Chapter 136
Dron stared at the child in shock.
He’d never killed a child in battle before. He didn’t know what sister the small alpha was talking about.
"You’ve got the wrong person." Dron stood up for himself.
Tine moved closer. "He doesn’t. You see, that is Mikel. His father was Aixen, and his sister was Pinat. The ones you were connected with in the Poor class on Thraqe. Unfortunately, Mikel and his other brothers were all out hunting when the attack came, but according to the children, the attack would have never happened if you and Tempest hadn’t painted a target on their backs. Your help comes at a price, and it’s time that you realized that."
Dron’s jaw dropped.
He knew that Pinat had siblings. He knew that there was more to the family, but he’d assumed they were all killed in the fire.
"I...I’m sorry. I never meant..." Dron didn’t know what more to say. There weren’t the right words that would bring Aixen back. Nothing would stop the hurt he was sure Mikel was feeling.
"Sorry?" Mikel surged forward. His anger was nearly palpable, but Dron could see the hurt in his expression. "You think sorry is going to do anything? We didn’t have anything. We only had each other. But that was enough, and then you and your woman came to our town trying to be saviors and showed everyone that we could have more. Do you think no one else would want the same? The entire village saw what you did at our house. They realized that they could have more and demanded that they get it. They wanted change. That change came with fire and death. If only you had stayed away."
Dron had never felt worse in his life. At least not that he could remember. He knew what he and Tempest had done to help Aixen was the right thing. He knew that he was only trying to make things better. He didn’t prepare them for what might come next. He didn’t even know that it was possible for this kind of chaos to ensue simply because he wanted to help.
"I can’t bring your father and sister back, but I can promise you that I will find out who did this, and they will pay for their crimes."
Mikel shrugged his shoulders hard. "At what cost? Will that vengeance come at the expense of the rest of my family? Don’t do me any favors."
The younger alpha turned his back on Dron. It was a sign of disrespect, but Dron wouldn’t push the issue. Instead, he looked at the other children standing close to Mikel. Several of them looked as if they were all related.
Dron turned to Tine. "What are they doing here?"
"Where else could they go? It’s not as if they could stay in the Poor class, especially with the threat that more would come to finish the job, so they did the only thing they could do. They ran. Thankfully, they made their way here, and we were able to take them in."
Dron nodded his head again. This was only proof that he definitely had to go through with this mission, not just for him and Tempest, but for all the people he’d issued an unspoken promise to. When he stepped forward in the meeting with the High Royals and the rest of his community, he stepped forward as a leader. He wouldn’t abandon them now.
"I need to know what you know about what happened in the Poor class. No more riddles. No more tests. How can I find who is responsible?"
"I’ve already told you that I don’t know who is responsible, only the rumors that I’ve heard. It was no one from here. No one in Skoq journeyed over to Thraqe to set people on fire. If you really want to know, then you need to be looking at the people who had the most to gain from getting rid of a building revolution."
Dron groaned and closed his eyes tightly. She was telling him that it was the High Royals who were behind this. It’s not like he didn’t already know that. He knew that it had to be them, but how could he go against them?
"If it helps at all, you are not the only ones searching for these answers." Tine smirked at him.
Dron didn’t know what she meant by that.
"Why would you care about what happened to a Poor class in Thraqe?"
"I care about what happens to all people, but I also care that the High Royals have used their place to destroy what could be one of the greatest civilizations to ever exist. The Thraqen and Skoq people shouldn’t be separated. Think of the greatness that we could achieve if we were all one people. Think of the way we could thrive. All we needed was someone who would stand with us. Someone from Thraqe."
Dron understood. "Me? You want me to go against Thraqe."
"Yes, I do. What loyalty do you have to them? Maybe the people, but not the High Royals. The same people who have dubbed you the cursed one. Join us, Dron. You and your mate."
"They won’t follow me." Dron glanced back over to the children in the corner who were still eyeing him with pure distaste.
"No, they won’t follow you, but they will follow Tempest."
Dron jerked his eyes to Tine. He didn’t understand what his mate had to do with any of this. Why would they follow Tempest?
"I have to know that I can trust you. Give me some time, and I’ll show you everything. I’ll prove that this is the right battle for you to fight. The right place to prove you deserve exactly what the High Royals have denied you your entire life."
A surge of righteousness swelled in Dron. He wanted to do the right thing. He wanted to be the man he never thought he could be. One Tempest deserved.
The problem with that was it meant going to war against the land he called home.