We need to get the trackers back. I’m sure that’s what the King’s plan was. To get al the trackers out after the changelings and leave us exposed.”

“And I had to send them out,” I sighed. “The Vittra were kidnapping children. I couldn’t let them.”

“You did the right thing,” Wila said. “And you’re doing the right thing now. You’re bringing the trackers back. You’re helping Oslinna.”

“Not enough.” I shook my head and stepped away from them.

“I should be going there. I should be helping. If these hobgoblins are throwing houses, they’l need people like me to move the rubble.”

“Princess, you’re a leader now,” Duncan said. “You need to stay here and give orders. Let other people do the work.”

“But that’s not how it should be!” I argued. “If I have the most power, I should do the most work.”

“Wendy, you are doing work,” Wila said. “They wanted to leave the people there to die in Oslinna without help. You need to stay here and organize. And if things are safe, maybe you can go out there and help clean up later, okay? The team needs to go out and investigate first.”

“I know.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ve been trying so hard to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but Oren is determined to bring it on no matter what I do.”

“That’s not your fault, though,” Wila said. “You can’t control what he does.”

“None of us can control our parents,” Tove said. “But at least I shut Laurent up.”

“That was nice,” Wila laughed.

“That was realy nice,” Duncan agreed.

“Thank you for that,” I said, smiling despite myself. “Were you realy going to banish her?”

“I don’t know,” Tove shrugged. “I just got sick of her always bitching about everything.”

“What are you going to do now?” Wila asked.

“Now?” I exhaled heavily when I realized what I had to do. “I have to go tel Elora about this.”

10. Aid

Elora wasn’t mad at me, but I hadn’t expected her to be. She’d already begun the process of entrusting me with the kingdom, which was overwhelming, but I’d never let that on. I asked for advice as infrequently as possible. I had to know how to do things on my own, and she accepted my decisions most of the time.

The news of the attack had upset her, and that’s what I had been afraid of. She wanted to get out of bed and go after Oren herself, but simply getting angry tired her out too much to sit up.

She’d become so fragile, and it scared me to see her that way.