17. Elianna

Chapter seventeen

Elianna

Our horses guided us to a war camp a few miles from the mountain range, settled apart from the city. The structures were small, and the soldiers were in few numbers, but the moment I saw it, I recognized it for what it was.

“Is this how you knew we had arrived?” I asked neither of them in particular.

“No, we were actually already here. That’s how we were able to meet you so quickly. Scouts reported a flying beast, and well…we were definitely hoping your letter was literal at that point,” Leon answered.

We all dismounted our horses and trekked through the camp, passing soldiers as they scurried by left and right, tending to their daily tasks. Some smiled as we strode by; others greeted Jace by name and eyed me warily from the side.

Leon led us to a larger wooden structure in the center of the camp, opening the door for us to follow him.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, my gaze fixated on the center of the room, where a small, round table sat adorned with scattered maps, quills, and an array of weapons .

“This is our outpost closest to the mountain range,” Jace began. “It acts as our—”

“First line of defense,” I finished for him as I crossed my arms behind my back. “Smart. I’m happy you’ve put such things in place here, even though you’re essentially hidden from the rest of the realm.”

He gave a dip of his chin as he pivoted and made his way to the table.

“What news do you have?” Leon asked him as he rounded to the other side, gazing at the maps alongside Jace.

I made my way around the room, my eyes tracing over the artwork, additional maps, and weaponry posted up on the walls.

Jace let out a breathy laugh, the one that had always made my knees buckle. “Where do I even begin?

“Well,” Lynelle said. “How about we start with how you met this lovely Lia Valderre?”

A smirk tilted my lips.

Jace’s face mirrored my own as he answered, “That’s a very long story, one filled with my less-than-charming moments, I may add.”

The corners of her lips lifted. “You stated that they left Ellecaster just this morning. It appears we have time for such stories.” She paused for a moment. “I would love to hear some of your ‘less-than-charming’ moments, dear nephew.”

Leon pulled out a chair for Lynelle, and she sat in it as if commanded. My gaze lingered over to where Jace stood across from them, eyeing them and their caring gestures intently.

Jace mimicked his general’s action and pulled a chair out for me. The four of us sat across from each other under the dim candlelight from the few that were around the room.

Jace blew out a breath. “How did we meet again?” he asked jokingly as his head swung in my direction.

I crossed my arms and leaned back in the chair. “Well, to start, you tied me to a willow tree.”

He scoffed. “After you kidnapped me and your ship was wrecked.”

I waved my hand in the air. “Semantics.”

We went back and forth like that for hours, telling them the story of how we met and nearly killed each other several times, all leading up to the one reason we couldn’t. Leon and Lynelle’s heads moved between us as we spoke, listening to just the very beginning of how our love began and how we planned to use it to unite our races and end the war once and for all.

The four of us laughed until we had tears in our eyes, and sometimes, those tears lingered for the more tragic parts of our journey. This continued until we ended with how we traveled to Alaia and how a new plan was to be forged.

Lynelle smiled at my mate—the kind of prideful smile a mother would give her son.

He smirked at her, as if uncomfortable. “Do you have something you’d like to say, Aunt Lynelle?”

“I’m just very proud of you,” she answered.

“I have commanded the mortal armies for years, and now you’re proud of me?”

“Yes, exactly that.” Her gaze moved to me. “For accepting this within your heart. Your bond to a fae woman, only gifted to you by your lineage that you wish to never speak of. I never thought anything like this would be possible, but the least believable part to me…is that you love her in return.”

My heart fluttered in my chest, but I blinked, realizing that it wasn’t my own reaction to her words but my mate’s.

He reached for my hand on the table and then admitted, “Lia was worth changing for.”

“It appears so,” Lynelle said as she moved to pour another cup of tea that a young soldier had brought in for us some time ago.

Jace leaned back casually in his chair and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “And what exactly is this situation?” He gestured to them. “It appears you two have become… closer .”

Leon’s eyes narrowed in on him. “She is a wonderful cook. It would’ve been a shame for her to have an empty table all this time.”

“Uh-huh,” Jace teased as he reached for more tea himself. He raised a single brow. “Have fun telling Zaela. I’m just ecstatic her focus won’t be on being aggravated with us any longer.”

Or maybe even Avery and Gage , I thought to myself.

Lynelle’s eyes flared as she loudly sipped from her cup. “Remind me to remind my daughter where she received those balls of steel she flaunts around so carelessly.”

“Certainly not her brave father who led these armies,” Jace heckled.

Her lips turned up, but there was a sadness in her eyes. “She is a mix of us both, that is certain. ”

“Sass and bravery,” Leon started as he wrapped his arm around Lynelle. “Although a dangerous mix, it makes for an exceptional woman.”

Jace let out a laugh and looked in my direction, earning a grin from me. “I’ll say.”

A rush of warmth flooded my cheeks, and I playfully punched him in the arm, eliciting laughter from everyone in the room.

“I know we’ve sent falcons back and forth since I was last on this side of the peaks, but is there any further news about the soldiers?” Jace asked.

Leon blew out a breath. “Each week, our numbers continue to increase. Young men eager to throw themselves into the fight for freedom.”

“And many nervous mothers,” Lynelle added.

Leon tried to hide his eye roll before adding, “Regardless, these boys certainly have the heart for it. They will be excellent soldiers—we train daily. And they will be honored to finally meet you now that you’re home.”

Home , I thought to myself. This was Jace’s true home, whether he considered it or not.

Suddenly, the door to the front of the room swung open, putting us all on high alert.

All of our hands flew to our hips, reaching for our swords, until Leon spoke to the young soldier who now stood in the doorway. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“Apologies for startling you all,” he began. “But dawn is on the horizon, and our scouts have spotted the citizens of Ellecaster emerging from the passage. Your horses are ready to bring you back to them.”

“Excellent,” Jace said, and we all moved toward the doorway.