Chapter 4

Soren stared through the spyglass at the scorched earth surrounding yet another southern frontier town, seeing nothing but ash where revenants once stood. It hadn't been his doing this time, but Vanya's. Soren had been well east of this location yesterday, burning his way through revenants intent on harassing the coastal towns that dotted the hill country on that side of the continent. He'd taken an airship on a night flight to Vanya, knowing he could no longer stay in Solaria but reluctant to leave all the same.

"Do you doubt my ability to handle revenants with starfire?" Vanya asked from beside him on the town wall, voice dry.

Soren pulled the spyglass away from his eye and adjusted it down to its smaller size before handing it back to the legionnaire who'd offered it to him. "I doubt your ability to be subtle, but I see nothing in the ashes I need to fix."

Vanya chuckled, the sound tired. He looked it, too, with dark circles under his expressive eyes, lines pressed into his face from the constant use of brass goggles and a gas mask.

Soren reached out to touch his thumb to one such lingering indentation, the shadow there turning out to be a faint bruise. "I should have let them take Seaville."

"Most of the citizens there do not deserve that, and the House of Aetos is being seen to."

Neither he nor Vanya had set foot in Seaville, but praetoria legionnaires had. The House of Aetos had been arrested for treason for their alliance with the House of Kimathi and, through them, Daijal, as well as the murder of a foreign diplomatic corps and the kidnapping of a foreign prince and noble lady. The charges were ones even the Senate couldn't argue against, not with Soren's own testimony along with Lady Lore Auclair's—their memories attested to by star priest magicians well-versed in mind magic—underpinning it all.

Considering Soren's dual standing as a prince and a warden, the Senate had only been able to stand aside and allow the praetoria legionnaires to arrest and detain the House of Aetos for their betrayal to the Imperial throne and, by extension, Solaria. It wasn't even about the House of Sa'Liandel, but the future of their country, and for that reason, the House of Aetos had found no support amongst the major or minor Houses.

They hadn't gone quietly, from what Soren knew.

The vezir and Vesper, along with everyone down to the cadet branches of the House of Aetos, were imprisoned in Calhames. Vanya had spared no one listed in the nobility genealogies, and every member of that House would pay for the choice to pit themselves against Solaria.

"Will you execute them?" Soren asked.

Vanya caught his hand and turned to press a kiss to Soren's knuckles. "Eventually. They'll have a trial, because I'll not have anyone say I did it out of spite over you."

He had, Soren knew. Everyone knew. But politically speaking, the accusations wouldn't stem from targeting Soren but Prince Alasandair of Ashion. The distinction would save the House of Sa'Liandel from further recriminations—publicly, at least.

"Delani is sending more wardens. She wants me to head north."

"I know."

Vanya didn't appear happy about that, but he hadn't protested the order when it'd been received. Soren had been working to shore up the Legion as they fought to push back the Rixham horde for the past two weeks. He'd have preferred to stay in Solaria, but the allied forces in Ashion were closing in on Amari, and he was needed for that final fight. Delani needed him to be a warden just a little while longer before he could lay down that mantle, as much as it would ache to do so.

Vanya reached up and lifted free of his uniform the medallion he'd given to Soren all those years ago and recently accepted back. Now, he pressed it once more into Soren's hand, the vow warm from resting against skin, the chain dangling in the air between them.

"I want those in Ashion to know you belong to me, that you will carry my name when this is all over. That to insult you is to insult me," Vanya said in a low voice.

Soren could be forgiven for snagging Vanya by the collar of his uniform and yanking him into a fierce kiss. "There was never any doubt where I was concerned."

He would go to Ashion, fight to put Caris on the starfire throne, and walk away from everything Rourke. He would give up the life of a warden to keep them safe, doing his duty to the bitter end. His road had only ever led to Vanya, and Soren would not change course, not now, not for anyone.

Soren hung the vow around his neck, the weight of it settling him. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it until he wore it once more. He touched it with careful fingers, having memorized the feel of the lion's face years ago, the same way he'd memorized the look in Vanya's eyes that he now knew was love.

"I'll see you to your airship, and I will see you when you return to me."

"Yes," Soren promised, because home would always be Vanya and the life they could make together, and his road would ever lead him there.