Chapter Twenty-Six
Reign
Aelia, no. I growled the command through our bond, already certain it would go unheeded. I knew very well my mate’s stubborn streak was rivaled only by her unflinching loyalty.
Her hand closed around mine, tightening with the breadth of her wrath as she glared at her uncle.
Elian betrayed us, Reign. You were right, he’ll never overcome his hatred for the Shadow Fae, and because of that, we’ll never be able to truly work together.
There is only one way to force them all to listen.
If you declare yourself as heir, you will never be able to take it back, starlight. You will have enemies coming at you from all sides.
And we’ll deal with them together, as we always have. She took another step forward.
Gods, princess, you’re going to be my ruin.
Was there ever a doubt? A hint of amusement crinkled the corners of her eyes. Just for a moment. Then, it was gone, replaced by pure determination.
Noxus, protect us.
Her wings flared, a whisper of shadow weaving between the blinding light.
“I have a confession to make,” she called, her voice brimming with determination.
Every head in the room turned in her direction.
“You know me as Aelia Ravenwood, powerless Kin, but there are some things you don’t know.
I was born of both Light and Shadow. Some of you may have heard of the prophecy, of the one destined to bring about our kingdom’s ruin.
I am that child, the child of twilight. You were all raised to fear me, fear what my presence represented but today, I ask you to forget everything we were all taught.
Because I vow never to be that harbinger of oblivion, but rather, the one to bring forth a new dawn. ”
Again, a ripple of shocked murmurs tore through the grand hall.
“But I am not only the child of the prophecy—” she paused, glancing around the room at her fellow classmates, her people, meeting each of them in the eyes, “—I am also Princess Aelia of Ether, daughter of the fallen King Alaric and true heir to the Court of Ethereal Light.”
The entire sprawling chamber fell silent, the air so thick my lungs ceased to function all together.
For a heartbeat, all I could hear was the rush of blood in my ears and the bond crackling between us, alive with her defiance, her fire. Gods, I wanted to drag her into my arms and kiss her senseless—and then shield her from the war she had just declared.
Elian blinked, once, twice, the confident smirk slipping from his face before he forced it back on like a mask. “Bold words for a powerless Kin,” he said softly, the light around him pulsing in warning. “But where is your proof, child?”
Aelia’s chin lifted, wings folding neatly behind her as the light flared around her, casting shadows that danced with the frenzied whispers now rising throughout the hall.
“You dare to claim the throne of Ether with nothing more than your word?” Elian pressed, voice rising as anger bled into each syllable. “You expect these students to believe a child of Light and Shadow, a—”
His words cut off as a roar split the sky, rattling the stained-glass windows until shards of colored light trembled across the marble floors. The ground itself seemed to quake beneath our boots as the cry rolled through the heavens.
Solanthus.
His power pressed against the hall like a storm, the primal promise of a dragon’s allegiance in every breath of flame that seared the air.
Aelia’s eyes flickered with fierce light, and she turned her gaze back to Elian, her voice calm despite the power that now thrummed around her. “You wanted proof. There it is. Solanthus is not only my bonded skyrider, but also the reincarnation of the dragon bonded to my father, King Alaric.”
Elian’s jaw clenched, his fingers curling around the edge of the wooden stand at the dais. “A dragon’s roar proves nothing.”
“Then let’s get proof you can’t deny.” My voice was low, lethal. Shadows flickered at my feet as I stepped forward, brushing my shoulder against Aelia’s. “Summon the healer. A simple blood test will reveal her true lineage.”
Elian’s nostrils flared, his composure fracturing for the first time as the students’ murmurs rose into a wave, their wide eyes flicking between Aelia, me, and their so-called king.
“Enough.” Elian’s voice boomed across the chamber, drenched in powerful rais that made the shadows hiss where they met.
“You all stand here, questioning your king, ready to believe the wild claims of a child of light and dark?” His eyes swept over the students, a sneer curling his lips. “You must choose. Today.”
His gaze swung back to Aelia, cold and unyielding. “You will choose between your king and a usurper. Between your realm and the ruin she will bring. Between me and the self-proclaimed harbinger of destruction.”
Aelia’s fingers found mine, threading together, the cuorem vibrating so violently it hurt. The room split into hushed chaos with students turning to each other, questioning, doubting, fearing. I felt the truth slice between us like a blade.
War wasn’t coming. It was already here.
“Who will stand with me?” Aelia’s voice shot across the room, splintering the weighty silence. “With all of Aetheria?”
Rue and Symon were the first to their feet.
No one else moved.
Rue’s hand threaded through Aelia’s free one, and Sy lifted his chin in defiance. Aelia’s hopeful gaze flickered across the remnants of Flare Squad, to Belmore, Ariadne, Zephyr and the others. Each of them squirmed uncomfortably beneath her roving stare.
Then, Devin stood, one aisle over, and marched to stand beside Rue. She threw him an appreciative smile before linking their hands. Then it was Liora who moved at the end of Flare team’s row, sidling past all the others. I could feel my cuoré’s surprise through our bond.
Belmore pushed to his feet next, something unreadable flashing across those ivy green eyes. I tensed, my shadows hissing and spitting, readying for the Light Fae to raise a hand against our mate. Instead, he dipped his head in a silent apology and moved toward Aelia.
One by one the rest of the squad stood, surrounding her. She greeted each of them with a relieved smile. Even Belmore. I supposed it was a good thing Ruhl hadn’t killed him after all.
Tension crackled in the air, each second more pressing than the last. I glared across the room of students I’d spent the last four years of my life with. Would no one else stand against this Light tyrant?
Shadows slithered across my spine, flaring with indignation. Perhaps, it was time for my truth to be told.
No, don’t. Aelia’s voice rushed down the bond. They’ll only see it as another lie told by the deceitful Shadow Fae. They won’t trust you.
I heaved out a frustrated sigh. She was right, as much as I hated to admit it. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t frighten some of these Light fools into submission, as I’d been doing for years now.
I stepped forward, shadows curling around my back until my wings coalesced, their breadth spanning across the entirety of Flare Squad. The silence parted like a wound as I let my gaze sweep across the room, meeting the eyes of the students I had trained, had bled for, and believed in.
“You all know me,” I commanded, my voice low but laced with shadows rumbling beneath each word. “You know what I am capable of. But you have no idea how far I will go to protect those I love.”
I let the silence stretch, let the shadows flicker across my arms, cold, dark and alive.
“If you wish to stand here and side with a false king who would lead you to your deaths and who would turn you into weapons to fight his war, then you are no students of mine.”
A twist of nox and zar pulsed beneath my skin, a warning and a promise, as I let my eyes burn into theirs.
“But if you stand with the true heir, your princess—” I paused, my voice softening for only a breath before hardening again, “—then you will live. You will fight for Aetheria’s future, not for its destruction.”
My shadows coiled tighter, spreading out like a storm across the marble floor. “Choose wisely. Because if you side against her, you side against me. And I will not hesitate.”
The hall fell silent, the weight of the promise hanging heavy in the air as the students looked back at me, wide-eyed, their fear filling the chamber.
The squeal of chair legs against marble echoed triumphantly across the space.
Nearly half of the students rose to stand behind Aelia and me.
Most were second- and third-years. Even a few of the professors joined our ranks.
I couldn’t blame the new first-years, not really.
They had no idea what they’d been thrown into.
With half the hall standing on our side of the aisle, Elian tipped his long nose in our direction and growled. His fury coiled in gilded threads, vibrating the air. “You will regret this, princess.” He spat her title with disdain.
“You will address my mate with the respect her blood demands,” I snarled, shadows snapping around me.
Another wave of gasps rippled across the chamber.
A slow grin curved across my lips. It was time they all knew the truth.
Aelia was mine. My cuoré. My mate. And now, more than ever, they needed to understand what that meant.
A move against her was a move against me, and I would answer it with blood.
“Your Ethereal Highness will do,” Aelia added with a smirk.
Elian’s cheeks burned, crimson flushing his pallid features. Light flares cracked the marble, rattling the hall. “Get off my land, all of you, before I levy the mark of the banished on each one of you,” he hissed. “You are traitors to the Court of Ethereal Light.”
“No, Uncle,” Aelia replied, a calmness in her voice I envied. “You’re the one who betrayed this court, betrayed Raysa, and everything the goddess stands for. Remember that. Because the next time I see you, it will be with my dagger at your throat.”
With a feral smile that had my heart thundering with pride, my mate spun on her heel. With her wings flaring in a blaze of Raysa’s light, she led half the academy through the gilded doors without looking back.