Chapter Thirty-Nine

THE MEN AND WOMEN OF the Water Fae army filed into the throne room. My stomach was in knots as I studied each face that entered, and I forced myself to see the people I was about to ask to risk their lives.

I'd just finished my meeting with the Council of Doctrina and the different leaders of the Water Fae army. It was a long meeting where I had to explain the reality of King Elias's demands, as well as the new threat posed by the Nightbloom. Disbelief had colored their faces, but the response from the generals had been unanimous. They knew the risks that came with war. They knew their lives were not guaranteed in their line of work. If I asked them to follow me into battle, they wouldn't hesitate. They served Morardia and its leader— me . We'd dispersed from the room, and each leader went to call together the groups under their supervision to debrief them.

These men and women—these soldiers —had just been given the news that I'd been unable to stop war. I'd been unable to keep them safe from more bloodshed. As they looked to me, they looked upon their newly appointed Queen who'd failed them.

I'd failed to keep more from having to die in this war.

So, despite the reassurances from the generals, I knew I couldn't fail these soldiers in taking away their choice.

The room was quiet as I stood from my throne and approached the edge of the dais. My purple dress fluttered around my ankles, and my silver crown, no doubt, glittered in the moonlight shining down from the glass ceiling as I held my head high in an effort to appear confident. Sure. Strong.

"Thank you all for coming," I began in a loud voice that echoed across the room—a room that had seen so much light and laughter during our welcome home gathering and the coronation. Standing here now, with the shadow of the truth hanging over us, made the air in the room tight and dark.

"As your commanding officers have told you by now, our fight is not yet over. I'm afraid there is one more battle, one more fight, we will have to face in order to finally end this war and begin rebuilding Morardia and Ambrolia. And it won't be an easy one now that Land Fae have learned to create and harness Nightbloom."

I let my last statement hang for a moment so that each and every person here could truly let that sink in. We would be vulnerable. Truly vulnerable. Healing on the spot wouldn't be possible for some of us, and that would mean death— lots of death. I didn't want them second-guessing their decision to be here, leaving Water Fae with even fewer numbers than what we already had, but I had to make sure they all knew the devastating potential outcome. What kind of Queen would I be if I didn't?

It was with the same intention of being a good leader who wanted to protect her people that I continued with, "I believe that together, we can win. We can overcome this obstacle and create a better tomorrow for all Fae. We are strong, which is why we've made it this far in the battle, pushing through every barrier and jumping each hurdle in an effort to survive. Not all of us will make it. Elias is eager to see me personally in combat, so even I may not survive. But I'm willing to try. I'm willing to give this my all, because I believe in you. I believe in us . We are more than a dying people. We are more than our lost abilities or our fallen numbers. We are a determined, uniquely gifted, and powerful group of Fae. Even so, I know what I'm asking of you is great. I'm asking you to potentially give up your life for a cause you only began to think about within recent months."

I took a deep breath. Part of me wanted to glance at Jesiah, who stood off to the side, or at the generals, who stood in the first row of the soldiers. I wanted to see the looks on their faces, because what I was about to offer wasn't something the Council had discussed. Only Rune knew of my next words. Only he knew that not giving my people this chance would riddle me with guilt and despair, even if it meant our world had to come to an end.

"So," I finally said. "I want to give you a choice. If what I ask of you is too much, I will not force you to fight."

The silence in the room became deafening. It was like everyone suddenly held their breath and froze in place so that the quiet became nearly tangible.

Jesiah stepped closer in my peripheral, and he whispered, "Bria, what—"

"If you feel this fight for peace is not worth the risk, I will not make you fight," I repeated. "Instead, we can return to life before I became Queen. We can all return to the human world where we can live on in hiding as we once did."

"Your Majesty," a general started hesitantly. He glanced over his shoulder at his troops then back at me. "You're asking us to go back?"

"No." I shook my head. "I'm merely giving everyone the choice . I came here with my decision already made to restore the broken world we're in. Now I'm giving you a choice. Stay and help me rebuild, or Water Fae return to the human realm to live as humans once more."

"We just returned, Your Highness," a woman called out from the masses. "We're all so happy to be back here. This is our home ."

I smiled softly. "I know. This is where we belong, but we could make do in the human world, if necessary. We've done it for the past twenty years, and a lot of you called it home even longer than that. True, we couldn't live as our authentic selves there, embracing our gifts and natures. We'd constantly have to be on alert with both the risk of exposure to humans and running into Land Fae who wish us harm. But we'd mostly be safe there. All of us."

Whispers emerged from the crowd, and I practically felt the buzz in the air as they weighed this option. It was one I, myself, had been considering since Elias's terms were made clear. The part of me that clung to fear and doubt wanted to dive head first into running away, but the majority of me stood firm on this new solid ground I'd built within myself.

I'd just barely begun to scratch the surface of what this world and my ancestry had to offer. This beautiful land that I now called home sang to me in ways I'd never felt, and the feeling of rightness that unfurled within me each time I used my powers was irreplaceable. I didn't want to leave this all behind. I didn't want to give up on this future I'd envisioned for all the Fae of Ambrolia.

But I couldn't be selfish.

A decision like this would affect thousands.

I had to let them choose what they wanted, and I would.

I let my eyes scan the sea of faces. "I wouldn't blame anyone for wanting to go back into hiding. But I also know that doing so would leave so much behind. We'd be leaving Ambrolia and the world I know it can be. A world where everyone is loved, welcome, and thriving."

I thought about all the instances in my own experience that proved Land and Water Fae were more than our differences.

I thought about the time Akira sat across from me as I told him the truth about who I was. The Raven Fae had walked around the table and hugged me, telling me that my being Water Fae changed nothing. I was still his friend, and he loved me.

I thought about an even more precious confession—the moment Rune returned to the room after he'd discovered who I was. He'd told me I was still me, the girl he loved, and when I tried telling him that Water Fae took everything from him, his words still played loud and clear in my mind.

"Human or not. Water Fae or not. It doesn't matter. You are still Bria, the girl I am desperately in love with. So you're wrong when you say Water Fae took everything from me because you're Water Fae. You've given me everything. You are my everything."

I thought about the time my friends and I came together on Myra's back lawn and agreed to attain peace. We'd banded together, excited for a world where the two groups could exist.

I thought about that recent night when Rune surprised me with an evening of painting while surrounded by my friends. My many wonderful, loving Land and Water Fae friends.

With a hard swallow, I continued, "We've already seen Land and Water Fae join forces, and that could be everyone's future. Harmony. Life without fear. Friendship. Peace unlike any before. It's possible. It already is . It's the world I live in, and I can tell you that it's worth the remaining trial. A world where all Fae can exist with each other in complete camaraderie is worth fighting for. That is the world we can create if we band together and fight.

"So I ask you, dear Fae of Morardia, what shall you decide? What world do you want to live in? What world do you want your children and families to exist in? The human realm where you have to hide and live a life of pretend, or do you want to fight to make Ambrolia our home once more? A home like the one I know it can be."

"A home," Rune said, leaving his throne to stand directly beside me. "That you won't have to fight for alone." Rune nodded at Ardley, who stood in the back by the door.

I glanced at Rune in silent question, because while none of the generals knew my move about giving Water Fae a choice, I knew nothing about what Rune and Ardley clearly had cooked up. Rune merely smiled at me in response, so I faced forward as Ardley opened the double doors.

Yasmine, Aiden, and Talia walked into the room with their heads held high, and following them were hundreds of Fae, each in their Fae form, and I realized with an amazed gasp that they were all Land Fae. Men and women resembling animals—foxes, wolves, lions, reptiles, birds. Others that looked more human, as typical for the Elemental Class. All walked in with determination painting their faces. The trio of women led the large group of Land Fae into the back half of the room, and Ardley left the doors to stand beside Yasmine, Aidan, and Talia.

Before I could even begin to process what I was seeing, Rune said, "This war is no longer Land Fae versus Water Fae. It's now those who want to rebuild in the name of peace against those who seek vengeance by blood. You will not be alone in this fight. The Land Fae you now see are joining our fight, ready to defend and protect the future Bria has been speaking about. We fight for love, for new life, for freedom, for Fae . All Fae. Will you join us?"

Emotion clogged my throat as I took in the newly arrived Fae. Just like that, our numbers had doubled and our arsenal had grown. All of these Fae were here, and according to Rune, they wanted the same thing we did. They wanted to start over. They wanted to live in harmony here in Ambrolia. All of these strangers believed in the vision we had and were willing to sacrifice their loyalty to Elias and their lives in an effort to see that dream come to fruition.

Now it was up to the Water Fae to make their decision.

I scanned the Water Fae army, waiting with bated breath to see what they'd choose.

Suddenly, a hand rose and a voice rang out from the Water Fae crowd. "For Ambrolia!"

Another hand appeared in the air. "For Ambrolia!"

Hands began to shoot into the sky from both the Land and Water Fae gathered, until every person pumped a fist into the air and chanted, "For Ambrolia!"

I took a deep, shaky breath as awe, thanks, and hope hit me all at once. I had to blink a handful of times to keep the joyous tears at bay, and Rune intertwined his fingers with mine as we both stared out across our people.

Finally, I called, "This fight will be the hardest one yet. But I know we can do it. For Ambrolia!"