Descendants of the Kings (Book 2)

Ch 50: The hunters and the hunted

A/N: This chapter starts with an Ella POV and switches halfway after the dotted line.

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"He should have been here ages ago," Aedion muttered for the hundredth time. "Does he think we've got all the time in the world to wait for him? I say we leave and let him rot."

Ella, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed, arched a brow. "Aedion, we have been waiting for half an hour at most. I'm sure Gidden has his reasons for running late, be patient."

"What reasons, pruning his plants? Talking to trees?" He let out a put-upon huff. "I swear, the cheek of him to make us wait."

"Well, we have to wait, no matter how bothersome," Blaise said calmly. "He is the Commander of the patrol guard, and we need his input on this meeting. So best make yourself comfortable."

"I will, because I have no choice, but let it be clear that had it been the other way around, he would have kicked up a fuss," Aedion muttered, crossing his arms. "Some golden prince he is."

"Look at it that way," Val said cheerfully, elbowing him. "Now you have something to hold over him for the rest of the day every time he wants to speak."

"Valren, honestly," Blaise glared. "I specifically said we need to close ranks today. At least pretend we all get along. What message does it send if we spend the whole day squabbling? We cannot look weak."

"Oh, unclench," Val waved him off. "I don't think they expect us to all get on. Their side aren't all bosom friends either, no? Otherwise, they wouldn't be agreeing to this meeting in the first place."

Blaise's eyes widened in exasperation. "That's not the point. All we have to do today is--"

Ella tuned them out, as usual. Blaise was going to rail a bit more, and Valren was only going to continue to pretend she didn't understand, just to bother him. At this point, Ella didn't understand how Blaise didn't realise Val was simply trying to get a rise out of him. It never failed to amuse Ella.

After much deliberation, she had finally agreed on a time and place for a meeting with her brother. Well, they'd agreed through Cedric's intervention, who acted like the child of divorced parents brokering peace.

Ella was not enthused about the meeting, but there wasn't much to be done about it. It was a necessity, so she would see it through like she did all things unpleasant--with a stiff upper lip.

They would leave for the meeting place--somewhere neutral and halfway between both lands--as soon as Gidden arrived. Quite unusually, he was indeed late, something that never happened, as he was punctual to a fault.

Despite Ella's outward calm, she was truly beginning to grow wary as time passed. The notion that he might have been caught crossed her mind, making her wonder if they ought to regroup to avoid being caught as well. Before she could further entertain this idea, a snap of magic called them all into alert.

They all looked in the direction of the Petrium, which had just been activated, watching as Gidden's figure emerged from within.

"Sorry I'm so late," Gidden called hastily as he tried to tame his windswept curls.

"What took you so long?" Aedion snipped. "Have you no clocks in that barn you call a home?"

Gidden went slightly pink, his features bunching into a scowl. "It wasn't my intention, I had some complications."

"That would be me, sorry."

Ella's brows raised in surprise. She'd been so caught up, she hadn't seen the smaller figure trailing behind Gidden.