A grunt left him at the impact. A mixture of tears and sweat streamed down my cheeks as the weight of my actions sunk in, but when my eyes met his, I was met with nothing but pride and satisfaction.
My body faltered. Panting heavily with trembling hands, I nearly dropped to my knees. Jace caught me then, his own breaths ragged, as he wrapped his arms around my body and fell to the terrain with me. I collapsed against him, burying my face in his shoulder as he held me tightly to his chest.
“It's okay, Lia. I'm here,” he whispered softly.
My body shook with silent sobs, the rage and frustration slowly fading away, replaced by the comfort ofhim.
“Thank you,” I said, voice hoarse.
He cupped my face in his calloused hands, brushing away a tear with his thumb. “Always.”
With a deep, shuddering breath, I leaned in and kissed him softly, savoring the way our lips met tenderly. I was thankful for the moment of shared vulnerability. When he broke the kiss, he brought his forehead to mine as our breaths mingled.
“We’re going to save Velyra. We’re going to get Avery and your kingdom back. We'll get through this, my Lia. Just as we always have,” Jace whispered. “Together.”
I nodded, a small smile breaking through the remnants of my fury and heartache. “Together.”
Chapter sixty-two
Kellan
Messenger falcons had beensent to all armed cities and towns south of the Sylis Forest seeking their assistance in the war. Nearly all the lords in power responded to the queen’s demands in search of payment. They desired gold to give up their armies and a substantial amount of it. The lords expressed that the mortal army could potentially conquer their unguarded cities, much to the queen's discontent. So, she did what any ruler would do and offered her daughter’s hand in marriage to the lord who provided the largest army to our own forces.
Days later, thousands of soldiers were knocking at the Islan gates.
The armies worked in shifts. One lord’s fleet kept watch beyond the gate during the day and the next in the evening, all of them rotating through the cycle to be sure that eyes were kept on the task at hand. Ships had also arrived and positioned themselves in the harbor, ready with cannons to destroy any enemy vessels that approached the city from the sea.
Isla now resembled an enormous war camp, where the only souls who filled the streets were that of patrollingsoldiers. The air was thick with tension as we awaited the looming attack from Elianna’s army. Personally, I couldn’t fucking wait.
I kept a close eye on everyone to ensure they were at their assigned posts and focused on their tasks. Soldiers, draped in armor adorned with Velyra’s emblem, moved with practiced precision in their march up the cobblestone streets.
The citizens huddled in the corners of their homes and shops like frightened animals and cowered on the street beneath my stare as I passed. Their wide, terrified eyes revealed the fear that the queen had instilled in them.
The distant echoes of a blacksmith's hammer added to the eeriness of the near-silent city as weapons continued to be forged. The sharp clinks and metallic clangs resonated through the air, matching that of the armor of the parading guards.
My mind delved into the tactics of battle, but I considered it to be already won. There would never be a way for Elianna to win her throne from the queen with everything we had stacked against her. At the very least, not as long as the High Witch remained in the queen’s ear.
I strolled back up to the castle, where my wyvern mount remained perched upon its battlement, watching every person who walked by. Its glowing, all-knowing eyes meant it was currently under the control of the crone, which irritated me. Mostly because we shared a bond connecting our minds, thanks to the cuffs permanently on each of us. I didn’t know how deeply the witch magicreached and if, by breaking into the wyvern’s mind, they could also see into my own.
The unknown of it only pissed me off—an oversight I never thought of in the dungeons when they forged the blood bond with me and the beast.
When the wyvern wasn’t in use with me, it was used as the only castle guard, ready to ignite anyone unwelcome who strolled too close. I gave it a curt nod, and the beast rolled its shoulders as it moved its attention back to the streets.
Tugging open the castle’s doors, I was surprised when I came face-to-face with the queen and was even more aggravated when I saw Azenna silently standing at her side.
“Captain,” she greeted.
“Getoffof me!” Avery’s voice echoed throughout the hall, making me peer over the queen's shoulder as I watched two of my guards forcefully drag her towards us.
“You are just in time,” the queen continued. “We are about to make an announcement to the realm.”
The queen, princess, and High Witch stood upon the stage before the quivering masses in the city square. I sat atop my mount; the beast perched on the top of the center stone fountain, the structure groaning at the weight of him. Thousands of pairs of eyes were locked on the stage,refusing to meet the stare of my wyvern as soldiers loomed on the outskirts of Isla.
Azenna had placed the princess under a spell to incite cooperation, which kept her frozen in obedience. The queen’s hands were clasped in front of her as she stood next to them, her ruby gown flowing behind her from the wind rolling off the sea.
“Thank you for gathering here today for your queen.” Silence answered her. “My sincerest apologies, for I know I do not venture out here often, but threats have been made against our city. Against all of you.”
Wide eyes frantically glanced in all different directions in the crowd as murmurs echoed from them all.
