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“Anything to protect your mate.”
“Yes, sir,” I answered. My mother had tried for years to turn me into a monster, one that could rival Varzorn.
All she needed to do was threaten my mate.
Chapter 20
Kael
Ifloatedbackintoconsciousness, the claws of the comforting dark scraping over my mind. My surroundings blurred, a swirl of muted colors as I managed to open my eyes. It wasn’t until his face came into focus that I realized where I was.
“Sihaya.“ Theron softly brushed back my hair from my face, his smile widening as I met his gaze. “Thank Atar. I was so worried.”
Unshed tears shimmered in his eyes, and my heart clenched in my chest. Despite his smile, weariness shadowed his eyes and the lines of his face were more pronounced.
“Theron…” My voice came out as a whisper, my throat parched and raw. The command tent looked the same, with plain canvas spanning the ceiling with vents for light. I was close to the ground, on a cot.
A scuff sounded behind me, and a roughened hand reached out to pass a water skin to Theron.
“Here, she needs a drink.” Haemir’s voice. I tried to turn my head to look at him, but Theron had already held the skein to my lips and my body took over, desperate for water. It trickled down my throat, quenching the fire that raged there. I managed to turn my head, spotting Haemir and Gavril on my other side.
“Dad. Gavril.”
“Scared us half to death, Kiddo,” Haemir mumbled his voice a mixture of relief and lingering fear.
Gavril smiled, even though tears ran down his cheeks. “I always knew you were too stubborn to be taken down.”
“As tough as she is obstinate,” Theron agreed, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
A genuine laugh erupted from Haemir and he clapped Theron on the back, his expression warm. I stared, watching as Haemir welcomed my mate into the fold of our makeshift family with a simple gesture.
It was a glimpse of the future, a promise of a life filled with laughter and love, a family united not by blood but by bonds stronger than any blade or battle. As their mirth enveloped me, a sensation of intense joy settled within me—reassuring me that better days were yet to come.
My eyes found my mate’s once more. “How long?”
His bronze gaze darkened. “You’ve been out for two days.”
My heart skipped a beat. “The battle?”
Theron’s expression softened. “You don’t need to worry about it, love. We won. Caelia, Xadrian, and Xavier are our hostages now. Most of the soldiers have joined us and swore fealty.” He paused, patting my shoulder before continuing. “The others we let go.”
My brows drew together. “Why?”
“I don’t want to beat our people into submission,” Theron explained, his eyes distant. “My quarrel is with my mother and the Vennorins.” Gavril muttered something about adding the Amyntas to the list, but Theron ignored him and continued. “And I don’t want soldiers I can’t trust, anyway. We need loyalty.”
“Well said.” Haemir nodded approvingly, his warm gaze on Theron. Gods, what had happened when I was out for my dad to approve of my mate now?
I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in my stomach reminded me of my wound. I winced, trying to stifle the groan that escaped me.
“Easy now,” Theron murmured, his hand coming to rest on my arm. He held out another skein to me, though this time it was filled with some sort of murky liquid. I sniffed it and wrinkled my nose at the bitter scent. “What is this?”
Theron smiled weakly. “One of the Fae Remnants recognized some herbs here and brewed it. She said it’ll help with the pain and prevent infection.” He paused before adding, “Wounds made with Endbringer can’t be healed with magic. You’ll need to rest and let it heal naturally.”
I glanced over to see Endbringer leaning against a chair and shuddered, remembering the feel of the blade sliding into my stomach. I tried to change the subject and asked when we were going to get moving.
“We can’t go anywhere until you’ve healed,” Theron told me softly. He saw the disappointment on my face and continued, “It won’t be long, I promise.”
“Just put me on a deaza. I’ll be fine.”
