoughts about your distasteful actions."

Ares’ fists clenched.

He wanted to kill him right there. He wanted to cross that distance, rip Lucius away from Ayla and take her home but he could not.

Not when one wrong move could put her in danger.

Ares looked at her again. There was no recognition in her eyes.

How could she look at them like this?Had Lucius truly erased everything again or had he done something worse this time?

"What have you done to her?" Ares’ voice was barely controlled.

Lucius’s smile disappeared.

"Escort Ayla back inside," he said, without turning his head.

Amara, his witch came out of nowhere and moved to Ayla’s side. She took her by the arm.

Ayla allowed herself to be guided away but before she disappeared, she stopped and looked back.

Her eyes moved from Ares to Damon then Cassian and for the briefest second, something flickered behind them.

"You all need to be purged from the earth and you will be. My mate, Lucius will make sure nothing remains of you and your pack in a matter of days so send your letter of goodbye to all who care about you... send them now and have your riders deliver them with the speed of light because you may not have much time" she smiled cruelly.

The princes’ frowned.

"The excitement has tired her," Lucius said smoothly. "Amara. Now."

Amara tugged Ayla’s arm, and this time Ayla went, turning without another word and letting herself be led back through the crescent of guards.

Ares watched until she disappeared, his chest hurt so badly he could barely breathe.

"You need to stop what you are doing, Ares." Lucius called out. "Burn one more house and I will consider it an act of war."

Ares smiled.

"Then hear me, Lucius Veyr." He said. "This is where it ends. You will surrender and you will return Ayla to us, unharmed and whole. You will pledge your allegiance to the north and disband your rogues or I will wipe you and every man who calls you Alpha off the face of this earth. This is war."

For a long moment, Lucius looked at him then the rogue king smiled.

"We will see about that."

None of them spoke for several seconds as Lucius and his entourage left.

Then Damon suddenly turned.

"We need to double down on surrounding Emberfall immediately."

Cassian frowned. "What?"

Ares looked at him. "Why would we do that?"

Damon stared toward the direction Ayla had disappeared.

"She knows who we are." Damon declared. "She was pretending."

Cassian shook his head. "Damon..."

"Think about what she said." he cut in, looking at Ares.

"Something about sending our letters to loved ones and being wiped out in a matter of days?"

"Yes and if I understood her correctly. She just tried to warn us that Lucius has a plan. One that involves some sent letters and would happen sooner than we think."

"Are you saying he may have allies."

"Yes, that is exactly what I am saying."

Cassian gasped.

"She is playing a part." he chuckled in relief. "We need to find whatever rider or riders she was talking about... now!"