Chapter 34

34

F ear slammed into me like a tidal wave, tumbling me around and around until I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. Air solidified in my throat as I struggled to breathe, struggled to think of anything other than unending, unyielding pain. With a cry, I clutched my head as my knees slammed into the ground. Tears streamed down my face as more screams rent the air.

There was so much death.

I felt it so acutely, like a knife stabbing me between the ribs. Like a slice through my stomach. Like an arrow through the shoulder.

The shock of arriving lengths away from the bloody battlefield froze me in place, and the reality of what had been set in motion when I made my choice was laid bare for me to see.

Ruslan wrapped me in a protective embrace immediately, and Zuriel stepped in front of us, creating a semi-shield with his body. “Put up your mental barrier, now!” my cousin barked at me, and Ruslan squeezed me tighter, reassuring me that I was safe so I could focus on building up the wall around my mind.

Stone by stone, I reinforced that wall until the screams did not pierce my soul and the pounding of fear was only my own instead of that of the entire battlefield in front of us.

Already, the Iron Realm’s army sprang into action, joining ranks with what appeared to be the Day Fae’s army. “What are those?” I gasped out, eyes landing on massive gray beasts outfitted with gleaming golden armor.

“Olyphants. Don’t get tangled up beneath their feet or they’ll crush you,” Ruslan warned, his arms tightening a fraction before releasing me.

“How are they already here?” Liliana blurted out, her sword glinting in the sunlight as she drew it from its sheath.

A massive red horse barrelled toward us, and Ruslan stepped protectively in front of me, drawing black fire to his palms. White flames licked up my arms as I readied myself to fight, not wanting to be left out of the action. But as the rider closed in on us, I noticed a familiar bulky form with a wide, warm smile.

“King Consort Geza!” I called out as he pulled up in front of us.

“Nice to see you awake and vibrant as ever, Izidora,” he grinned back. “Thank you again for your assistance in returning our daughter.”

Tears pricked my eyes, and I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “She didn’t deserve to suffer as I did.”

“And because of you, she did not,” Geza replied, dipping his head.

“You did not tell me you had moved the Day Realm’s army north,” Ruslan growled, but there was no animosity in his tone. If anything, a hint of gratitude peeked through.

“After you rescued Gizela and told us we needed to prepare the army, we decided to get a head start,” the large male shrugged. “You can’t blame a father for wanting to take vengeance for his daughter.”

A pang of sadness traveled through me at his words. My true father, Ithuriel, never got that opportunity, and my supposed father, King Zalan, was the one who had colluded with King Azim to chain me in a cave and abuse me.

Ruslan squeezed my hand, our flames joining together and blending into a smoky gray - the color of his eyes.

“I am glad you are here, King Consort Geza. Let’s crush the Night Fae once and for all,” my mate swore.

“I am more than ready,” he snarled, refocusing his attention on the battle. “Stay whole.” With those parting words, he clucked his tongue, spinning his mount and racing toward a group of olyphants. His golden braids bounced off his back as he crouched low on his horse’s neck, and he truly looked like a fast-moving sun as he rejoined the fray.

Already, Artur and the other leaders shouted orders to their units, and one by one, the Félvér gulped down the shifting potion or called on their other forms, ready to wage war against the oncoming Night Fae. Black dots flew through the blue sky above, and below, horses whinnied and reared as what looked like massive, feral dogs raced in their direction. One launched itself at a dark bay mare, locking its jaws around her neck and tearing.

“Kutya,” Liliana whispered, following my gaze.

The horse and rider fell, and the ones behind them barely managed to dodge their bodies before being attacked by more kutya. The male blasted it with a wave of silver before his attention turned to a second kutya using the opening to strike. The dog-like creature sank its teeth into the male’s leg, tearing a howl of pain from his chest.

Liliana and I sucked in a simultaneous breath when he drew an axe and smacked the beast. Because that wasn’t any random axe-wielding Night Fae.

It was Endre.

Liliana froze, not even blinking as Endre’s leg bled a ruby river. Fingers curling inward, she appeared to be on the verge of moving, but ripped her gaze away and returned her attention to me.

“Do you want to–” I started, but she cut me off.

“Endre made his decision, and it wasn’t me. Drazen, however, is barricaded in the mountain, possibly injured, and we are here to aid him,” she snapped, teeth digging into her bottom lip. She glanced at the sky, and I offered her a moment of privacy to collect herself.

Ruslan too was watching the battle, and I addressed him now that my own emotions were under control. “Where is Drazen? We have more than enough soldiers fighting here to end the Night Realm if we all band together. We’ve got them surrounded.”

He nodded. “We do, especially with the Day Fae and their beasts. Take my hand,” he snapped, and Zuriel, Liliana, and I did as instructed. Moments later, we were whisked across the battlefield and into the mountain, where the energy was frantic and the sound of battle was still audible. I reinforced my barrier, just in case.

“Oh thank fuck,” Drazen said from behind us, and I whipped around, meeting the eyes of the Dragon Shifter. Blood spattered his armor as if a painter had tossed a brush in his direction repeatedly, but he looked otherwise unharmed. Liliana released Ruslan and raced to Drazen. She threw her arms around his neck, and he lifted her in the air, arms tightening protectively around her.

The sight warmed my heart in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. War was upon us, and the reality was so much worse than I could have ever imagined. The ones we loved most were in danger, and a life after the war wasn’t promised. Amid the chaos of battle, anything could happen. I squeezed Ruslan’s hand, seeking more comfort from him.

I couldn’t lose him; it would be the death of me too.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Drazen murmured in Liliana’s ear before setting her feet on the floor again.

“I’m glad you’re okay too. I thought I was going to be sick when I heard that you’d been ambushed here.” She looked up at him with love shining in her eyes, and I felt like an intruder on what should have been an intimate moment. But I couldn’t tear myself away, not when this was the light I needed to remind me what we were fighting for. Vengeance was one thing, but safety, security, and love was a higher, more important purpose than that.

A rumbling laugh sounded in his chest. “Is the prettiest female in the északi Empire admitting to having feelings for me?”

Liliana gave him a playful smack as she pushed out of his arms. “Don’t get any crazy ideas, Drazen.”

A warning growl from Ruslan shattered the moment and forced our attention back to the matter at hand. “The Day Fae have arrived, along with a good portion of the rest of the Iron Realm’s army. Can you fight?”

Drazen dipped his chin. “If you can provide cover for us to exit.”

“Consider it done. I’ll have the Dragons shift and fly here. Wait for my signal to open the mountain,” Ruslan instructed, clapping Drazen on the shoulder. The males exchanged more than words with that look and that touch.

Liliana returned to my side, and we allowed the two a moment for themselves. I elbowed my best friend in the side, and she shot me a warning look. A smile pulled at my lips, but I didn’t voice the tease I had planned. Instead, I said, “We need to find a place for me to work my magic.”

“First, we need to find Kazimir,” Zuriel emphasized, tucking strands of white hair behind his ears. He was all seriousness, not a hint of emotion playing across his sharp features.

Liliana scoffed. “He’ll be at the back of the army, pretending like he’s a big, tough male, but not actually helping them fight.”

“A true leader fights alongside his soldiers,” Ruslan interrupted, pulling me into his arms. The intensity of his emotion melted into me despite my mental barrier, and I allowed it, soaking up every bit of himself he offered me. My mate, my one true love, my soul. His love was all I needed in this world. Together we were unstoppable, and we’d been training together for this very reason.

“Or her soldiers,” I corrected him, earning a small chuckle.

“Or her soldiers,” he echoed, our exchange lifting a hint of fear from my stomach.

“Win this battle for us, and I’ll marry you,” he teased mind-to-mind.

“Why would I marry you if I win the battle? You should be begging to marry me. Falling to your knees and pleading for me to give you a drop of my attention,” I quipped back.

“Then I suppose we have a competition on our hands. Whoever kills more Night Fae will have to beg the other to accept a new marriage proposal.”

I spun in his arms, and he grasped the back of my neck and forced me to peer deep into his eyes. “Deal,” I whispered, a smile blooming on my face. Ruslan kissed it away, then released me. Our friends – our family – watched on with a mosaic of expressions, ranging from exasperated to feigned disgust to starry eyed jealousy.

“If we can move along now,” Liliana said, rolling her eyes and pretending to gag. Ruslan beckoned her forward.

Zuriel placed his hand on Ruslan’s shoulder, and Liliana did the same, waiting for him to whisk us back to the battlefield. Drazen watched Liliana go, his eyes holding an emotion as deep as the ocean-blue that colored them. As we disappeared, I vowed that we’d win this war – by whatever means necessary – so my best friend too could find the happiness and love she deserved.