Chapter 12

T he clang of steel echoed through the training grounds as the half-transmuted gyrfalcon moved with fluid precision, his sword a blur in the afternoon sun.

He parried and struck with practiced ease, focusing on the cadet before him.

The young soldier’s brow glistened with sweat. His breathing labored as he struggled to keep pace with his mentor.

Kaxim froze mid-motion, a jolt of energy coursing through him.

It was unmistakable—a spirit whisper reaching him across millions of miles.

Kaxim?

He staggered back, lowering his weapon as the psychic connection surged.

It’s me, her voice echoed in his mind, soft, uncertain.

He steadied himself, pursing his lips, unsure how he viewed her candid mental incursion.

They’d never spoken directly over their link, and he mulled the shift, wondering about its wisdom. Nonetheless, he was still intrigued enough to listen to her out.

Liana , t he kríffin, he acknowledged, his tone casual despite the sudden spike of craving that flared in him.

Sante, for the other night, for helping me fight my captor.

You’d have done the same for anyone in need, he growled in her mind, his traitorous cock thickening at the sultriness of her warm sincerity.

But I must ask you something else now.

Speak, he demanded, his curiosity piqued.

Her mood shifted to solemnity. I want to meet with you. I need a favor. Please.

A flutter of intrigue stirred within him, her request irresistible.

Where and when?

By the lake on the edge of K’Um, on the Northern end of Ilkana City. Tonight.

Kaxim took a moment before responding. I’ll convene with you there at sunset.

The íkan infused connection faded, leaving him standing in the training grounds, his sword still in hand.

He dismissed the kujāa he’d been sparring, giving the cadet an abrupt chin jerk, his mind already elsewhere.

He had agreed to meet her because of his solemn duty to Killen, the Kíríga , and Katánē to ensure the Ilkan borders remained fortified. Yet he was reluctant to re-encounter her, aware she could eviscerate his cold, ice walls and heat him to the core.

But still, the magnetic pull of their connection was undeniable, and the fear of losing himself in her once again mingled with the thrill of their forbidden attraction.

At dusk, he flew out from his tent, his wings cleaving through the sky as he pondered the request.

What did she want from him?

He sensed whatever it was, it’d be precarious for him.

Fokk! Balancing his duty to his country and tamping his desires was going to be a shit fight.

Yet, the thought of encountering her essence once more was intriguing, luring him in.

Hellandflamingplumes!

It was early evening when Kaxim’s gyrfalcon wings banked over the lake on the edge of Ilkana City.

The setting sun cast a golden hue over the water, shimmering like liquid gold. The air was cool, carrying the scent of pine and earth.

He spotted a silhouette in a dark cloak standing by the water’s shore, the figure outlined against the fading light.

The profile was familiar, but he had to be certain she was acting alone and not primed to harm him.

Half transmuting from his gyrfalcon form, he folded his wings and landed in lethal silence behind her.

She still hadn’t sensed him.

His lips curled.

Without warning, he snaked his arms around her from the rear.

She gave a tiny scream as he banded one hand over her mouth and the other stroked over her, searching for hidden weapons.

While at the same time, his piercing gaze swept the small beachhead.

She struggled, her breathless cries muffled against his hand.

He didn’t give a fokkin’ care.

He had to be sure.

When he was satisfied she was unarmed and that they were alone, he let her go, taking a step back.

She whirled around, breathing in heavy gasps.

Her cape had fallen to her shoulders, revealing her creamy skin.

He jolted at her beauty, eyes raking her crimson wings and coquelicot hair.

Fokk, she was stunning.

She was also pissed at him.

‘How dare you?’ she snarled, straightening her cloak over her shoulders.

‘I have to be careful, kavisi .’

His tone was timbred, drawled, and he saw her slow blink.

‘ Kavisi ?

His mouth curled. ‘Little bird.’

Her temper blazed, shining through her striking amber eyes. ‘There’s nothing tiny about my talons, Commander.’

He raised a brow. ‘Part sweet, part savage, too.’

Her topaz-colored eyes flared as if she was about to lose her shit on him when she caught herself biting her lip.

He almost hissed as a spike of need coursed through him.

‘Watch yourself, soldier,’ she murmured. ‘You’d be foolish to underestimate me. You’ve seen what I can do.’

‘You can die and rise again? An old magus’ trick I’ve witnessed done many times before.’

She tilted her head. ‘Is this your form of interrogation to get to my truth, Sky Ash? Your way of assessing me, breaking me down, and testing my weak points?’

He shrugged in response, his mouth curling.

With an inhale, she composed herself, tipping her chin, refusing to let him bait her further.

He found he liked her moxie.

‘Speak, for I don’t have hours to dally with you.’

He spoke rougher than he’d intended, struggling to balance duty, desire, and composure while in her presence.

This fokkin’ pull toward her threatened to shatter the constructed walls around his core.

While they had a khamana bond, she did not have his heart. However, he perceived there would be no turning back once he permitted her into the most secret of his inner world.

Her expression shuttered into an unreadable mask. ‘ Sante for coming,’ she said, her voice steady.

He lifted an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her. ‘What’s this assistance you need?’ he growled.

She hesitated for a moment, then met his eyes with unwavering resolve. ‘I require a master kísímí to train me,’ she said. ‘In swordsmanship, in battle tactics, in running an army.’

His lips curled, taken aback by the request.

It was no small favor she was asking—this was a considerable commitment.

‘Why me?’ he asked, though the answer was already forming in his mind.

‘Because I trust you,’ she said. ‘I know you’re the best. Also, because you saved me that night when my - when K’Aran held me captive.’

His eyes narrowed at her fumble, but she powered on as if unwilling to divulge the true nature of her relationship to this K’Aran she had mentioned.

‘Why training at all?’

She blew air from her nostrils. Using quick, judicious words, she apprised him of the situation.

‘I am seen as the Ilki’s salvation, which is preposterous, given my lack of experience,’ she murmured. ‘However, if the power they claim I have will help their weak and vulnerable, I can’t refuse them. Nevertheless, I need to hone the skills they require.’

The lake shimmered behind them, the aura surrounding them thick with tension.

He considered her question, weighing the implications.

Killen wanted him to take hold of this kind of opportunity—a strategic measure that could forge a mighty alliance between their kingdoms.

He also tagged a soft vulnerability in her amber, deep copper, and gold eyes, and his soul lurched.

She was desperate, and that alone was enough to finalize his decision.

After a long moment, he nodded. ‘I’ll do it,’ he growled. ‘But it won’t be painless, kríffin . I won’t go easy on you.’

She smiled with a hint of mischief in her eyes. ‘I wouldn’t expect anything less of you, Commander.’

He met her gaze with a narrowed one of his own, his thoughts racing ahead.

He’d agreed to this because it made sense from a strategic standpoint, but a part of him—one he tried to ignore—was drawn to her for reasons beyond duty.

Fokk this shit.

Though born of necessity, it’d test the boundaries of his self-control.

‘I’ll need to prepare. I must return to my cadets, rearrange their training schedules, and come to Ilkana when ready. Can you wait?’ he growled.

Liana’s amber eyes reflected the flicker of a smile that crept on her lips, making her even more irresistible.

‘As long as it takes, soldier, but the sooner, the better. The Council is keen to see progress from me.’

He nodded, keeping his expression stern and unyielding. ‘I will come to you as soon as I am able. Until then, stay safe.’

With a chin lift, he turned away, escaping her scent, beauty, beguiling dusky freckles, and fokkin’ endearing essence.

He took to the skies with a power leap, his wings cutting through the air in rapid flight.

The rising moon cast a lustrous glow upon Kaxim’s colossal winged form.

Liana’s eyes followed his trajectory, longing, and impatience playing on her heart.

It was no use denying the pull towards him, still heated from how his scorching hands had run over her, searching her for hidden weapons.

His gaze on her soon after he’d released her had seared her to the core and lurched her spirit.

Fokk, how nude, exposed, bare it made her.

Yet somehow, his presence caused her to feel alive and invincible.

The thought of waiting for him was excruciating, but she had to be strong. She had to trust in him and believe he would return to her.

It was the risk she had to take.

Liana was at breakfast the following morning, just finishing up, when a voice called out, pulling her from her thoughts.

‘ Kwen? Liana!’ She turned to spot Ja’Kan hurrying towards her. ‘The war council is gathering. They await you.’

Liana nodded, squaring her shoulders as she stepped beside the slight man. ‘Good, because I’ve something to share with them.’

‘They’re fomenting with worry and are impatient for good news.’

‘I’m not sure it’s what they want to hear, but it’s what they’ll have to live with,’ she told him with a wry smile.

Deep within the Ilkanisa, the war room was a grand, imposing chamber with high arched ceilings supported by intricately carved columns.

Its walls were lined with tapestries depicting past battles and victories, showing generations of Ilkan warriors and queens who had fought to defend their people.

A massive table, crafted from dark wood and surrounded by tall-backed chairs, dominated the center of the room.

Maps, scrolls, and battle plans cluttered the surface, a chaotic testament to the ongoing conflict.

The air inside was tense, and the scent of incense burning from a brazier in the corner filled the room.

Elders, generals, and advisors packed the room, their voices raised in vigorous debate echoing off the stone walls.

Silver-robed elders in flowing cloaks gestured with passion, their hands fluttering over the charts spread before them, while armored military leaders pounded their fists, demanding action.

‘The southern border is too vulnerable!’ one officer shouted, his voice graveled with frustration. ‘If the K?str?ls advance any further, they’ll choke our supply routes, and we’ll lose the support of our allies in the southernmost provinces.’

‘You’re thinking too small,’ Elder K’Lita countered, her tone sharp. ‘We need to focus on the heartlands. If we forfeit the capital, everything else falls. The K?str?ls know this!’

‘Ilkana is fortified!’ barked a different general, his hand slamming down on the map. ‘What we can’t afford is to stretch ourselves too thin!’

The cacophony of voices rose, each fighting to be acknowledged, their words blending into a tumultuous roar.

The tension in the room simmered like a pot about to boil over, and the intensity of the discussion left no room for decorum.

Liana paused at the entrance.

For a brief moment, the weight of the room seemed to press down on her, the gravity of the decisions being made here sinking in.

This was the heart of her kingdom’s defense, the minds that shaped its survival. What could she realistically offer them? And yet, despite the nerves that fluttered in her chest, Liana did not waver.

She inhaled, drawing on her kríffin power and a touch of Kaxim’s Kaldean hex energy, still humming within her.

Stepping through the expansive doors of the council room, her cloak flowed behind her.

Her steps were soft, but each commanded attention, her figure contrasting the loud arguments around her.

She moved forward with quiet grace, her presence commanding without force, a Kwen ?-In-Waiting who understood the burden of the crown but refused to be cowed by it.

The subtle rustle of her garments drew the eyes of those she brushed past.

One by one, the elders and generals noticed her, their voices faltering mid-argument. Slowly, the noise died down, a hush falling over the room as all eyes turned to her.

As she approached the head of the table, the generals and elders made way for her, their eyes following her every movement.

The silence that followed was palpable, thick with expectation.

Her gaze swept over the gathered host, who waited for her to speak.

RyKin, one of the most respected generals, stepped aside, bowing his head in acknowledgment.

‘Your Majesty,’ he murmured, the formality and respect in his tone cutting through the remaining whispers in the room. ‘We were discussing the latest intelligence from the southern front.’

Liana nodded, glancing over the maps and papers across the table before meeting RyKin’s eyes. ‘Esteemed friends,’ she said. ‘I have an answer for those of you waiting on my response.’

There was no tremor in her voice, no hesitation.

It was the declaration of a leader, a queen who understood that this moment was about more than battles and borders—it was about the survival of her kingdom.

‘My lords and ladies,’ she began, steady and sure. ‘The K?str?ls have made their intentions clear. They seek to conquer our lands and subjugate our people. But we will not let that happen.’

A murmur of agreement rippled through the council, and Liana continued. ‘We have faced invasions before and always emerged stronger for it. Our ancestors built this realm on courage, resilience, and unity. And it is those same principles that will carry us through this crisis.’

She stood, her eyes blazing. ‘I will not lie to you - the road ahead will be difficult. The K?str?ls are a strong enemy and will not be easily defeated. But I believe in our army’s strength, advisors’ wisdom, and people’s unbreakable spirit.’

Liana turned to face each council member, her gaze unwavering.

She spotted K’Aran at the back of the assembly, his dark-winged presence smoldering at her even from afar.

She ignored the shiver that went through her and went on to utter what they’d all been waiting to hear.

‘Having weighed the needs of the people above my own, I have decided to take on the mantle of leadership,’ she said.

She kept her voice static despite the uncertainty that gripped her heart. ‘I will do what I must for the sake of my people. But know this - I am no one’s puppet. I will fight on my terms and woe betide any who seek to control me.’

The elders exchanged glances, some wary, others approving.

They had unleashed a might they could scarcely comprehend, a force of nature given kríffin form.

Only time would tell if their gamble would pay off or if they had sown the seeds of their destruction.

She ignored the mixed response, raising her voice so it carried with power over the assembly. ‘Together, we will drive the K?str?ls back to their lands. We will show them that Ilkan is not a prize to be won but a strength to be reckoned with. And we will prove, once and for all, that the might of our kingdom knows no bounds. To that end, I have decided to gain intense training to skill me for war.’

As she spoke, Liana sensed the energy in the room shifting.

The precariousness that had hung heavy in the air dissipated.

The council members sat straighter in their seats.

‘What is your plan Kwen? Liana?’ Elder K’Lita asked,

Liana met her gaze. ‘I have found someone who has agreed to train me. He might not be what you expect, but he’s what I need to get us over the line. Meantime, we begin preparations for war at once. Send word to every corner of the kingdom, to every able warrior in the land - the K?str?ls are coming, and Ilkan will be ready to meet them head-on.’