79. Elianna

Chapter seventy-nine

Elianna

Nox sat perched atop the castle’s stone battlement, overlooking the soldiers that waged war against us only hours ago. Thousands of soldiers stood before me, their faces dimly lit by only the light of the moon, and torches that lined the cobblestone streets.

The Islan army stood in disciplined rows, looking terrified and full of exhaustion, just as my own men had.

I held my chin high as I stood before them, commanding the attention that some of them had refused to give even when I was their appointed captain.

Choosing my words carefully, I made sure they conveyed a sense of authority. “I stand before you not as a tyrant, but as the rightful queen who seeks unity for all creatures under her reign.”

My eyes drifted over them, surveying their faces as their eyes flickered with a blend of dishonor and curiosity. An intense silence filtered through the air, and while I craved acceptance from them, I was determined to show that if they were not willing to abide by my law; they had no place in Velyra .

“You have known me for decades—the real me, not the usurper the false queen whispered lies about into the tips of your ears. You knew my father and who he was as your king. It is important that you know you stand here not as prisoners but as subjects of a new reign. For a better realm,” I declared.

Pride flowed down the bond from my mate as he stood off to the side along with the others. Each of them wore faces of pure steel, letting any wandering eyes know that, while benevolent, we were not a court to be fucked with.

A growl rumbled from Nox as his head levitated directly above my own—showing his approval to me and his deadly temper to those who stood before us.

As I spoke, the soldiers’ expressions shifted. Any lingering defiance waned into hesitant acceptance.

“Every soldier standing before me now faces a choice,” I continued, my tone more assertive. “You can resist the inevitable change of reign, clinging to the remnants of what had once been…or you can choose to kneel before your new queen, whose birthright is to rule over that of your realm. And if you refuse, well…my wyvern stands behind me for a reason.”

There was a tense silence as the soldiers before me exchanged wary glances. I unsheathed my sword from my hip and placed the tip onto the ground before my feet, standing tall and proud before them. Not only would I be their queen, but I remained one of them—a fighter, a warrior by choice. It was who I was and always would be.

The weight of their decision hung in the air around us like an invisible force. My stare locked onto theirs, gaze unwavering in a challenge to them to defy me—but then my eyes softened.

“I cannot stand here before you and state that everything will be simple and easy. In fact, I’m willing to bet that we will face challenges never before seen. How does one undo over a century of hatred and vengeance? How does a queen seek the confidence of her people when they have been at odds for more than triple the lifetime of one of its races?”

Silence answered me, and I took it all in, standing beneath the weight of their stares.

“ My sweet Lia .” Jace’s voice filtered through me, gentle and reassuring.

My gaze flickered over to him then, and my eyes met the fierce commander, staring down potential enemies before they swore an oath to his mate and queen. Eyes narrowing in on him, I forced myself to halt my smirk, knowing that he would slaughter them all himself without hesitation if they defied me.

After a tense moment, the first among them, a battered warrior with fatigue etched across his face, stepped forward. “Solus,” he started, and my husband aggressively cleared his throat from where he remained, startling the soldier.

“Captain…Valderre,” he continued. “I cannot say I speak for every individual here, but I will confidently say that this is for most of the masses that had been trapped under Idina’s control. We will gladly follow you and your reign. You had my sword as my captain, and now you will have it as my queen.” He slowly sank to one knee on his last word .

My eyes flared as I willed the rest of my features to remain emotionless. “And what say the rest of you?” My voice was stern.

Suddenly, his surrender rippled through the ranks like a quiet wave. My lips parted at the sight I never thought I’d see.

The clinking of armor was the only sound to be heard through the darkened streets as, one by one, the Islan army knelt.