I look at her in horror.She came up with that way too fast.
“Trust me.”She releasesmy hands andnods.“I’ll see you there.Give me an hour or so before you come up.”
Before Icanthink of what to say, Fabia disappearsinto the crowd.
Only thendothe words come to me.
One word, actually.
“Fuck.”
Forty-Two
Truces are for the weak.
There is nothing harder than getting sworn enemies to stop killing each other.-KingRichard
As I sign the Raza-Vylaagreement between our people, my chest expands with bittersweet pain.For the first time intoomany generationsto count, thereispeace betweenour two kingdoms.But Aurelia isn’t here to see it, and damn the gods, this is her dream.She should be the one signing it.
Back when she was alive, I was content to let our wars continue.I didn’t have enough vision to see a future where that would ever change.Not until that fucking night, when she begged me to carry on her fight because she didn’t have a chance of killing our older sister insidethe fairy ring.
I wanted to refuse her.But if I did, she would be forever trapped in that circle of shrooms.Hidden under the ancient eskila tree, where the Earth Elemental was said to have died during the Great Extinction, the fairy ring is the only thing that thrives in ameadowof decay.Our trees surround it on all sides, but a firm line of rot meets the bright colours of the forest.I couldn’t bear the thought of Aurelia’s sweet soul being trapped there, foreverhungry, forever left to feed on the drops of blood spilled by new challengersinside the ring.
And I wasn’t naive enough to hope that she’d win a fight against our sister.Aurelia was too soft to fight dirty.But I was not.
Still, I should’ve found a way to save her.Then she could be here, seeing the dream she never lost.Even when Raza took everything from her,she never once gave up on it.
Whereas, I hated Raza with a passion once it took her from me.I would’ve burned it all to ash if not for the vow she pulled from me.
As King Dravr straightens,I breathe out slowly.My eyes find his signature beside mine.I lean down to pick up the piece of paper.Holding it above my head, I show it tothe room of Vylians and Razians alike.
“We are now no longer enemies.”My voicecarriesacross the hall.“We are no longer at war.Our friends and familythat have beenheld as prisoners will be returned to us – tonight.”
Gesturing toMarrabel, I signal for her toopen the doors at the end of the hall.Prisoners of both sides have beenstationed outside.They’vebeen bathed, finely dressed,andgroomed,and as they walk in, complete and utter silence reigns.
For a second.
Two.
Then noise erupts.Bothsidesswarm to greettheirloved ones –people theyhaven’tseen for years,people theyoncethought long dead.Names are shouted in desperation.In hope.In disbelief.Tears are shed.Laughter carries.New generations meettheold.Grandchildrenembrace people they’ve only ever heardof.Tears flow down hardened faces, and I wish like hel I could join them.That there’sa loved one I lost in that crowd.Thatsheisthere –the woman who all of this is for.
Grieving ina mask ofsilence, I turn to look at King Dravr.Disbelief hidesbehind his mien of strength, a feeling I share wholeheartedly.Thiswasyearsandyearsin the making, and still,itdoesnot feel real.
Nothing about tonightfeelsreal.
It’sbeen amazing.
Too perfect.
Like a trap.
Searching the crowd, my eyesgoback to the spot where Ariennawasstanding.She’sstill there – alone.My heart pulls me to her, needing to be by her side.
Spreading my wings, Ifly across the gap between us.Jace landsbehind me, silent as always.The tension in my shoulders ease as soon as she’s within touching distance.
“Are you ready to go?”I askher.
Sheshakesher head, the world in her eyes as she looksat me.“N-no.You’ve just done something amazing.We should stay and celebrate a bit longer.All night, in fact.Well into the morning.”
