77. Elianna

Chapter seventy-seven

Elianna

“Jace,” I breathed. A gut-wrenching sob escaped me as his name left my lips at the sight of him, blood drenching the front of his armor— his blood, I realized.

But there was no time to react, for we each felt the enemy’s presence surrounding us on all sides.

Our eyes were locked on each other as we became encircled. My lip curled back as his nostrils flared, both of us ready to fight side by side out here until our very end.

We each let out triumphant screams as we leapt around, turning from one another as we pressed our backs together, guarding each other. Our blades were outstretched, breaths synchronized as our hearts pounded in unison, the two of us becoming a singular entity of fury and lethal grace.

Only, as my eyes adjusted through the smoky haze, they flared as they took in the sight of what truly surrounded us.

All fighting had ceased as nearby eyes were fixated on me and my mate. Soldiers were strewn across the disrupted ground, their exhaustion draining them from the brutality of the battle.

“ Jace ,” I whispered down the bond as my gaze swept across the terrain .

A field that was once full of life now lay in ruins, painted in scarlet red, and littered with the fallen and remnants of war. The ground was adorned with protruding spears and swords, while banners lay trampled in the mud.

“Holy gods,” he spoke aloud as the feeling of his back left my own, and he took a step up to my side.

In every direction I turned, the Islan soldiers were throwing down their weapons in surrender and defeat, their eyes cast to the ground.

Were they aware the queen had perished? Or was Kellan’s death enough to cause this?

As relief and shock swirled within me, I felt Jace’s adrenaline falter, feeling the true weight of his wound.

My gaze slowly lifted to meet his as he bowed his head, the last reserves of his strength slipping away. He sucked in a sharp breath right before he collapsed to the ground beside me, too fast for me to catch him, his breathing ragged and shallow.

“Jace!” His name left me in a guttural scream as I positioned myself protectively over him.

“The commander has fallen!” Someone shouted over the crackling embers, and I let out a growl.

“Oh, gods, Jace!” Zaela’s voice carried from the distance, and my eyes shot to her as she shoved people out of the way to get to us as Gage did the same, not far behind her.

Our soldiers rallied, forming a protective ring around us—their loyalty unwavering. The enemy soldiers continued to watch, frozen where they stood, not willing to take the chance to attack .

My attention returned to my husband, whose eyes were fluttering shut from the agony of the wound that pierced the flesh directly above his heart. “ Handsome, I need you to keep your eyes open .”

A lump formed in my throat as my nerves threatened to consume me.

“I’m okay, my Lia.” His voice was raspy and barely audible.

“Do not lie to me! I can feel it, Jace. I can feel you, and you’re not okay.” My gaze swept my surroundings once more. “Where the fuck are the healers?!” I screamed.

I could barely catch my breath.

Gage and Zaela dropped to his opposite side then, eyes searching both of us for what to do. My breathing quickened, making me feel faint.

“Jace…” My voice cracked. Tears streamed down my face in a flood of waves, dripping onto his own as I hovered over him. “Please, I can’t do this without you. What is the fucking point in this if you’re not here with me?” I broke out into a gut-wrenching sob and could no longer vocalize what I needed to. “ I am nothing if you aren’t here with me. The kingdom needs its king. I need my husband. I need my mate .”

“Help me lift him up,” Gage said to Zaela, and when they both went to move, I stopped them.

“Don’t touch him,” I ordered, and they instantly froze.

I bellowed a cry of desperation into the air as fear consumed me and then put my face next to his ear. “Jace, the queen is dead. Kellan is dead. It’s over—we won.”

A breathy, pained laugh left him as he looked up at me through cloudy eyes. “We won. ”

“We did.” I swallowed thickly as I sniffled. “But not if you leave me for the vale.”

The sound of galloping hooves approached us and the slightest bit of relief hit me to see it was Landon and Finn. They each jumped down from Matthias and ran to us.

“Finn,” I nearly gasped.

“I’m not as quick as Veli,” he warned warily. “He’s lost a lot of blood, Lia.”

“Just hurry, please!” I begged as I looked to the sky, where Veli had chased after Azenna, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“I’ll be fine,” Jace said through his teeth, but winced as he voiced the words.

I felt his worry—it was palpable, but he was still trying to put on a brave face for the rest of us.

“You lie to me so beautifully,” I whispered his own words that he used when we first met. Something in him relaxed at hearing them.

“Do your worst, Finn,” he rasped, trying to lighten the mood, but I still couldn’t catch my breath.

Once Gage carefully removed Jace’s shoulder armor, Finn dropped to his knees on his other side. He then pulled out vials of herb-infused liquids and salves, pouring and smearing them onto his gaping wound. I watched silently, barely breathing, as my brother went to work to save my mate’s life. His fingers worked quickly as he stitched the wound close, the once-flowing blood ceasing.

Jace let out a hiss at the contact.

“He needs to drink this—it will help with the pain and loss of blood. It was extracted from sedaeyo leaves. ”

My husband gave me a subtle nod, finally admitting he needed help.

I took the vial from my brother and carefully lifted Jace’s head into my lap. Bringing the vial to his lips, I slowly poured it into his mouth. His cloudy eyes remained on me as they gradually started to clear—his fading heartbeat growing stronger with each beat.

“My Lia,” he rasped as a small smile leisurely tilted the edge of his lips.

Zaela and Gage let out shuddering breaths of relief as they remained at our side.

Sobs escaped me as I wrapped my arms around him tighter. “Thank the gods,” I whispered. “I thought I was going to lose you.” My tears formed a puddle on his skin.

“Never,” he answered, and a smile tilted my lips as the tears continued to rush down my cheeks.

One of the promises we had always kept to one another. That we would never leave each other, and always find a way back to the other. In this realm and the next.

I lifted myself from him and hovered over his face. His hand moved to wipe the tears from my cheeks. A quiet laugh escaped me as I stared into his hazel eyes, never being more thankful in my life to still have him with me.

“Are you okay?” I asked in a whisper.

He gave me a knowing look with a half-smirk as he tried to hide his pain. “It’s just a flesh wound.”

I barked out a huff of a laugh. “Gods, that is not a flesh wound.”

Jace pressed his lips firmly to my forehead, and I felt his touch tremble as relief settled into the both of us .

When he released me, I turned to the others. “Okay, now you can help get him up.”

They didn’t waste a second as they each aided him by lifting his back, being careful of his wounded shoulder.

“Gods, that’s fucking brutal. I thought he pushed it straight through me.” Jace let out a hiss as they moved him, but his eyes remained on my face the entire time. “Is it really over?”

“It is,” I answered and then looked over my shoulder, across the battlefield. The gates caught my attention as they started to open, causing my eyes to widen.

Soldiers, both mortal and fae, watched from a distance, waiting to see the final command I would make. My eyes drifted over our enemy fleet, whose weapons remained laid down in surrender at their feet.

Then hooves sounded from our opposite side.

I turned to face Bruhn and crossed my arms, a single brow lifting at the sight of him. “Nice of you to show,” I taunted him.

Jace’s amusement tiptoed down the tether as he stood a pace behind me.

The centaur scoffed. “Watch it…Heir of the Realm.” He paused for a moment. “Or should I now call you Queen?”

A smile curved my lips. “Lia will do.”

I took in the sight of his powerful body, covered in lacerations. My people weren’t the only ones who suffered loss today, but he came for me. The creatures of the realm came to aid their rightful queen.

“Thank you,” I whispered as my eyes softened .

He huffed at me as if thanking him was a waste of time. “Do you have orders?”

I blinked at him. Shoving down the confusion of him being so cooperative, I cleared my throat. “Gather those who remain and bring them into the city. They will be given a choice. I will not slaughter those who surrendered.” My words paused for a moment. “I’m not her.”

Bruhn gave me a curt nod and took off, galloping towards those waiting in the field.

Turning back to face everyone, I nearly did a double take as I took in the sight of my family. They were all covered in ash and blood, their skin littered with wounds, exhaustion seeping into their faces, but they each had a glow about them.

My mate’s stare met mine. “ You did it .”

“ No. We all did .”

A prideful smile answered me, and a caress of love warmed our bond.

Gage caught my attention then, his gaze peering over my shoulder toward the city at my back as he took a step in its direction. His lips parted, wearing a look that could only be described as pure relief.

Turning on my heels, I followed his line of sight, landing right at the center of the gates, where Avery stood in front of an enormous crowd of Isla’s citizens.

“You did it,” he whispered as his steps moved him past me.

A second later, he took off into a run, leaping over the leftover carnage of war to get to my sister .

Avery met his pace and raced toward him in the same breath, her torn gown flowing behind her in the wind, and when they met, she leapt into his arms. She wrapped her own around his neck and embraced him, her fiery locks cascading over his shoulder.

She lifted her gaze to mine as I stood in the distance with the others and gave me a soft smile that I returned.

An arm then wrapped around my waist, and Jace worked to stand tall at my side. Our eyes collided, and I looked him over. The arm with his injured shoulder was laced through a makeshift sling that looked as if it had been ripped from one of their shirts, but the bleeding had ceased, thanks to Finn’s quick stitching.

“What are your plans if those who surrendered refuse to take a knee to your claim, Lia?” he asked as his gaze remained on me. A subtle growl lingered beneath his words.

“I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.”

Zaela stepped up to my opposite side on near-silent feet, her stare locked on Avery and Gage as they approached us. “Has anyone seen Veli?” she asked in a whisper.

My eyes flared and instantly lifted to the sky. “Oh, gods…” I whipped back to Jace. “She saved us! She saved me and Avery. We never would have been able to get out without her.”

His jaw locked, and his stare lifted back to the gates, where the centaurs and forest creatures lined up the Islan soldiers and guided the gazing citizens back inside.

“There was an eruption in the sky toward the far edges of the city. I saw it briefly and assumed it was Nox…but he’s been out of flame since he returned to us down here. ”

“Oh, gods…” I whispered.

Avery and Gage came to a halt before us. I looked into my sister’s honey-hued eyes, so similar to her mother’s, yet entirely different. “Veli?” I asked warily.

She bit her lower lip, sucking it in through her teeth. “There was so much going on. I was just trying to get everyone to listen to me and get to safety, but then the guards on the tower shouted the fighting had ceased, and everyone rushed back to the gates.”

Bruhn appeared once more, galloping up to us. “There is something you need to see,” he announced to me. “My herd hurried into the city the second the gates opened. It was just reported to me that your silver-haired witch has been found in the castle gardens.”

My eyes widened. “And?”

He pressed his lips together and shook his head.

“No,” I breathed and took off in a run toward Nox, who waited in the center of the ruined field.

Jace rapidly caught up with me and extended his good arm, allowing me to assist him in getting onto the wyvern.

Everyone else raced towards the gates.