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When I did, I wondered if Red Bull also came from a plant, because the rush of energy that coursed through me woke me up instantly, erasing all evidence of fatigue I might have had. “Holy hell,” I gasped once more, and they all laughed.
“Give it back, I’m using it strategically for my training.” Thea’s hand extended to me like she thought I might keep it—I actually might. “Training to be a warrior is more exhausting than I imagined.”
“Agreed.” I sighed, handing it to her. “Can I keep these though?” I asked, showing Aaron the cherries he’d handed me, and placed them in my pocket once he nodded.
No wonder Kingston had so much energy to beat me up; he was always hyped up on caffeine.
The echo of doors opening on the other side of the enormous dining hall reached us, and some of us glanced back to see a tall guy enter. He was insanely muscular, like Asher and the other Elevated Warriors were, which made me think maybe he was one too. Long black hair was tied in a low ponytail, and he carried a big spear that reminded me of Asher’s, except that one had some weird symbol on the blade.
People walked in after him, A LOT of people, following him to a different set of tables that remained empty for them. I wasn’t counting, but if I were to hazard a guess, I’d have said there were at least three hundred people with him.
“Who is that?” I asked just as the man’s gaze swept the room, and our eyes connected briefly. An unsettling feeling sprung in the pit of my stomach, but I had no idea why.
“That is Lachlan,” Harvey answered, speaking for the first time since I’d met him. “He’s now the Commander of the Battlesky Clan.”
“Now?” I questioned. “What was he before?”
“An Elevated Warrior. He was actually Kingston’s right hand before Asher was promoted.”
My gaze went to Quinn with her statement, and she gave me a look that reminded me of something Josh would do—letting me know there was drama behind that story without having to say it.
My chest constricted with the memory of him. Damn, I missed that dude. He was a great friend, and I kind of wished he was here too. I hoped he and Rebecca were doing fine, but I also couldn’t help wondering if I would ever see them again. I truly hoped the answer was yes.
“So, what’s the story?” I asked, taking another drink of the coffee cherries’ juice. It wasn’t an espresso, but at least I was getting some form of caffeine. After leaving Evie’s room and spending the rest of the night in Vyper’s lair with Draco and their mother, I needed it.
Charlotte leaned closer to me, clearly getting ready for gossip. “He had a very public disagreement with the princess, when she announced to everyone that she would be travelling to seek help. He was adamant that she was making a mistake that would doom us all—”
“I believe his exact words were,‘you cannot depend on someone else to fix your problems. If you want to lead us, you have to be strong enough to do it yourself,’” Aaron interrupted, not sounding too pleased by the man’s behavior.
“He said that to her?” Oh, I already wanted to punch his lights out and I hadn’t even met him. “Doesn’t he know everything she has lost to protect you people? There is no shame in needing help, especially when you have already given everything to your cause.”
“The majority of us agree,” Edward pitched in, nodding. “I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be for her. Almost everyone here has lost their parents or family to this war, but not like she has."
“They were friends, so he spoke candidly for what he believed was a wrong move on her part,” Thea continued. “Unfortunately, a lot of people saw his point and supported him, so when she held her ground about looking for help, they followed him out of the Skyborne Clan, and he formed his own.”
“But not before making it clear that he couldn’t be part of her clan when she was making such a grave mistake,” Aaron explained. “Her decision wasn’t an easy one, but I think I would have done the same. It was Sacha Skyborne’s, the late Chief of Battle, last wish. She had to do it for her aunt.”
“Why was asking for help so terrible that her clan split?” I had to be missing something, I was sure of that.
“The problem wasn’t that she wanted to get help,” Edward clarified. “It was that she wanted it from the Harbinger of Justice.”
“Cursed be his name!” With Quinn’s words, they all turned and spit on the floor, shocking me to my core. WTF?
What had a man with such an honorable title done that the mention of him incited that kind of visceral reaction? My mouth opened to ask who that was, but the entire hall went silent and they all stood, bowing in respect. I joined them.
We turned to the front to see the ten men and women warriors enter the stage, the guard, walking on either side of Evie. A wave of relief drowned everything else in me when I saw her slowly moving towards the table. She wore a jeweled, mustard yellow silk skirt and top that left her midsection fully exposed, reminding me of something women wore in Hindu culture. Her hair was loose, and she held her hands in front of her with each step.
Every single detail became clear as I watched her, until she faced the room, finally reaching her chair. Her gentle hand rose, motioning for everyone to retake our seats. She didn’t seem in pain anymore, and I wasn’t even sure how one healed from broken ribs in three days, but she appeared almost back to normal.
Part of me knew it was this place, this pure world, and maybe even living among Dragons. True, I had only just arrived, but I had yet to see a single person sick or suffering from something.
“I want to thank you all for your kind wishes and kindhearted sentiments while I recuperated,” Evie spoke to the room with an honest smile, and everyone hung on her every word. “I’m healed now, and ready to return to my duties. To those of you who faithfully and patiently waited for me to return, you have my unwavering appreciation.”
She paused, scanning the tables, and when her eyes found me, her smile grew… so did mine. A private exchange seemed to transpire between us, and I wanted to just walk up to her side and kiss her. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only who noticed, and both Kingston and Asher’s attention came down on me. Asher appeared concerned while Kingston plainly wanted to kill me.
When my attention returned to Evie, I noticed a shadow of burden and regret dim her blue eyes, and my gut tightened instinctively.
“The rumors are true,” she continued, addressing the hall once again, and her sweet demeanor toughened before my eyes. “On my way back, I had an encounter with the Warlock King, which caused my injury. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. With the help of our new warrior, Braxton Burrito, I was able to return to you with nothing more than a couple of broken ribs, and with a renewed determination to end that tyrant and reclaim our world.”
Everyone’s attention shifted to our table with her mention of me. Some glances were grateful, others curious, while many others were cautious and even condemning. An intense gaze made me look towards the back, and I found the former Elevated Warrior, Lachlan, staring at me.
“While encountering the Warlock King was ill-fated, I can assure you that the secrecy of our location was never at risk of being exposed. And I will continue to do everything in my power to keep this refuge safe for all of you.”
A heavy sigh left her chest, but she straightened, not shying away from the judgemental gazes coming from the back.
“To those of you who regarded this as a failure, and sought different leadership in the Battlesky Clan, I want you to know that I still consider you my kin, and I willneverstop fighting for you.” A fierce light illuminated her features. “Make no mistake. The Warlock King might have gotten to me once, but he willneverstand before me again, unless I’m landing the killing blow to his heart.”
Evie’s words rang with power and truth through the cavernous space, like those of a true queen, leaving everyone speechless. Turning, she took her place at the center of the large table, and her guard sat with her—a silent signal for everyone to begin eating, still I couldn’t really move.
I couldn’t do anything but watch the sweet, silly, and innocent Evie I met in my world vanish before my eyes. Replaced by a completely different woman, one I knew almost nothing about… the Skyborne Princess.
