“Nox, take us below,” I ordered, and on command, he tucked in his wings and sent us shooting down to the center of the once great, rebuilt city.
My lips parted in horror as I took in what was displayed before my very eyes.
Jace immediately jumped down from Nox, not even bothering to climb down the side of his saddle.
I watched him as he moved in circles, nervously scratching at his beard with widened eyes. My gaze wandered around once I climbed down to meet him.
The cobblestone streets that once shone brightly beneath the sun now bore black stains of ash. All that remained of the rebuilt structures from Velyra’s timber were ember-coated planks scattered across the city.
“They’re gone. All of them,” Jace breathed, and I felt the agony creep into him. “Hundreds of people stayed behind, Lia.”
“This isn’t your fault. They knew the risk.” I wondered if I was trying to convince him more than myself.
A guttural roar of anguish left him, bellowing through the smoke-filled air as he kicked a crumbled piece of stone among the debris.
“Does it matter?” he wondered aloud as he turned to face me. He looked every bit the grieving commander who bore the weight of his people’s lives, just as he had the day I met him. “They didn’t wish to uproot their lives and leave their homes, and we can’t fault them for that.”
“We can’t fault them for it, but we also must recognize that we did everything we could without forcing them to flee,” I reminded him as I stepped up to his side, making him meet my stare.
“This is just another fucking tragedy for us and our people, Lia,” he stated.
“You think I don’t know that? We need to be thankful for the lives wedidsave by evacuating, which are thousands.”
A growl rumbled through the air, turning our attentions to Nox. We observed him as he strolled about the space, sniffing the crisped remnants of the buildings, flashing his teeth and growling each time.
My eyes drifted up to the crumbling watchtower that once held Ellecaster’s gates. My feet carried me to it, and I climbed up the half-shattered steps to get a better look at everything.
Blocking out the sun's glare with my hand as the last bit of smoke faded away, I scanned what remained of the city. Bodies lay sprawled in the streets, their skin charred and melted from their bones, making my stomach roll with nausea.
“Hello?!” I yelled into the air. “Are there any survivors?” My voice echoed, bouncing off the cliffs that loomed at the edge of the city, but no responses came.
I met Jace back down where he stood, and we patrolled the ash-covered streets, desperately searching for anyone who survived or remained hidden from the attack.
We reached the back of the city, and my eyes flared as they locked on where the passage to Alaia had once been.
“Fuck,” I whispered, and we both took off into a sprint in its direction.
The courthouse’s eastern tower was destroyed. Massive boulders and fragmented pieces of its stone had collapsed and piled over the opening of where the passage had once been, completely blocking travel to and from the other side.
My eyes flew to my mate, and his shoulders sagged in defeat. “Well, it’s safe to assume that our enemy hasn’t discovered our haven. However, this proposes the issue of our armies being able to leave for war.”
Dread crept through my veins. The passage was entirely blocked. Soldiers would ultimately be able to climb over the mountainous pile of boulders, but what of our horses andsupply wagons? Our food? This was a death sentence for our already battered troops.
“A new plan must be forged,” I said into his mind, as I couldn’t bring myself to speak the words.
“Is there even time for such things?”
“We don’t have a choice, Jace.”
A gasp of air erupted to our left, and our weapons were drawn on instinct.
“Who are you?” Jace demanded, his blade extended out toward where the sound came.
A gurgling cough answered his question, and he looked at me. “A survivor,” I breathed, and ran toward the mountains of debris.
I combed through the pile of stones, desperately digging through as the coughing quieted beneath it. Finally, a dusty, bloody face appeared before me, and I inhaled sharply at the sight of one of our men.
“Soldier,” Jace said calmly, but I could feel his concern.
