Tempest frowns. “Then we wait for Eloise.” She exchanges worried glances with Thane and me.
It’s been five full days since my mate left. She will return. I must have faith in that. I must trust in her strength and discretion. But every day she is gone, my mood sours further.
I lead the troops through drill after drill, knowing I may be training them to fight to the death, watching old friends like Warbill and new friends like Percy train to exhaustion for a war we cannot win. And I lie awake at night fighting the notion that this is for me, for my power, for my rule. But if this were only for me and my family, I would call it off now. This is for Stygarde. This is for the children.
“Again!” I yell as we move into our fifth hour of drills.
Warbill rolls his eyes toward the ceiling. “Who knew that training for war would literally require fighting a war? Goddess, man. You’ll send us all to the Darklands with these exercises!”
“Are you questioning my methods, old man?” I grumble.
He wipes sweat from his brow. “Simply hoping to survive another day.”
Before I can answer him, purple light shoots from the center of the sparring area, sending every soldier scattering away from the energy it’s throwing off. I shade my eyes and draw Dawnbreaker.
“Elven magic?” Warbill yells over the buzz coming off it.
“I don’t know!” I yell back.
Swords drawn, we wait for the attack, but it’s Eloise who appears, holding out her arms at the center. This isno ring. It’s the key symbol! And she’s not alone. My jaw drops as Cassius steps through the light, followed by a stream of vampires. A hundred! No, a thousand. And more. I recognize some of the men from Night Haven. They keep coming, the shades in the room having to move back to give them space.
They’re still coming through when Cassius sees me and rushes to my embrace.
“Brother! You’ve come to our aid.”
“It’s been too long,” he says.
“How many?” I sputter.
“A thousand from Lamia and two thousand from Night Haven.”
“Night Haven?”
“George. He lent her his men as well. They’re all vampires, but they’re trained.”
I turn my attention back to my mate and the symbol, to the parade of men who pour out of it. “Is she strong enough?” I mumble, but no one hears me.
“Goddess, bless us all!” Tempest yells, arriving at my side and greeting Cassius. “She’s saved us! Damien, Eloise has saved us all!”
I’m not listening. I leave their side and walk straight for her, stopping at the edge of the spell and seeing the strain on her face, the sweat that drips from her temples.
“Eloise?” I call. She doesn’t seem to hear me.
The last batch of men runs through the portal, and the light dies like a fizzling fire. She sways on her feet, and I rush forward to sweep her into my arms. “Bed,” she whispers.
I kiss the side of her head, fighting back the burn in my eyes. “Always so eager.”
“Very funny,” she says sleepily. “I never took you for a necrophiliac.”
“The term is somnophiliac. You’re not dead. You’re simply passing out.”
“Don’t count your chickens…” she says. “I’ll need food and blood. I’m so weak.”
I hug her tighter to my chest and increase my pace, shoving past a blur of nameless faces. “I’ve got you, little bird.”
She rests her head against my chest. When we reach our room, I tuck her into the bed and promise to have everything she needs here when she wakes. Her eyes are closed as she says, “Three thousand.”
“Cassius told me. You did well, little dragon. More than we ever expected.”
