Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
W ind claimed my hair, the honeyed strands billowing behind me as Stormfire raced across the grasslands, in pursuit of Maalikai, Sebastian, Jet and Orion–Sebastian’s horse he let me name when I was a child, back when I was obsessed with the constellations.
Grass petals blurred into a sea of green, as miles dissolved away like it was nothing. Neither of them told me where we were going, but they didn’t need to. I knew exactly where we were headed:
Aelinthian Forrest.
Keeping a consistent pace, we didn’t slow until we reached a large, almost translucent stream. Making a sharp left, Maalikai and Sebastian veered, Stormfire and I hot on their horses’ tails. Time faded away to nothing as we raced alongside the river until the ancient trees of the Aelinthian Forrest loomed before us like a never-ending sea of otherworldly bliss.
Even several hundred yards from the edge of the forest, it was undeniably vast, thick, and kind of intimidating.
Men armed to the brim with weapons patrolled the perimeter of the woods, extending back towards Ophelia. Their utilitarian uniforms were royal blue, the color of the forces my uncle had once commanded. Once he was made chief, he had taken the time to oversee the training of a small militia in Ophelia. If nothing else he was relentless—assiduous to a fault.
We had passed dozens upon dozens of men dressed in the same uniforms on the ride here. They made up a giant enclosure, skirting from Aelinthian Forrest back to Ophelia. When Uncle Thrainn said he was going to keep us safe, he meant it.
After we found a spot and dismounted, Maalikai turned to me with that I’m-your-superior-commander posture of his. “Are you ready?”
I didn’t answer him. Instead, my gaze flicked to Sebastian, heat behind my eyes. “Wait. Isn’t Sebastian supposed to teach me?”
My dress was wrinkled, dirt-streaked, windswept like I’d walked straight through a battlefield. Perfect. I looked how I felt—untamed, unpredictable. Finally, me.
Sebastian’s voice came low, controlled. “If I teach you, my attention’s split.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration barely veiled. “I won’t be able to focus on anything except you.” A pause.
His eyes flicked toward Maalikai, then back to me. “So Maalikai’s taking the lead on this one.” The words tasted like surrender. Bitter. Unwilling. He stepped in closer, voice dropping just for me. “I’ll be watching,” he said, slow deliberate, “making sure no one so much as breathes wrong near that pretty little head of yours.”
And just like that, I knew. He wasn’t stepping back because he wanted to. He was doing it because he couldn’t bear to let someone else guard me—not even for an hour. Not even if it meant giving control to someone he hated.
But that was Sebastian.
Always my protector first.
It was the worst kind of devotion—the kind that bled quiet. The kind that said, I’ll break my own heart if it keeps yours beating.
I gestured lazily to the ring of warriors surrounding us. “Bit of overkill?”
Sebastian stepped closer, the heat of him brushing my skin, that infuriatingly commanding heartbeat of his syncing to mine. “One of me is worth twenty of them. And you know it.”
The air thinned.
Tension coiled between us like flint waiting to be struck .
He wasn’t wrong. If the world fell apart, I’d bet everything on him. But I also knew what it cost him to step back.
“Bastian…”
Those firelit amber eyes missed nothing—like every secret I’d ever held had already been whispered to him in the dark.
“It’s okay, Em,” he murmured. “I’m fine.”
Liar.
He wasn’t okay. Not even close. His voice was calm, but his eyes—Gods, those eyes—were fractured stormlight.
“No worries, chief,” I said, letting the nickname hang, wicked and knowing.
He winced. Jaw clenched.
Good.
He hated it when I called him that—said he hadn’t earned it, that Thrainn’s legacy wasn’t his to take. Especially not over Evie.
But we both knew the people wanted him. Nexus, they’d beg him to lead. And he’d still say no.
Too honorable.
Too stupid.
Too Sebastian.
Maalikai, who’d been silently watching with arms crossed, cleared his throat. “Not getting any younger over here.”
“Or prettier,” Sebastian tossed back instantly.
I let my hand trail up Sebastian’s chest, stopping over the steady beat of his heart. “Simmer down.”
His gaze collided with mine. “You know me. I only have two settings—barely contained rage and…” He paused, eyes flicking to my lips, “...something worse.”
“You’re impossible,” I said, though the smile pulled at my mouth before I could stop it.
His fingers found mine, lacing gently over his chest. “And that’s why you love me.”
I turned away, dragging my hand with me, head shaking. “Impossible,” I muttered under my breath.
Because he was right.
His soul mirrored mine—explosive, unapologetic, catastrophic.
And I loved him for it.
I jogged to catch up to Maalikai. “Whoa—wait up there, commando.”
His eyes met mine, thunderstorm-bright. “Never call me that again.”
My grin was instant. “I think it suits you.”
He ignored me, stopping in front of the first line of trees in the Aelinthian Forest.
An oddly familiar hum curled against my skin.
Magik. Ethereal.
I paused, laying my palm against the bark of the nearest trunk. When I turned, our eyes locked—his cold, mine burning—and something between us snapped taut.
Without a word, Maalikai reached out and caught my hand, fingers threading through mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Fire coiled in my chest, wild and hungry.
A smile teased the edge of my mouth.
Gods, he was infuriating.
“Let’s do this,” he whispered, voice low and reverent.
I didn’t trust my voice, so I nodded and let him guide me.
We walked until we reached two hay bales marked with crude targets.
“Your handiwork?” I asked, arching a brow.
He smirked. “Your uncle had me prep it this morning. For when you finish your bow.” He winked.
Cocky bastard.
I nodded, a flutter of nerves in my stomach. “You got wood?”
Maalikai didn’t miss a beat. “Plenty. But let’s start with the ones for the bow.” I groaned. “What? You walked right into that.” He said without apology.
“That’s because I thought you’d have more maturity than an emotionally stunted reindeer.,” I muttered.
Ignoring me, he grabbed three dried lengths of wood. “These are aged three to five years. That’s what we want.”
They looked like logs. Literally.
Just logs.
“We’ll use this one,” he said, motioning to the middle piece. “It’s clean, straight, no knots. We split it with the grain.”
“Okay…” I drew the word out slowly.
He pointed to faint lines. “Rays and vessels. Rays radiate from the center. Vessels run longways. You want to cut with them, not against.”
“Sunbeams and bloodlines. Got it,” I deadpanned. “So basically, science and sorcery are conspiring to make me feel stupid.”
He smirked. “It’ll make sense when you feel it.”
“Are you telling me you want me to feel your wood?” I asked sweetly.
The look on his face was everything.
“What? You walked into that one,” I added with a diabolical smile.
Ignoring me, he pulled tools from his bag and lined them up with military precision. “I’ll use the back of the axe and chocks to split it.”
I crossed my arms, watching him work. Each strike was clean, brutal—practiced like a ritual. The wood groaned and cracked under his hand, splitting open with a thunderous snap.
I hated how impressed I was.
Then I stepped forward, fingers flying as I braided my hair into a single tight plait.
“Let me try.”
He hesitated. “It’s not as easy as?—”
“Oh, I know.” I took the axe from his hands. “But I’m not exactly known for doing things the easy way.”
“I’d let her do as she pleases if I were you,” Sebastian called from the tree line, smirking. “Otherwise, this ends badly. For you.”
Maalikai said nothing.
Smart boy.
I lined the chock, raised the axe, and let it fall.
The crack was sharp. Satisfying.
Sebastian whistled low. “That’s my girl.”
I didn’t even try to hide my grin. “Told you.”
Another strike. Then another. Wood split clean, all the way through.
I rose to my full height, wiped my brow, and threw Maalikai a roguish smile. “You were saying?”
He shook his head, lips twitching. “You’re a menace.”
“You have no idea,” I purred back.
Maalikai grabbed one half and split it again—twice more—until he held up a long stave, smooth and lean.
“This is what we’ll shape into your bow.”
“All that for something so small? I’m not sure it’ll be worth it.”
Sebastian snorted behind me.
Maalikai didn’t flinch. “It’s not the size. It’s the precision. How you use it.” He stepped closer.
Claimed my air. My space.
“Besides…” He placed the stave in my hand. “That has nothing on me.”
“Oh Gods, please stop,” Sebastian mumbled. “I just ate.”
“This,” Maalikai continued, handing me a long, wicked blade, “is a drawknife. You’re going to carve the bow with it.”
“That’s not a knife,” I said. “That’s a threat.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
He took the stave, drew a curve in charcoal, then, using a second drawknife, pulled the blade in smooth, elegant strokes.
Wood curled off like ribbons.
Gods, he made it look... sinfully easy.
“You watching?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m watching,” I murmured. “Just trying not to drool.”
He smirked. “Good. Your turn.”
Oh. Gods.
I tested the weight in my hand. “Anything else I should know?”
He met my gaze, slow and deliberate. “Just... don’t stop.”
From behind, Sebastian drawled, “She never does.”
I crouched, brimming with smug confidence, and drew the blade.
Nothing.
I adjusted. Tried again.
Gouged it.
“Just warming up,” I muttered.
“You’re butchering it,” Sebastian offered. “It’s honestly impressive.”
“I hate you.” I spat back without venom.
“And yet... I’m still your favorite person.”
I flipped him off. He only smiled wider.
Another try. Slower. Still wrong.
The blade caught. My rhythm faltered.
Then—
He was there.
I hadn’t heard him move. But Maalikai was suddenly behind me, chest flush to my back, breath warm at my ear, hands sliding over mine—controlling. Guiding.
“Stop fighting it,” he whispered. “Let it flow.”
Heat flared, wicked and immediate. My pulse kicked sideways.
His voice wasn’t just a sound—it was a sin.
The world shrank to that point of contact:
His fingers.
His breath.
The press of his palm over mine.
The dark scent of mint and pine curling beneath my skin.
He moved with me, slow and sure, as the drawknife slid forward—wood curling beneath the steel in perfect, effortless strips.
“There,” he breathed. And it hit harder than the axe.
Behind us, Sebastian’s voice sliced through the moment like a knife dipped in honey. “You two good back there? Or should I give you a minute?”
I pulled away fast, heat climbing my throat.
But my hands still tingled.
And the next stroke— my stroke—was clean.
Maalikai guided my movements a few more times before stepping back, letting me take the reins. His absence should’ve steadied me. It didn’t.
I rolled my shoulders, adjusting my stance, doing my best to mimic the way he’d moved behind me—fluid, commanding, precise.
Gods, it was a little unfair how good he was at everything.
It took a few more tries, but once I found the sweet spot—the exact angle, the right pressure—the blade skimmed smooth as silk. Clean shaves curled off like ribbons, falling to the earth with a whisper.
The trick? Don’t force it. Just... coax it .
Maalikai circled back after a minute, glancing down at the line I’d carved. His brows lifted, visibly impressed.
“Excellent,” he murmured. “That’s actually really good for a first time.”
I looked up at him, smug. “ Actually ? What happened to faith in my obvious brilliance?”
A breath of laughter escaped him—rare, unguarded—and a crooked smile tugged at his lips.
It hit me like lightning.
Gods. That smile could ruin kingdoms.
“I do have faith in you,” he said. “You just keep surpassing it.”
Oh.
Okay.
I pretended to stay cool, but inside I was simmering. No— scorching .
His approval lit something deep and stupid and hungry. I felt like a five-year-old again, trying to get Daddy’s attention—except this time, Daddy was a brooding war God, and I wanted far more than a pat on the head.
“It’ll take a few hours to shape the whole thing properly,” he said, arms crossing over his chest, presenting me with a devastating picture of war-forged perfection. “Ends need to be thinner, and I’ll have to carve a handrest into the center.”
Then he stepped closer— too close—and took the drawknife from me. The brush of his fingers against mine was brief. Barely anything.
Still, my heart leapt like I’d been caught stealing.
“You don’t want me to keep going?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
Knowing damn well I didn’t want this to end.
His gaze flicked up, slow and knowing. “You’ve got the point.” His voice dropped, thick with something darker. Something unspoken.
Then he smirked.
“And I think what you really need is to let off some steam.”
I raised a brow. “Is that your way of saying I’m wound up?”
“Just a little,” he said, voice dipping lower.
Then he stepped in— closer .
Closing the gap he’d spent all afternoon dancing around.
“And I’m happy to help. In any way I can.” His voice was sinfully low. Only for me.
The heat in his eyes swallowed me. Scorched me. He didn’t look away. Didn’t give me space to breathe.
“I’ve always been really good with my hands,” he added, just above a whisper. “If you hadn’t noticed.”
His breath kissed the curve of my cheek.
And Gods—it had the exact effect he intended.
“So, how about I make sure you can actually shoot the bow—I wouldn’t want you hurting yourself.” I knew he was just teasing, but damn, his words still stung.
Without any word of warning, Maalikai turned, forcing me to jog to catch up to him before matching his pace. We only momentarily stopped to retrieve a bow I assumed he’d borrowed and some arrows I hadn’t noticed.
Stopping in front of one of the targets, he turned to me. “Alright, show me what you’ve got.”
Finally, we were getting to the fun part.
Turning to the side, I grasped the bow with my right hand, my right leg facing forward. He passed me an arrow with the dark, speckled feather facing up. In an instant, the arrow was nocked.
Pain bit into my fingertips as I pulled the string back, a knot instantly forming between my shoulder blades from the resistance. Ignoring the pain, I lined up the arrow with what I thought would be a perfect bullseye.
A shaky breath filled my lungs. It had been well over six months since I’d last shot my bow, there was a very likely chance that I’d become rusty.
Exhaling, I let the string go.
Everything stopped.
My breathing.
Even the thrumming of my heart.
The arrow whistled through the air, nerves writhing in my stomach as I waited for it to hit the target. A soft thud sounded as my arrow embedded in the hay. The end of the arrow swayed violently as it struck the dead center of the target.
Without warning, I became weightless; Maalikai scooped me into his arms spinning us in a tight circle, my arms instinctively wrapping around his shoulders.
“That was incredible. Beyond incredible.” Maalikai’s excitement was infectious.
I found myself laughing with him. I’d forgotten how wonderful it was to shoot a bow. The moment my feet touched the ground, I studied his face. It was transparent and full of pride.
“When I’m done with you, I’ll have made you into the most magnificent warrioress.”
Before I could help myself, a rather embarrassing snort escaped me. “Excuse me, sir. I am already the most magnificent warrioress.”
“Really, what makes you so sure?” He quieted, a ghost of a smile lifting up a corner of his lips.
“For starters, a woman warrior is laughable; they don’t exist. So, I automatically win the title. Besides, my skill is already unrivaled.”
His brows furrowed, challenging my belief with a single look. “I’m definitely not going to challenge you about being unrivaled. However, you aren’t the only female warrior.”
“Right…” My smile faded as I observed his features, relaxing my bow to my side. “You’re being serious?”
“Of course. The Western Warriors don’t discriminate based on gender. From the moment a child can wield a weapon, they are taught how to be ruthless. A lot of them would kill just for fun.”
My mouth dropped open. I knew the Western Wastelands were different than Agertheria. It was part of the reason we had never gotten along and had been in a near-constant state of war. Once Crixus had destabilized the land, neither region could agree on how to move forward.
“No wonder you’re so fearsome, growing up with them has forged you into a lethal weapon. But I still can’t even imagine a woman wielding a weapon. Not a single woman in Ophelia has even touched a weapon, let alone using one with any skill. Apart from myself, obviously”
A sigh escaped him. “Maybe it’s time for a change.”
I spun on him, my eyes colliding with his. “What makes you say that?”
Maalikai turned so he was fully facing me. “Otherwise, it could mean Ophelia’s extinction.”
He had to be joking.
“What are you talking about?”
“Mera is larger than here, and they were abolished without warning. Ophelia simply doesn’t have the numbers. Even with your uncle’s militia, even with watching the borders. Maybe, just maybe if the women are allowed to fight, then it could change the outcome but otherwise, I don’t see how anyone would survive an attack of that magnitude.”
The color of my skin instantly blanched, my stomach hollowing with it. “Bullshit.”
Maalikai’s face fell. “You think I’d lie about something like this? Do you think I would lie to you at all?”
Warmth drained from my skin at the accusation. “No, but what you’re saying is absurd. I mean, why would they even come here? Or to Mera. What do we have that they could possibly want?”
“I think they’re searching for something.” A sighed confession that I didn’t even think Maalikai wanted to voice.
“What makes you think they’re searching for something? Couldn’t they just want to be the rulers of Agertheria, isn’t that what wars are usually about? Power.”
“If they wanted to conquer Agertheria, they would’ve started in the capital, taking over the castle in Emberfalls. It’s ripe for the taking, there is no ruling party there currently; it wouldn’t be too hard to overrun the forces protecting the castle from Oryx’s army. It doesn’t make sense that they would expose their forces to the terrain unless there is another motivation.”
I remained silent for a moment and then it dawned on me. “The long-lost princess.”
Maalikai looked at me like I was crazy.
“The daughter of King Kailen and Queen Thia was smuggled from the castle after her birth. It is said that in her nineteenth year, she will take the throne again and become Queen of Agertheria.”
“I don’t think they’re searching for your princess.” Maalikai was never disrespectful, but his cocked brow came pretty damn close.
“Why not? It makes sense. She is about to turn nineteen; if someone wanted to stop her from ruling, they would have to take her out before she took the throne. It’s what I’d do.”
“Remind me not to go up against you; you’re absolutely lethal.” A low primal laugh escaped him.
A fiendish smile hitched up my lips. “No more than the Western Warriors.”
“I’m not sure about that. I think you could bring a kingdom to its knees.” A malevolent smile lit up his entire face, his flawless features becoming impossibly irresistible.
“So, you think I could be right? You think they could be looking for the Princess of Agertheria?” I asked hopefully, praying I was correct.
Maalikai shrugged. “Better than any explanation I’ve thought of.”
“You don’t sound convinced.” I turned and started walking toward the target to retrieve my arrow. Honestly I was pretty smug with myself for putting all the pieces together. “Then there’d be no point in them looking here; there is no way the Princess of Agertheria is in Ophelia.”
Unable to help himself, Maalikai scoffed, trying to cover it before I noticed.
“What?”
“There is no way they’ll find her anywhere. She doesn’t exist.”
“I knew you didn’t believe me!” My mouth fell open in disbelief. “Why wouldn’t it be true?”
Maalikai studied my face, searching for any trace that I wasn’t serious, but this was one thing I believed with every fiber of my being. “I wouldn’t peg you to believe in fairy tales, I thought you were joking.”
“It’s not a fairy tale, it’s true!”
The princess was real. I remember my mother telling me stories about her. As a priestess, she had been to the castle at Emberfalls, she had met the King and Queen—even healed the Queen when she had been ill during her pregnancy.
Maalikai made a low bow. “Beg your pardon, Your Majesty, I didn’t mean to insult you.” I shot him a dark look. “What? For all we know you could be the princess.”
“For all we know, you could be,” I shot back, full of rage.
A laugh tore through him, and mine bubbled up through my chest and joined his, my rage melting almost as quickly as it had manifested. “I don’t really have the prerequisites to be a princess.”
“Well, I don’t have the charm,” I harped, sticking my tongue out at him for making fun of me.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to insult you. And if I’m being honest, I think I would make an exceptional Queen. Can’t you imagine me in a beautiful gown, prancing through the courts?” Maalikai curtsied before pretending to twirl his giant skirt in a perfect circle, which was entirely so un-Maalikai like that I almost died in hysterics.
“You’re already a better Queen than I would be; I don’t even know how to curtsy.” I once again looked down at my dress. Now, covered in mud, sticks, and leaves. “My mom is going to kill me.”
Maalikai stopped mid-twirl, covering the distance to me in three long strides. “You would make the most perfect Queen. The people of Agertheria would be incredibly lucky to have you as their ruler.”
“You’re so full of shit.” I snorted.
Maalikai took my hand in his and gently kissed it before meeting my eyes. “It’s no word of a lie; you would be the most extraordinary Queen that has ever ruled Agertheria.”
My cheeks heated under his stare, my rebuttal dying on my lips. He continued before I could make anything beyond awkward, like he had discovered how bad I was at taking a compliment.
“Now, how about I finish carving this bow and you get some more practice. You obviously need it.”
I knew he was just teasing me, but I chose to take the bait.
“Oh really?” I lifted my bow again and let the arrow fly—dead center. Bullseye.
He didn’t even blink.
“If you start getting real frisky,” he said, voice low and lazy, “there’s throwing knives too.”
I followed his line of sight and spotted them—neatly arranged on a small table, gleaming in the sunlight. How had I missed those?
Had I really been that distracted?
Soon, the rhythmic schick of the drawknife behind me became a steady hum. The world shrank to the bow in my hand. To the stretch of the string. To the satisfying thrum in my bones every time an arrow found its mark.
I’d forgotten how this felt. How I felt—armed, alive, dangerous.
And for a while... nothing else mattered.
Then I heard him again—closer this time. His voice curled around me like smoke. “Wow. I can’t believe I thought you were a novice.”
I startled, spinning on instinct. Caught red-handed in pride.
“Oh, really?” I smirked, steadying my bow. “Is that your way of admitting I’m better than you?”
He chuckled—deep, warm, wrecking. Like thunder that liked the taste of rain.
“You’re not even in the same range as me.” The challenge was sin-drenched . “Besides, did I forget to mention I started when I was three? I could pretty much bring Noctharis to his knees.”
I’m pretty sure he could bring anyone to their knees.
But I wasn’t about to admit that.
I blinked. “Three? Why the hell was a toddler learning to fire a bow?”
He shrugged. “My uncle believed in tough love. Shoot first, ask later.”
“Sounds charming.” I didn’t mean to say it aloud—but there it was.
Not that he corrected me.
“Come on,” Maalikai said, his tone shifting—lighter, almost nervous. “Let’s check out your bow. I’ve already strung it. Now all that’s left is the big reveal.”
He jogged ahead, and by the time I caught up, he’d already turned to face me—arms raised, offering it to me like it was holy.
And maybe it was.
I stopped.
Everything inside me stilled.
The raw stave we’d split earlier was gone. In its place was something that didn’t look crafted—it looked summoned .
My fingers hovered over the grain before I dared touch it. The wood was smoothed to satin, rich and warm beneath my fingertips. Balanced. Beautiful.
He’d taken something wild and rough and shaped it into something deadly.
Something worthy.
A small carving near the grip caught my eye. I tilted it closer and traced it slowly—a lone wolf, howling toward a moon that wasn’t there. The details were intricate. Masterful. A craftsman’s signature.
But still... it felt incomplete.
The wolf had no wings.
The Cindralyx—the symbol of Agertheria—was wolf and phoenix, united. This creature stood alone. Beautiful, yes. But stripped. Exposed.
“I even had time to carve it,” he said quietly. “I would’ve shown you how to string it, but... you looked like you were in your element.”
His smile came, but it faltered—hesitated—as if he wasn’t sure how it would land.
Was he... nervous? That didn’t make sense.
Except it did.
And Gods, it wrecked me.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
His eyes—those impossible storm-swept blues—flicked up.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I breathed. “Maalikai... you’re amazing. I wasn’t sure at first, but this?” I ran my hand over the bow again. “This is... everything .”
Something shifted in his expression.
Pride—yes. But more than that. Something raw. Vulnerable.
Before I could name it?—
“Hey.” Sebastian’s voice cut through the moment like a blade.
He strode over and snatched the bow right out of my hands.
“Hey!” I snapped, bristling. “That’s mine !”
He didn’t even look at me as he nocked an arrow. Oozing that particular brand of casual arrogance.
A weapon in his own right.
Then— snap .
His arrow sliced the air.
A heartbeat later?—
Thud.
Dead center. Right through the middle of my arrow—splitting it clean.
The bullseye trembled.
“What the actual fuck?” I muttered.
Sebastian handed me the bow, the edge of a cocky grin pulling at his mouth.
“I guess it’ll do.”
“Dick.”
He opened his mouth—clearly ready to retort—but then his face changed.
Like someone had ripped the ground out from under him.
His eyes darted over my shoulder. Froze.
Everything inside him— locked . And suddenly... I wasn’t looking at the boy who teased and taunted me.
I was looking at the warrior who would burn down the world to keep me breathing.
I didn’t even have time to turn.
His hands slammed into me— hard —sending me flying backward.
I hit the ground with a thud, pain flashing through my ribs. I rolled, sprang to my feet, crouched low—poised for a fight.
“What the hell?—?”
Then I saw it.
I followed his gaze and?—
Shit.
A dozen men. Maybe more.
All in black. All armed. All watching.
Their weapons weren’t raised in warning.
They were ready .
Ready for bloodshed.
My pulse surged. My breath caught.
Holy shit.
We were under attack.