Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Rhea and Reyna

The makeshift war council was plunged into shocked silence.

"It would kill you?" Nala asked. "You're certain?"

"Yes," they replied. "We'd be able to create it-just. Then we would plunge into a coma and almost certainly die."

"How can you be so certain?" Kestra asked sceptically. "People like you can never be certain of your limits, can you?"

"No. But my sister and I are of the Silver Court. Our lives have been constantly under threat, ever since the fall of Silvera. We have come too close to the edge too many times to count. We know our limits very, very well."

"There must be something else, then," Kestra appealed to her mother. "Some other way. You're the Dragon. You can think your way out of this without losing them."

But Myra fixed her eyes on the two MindWeavers. The sisters-Rhea and Reyna, weren't they?-stared resolutely back at her.

"Are you willing to do this? I will not make you."

"I am. For the Court long-lost, the Lady stolen from us and the Queen imprisoned. I will do it." Rhea declared it with such bright light shining in her eyes that Kestra wanted to scream. She couldn't bear it if such light was snuffed out.

"I am." Her sister, Reyna, repeated. "For my friends gathered here today for this cause. For my friends gathered in the world above who fought for us and died for us. For the future we seek to build, I will do it."

Her mother gave the pair a grim nod and a flash of understanding seemed to pass through them. They were all warriors; they had all made great sacrifices. Nala was nodding along too. She and her mother were both generals, both warriors. They knew and accepted the sacrifice of few for the survival of many.

"No," she choked out. "There has to be another way. We can't just let them die."

Myra held her hand gently. "There is no other way, Kestra. You are strong. You are a queen now. You must accept this. There is no other way."

"No," she said, taking a step back and shaking her head vehemently. "It is weakness to accept this, not strength. There is another way. I won't let them die!"

Nala turned to her, her voice soothing and calm. "I wish there was another way. But would you let hundreds die out there for the lives of these two?"

"They could make it out," Kestra said, shaking her head. "They're illusionists; they don't have to die with us."

"Let them make their own choice, Kestra," Nala said softly. "They aren't yours to protect. These two elves are making a valiant and brave decision. This is their choice."

"What's your plan, anyway?" Kestra asked, a little more harshly than she meant to.

"We rig the entrance to the mine with explosives and move out of the way out of the impeding Kallian army. Rhea and Reyna create the duplicate army and use it to lure the army in. We creep up behind and force their army inside if necessary. Their backs will be against the mountains-it's not impossible. We explode the entrance and trap the Kallians inside."

Kestra shook her head. "It's too risky. A hundred things could go wrong. And Rhea and Reyna might just die for nothing."

"We're ready to face that," they insisted, speaking as one.

Nala put an arm on her shoulder. "You're too young to make these decisions, Kestra. I pity your position. But there is no choice. Don't you see? This is the only way out. Think of all the lives this will save-not just the warriors here, but thousands, all across