A Perfect World

Chapter 26

AEDION POV

When Aedion saw Amaelia in Lysandra's grip, clawed nails wrapped around her throat, he was honestly devastated. Sure, he never liked the Ashryvers. Still, he was one of them. Until that moment, he didn't even realize that he had been secretly hoping that they weren't up to no good. More than that, he hoped that Aelin—that Terrasen—wasn't actually in danger.

"Explain," was all he could manage to say. 

"Aedion, it's not what you think—well... it is. But my involvement in it isn't as it probably appears," she said. 

He wasn't inclined to believe her. 

"Do we have time for you to tell me what the hell this place is, or are guards coming after us?"

It was Lysandra who answered. "I caught her tailing you while you were in the hall. There was no one else." 

"But are they waiting for a sign from you, Amaelia?" he pressed. 

"No one knows I'm here," she insisted, "I needed to speak to you in private. Without Galan getting wind of it. I was planning to come to your room in secret tonight when I saw you in the hall. I followed. That's all." 

"Except that's not all, is it? Quit stalling. What is this place?"

"It's the dragon's den," she said. 

Lysandra's eyes flew towards his. Where disbelief clouded his, a peculiar sort of excitement shone in hers. Some might have said it was hope. 

"Dragon's don't exist," he said.

"Wyverns do," Amaelia replied. 

"Galan never seemed like the type to keep pets."

"No," she said, "He was never the type to care for creatures. Not even me—his little sister. You know as well as I do that he only cares about one thing: power."

"He already has power. He's a Prince only in name. Everyone knows he's the real Power here in Varese."

"Varese is but a small kingdom, if you can even call it a kingdom. We only have so much autonomy. Doranelle practically rules us."

"Queen Sellene is a just ruler. I have a hard time believing that."

"She is," Amaelia said with a passion that Aedion had not expected. It was almost as if she were on Queen Sellene's side. 

"Varese is too small to really thrive on its own. We rely greatly on Doranelle and we are grateful for partnership we have with them. At least I am. Galan doesn't see it that way."

"You're saying he wants to take over Doranelle? Fat chance of that happening. Galan's men could never compete with Fae warriors and despite Queen Sellene's justice, or rather because of it, she won't hesitate to protect her people and dole out retribution." 

"As she should," she spat. 

Aedion narrowed his eyes at her. Was she playing him or was she actually against him? Aedion was strategic on the battlefield, but in an interrogation like this he felt way out of his depth—especially with matters this weighty as the subject at hand. 

"You sound like you're on her side," he said. There was no point in feigning. He also had no patience for it. Whatever the truth was, he wanted it out in the open. Now. "Why?"

"He's sold me," he said. Her voice was quiet but the hate that ran beneath it was unmistakable. "He sold me like cargo as a bride to the Southern Continent in exchange for their support. I am on Sellene's side. I-" It was too dark to see her face, but suddenly he smelled salt. Amaelia had begun crying. Still her voice was steady as she bared the truth to Aedion. "I love her."