Chapter 37

T he journey to El-Kamos was a somber affair.

The captured warlord KaKos was bound in chains and under heavy guard by four inky-winged Shadowing fighters.

Liana flew before the restrained K?str?l commander, her face an impenetrable mask. Kaxim glided beside her, his Sāb?r Hawks taking the spearhead of the formation, ever vigilant for signs of trouble.

Earlier that day, they spent a good hour with the fallen warrior. They’d informed him of his rights, or lack thereof, concerning his demise and that of his warriors.

They exchanged glances as they approached the city gates, their soul bond flaring.

Killen had better go along with our proposal, Liana told her husband, grim-faced.

Kaxim jerked his chin. He will, for peace’s sake.

A herald flew out to meet them, bearing the standard of the Kíríga .

‘ Kwen? Liana of Ilkan,’ he proclaimed, ‘His Majesty Killen of Katánē bids you welcome to El-Kamos.’

Liana inclined her head in acknowledgment, her voice calm and regal. ‘We come to seek an audience with the Kíríga to discuss matters of great import to both our realms.’

The herald bowed. ‘His Highness awaits you in our castle. Please, follow me.’

They soared over the bustling streets of El-Kamos, the people stopping to stare and whisper as they passed.

A defeated KaKos got as much attention as the invincible Hawks and the half-transmuted crimson kríffin .

At last, they reached the mansion, an edifice of marble and gold, where Killen stood waiting on the steps.

His gaze and hawkstone flicked over KaKos, who glowered back in sullen defiance.

‘Your Highness Liana of Ilkan,’ the Katánian King greeted her, his voice rich and resonant. ‘I am honored by your presence. And I see you have brought me a gift.’

Liana landed with a whisper of her scarlet rach í s and strode forward, her head held high. ‘ Kíríga Killen, I come to you not just to deliver a prisoner but to seek a lasting harmony between our realms, including the K?str?ls.’

Killen’s eyebrows rose. ‘Indeed? And what terms do you propose?’

‘Firstly, a significant reduction of the tribute demanded of the Ilki from our trades; we need as much funds as possible to rebuild.’

Killen stroked his neat beard, considering. ‘And secondly?’

‘That the K?str?ls be granted land to call their own, a generous cataract, on the condition that they lay down their arms and keep the peace. We suggest donating half of the required territory on our side of the border and request you do the same on yours.’

She leaned in with a hard look at the towering Katánian King, keeping her voice dipped for his ears only. ‘If we don’t, the K?str?ls will remain an ever-lovin-fokkin’ blade on both our necks.’

A murmur rippled through the assembled courtiers.

Killen’s eyes narrowed. ‘You ask much, Kwen? . What assurances can you offer that the K?str?ls will honor such an agreement?’

Liana met his gaze unflinchingly. ‘You have my promise, Kíríga Killen. And the word of KaKos, whom Kaxim and I have spoken at length with.’

Killen glanced at the broken, humbled warrior who’d canted his face from them in humiliation.

‘The Ilki Council, too, will stand surety for the K?str?ls’ good behavior.’

A long moment of silence stretched between them, heavy with the weight of history and the fate of nations. At last, Killen nodded.

‘Very well, Kwen? . Let it be as you say. Bearing an agreement drawn up and vetted by all parties, the tribute will be eased, and the K?str?ls granted land on the condition of peace. However, KaKos will travel to Katánopolis to face trial for his war crimes.’

‘He’s well aware he has to face justice. His people will soon appoint another to lead the K?str?ls and be their ambassador and representative.’

Killen jerked his chin. ‘How can I argue with that? May our realms prosper together from this day onward.’

And with those words, a new era dawned, one of hope and promise, bought with blood and sacrifice but destined to endure.

A sense of relief washed over Liana as the terms were agreed upon.

The long years of war and strife had taken their toll, but now, this was a chance for a brighter future.

She glanced at Kaxim, standing tall beside her, a surge of gratitude washing over her at his unwavering support.

She stepped forward, clasping Killen’s forearm in a gesture of respect and unity.

‘Let this mark a new beginning,’ he declared, his voice ringing through the hall. ‘A commencement of friendship and cooperation between our peoples.’

Liana inclined her head, a small smile playing across her lips. ‘Indeed, let us build a destiny of mutual prosperity and understanding together.’

With the formalities concluded, Liana and her Djuik took their leave, stepping out into the sun-drenched day.

She inhaled long and deep, savoring the sweet scent of peace. It had been hard-won but all the more precious for it.

The golden hues of the El-Kamos sunset cast long shadows over the city.

The war with KaKos had come to a bitter end.

Later that evening, Liana returned to the Kíríga’s residence in the legendary town. She’d come from a walk through the famous gilded leaf forest on the outskirts of El-Kamos.

She was drawn to the voices from a nearby chamber adjacent to her and Kaxim’s rooms in the Katánian King’s southern residence.

Her curiosity was piqued, and she paused to listen.

It was Killen and Kaxim exchanging quiet words.

She was about to push the half-open door wide to join them when Killen’s words stopped her.

‘How much restraint did it take, Kaxim?’ Killen asked, his tone neutral but curious.

Kaxim’s voice was rough, raw. ‘Just a tiny aspect of it,’ he rasped.

‘So you could have wiped out KaKos and his freakin’ men with a flick of your wrist if you’d wanted to?’

‘ Naam ,’ her husband growled. ‘The entire fokkin’ horde. Necks breaking like twigs.’

‘You’re a beast, my friend. Even I’m scared of you.’

Liana’s mind raced.

The entire fokkin’ what?

Bile pooled in Liana’s throat as she recalled Kaxim’s prowess on the battlefield and how the sheer scale of what she had witnessed had left her shaken.

Kaxim had never shared the full extent of his abilities with her, but his words made it clear he’d only tapped into a fraction of his true power.

Her stomach churned.

He could have used more of his power to prevent so much suffering and stop KaKos and his marauders earlier, but he hadn’t.

Her pulse quickened, her heart racing with a growing fury.

Unable to hold back, she burst into the room.

‘You held back?!’ Her voice cracked with rage, her chest heaving.

Both men turned to her, startled by her sudden entrance.

‘You held back while my warriors died, while our people suffered?’ she murmured through tight lips.

Her gaze fixed on Kaxim, eyes ablaze with betrayal.

‘Liana—’ Kaxim began, but she cut him off, her anger relentless.

‘You could’ve intervened and stopped their atrocities, and you chose not to? How dare you! How many lives were lost because you decided to play a game of restraint?’

Her voice trembled with fury and heartbreak.

She spun on Killen.

‘And you! You knew he could have stopped this conflict sooner. Why did you let this happen?’

Killen’s face hardened, but he remained silent, his eyes flicking toward Kaxim, leaving him to answer.

Kaxim stepped forward, his face etched with frustration and pain. ‘I didn’t hold back out of indifference or because I wanted to. I held back because I had to, Liana.’

‘Had to?’ She echoed bitterly. ‘Don’t you dare justify your choices!’

Her utterance cut through the air like a whip. ‘Was this all a game to you, of picking and choosing when you could step in to help my soldiers and warriors? Your powers and the ability to prevent a war. We’d have chased down KaKos, just the two of us, and vanquished him! Instead, you chose the long game? Why?’

Killen took a breath, trying to steady himself, his eyes narrowing. ‘Liana, listen to me. Kaxim’s intentions have always been in the right place. He has his reasons, and they’re valid. He’s resisted using his Kaldean powers for as long as I’ve known us for a good reason, and you need to trust him in why he made that choice.’

But she wasn’t hearing it.

The anger was too fresh, too sharp.

She twisted to her husband, unleashing all her glaring wrath on him.

‘From my perspective, this marriage, this conflict, this war was a game to you. One where you held your cards close to your chest and dealt them when you chose. At the expense of Ilkan itself.’

Killen’s patience frayed, his jaw tightening. ‘Liana, you’re being irrational—’

‘Irrational?’ she seethed, her eyes flashing with danger. ‘I have fought for this alliance just as hard as any man, bled for it, and you dare to call me unreasonable?’

She whirled away from the Katánian Kíríga to nail her husband with a cold, withering gaze, raking him from head to toe. ‘And here I thought you were vested in everything we’ve worked for! But you were simply waging bets!’

Kaxim’s lips pressed together; his silence was deafening.

She whirled on Killen, jabbing a finger at the Kíríga , her entire body trembling with fury.

‘You knew he might have stepped in earlier with more but chose not to. As if the souls of Ilkan were some pawn to be moved on a board.’

Killen’s face hardened, his hawkstone flashing in warning, his temper flaring. ‘I was doing what was best for our kingdoms and leaving it to Kaxim to make the right call! I don’t and refuse to dictate his power, as I’m sure you’d hate it if he dictated yours. Balancing needs and wants is part of this game. You’re a queen—this is what ruling entails!’

Kaxim stepped between them before the altercation escalated further. ‘Enough,’ he rasped, head swiveling from Liana to Killen, his voice commanding. ‘We all want the same thing here—peace and stability. There’s no point tearing each other apart over something already done.’

Liana’s chest heaved with fury, her hands still shaking.

Kaxim’s words did little to soothe the deep hurt searing her, but she grasped that the situation had the potential to spiral out of control.

If she didn’t stop raging now, the alliance they had fought so hard to protect might unravel.

But that didn’t extinguish her anger—not by a long shot.

Killen’s face softened, the fight leaving him as he stepped back. ‘He’s correct,’ he muttered with grudging acceptance, though his tone was still edged with frustration. ‘We’ve all sacrificed more than we should have. We’ve battled too much to allow this to tear us apart.’

Liana’s breath was ragged, her chest rising and falling as she shuttered down.

Her husband turned to her, his dark eyes unwavering. ‘You’re angry and have every right to be, kavisi . But we cannot disintegrate now—not after everything we’ve worked for. You wanted peace and stability for your kingdom, for our people, and that’s what we’ve managed. Don’t let that crumble. As for my reasons, I’d prefer to discuss them with you in private.’

Liana clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She longed to scream, to rage against them both.

But Kaxim’s steady voice and calm presence made it easier for her to contain the storm of fury inside her.

Killen stood still, his expression unreadable, though the tension in his posture remained. ‘Liana,’ he rasped, ‘we can’t undo what’s been done. But we can still move forward. We’ve shared great victory. You two now share a devotion many dream of. Don’t throw that away.’

She shook her head, tears of anger and frustration in her eyes. ‘I don’t know if I can get past this.’

She flashed Kaxim a stern look, her eyes burning with disillusionment, before turning on her heel.

‘I need air,’ she muttered.

She stormed out of the tent, her heart pounding. The cold night wind hit her like a wall as she walked through the camp, fury, and betrayal swirling inside her.

Moments later, Kaxim caught up to her, his hand taking hold of her arm. ‘Liana, wait.’

She yanked her body from his grasp, refusing to meet his tortured gaze. ‘Let’s return to Ilkana,’ she whispered. ‘I can’t be here anymore.’

Killen, Kaxim, and Liana witnessed the Katánian and Ilkanite scribes draft the formal treaty despite the strained ambiance.

The scriveners’ feathered kw?ls drew up the conclusive agreement which codified the peace between the two kingdoms and the K?str?l territory.

Liana kept vigil as the ink dried on the parchment, her heart swelling with a mixture of emotions—pride, exhaustion, and cautious optimism for what lay ahead.

As soon as the final seal was affixed to the document, Killen rose from his seat at the negotiating table, extending his hand to Liana.

‘And so, the war ends, not with a clash of swords, but with the stroke of a pen and the promise of a new dawn,’ the Kíríga growled. ‘Once bitter foes, the Ilki, Katánians, and the K?str?ls now stood on the threshold of a fresh era of hope and possibility. The future stretches before us, waiting to be written.’

‘Indeed,’ Liana clipped, giving him a cold glance as she shook his hand.

‘For what it’s worth,’ the Katánian King murmured, ‘I apologize for arguing with you.’

‘I, too, but until I understand my husband’s reasons for his restraint, the jury is still out, Kíríga ,’ she murmured.

She swiveled away, leaving Killen to arch his brow and whistle under his breath.

‘She’s pissy, my friend,’ the King warned his First. ‘Tread with care.’

His First gave him a glower and stalked after his woman.

Soon after, Liana took to the skies in tense silence, Kaxim’s mighty wings cutting through the cold air as they soared back toward Ilkana.

The wind whipped through her scarlet hair, but her thoughts and angst were too loud, drowning out the peace she most times experienced in flight.

The hour was late when they landed in the Ilkanisa.

Tired and frustrated, Liana strode away without a word, the weight of their silent journey still pressing on her chest.

They slept apart that night.

Liana in her bed, Kaxim on the divan in her private suite’s living area.

The tension between them was thick, and to stop thinking about it, Liana woke the following day focused on the work ahead.

She summoned the Council for a session to plan the rebuilding and healing of Ilkan that would ensure a lasting peace, losing herself in the effort.

The sun danced on the horizon as Liana and her entourage strode through the avenues of Ilkana, the heart of the Ilkanite kingdom.

The streets were lined with cheering crowds, their faces alight with joy and relief. Banners fluttered in the breeze, displaying Ilkan’s colors.

Liana waved to her people, her spirit swelling with pride and gratitude. They had endured so much and fought with courage; now, they would finally know serenity.

Back in the palace, in the Ilkanisa’s hall, Liana addressed her court, her voice clear and strong, her eyes sweeping over the assembled nobles and dignitaries.

Her look fell on those who’d carried her through the journey - Ja’Kan, K’Shana, K’Lita, Sheka, and even RyKin.

However, her gaze avoided the stalwart Katánian warrior looming by her side, his intense stare never leaving hers.

He’d been sending her soul flares since their departure from El-Kamos, but she’d ignored them all, unable to deal with her disappointment in him.

With an inhale, she turned her focus on her people.

She sensed the weight of their expectations, the hopes and fears that hung in the air like a tangible presence.

‘My friends,’ she began, her voice clear and strong. ‘Today marks a new beginning for our realm. The war is over, and we have emerged victorious. The Ilki Kingdom is free, and the K?str?ls have been granted lands to build a viable society.’

A murmur of approval rippled through the crowd, but Liana held up a hand for silence. ‘But let us not forget the price we have paid for this victory. The lives lost, the families torn apart, the scars that will never heal.’

She paused, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. ‘We must honor their sacrifice by building a future worthy of their memory—a prospect of peace, prosperity, solidarity. We need to turn our efforts to rebuilding and healing war wounds. We must reach out to our neighbors and forge bonds of friendship and trust. For it is only through unity that we can prosper.’

The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices echoing off the palace’s stone walls. Liana was hit with a surge of pride, a sense of purpose that burned bright within her.

As the celebration continued, Liana slipped away to the balcony, seeking a moment of solitude.

The sun was setting on the Ilkanite kingdom, casting the land in a golden glow, and a new chapter began—a season of rebuilding, growth, and promise.

The war was over, but the journey had only just begun.

She gazed over the city, the twinkling lights of the houses and shops stretching before her like a sea of stars.

She sensed Kaxim ghost in behind her and twisted to give him a warning look.

‘Liana, can we talk?’

She tagged the sadness in her husband’s eye, but when he reached to touch her, she sidled away and marched past him, escaping him, fighting the urge to turn around and launch herself into his arms.

She paused under an archway, face canted from him.

‘I’m not quite ready for a difficult discussion,’ she whispered.

Her soul was too heavy, haunted by the memories of her fallen warriors, of death and suffering.