15. Aries

15

ARIES

A fter doing a quick flyover, I return to the ground and watch the army set up camp following my orders. No talking, no fires, no loud noises. The only space big enough for camp is the hillside that overlooks the village from the south. It's more exposed than I'd like but anything farther, and we won't have the access we need to be ready for them in the morning.

Directly north, on the other side of the valley, the orcs approach. From the looks of it, they will attack at first light, though I haven't dismissed the possibility of a midnight assault. None of our scouts are capable of getting close enough to know for sure. Not without risking detection.

We'll just have to be ready for anything.

Leo appears at my tent, his sword buckled to his hip. "Camp is set," he says. "We're doing cold rations tonight and tomorrow morning. Anything else?"

"The men need to be battle-ready," I say. "They sleep with their weapons and armor beside them."

"You think the horde will attack before dawn?"

"I think we should be ready just in case."

He nods and starts for the door. "Leo," I call.

He turns back.

"Whatever happens tomorrow?—"

"Don't." His expression hardens, and he shakes his head. "We're not doing goodbye, brother. It's just one battle."

I nod, my throat tight because, despite the logic of his words, I can't shake Mag's earlier prediction: that this battle could be it. Win or lose, this battle will determine our future—and our survival.

But Leo's expression is unmoved.

"All right then," I say hoarsely. "Sleep well, brother."

"And you," he says, and then he's gone, leaving me to track down my mate. Paige has kept her distance lately—but then, so have I. And I refuse to let things remain this way if we're to march to battle in a few hours—regardless of Leo's claim that this isn't goodbye.

I find her helping to distribute cold rations.

I wait patiently, watching her interact easily with the soldiers. It's clear from their easy way with her that they've already accepted her as one of us. Seeing it makes my heart swell with gratitude.

When this is over, she'll be their queen. But she's already their leader in all the ways that count.

Finally, she finishes up and catches my eye, approaching slowly. I can't blame her. I'd be wary, too, after how we left things.

"Do you need me for another task?" she asks.

I step closer, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "I always need you, love."

My words and touch are soft, but she doesn't relax. This will be harder than I thought. "I'm going over tomorrow's strategy one last time. Join me?"

She frowns, unmoved.

I sigh. "I'm sorry. For how I behaved before. The thought of you in harm's way terrified me, and I reacted badly."

"I understand being scared. I worry about you too," she says. "But we can't avoid risk. Constantine is coming whether we want to face it or not."

"I agree. Sooner rather than later, I'm afraid."

Worry lines crease her forehead. "Do you think he'll show up? Tomorrow, I mean."

"He thrives on chaos, and I think he's had his hand in this since the beginning, so I think we need to be ready for that possibility. It's why I want to go over things with you."

She bites her lip, nodding. "Okay."

We return to our tent, neither one of us speaking until the flap closes behind us.

Inside the tent, the air feels heavy with the weight of unspoken words. The flickering light from a single lantern casts shadows across the canvas walls, creating an intimate atmosphere despite the impending battle.

I spread the map out on the table between us, pointing to the positions we've set.

"Here," I say, tapping the area where the orc forces are likely to strike first. "This is the most vulnerable point. We've dug ditches all the way around this area so the orcs won't be able to bring their guns close enough to assault the village itself, but if their soldiers break through our line, it could split our forces and cut off any retreat."

Paige nods, her focus sharpening as she leans closer to study the map. "We'll need to reinforce this area," she says, her voice steady. "Maybe move some of the archers here, behind the front lines, to provide cover."

"I agree," I say, tracing a line with my finger. "And if Constantine does show up…"

"We'll need a plan to deal with him," she finishes for me.

"We don't have enough men to fight two enemies," I say, voicing the thing that's worried me all along. Not to mention Astronian soldiers don't stand a chance against a creature like Constantine.

Paige's expression tightens with worry. "If anything happens, I can create a portal to get the others out of here."

"What about you?" I can't help but ask.

The moment the words are out, I brace myself for her anger. She's tired of me trying to shield her, yet here I am doing it again. But her eyes soften, and she reaches out to take my hand, her touch grounding me in a way nothing else can.

"I want to show you something," she says.

It's not what I'm expecting.

She releases my hand, stepping back a bit. There's a beat of silence where nothing happens. A second later, a stone wall appears between us nearly as tall as our heads.

I stare at it, stunned. "What…"

Paige laughs. "Touch it."

I press my palm to its surface and find it solid. Not a glamour or trick then.

"How?" I ask.

In answer, the stones separate from one another, cleaving away from the mortar that holds them together. Before my eyes, they explode into dust. I step back, shielding myself from the small explosions, but there's no need. The stone wall vanishes again, leaving only empty space.

Paige shrugs at me. "I've been practicing."

She takes a step toward me, her eyes shining. "I can protect myself, Aries. And others, if it comes to that."

My chest loosens where fear had tightened it. There are no guarantees, of course, but seeing her become so adept at her magic is a comfort. It's also another weapon in our arsenal.

"How does it work?" I ask.

Her forehead scrunches. "I'm not sure exactly, but I think I'm just borrowing from the past."

"The past?" My brows lift. "Do you time travel now?"

She laughs. "No, but I think my magic sort of does." At my look of confusion, she explains, "When Constantine pulled me into that memory and I saw myself restore my home world after he destroyed it, it was obvious what I created was a past version of that world. The homes and structures were outdated, clearly from a time long ago. Then, in the garden that day, I reduced your birdhouse to the wood splinters it came from."

I smile ruefully but then remember the birdhouse wasn't the only casualty. "And the tree?"

"Trying to recreate a life—any life—won't work," she says quietly. "That sort of energy isn't mine to manipulate. When I tried… it only became distorted."

"So, only objects with no life force then."

"I'm sure there's a crossover somewhere," she says, frowning as if in thought. "The wood used to restore the houses and farms was once a living tree…but yes. More or less. Anyway, after the birdhouse and the tree, I realized I wasn't creating something from nothing. I was re -creating. Once I understood that, it became easier to wield my magic. And because of that, I think I know a way to render their siege weapons useless."

Hope surges inside me. "How?"

She shrugs. "That metal was raw and unformed once. So it can be again."

"Paige, that's brilliant. And the portal?"

"I think it's sort of the same principle," she says. "Recreating portals that have been made in the past. It feels like… everything that's ever been created before now exists somewhere in the unseen. And my magic is simply pulling it off some invisible shelf for re-use."

"You are a miracle," I tell her, awed by what and who she is.

She presses her palms to my chest, her gaze full of the determination I feel. "We're going to win. Not just tomorrow's fight but the war. And then we're going to get your crown back."

"I'm sorry for pushing you away," I say, grabbing her waist and pulling her close. "I was afraid of losing you. I can't do this without you."

"I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere," she whispers.

Our gazes hold, and the tension between us shifts, crackling with an undercurrent of need. We both know what's at stake, but right now, the weight of tomorrow only fuels the urgency between us.

I close the distance, seizing her lips in a hungry kiss. There's nothing tender about it—just raw desire, the kind that's been building for days, intensified by the thought of what's to come. My hands move to her waist, pulling her against me with a force that makes her gasp into my mouth.

The sound elicits a growl from deep within me.

Paige responds in kind, her fingers digging into my shoulders as she presses herself against me, meeting my urgency with her own. There's no hesitation, no holding back. The need to feel her, to taste her, drowns out everything else.

I back her up against the table, our bodies colliding with a mix of desperation and devotion. The map crumples beneath her as I lift her onto the table's edge, her legs wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer. I can feel the heat of her through our clothes, the friction driving me wild as I grind against her.

She tugs at my shirt, her breath coming in short, heated bursts as she works to get it off. I help her, yanking the tunic over my head and tossing it aside. Her hands are on me immediately, exploring the planes of my chest, her nails scraping lightly over my skin.

"Fuck," I growl against her lips, the sensation sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my cock.

I tear at her clothes, pulling her shirt off and tossing it aside, revealing the smooth, bare skin beneath. My mouth is on her neck in an instant, teeth grazing her pulse before I suck hard, marking her as mine. Her moan only spurs me on, the sound low and throaty—a plea for more.

Her hands are frantic as they move down to the waistband of my pants, her fingers brushing against the hard length straining against the fabric. I groan, the sound primal, as she strokes me through the material, her touch driving me to the edge of control.

"Aries," she whispers. Commanding me. Begging me.

I don't need to be told twice. I unbuckle my pants and shove them down, freeing myself as I lean back to take in the sight of her—flushed, panting, her eyes dark with desire.

My control snaps.

I yank her pants off, pulling them down her legs and tossing them aside in one swift motion.

She's bare before me, her skin glowing in the dim light, and I'm on her in an instant, my mouth crashing against hers as I position myself between her legs.

There's no gentleness, no slow build-up. I enter her in one powerful thrust, burying myself to the hilt.

"Fuck," she gasps, her back arching as her nails dig into my back.

The feeling of her, tight and slick around me, nearly undoes me, but I hold on, setting a hard, relentless pace. Every thrust is rough, desperate, fueled by the need to claim her, to lose ourselves in each other before the chaos of tomorrow.

Paige meets me with equal intensity, her hips lifting to meet every thrust, her breath hot against my ear as she moans. Her hands are everywhere—grasping my shoulders, my back, her nails leaving marks that I'll wear proudly.

"Don't stop," she gasps.

I growl in response, my hand gripping her thigh as I push her harder against the table, angling deeper. The sounds she makes drive me wild—whimpers, gasps, cries of pleasure that mix with the slaps of our bodies colliding.

The tension coils tighter, a hot, electric pulse between us as we push each other closer to the edge. I can feel her tightening around me, her body trembling with the force of her approaching climax.

"Come for me," I command, my voice rough, feral.

Her answer is a wordless cry as she shatters, her body shuddering against me as she tips over the edge. The sight of her, lost in ecstasy, pulls me under, and with a final, powerful thrust, I join her.

We're both panting as the last waves of pleasure ripple through us. I press my forehead to hers, trying to catch my breath, our bodies still connected, sweat-slicked and trembling.

Slowly, I pull back, lifting her off the table and carrying her to the bedroll, laying her down gently. I collapse beside her, pulling her close.

Finally, I break the silence, my voice low, rough. "Whatever happens tomorrow, know that you're mine. I don't need magic to find my way back to you—in every life I get."

She turns her head, capturing my gaze with those bright, glittering eyes. "I love you," she whispers.

I pull her closer, our lips meeting in a final, lingering kiss, this one softer, a promise more than a demand. We stay like that, wrapped around each other, letting the warmth of our bodies lull us into sleep for what might very well be our last night in this life. I dream only of finding her in the next.