Chapter 14

14

T he army spread through the valley that nestled Radence like raindrops on a window. From the roof at Roc Palace, the camp was visible, but it was even more impressive up close. The sheer number of Fae and Félvér encamped in the space should have been impossible, but Drazen and his commanders made it work, somehow.

Though, navigating the camp was like trying to leap from stone to stone in a raging river without getting swept away. A laugh ripped from my throat as Liliana and I ducked just in time to avoid a thick wooden beam, only to pop up in the way of a Fae leading two dark horses toward the stables. We spun to avoid them, colliding and grasping each other for balance. Everyone else seemed to know the steps to this dance, and Liliana and I were unwelcome intruders in it.

I tugged her hand to get her moving again. “Come on, we’re already late,” I said, grinning. The energy of the camp was invigorating, and I opened my senses to it as we made our way to the central tent where the others waited.

Liliana rolled her eyes. “If it hadn’t taken so long to wash the sand out of my hair we would have been here sooner. I’m blaming Drazen.”

I snorted, ducking under a bit of rope that acted as a makeshift guardrail for a walkway. “You two weren’t even grappling on the ground. It was an entirely different show.”

Liliana popped up, flicking her wet braid over her shoulder. “You enjoyed it.”

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. “So did every other male there.”

She shot me a mischievous smile. “More males for my harem.”

We fell into laughter simultaneously, doubling over until a very masculine cough sounded. Straightening, we found Ruslan and Drazen watching us, arms crossed over the broad chests. I took one look at Liliana and burst again, though the males clearly did not find our amusement, well, amusing.

“What have the two of you been up to now?” Ruslan teased, eyes glimmering like smoky diamonds.

“Nothing you should concern yourself with, Russy,” Liliana said, patting his chest and shouldering between him and Drazen with a swagger in her step.

I pressed my lips together to smother another giggle that threatened to bubble up.

“Did she just call me ‘Russy’ ?” my mate asked, incredulous as he glanced over his shoulder at my best friend.

“That she did,” Drazen intoned, his eyes glued to her ass as she swayed her hips.

A roar tore through the air, halting Liliana in place. I whipped my head around, searching for the source of the sound and the clanging iron that accompanied it. The two of us caught the direction simultaneously and moved to follow it, shooting each other curious looks. The males tracked closely behind as we closed in on whatever was angry enough to cause such a ruckus.

Surrounding the massive iron bars, a dozen soldiers shouted at one another, racing back and forth with raw meat and whips. Two massive white beasts paced back and forth in the cage, shaking the ground beneath their enormous white paws with their movements.

“Those are Fehérmedve,” Ruslan whispered in my ear. “The beasts are legendary for their aggression. They live high and deep in the Agrenak Mountains, and are notoriously difficult to find. Though if you do, you’re unlikely to live to tell the tale.”

Air fled my lungs as I watched them swipe at the soldiers, baring their teeth and standing on their hind legs before dropping back down. The massive bear-like creatures were as thirsty for blood as I was. “Are you planning on using them in battle?” I asked Ruslan.

A sinister laugh rumbled in his chest. “That is why I had the High Priestess summon them during Béke.”

Seeing these creatures charging toward them would be a shock for every Fae standing against us.

“Leave one with me on the battlefield. It’s the best protection you can give Izidora,” Zuriel said from beside me, nearly making me flinch with his sudden nearness. I hadn’t heard my cousin approach, which I supposed was his intent.

“Can you tame it?” I asked him, raising a doubtful brow.

“I have lived for over two thousand years. Beasts do not frighten me,” he stated, never tearing his attention from the Fehérmedve. “Have you tried riding them?”

“Ride them?” Ruslan laughed at the absurdity of his suggestion. But his ice blue eyes did not waver, and his lips did not twitch like he had tried to make a joke. “You’re serious.”

To prove his point, he strolled away from us and through the chaos of the soldiers trying to calm the beasts, flattening a hand against the iron bar. The black eyes of the closest one narrowed on him, and it dropped to all fours, growling low as he approached the Angel. Zuriel didn’t flinch as the Fehérmedve swiped at him.

Whispers broke out among the onlookers waiting to see if the beast would eat the Angel. My heart thudded against my ribs as the certainty that Zuriel was about to die filled me. My cousin stood there, stoic and unmoving, like all reason had fled his brain.

But then, the Fehérmedve backed away, sitting on its haunches and blinking. Zuriel slipped between the massive bars, and my jaw dropped open at his boldness. The other Fehérmedve remained at the opposite end of the cage as Zuriel approached its companion. Sliding his hand through the white fur, he petted the beast before climbing atop its back and gripping the scruff at the peak of its shoulders to hold himself on.

The Fehérmedve rose to all fours and trundled along the edge of the cage, all the while allowing Zuriel to remain atop its back and ride it .

“Tell me I’m not dreaming,” Drazen murmured, and I tore my gaze from the absolute madness in front of me to glance around. Dozens more had appeared to watch Zuriel ride the Fehérmedve, and more appeared by the second.

“Nope,” Liliana replied, studying the sight. “Zuriel is riding the Fehérmedve.”

My cousin dismounted, patted the creature’s hide, and easily shimmied through the bars and returned to our little group.

“You’ve been holding out on me,” I chastised him. He knew how much I liked animals, and I pretended to act extra affronted at his secret-keeping.

He shrugged with a wry grin. “You never asked.”

“What other useful information do you have in your two-thousand-year memory?” Drazen questioned, earning a half-smile from the Angel.

“There’s probably a lot, but you’ll have to be more specific if you want me to actually remember it.” Zuriel’s smile widened, clearly enjoying himself and his secrets.

A threatening rumble emanated from Ruslan’s chest. “If any other useful war secrets come up during our discussions, please make them known, Zuriel.”

He dipped his head in acknowledgement, then swept a hand out in front of him. “Of course. I’ll follow you to the war tent.”

Ruslan rolled his eyes but strode off in that direction, bringing our entourage with him.

The tent was dark and cool, and I had to blink several times for my eyes to adjust. Our group fanned around the long table, gathering in factions that supported various aspects of our forces.

My mouth thinned when I saw the old Mage. I couldn’t deny his helpfulness in both saving my life and helping Ruslan and the other Félvér complete a full shift into their inherited forms. Yet, I didn’t trust him, and I didn’t plan on befriending him. It was best to keep him at arm’s length.

A red metallic cocktail waited for me at the closest end of the table, and Ruslan guided me there, where we stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to command the Iron Realm’s forces. Over a month had passed since I’d awoken, and I still wasn’t quite strong enough to forego the Demon blood cocktails. At least I wasn’t struggling to walk any longer. Now, I was able to spar with Liliana and the others, and I had taken Zuriel’s advice about working more with Ruslan, using our mate bond to our advantage. He’d seemed relieved when I suggested it to him, in fact.

He glanced down at me as if he sensed I was thinking about him. I offered him a soft smile, then grabbed the drink. I twisted the lid and sipped while Ruslan called everyone to order.

“With only a few weeks until we need to make an appearance for the Day Realm princess’s announcement, I want a status report on all facets of the army. While we are in Zheka, I plan on rallying further soldiers in order to prepare for our assault on the Night Realm. It is time we put the Night Fae in their place once and for all.”

The males thumped their chests or the table, sounding their belief in our cause.

“Rares, have you managed to find anything to help against Kazimir’s binding magic? Ruslan asked, and I turned my attention to the Mage. This point alone had plagued Ruslan’s sleepless nights, the guilt of what had happened to me gnawing at him. No matter how many times I tried to reassure him, he couldn’t let it go. Because of that, he wanted, almost more than anything, to lock the dark magic away to protect us all.

“Not yet. I will keep working,” Rares promised, a tremble in his hands as he braced himself for the inevitable wrath.

To my surprise, Ruslan merely nodded, though his shoulders tensed and a succession of pops filled the silence as he cracked his knuckles. “Drazen,” he said through gritted teeth, and his cousin took his cue to enter the discussion. As the males spoke, I flicked my gaze to Liliana, sitting on a bench in the shadows behind the Félvér. She soaked in every word, a slight pinch between her brows as she concentrated.

I should probably do the same.

Refocusing, I spotted carved stone pieces moving about the map of északi as one of the commanders I didn’t know relayed information about new tunnels beneath the Agrenak Mountains. “These will allow us direct entry into the Night Realm, though they are more narrow than previous ones due to the time constraint.”

“That’s fine, so long as we can converge quickly outside of them,” Ruslan said, rapping his fingers against the table.

“With four exit points, it should speed up the process, yes,” he replied, straightening.

Anton and Slavian provided further updates regarding the Félvér shifter units and their progress in learning to fight in their fully shifted forms. “It would be helpful if Rares could find a way to extend the life of the potion. Randomly shifting mid-fight and swinging your dick around on the battlefield instead of a sword isn’t going to do anything but get you killed,” Slavian commented.

Anton snorted. “Speak for yourself. My dick would intimidate anyone who laid eyes on it, no matter the circumstances.”

Slavian, Drazen, and Ruslan rolled their eyes while Liliana and I sniggered.

“Let’s be realistic,” Drazen said, shooting a look at Anton.

He merely shrugged. “I am. I know you don’t roll that way, Drazen, but I’ve caught you looking at Steel before. You have to admit little Anton is a force to be reckoned with.”

A laugh burst from Liliana before she slapped a hand over her mouth to silence it.

Ruslan sighed and cracked his neck. “If we can get serious again, we still have much to discuss.”

“Fine,” Anton huffed, raising his hands in surrender.

Gozzak looked at Xorrek, a question etched into his red eyes. “I wonder if our magic would work with these too?”

“What’s your magic?” I asked. I possessed an extensive knowledge of Angel magic, both from the books Ruslan had given me and my lessons with Zuriel. But I realized I’d never looked much into Demon magic despite how many of the blood drinks I’d consumed.

“We both have blood magic, Future Empress,” Xorrek stated. “That is how we were able to help you get strong again.”

My mouth popped open. “I didn’t realize it was from magic. I thought Rares did some weird shit to make it work.”

The Demons’ lips twisted into wry grins. “Not every Demon has blood magic, but it is one of the more common gifts we possess. Its power varies by the wielder, but in my case, my blood has an enhanced ability to heal. During the Great War, I took a sword to the chest that would have killed any other Demon, and yet the moment I pulled it out of my chest, my veins clotted and muscles knit. I returned to the fray a few minutes later,” Xorrek replied, like what he’d experienced was an everyday occurrence.

A newfound appreciation for the two bloomed in my chest. “Thank you for lending me your magic then.”

“Anything for the cousin of Zuriel,” Gozzak said, and the Angel dipped his head in acknowledgement.

Rares tapped a finger on his chin, considering their suggestion. “I have a few ideas and enough blood at the moment that I shouldn’t need another offering from you to test it.”

“See it done,” Ruslan said. “Now, is there anything else?”

A female I wasn’t familiar with raised a few questions about her unit and another about the housing situation. Absently, I dipped into my well of magic and stoked the white fire there. A thought of hatred popped into my mind, and the crystal flared with a wave of pitch black. The heady power rushed through my veins, and I allowed myself to sink into the dark embrace.

“Izidora,” Ruslan said with a little force, and I blinked, reverie snapping. He offered me a twisted smile. “Are you ready to go?”

Then I realized most of those present for the meeting had vanished. Heat crept up my chest and dusted my cheeks. Glancing around at my friends, my family, who remained behind, an idea sparked in my head. “Can we all eat together tonight at Ryza?”

“Would that make you happy, sprite?” Ruslan spoke in my mind.

“Yes. I didn’t realize what Xorrek and Gozzak were actually doing for me. I want to show them how much I appreciate it.”

“Then we shall all dine together.”

“I don’t see why not,” Ruslan commented, glancing around the circle. “In fact, why don’t we have a larger gathering? We haven’t had a night of celebration since Béke, and I believe we all deserve a small break. You know, the calm before the storm.”

Drazen snorted a laugh. “Are you the storm, Ruslan?”

“The fire storm,” he pointed out, flicking black flame into his palm. “Alongside the other Dragon shifters, now that Rares has found a potion to assist our transformation.”

Images of Ruslan and the other Dragons raining fire on the Night Fae army flashed through my mind, curling my toes with wicked delight. I pushed the images into Ruslan’s mind, and he shot me a heated smile.

“Don’t tempt me, sprite. You wanted to dine with our friends.”

I offered him a lascivious one in return. “It wouldn’t be as fun if it was all pretend. It will be much better after we make it happen.”

“You make a fine point. We cannot marry until we see it through.”

“Agreed. Otherwise, what would be the point?” I teased back.

“Are you two speaking mind to mind again?” Liliana groaned. “Every time, it’s something sexual. You two are terrible.”

A laugh slipped free, and I looped my arm through hers. “Your jealousy is showing.”

“Ugh, I don’t even care,” she giggled back. “But I do care about food. Ruslan, you better have the servants bring the good wine tonight too, or I’ll never forgive you.”

“Anything for the best friend of my mate and future empress,” he drawled, stealing me from her. Amusement flitted through our gathered group, and then we were whisked away by Ruslan’s magic, landing in the dining hall at Ryza Citadel moments later. The males divided and conquered the tasks while Liliana and I made ourselves comfortable around a long table, mocking them and earning playful jabs back.

The moment was so peaceful, so light, and exactly what I needed after so many days focused on vengeance. I clung to every drop offered to me, because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it wouldn’t last.