Luka called for three sentries to help move the bodies, ensuring they were handled carefully. Ciena lingered, staring at the dark stains left behind after they were gone. I could not wrap my head around the fact that the bloodied ground before me had been the last place my friends had drawn breath.
I heard my name shouted and saw my father rush through the gate to my side. I stepped forward, leaning on my sword to hide how battered my body felt.
Relief flooded through me as I took him in. He wore his old armor, the set I had seen him don more times than I could count, his features shrouded by the helmet snuggly fitted along his face.
His lighting storm raged above us, sending strikes into Lachlan’s orb. The faintest traces of light flashed inside, but his shield was impenetrable and refused to crack.
“My girl,” he whispered as he wrapped his arms around me. “My precious, brave girl.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, wiping away traces of dirt from under my eyes. “You have fought brilliantly, but need to be examined and healed.”
Just as I had with Luka, I shook my head. “No. Not until this is finished.”
“Let me take it from here.” His voice seemed calm, but I detected a slight tremor beneath it that conveyed both his relief and his fear. I knew he would have been thinking about losing his wife and daughter, terrified he would also lose his firstborn.
“No,” I said sternly. “No, I will not cower away from him and what he has done.” My finger pointed in Lachlan’s direction. “He has taken everything from us, and I will not rest until his body is nothing more than ashes. I will accept your aid, but I will not draw back now.”
My tone was full of false bravado, and my father did not question me again. Instead, he studied me closely, and I felt everything he left unsaid—how he was terrified of the unknown, but also that he would not take away my choice.
Movement drew our attention, and Matthew stepped forward with only a slight limp. Hundreds of soldiers crowded around us, slipping into formation and keeping their eyes and weapons trained on Lachlan.
I ran toward my mate, and he pulled me into his embrace. Luka and my father stepped away, discussing our next plan of attack. Matthew gripped my face and pulled me into an insatiable kiss, and for one quiet moment, I had forgotten our predicament.
“That was the most terrifying thing I have ever witnessed,” he said quickly. “To watch you and be unable to help was sickening, and I hate myself for it.”
“Matthew, you cannot be serious?” I asked, pulling back. “You were incapacitated and saved my life by stopping that second blow from landing. If it was not for you, then I would be dead.”
“It was not enough. I should have done more, I should have—“
The black sphere swirled, tiny cracks forming along the surface. I turned back to Matthew, knowing what I needed to do.
“Matthew, you have to go. Now. There’s no time.”
His brows furrowed, face marred in pain. “No. Not withoutyou.” He reached for me, his hand covered in blood—the crimson stains a mixture of his, mine, our friends, and our enemies. Fear filled the open space, seeming to close in on us as the pounding of war drums picked up from all sides. The feet of at least a thousand of our soldiers pounded against the pavement, taking up a defensive position around us. The market was nearly filled, but we could not move the location now.
This was what we had prepared for—the moment to decide our fate.
I danced out of his reach the best I could, a sad smile playing across my lips. “We both know I cannot leave. I will not walk away from this battle today unless Lachlan is dead, but you…” my voice broke as tears began to slide down my cheeks. “You can live. You can lead my people to greatness and prosperity, ushering in an era of peace that Aethion and Helia have never known. But sacrifices must be made to do that, and blood must be paid.”
“Then let me pay it,” he said, his voice breaking as he wrapped his arms around me. “I will stand by your side until our last breath, but do not ask me to walk away. I cannot. Iwillnot.”
Even though I knew I shouldn’t have, I let myself fall into his warm embrace. I allowed myself to dream of a life we could have had, one that would float away on the winds. But I could give him a fighting chance if I took a stand. I could feel the depth of my power, knew that my sorrow and rage over all Lachlan had done had coalesced into this fiery quantum of strength within me. We’d been too preoccupied with preparing for this moment for me to focus on my power, and I'd just been tamping it down further and further within me. I realized, belatedly, that my power was mine, it wasme.
It would not truly harm those I loved.
Now, The Horde was approaching with the strength of their entire army. But I knew what they did not.
I knew we could win.
I had never told anyone the lengths I would be willing to go to save their lives, but I had known for a long time that this power was meant for something more. I knew what I had to do. I knew my life would be worth it.
I turned to face Matthew, wiping tears away from his face as I held him in my arms. “I have to do this, Matthew, or else we will lose the war, and all of this would have been for nothing. The sacrifices our friends and family have made—I cannot let that be in vain.”
“There is no future for me if you are not there,” he whispered. “I would rather die, Eva. I cannot lose you.”
“We have no choice,” I said softly, though my heart felt like it was being torn from my chest. “The damage I could inflict would be catastrophic.”
“Yes, but you could die in the process!” He stepped away, studying me as if seeing me for the first time.
“And you will be there to lead,” I replied.
