Chapter 17 #2
“We’re not that far from the southeast border, are we?” Lexi rubbed her hands together, then scrubbed them on her trews as if attempting to dry them.
“It is within walking distance.”
She went to the window and scowled outside, as if trying to spot them. “I wonder how long it would take Corvit to get back here? If they’ve already started their great sleep, would they even be able to hear me? And how exactly do I call them?”
“I can only assume ye would call out to them with the power of yer mind, and as for the other, I dinna ken.” Jeros hated this.
He wanted to lock her safely away in their bedchamber where no one could harm her, and yet, just as she had said, and as old Mairwen had warned, he had to trust her with some of her protection.
“But for the protection of our people and the safety of Sevenrest, I fear we must grant them the audience they request.”
“If we let them in here, they’ll burn the place down,” she said, her alarm clear. “They might not mean to, but they could. Isn’t that what you said?”
“We will go to them where they wait for us.” He went to the bellpull and gave it a hard yank.
When Nightleaf appeared, he said, “Fetch yer queen’s trident.
She requires it.” It was the first time he had ever referred to Lexi as his queen.
He rather liked the ring of it. “And bring my sword and pistols.”
“Aye, Yer Majesty.” The butler hurried away.
“So…do you have any pointers?” Lexi asked, looking first at him and then Darkcord.
“We have spears and archers, Yer Highness,” Darkcord said.
“And swords, of course,” Jeros added.
She stared at them as if they had each sprouted a second head. She wrinkled her nose. “I meant advice. Do either of you have any advice for this meeting?”
Jeros went to her and took her hands. “Dinna show fear or uncertainty. They can smell weakness. Ye must meet them with a decisiveness the likes of which ye have never known.” He looked down at her hands and frowned while lifting her right hand closer.
Across her palm was a slightly raised border of scarring he’d not noticed before.
The pink flesh was a newly healed wound.
“What happened here? Why did ye not bring this to my attention before?”
She pulled her hand away. “When Incendium challenged me to try to release Corvit from his shackles, he offered me his staff to unlock the harnesses and manacles. I grabbed hold of it, not knowing it would sear off my flesh. I had to use my Mammaw jacket to protect my hands. Incendium’s armor slowed him down so much, I was able to dodge him and free Corvit.
Once it was all over, Corvit healed me with his tears.
” She rubbed her palm and fingertips. “Losing my fingerprints was worth it.”
“The bastard tricked ye.” Rage flared hot and heavy through Jeros. He wished the overlord were still alive so he could kill him himself. “I dinna wish ye to meet with them. Give me the spear. I shall go in yer place.”
“That won’t work. They know the new overlord is me. Corvit said the wind told them.” She barely shook her head. “I’m not sure what that meant, but it must’ve worked because they’re here now asking for me.”
“They asked for their overlord,” Darkcord said, then gave a cringing shrug. “But they also mentioned she of the prophecy. Sounds as if they know well enough who the new overlord is.”
“Feckin’ hell.” Jeros hated this with a passion. Teeth clenched, he shook his head. “Call the dragons. Think to them. Tell them the Fae of Fires are here demanding to see ye. With any luck, Corvit will hear and keep his word.”
“If he hears,” Lexi said. “I know he’ll keep his word.”
Aylryd roared as if to remind them of his presence. He went to the door and glared back at them, softly growling.
“And we have Aylryd,” Lexi said to Jeros. “Let’s do this.”
* * *
All the way to the southeast border of Sevenrest’s land, Lexi kept thinking to Corvit to please come and help. She hated to disturb her new friend’s sleep, but didn’t have a choice. It might be too late if she waited to gauge the Fae of the Fires’ reaction to her being their new overlord.
As they drew closer to where the messengers had reported the Fae’s army waited, she ceased using the trident as a walking stick.
The Fae might not appreciate that even though the spear’s crystal had been shattered.
The milling about of the gathered army ceased as she, Aylryd, Jeros, and Darkcord topped the hill and looked down upon them.
They all stared back up at her. Waiting. Watching.
“There must be thousands,” she whispered, horrified at the prospect. Corvit—I really need you. I’m sorry, but I need you now.
“Remember,” Jeros said with a reassuring squeeze of her hand. “No fear, my own. No indecision. Ye must lead them as if ye believe it yer right to do so.”
But it wasn’t her right to do so. It was Corvit’s. The dragon had annihilated Incendium. But she nodded and swallowed hard while resettling her grip on the staff. “Let’s do this.”
She marched down the hillside. When she was within a couple of yards of the army, the warriors filling the glen knelt. She prayed that was a good sign. One of them had taken a knee out in front, quite a distance from the rest. She wondered if he was their commander.
“Who speaks for you?” she asked, making certain her voice rang out loud and clear.
Just as she suspected, the lone warrior off to himself rose. He was a large Fae, larger and more muscular than Incendium, and looked as if he had been dipped in bronze. This Fae rivaled Jeros’s stature and build. Eyes glowing red, he removed his helm, tucked it under his arm, and stepped forward.
“I am Chotenth, overlord. Yer deputy major.” His red-eyed gaze slid over to Jeros, and he offered a curt bow. “Yer Majesty.”
Jeros nodded, but remained silent.
Moving closer to prove she wasn’t afraid, Lexi stood as tall as she could and squared her shoulders. She wanted them to believe she was benevolent but not weak. “I am honored to see so many. Is this all of you?”
Scowling, Chotenth shook his head. “We left a few to guard our homeland. Is that acceptable?”
“Of course, it’s acceptable. I don’t want anything to happen to your homes,” she said. “You do know you cannot trust Faeniana or her allies?”
“Trust is a luxury we rarely partake in.” His eyes narrowed even more, and his glare shifted to the trident. “The crystal?”
“I shattered it so Incendium could no longer focus his power.” She wouldn’t lie to them. Instinct told her that somehow, they would know. Maybe they could smell lies like Jeros could. “When I released the dragon, he turned Incendium to ash.”
“To ash?”
“To ash.” She nodded. “There was nothing left of him to pray over.”
“I see.” He looked back at his kneeling troops for a long moment, then turned back to her, once more lowered himself to his knee, and held up his dagger as though it were a cross. “I pledge my fealty to ye, overlord, she of the prophecy. As do all who kneel before ye. Yer will is ours.”
Instinctively, she knew to touch the dagger, but was afraid to do so with her bare hands.
She had already learned that lesson once when it came to the Fae of the Fires.
Instead, she touched it with the center spoke of the trident and said, “Thank you, mighty Chotenth, and all the courageous Fae of the Fires. I am honored to have your trust.” She stressed the word trust, hoping they would notice and believe it.
The deputy major smiled. Well, maybe not an actual smile, but his scowl seemed to soften as he rose to his feet. “Trust,” he repeated with a slow nod. “Show us our trust is not misplaced, overlord.” He lifted his hand high in the air, then let it drop.
In the large open space between Chotenth and his warriors, the air shimmered, and then it was almost as though an invisible curtain fell, revealing an enormous cage imprisoning an equally gigantic white dragon.
The beast was magnificent. Its iridescent scales gleamed a pearly silver in the sunlight.
Its head was not as elongated as Corvit’s had been, but fuller, almost like the head of a snake.
It lay in a tight, defensive curl, taking everything in with its huge golden eyes.
“Help me, she of the prophecy. Protect my young.”
Without a thought, Lexi went to the dragon, reached through the cage, and rested her hand on the mother dragon’s snout. I will get you freed, and your babies too. Don’t you worry.
Lexi turned to Chotenth. “Why was this dragon not freed with the others?”
Chotenth maintained his distance, but his hatred for the beast was unmistakable. “That animal was caged with magic, because she is a killer. Even harnessed, she incinerated a dozen of my best warriors.”
“And were they torturing her at the time?” Lexi stamped the ground with her staff. “I tolerate no cruelty to any creature. We might as well get that straight right now.”
Chotenth didn’t answer, just jutted his bronzed chin higher.
“I am going to take your silence as a yes to the torture question. Where are her young? What have you done with them?”
“We do not have her young.”
Lexi pointed her trident at him. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”
“We do not have her young,” he repeated, baring his clenched teeth.
Lexi turned back to the dragon. “Where are your babies?”
The silvery white female lifted her wing and revealed three scaly eggs that were as lovely as gemstones. A sapphire, an amethyst, and a ruby.
“Is that all of them?” Lexi asked. “None are missing?”
“Aye, she of the prophecy. These are all of my precious children.”
“Dismantle the cage,” Lexi ordered Chotenth. “I want her freed.”
The nearest warriors retreated several yards, and the deputy major shook his head. “She will destroy us. She is an uncontrollable bitch.”
“So am I when I’m angry.” Lexi stamped the ground with the trident and moved toward him. “She is a mother protecting her young and trying to live long enough to see them well started in life. Release her. Now.”