Prisoner of Chaos (Redemption Book #4)

Chapter 40

Kyla

"Scenna informed me of the Fireblood army and of Lionel's plan to ambush. She was demoted for not coming to me first," Kalvar says coldly. "I also learned she spent a great deal of time with you too. Another reason to demote her. The fact that you dare to show your face here is very unsettling."

Rift narrows his eyes at my brother. "How dare you? With Scenna's bravery, resilience, and perceptive abilities she should be at the head of your guards!"

"I believe it is you who brought war on us here in Underlund!" Kalvar shouts back, he stalks over to Rift threateningly. Kal is built thicker in muscle than Rift, but I'm quite aware who would win in a fight if it came to it. "You planned this all along, didn't you?" he hisses, glaring at Rift with a deadly expression. "Axus would be a far kinder place without the likes of you!"

How come my brother only gets a fire in his belly over blaming other people rather than stepping up and taking responsibility?

Rift's eyes burn amber at Kalvar. His jaw twitches dangerously with rage. "So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?"

I growl under my breath and step between Rift and Kalvar before Rift can show Kal who is the deadliest of the two of them. I can tell Kalvar hits Rift's triggers for unknown reasons.

"Brother, there is a larger war going on, a war that matters far more than the one with Erlund," I say firmly. "The Dark Lord needs to be stopped before he grows more powerful."

"Isn't the Dark Lord here because of him?" Kalvar seethes, pointing an accusing finger at Rift.

"Technically, yes," Rift answers, his lips set in a thin line. "But if you hadn't screwed things over with my mother in the first place, it never would have happened. By the way, there are artifacts you can use to block out dark magic spells. Might want to look into that..."

"Can we stop this? This chaos in our own hearts... here in this place, in this discussion it's only making the Dark Lord stronger," I groan, kneading my temples. Arlite, why does all of this have to be so... impossible?

"It's also making me stronger," Rift comments with a chuckle, he snaps his fingers and a gold chain trickles down like water, and he holds it up between his thumb and forefinger. He throws it at Kalvar. "Here, you could use all the gold you can get what with the costs of war and all."

I shoot him a threatening look, my eyes turning red. Now is not the time for joking around.

"Don't look at me like that, Princess," Rift says, "Not with your brother standing right there."

My cheeks flush, and I resist the urge to growl in annoyance at Rift's perpetual inappropriateness.

"Westerly will come to our aid if we need it," Kalvar says, finally he sounds reasonable and I wonder if it's because he wants to shut Rift down from going any further with the innuendo. "It may not be a love affair between us, but Annette is far more stable than her sister ever was. I learned Ava's insecurities caused her heart to be vulnerable to the Sorceress' whims. Anette is a good wife, despite our lack of chemistry, I know I can count on her."

I wonder what he means by this. I've been so busy with my own drama... oh, you know, almost forcing myself to marry a man I don't love, seeing my time-traveling son, laying an egg, and being under the power of a Fe Collar... to keep up with Underland palace drama.

"So we have support against Erlund's attack, that's good to know," I say, nodding my head and taking a deep breath. "Do you know where the Dark Lord is?" I ask, turning to Rift.

"He will be wherever there is the most chaos," Rift says pensively, suddenly pacing about the little part of the garden we are in, deep in thought. "Which means when the war shows up at Underland's doorstep, he will also show up once more."

"And how are we supposed to defeat the Dark Lord?" Kalvar asks Rift without any resentment this time.

"I'm not exactly sure," Rift murmurs. "But I believe it will take a great deal of power. Power that I have access to through the impending war. Once the fighting begins, I may prove an equal match to him even. Kyla can wipe out the entire army of King Lionel herself. Maybe that's what we need to do."

"We should go to Sola for guidance," Kalvar says, his ego set aside.

"That is a wonderful plan," I say. "Our parents sought out her advice before the great foe, Saul's, defeat."

"How long will it take to see her?" Rift asks.

"She's in Sylphvr right now," Kal says. "It would be a trip."

"I can fly us there," I say before anyone suggests taking the time to go over the Skywave.

"That would get us there fast, but I know someone who can get us there faster," Rift murmurs with a smile. "A creature who I am hoping may have more intel on the Dark Lord as she's spend a Millenia guarding his dormant body."

"How can such a creature exist?" Kal asks.

"She's not from our world. She's from a world the Dark Lord destroyed," Rift says. "He took her here as his slave. She's at the Sanctuary right now with my father, Ryland."

"You mean Father Ryland?" Kal snorts, he's presuming Rift is making a kind of sacrilegious joke.

"No, he's my actual biological father," Rift says, his eyes alight a second in annoyance with Kalvar once more.

Kalvar's jaw looks as if it will drop off, and he turns to me. "Kyla, my sister, I cannot handle this... This is all..." he runs a hand over his mouth and shakes his head. "My world has turned to utter madness."

"And it's about to get even madder when your father returns," a voice says from behind us. "But before that, you're going to need to fill me in on what he is doing here?"

All three of us whirl around to find, standing in the garden, is our mother, Queen Lucy, dressed in Earth clothes and glaring angrily at Rift.