Chapter 43
Ileap out of bed and start to dress. I pull on the armor that Fen had previously lent to me for the Archives, the jeweled snake eyes shining in the moonlight, and begin to strap on my axes. Silas works quickly, keeping to himself to prepare as best he can for what’s ahead.
“How far are they?” I ask, my voice trembling.
“They will be in the harbor within the hour,” he bites back.
“How…how did we find this out?”
Silas pauses. “Larkin and Warrick were out patrolling after his fight with Fen and saw the ships over the horizon.” He takes a long breath. “They came back here immediately after seeing it and alerted me.”
“Fuck,” I whisper.
“Then, I had to come after you. You can’t let yourself get so exhausted anymore, and you have to stop thinking about her.”
“I wasn’t thinking about her,” I snap back.
He glares at me. “All you do is think about her. I know it. I can feel it.”
“Silas,” I extend my hand, and he takes it, placing it against his heart.
“It’s okay,” he says, defeat lacing his tone.
I focus on his rapidly beating heart. “I’m serious.”
“We don’t have time for this, my love. We need to go. We need to fight.” He turns his gaze toward the chaotic sea. “Now.”
“Maines,” I exclaim. “Will she and Rose be safe?”
“Warrick is placing another ward around the house now. He is skilled, so I’m confident they will stay safe and hidden. He taught Rose the Rigil of invisibility should things go wrong.” He cups my jaw. “She’s prepared to hide with Maines if the time comes.”
I feel panic rising in my throat, and Silas steps toward me, cupping my face once more.
“You need to focus; you can’t let fear take over.” His lips crash against mine for a moment. “Don’t let your guard down. Stay calm and fight, Briar. We don’t have any more time; we need to leave.”
I nod, my head barely moving.
“Larkin. Where is Larkin?” I ask.
“He’s preparing the ship to go out toward them, just like we planned. Do you still want to go with him?”
My chest heaves.
“Do you still want to join him on the front lines?”
I think for a moment, knowing how limited our time is, and swallow down the fear banging on my chest like a caged animal.
“Yes.”
He sighs, his gaze boring into mine, and a deep conflict dancing in his green eyes like flames. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Silas grabs my hand, and we dash out of the room.
Oak and Fen are in the center of the house, gathering weapons they can carry without being weighed down.
They glance in our direction and give us concerned looks before hurrying to finalize their preparations.
Rose stands in the kitchen, her hands firmly clutching a hot cup of tea.
The dark, steaming liquid in the mug trembles as I storm toward her.
“Hey, my shadow,” she says.
“Are you going to be alright?” I ask.
She smiles, setting her cup down on a nearby counter. “Of course, you are worried about me right now. We are going to be fine. I trust that big man to protect this house, and we have a backup should I notice anyone getting too close to the wards.”
I dip my head and wrap my arms around her. She nuzzles into my embrace and takes a second to stay in this moment.
Rose pulls back. “I need you to promise me that you'll be okay.”
I stare into her dark eyes and her beautifully aged face, quickly memorizing her features, so similar to my mother’s. I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and lean in to kiss her cheek.
I don’t respond, and she understands why. She knows I can never make that kind of promise to her, especially one that I may not be able to keep.
“You ready?” I hear Silas shout from across the room. “It’s time.”
The others walk toward him, draped in armor, and I hesitate to leave the house. So much beyond those balcony doors is uncertain. The howling wind rips into the room, and I close my eyes and steady my breath. I move to take a step forward when I hear a weak voice speak behind me.
“Briar?”
I whip around and see Maines standing just beyond the shadows of the hallway. Her trembling legs barely keep her upright, her under-eyes are a deep purple, and you can tell from a distance how weak she is. She leans against the wall, and my mouth drops open.
“My Gods.” I rush to her side, holding her upright as I wrap my arms around her slender waist.
A second later, Fen, Oak, and Silas are there, gawking at her presence as if we’ve all just seen a ghost.
Her lips curl into a faint smile. “Can you all stop looking at me as if I’m a creature of the night?”
“What the fuck are you doing out of bed?” Oak snaps.
She huffs. “I’m offended you all think you can leave without saying goodbye to me.”
Oak moves to her other side, wrapping his arm around her. “I said goodbye, darling. Now, please go lie down.” He kisses her temple. “Rose is staying to watch over you and the house.”
She stares at Fen, Silas, and me, and her eyes hold such sadness—such worry—that my heart shatters from her gaze.
“We will see you again very soon, Maines,” Silas says. “All of us.”
“Don’t say that,” she snaps. “Do not say things you don’t know are certain.”
“Go rest, and when you wake up, all of us will be back, and I mean all of us,” Fen says cheerfully, but it’s clearly faked.
“Don’t,” Maines whispers. “Don’t pretend.”
Fen and Silas drop their gazes, understanding the weight of her words and the gravity of the situation.
Her eyes shift to mine. “Promise me, Briar, that you will return.”
They all wait for my response, and I inhale deeply.
“I will come back, Maines. I promise.”
Oak moves her toward the hallway. “I’m going to lay her down, and I’ll shift to the pier to meet you all shortly.”
Maines keeps her gaze fixed on me while Oak gently guides her down the hallway toward the bedroom. I will keep my promise and return to this house, but I am uncertain if I will come back alive or dead after all this is over, and I know we all feel that way.
We move quickly across the living space and out into the open air of the balcony.
Even from this distance, I can hear the chaos on the pier.
Without hesitating, Fen shifts into the night, going to assist with prepping the kingdom as best we can for their arrival.
But, I know she moves quickly for one person—Warrick.
Silas wraps his hand around mine, and we both delve into our magic, drawing it forward to shift us there faster than we’ve ever traveled through the shadows.
We land on the wooden pier with a thud, and immediately I’m overwhelmed by the bustle of Wielders everywhere.
It may not be two ships’ worth of people, but I’m stunned by the civilians of Andorwood who are ready to help right now.
Silas also takes a moment to look around, slowly blinking in awe.
I glance toward him and watch him absorb the surroundings. His people have come to help.
Seconds later, a growing presence compels us to turn around to see Oak land on the pier in a bright white light. Fen stands nearby as well, and she scans the crowd, looking for one person and one person only.
“She’s not going to sleep anytime soon,” Oak says, walking toward us. “She is worried sick.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Silas responds. “Or blame her.”
Fen continues to scan the crowd, stepping toward a looming figure. A sigh leaves her lips, and she lowers her gaze in defeat.
“He’s coming,” Silas says, stepping forward.
Fen glances at her brother. “I don’t have time to wait.”
“You do,” Silas says.
“Tell him that I went to prepare the others,” Fen says. “Tell him I’m sorry for everything. Tell Warrick I choose him, and always will.”
Silas nudges her forward. “You tell him.”
Through the chaos, Fen goes rigid as she spots a large figure nearing us with intense purpose.
Warrick approaches, his wild hair contrasting with the dark weapons strapped all over his body.
His expression is both hard and panicked, and his gaze is fixed solely on Fenmore amid the distracting turmoil.
No one else matters to him right now but her.
I see Fen suck in a breath as he reaches us.
She doesn’t move and waits for him to make the first move, whatever that may be, after their last exchange.
Warrick bounds forward, not slowing his steps, and without a second thought, crashes against Fenmore.
Her chest heaves as he pulls her in, placing his head in the nape of her neck.
His arms wrap around her petite body, first around her waist, and then one hand slowly travels to the back of her head, pulling her in as close as possible.
She melts into his chest, and without words, I know they’re apologizing for the fight.
In this moment, their previous words don’t matter. What matters is making sure they know the love they have for one another before everything could change.
Silas turns his head, not wanting to watch the exchange between his best friend and sister, and for the first time, I see their lips meet. Warrick’s massive body looms over her, and she tilts her head as his lips crash into hers. His hand tangles in her hair as she slings both arms around his neck.
It’s passionate and messy.
It’s understanding and raw.
It’s them.
They pull apart, and his hand slowly traces her jaw. His gaze is steady, but neither speaks. They don’t need to.
His lips press against hers for a final kiss.
“I’m sorry,” Fen whispers.
“Me too,” he replies.
Fenmore smiles, but dips her head. “Everything is fucked, Warrick.”
He quickly lifts her head with the tip of his finger. “That’s life, baby, but I’m here to live in this fucked up world with you.”
She smiles as wide as her face allows, and he tucks a piece of fallen hair behind her ear. She inhales deeply, reveling in his proximity, and even on the brink of battle, she relaxes for a second.
“I choose you, Warrick,” she says, as she cups his face. “The rest we can figure out.”
He nods, pressing his forehead against hers, and smiles. “No matter the outcome of my life, my choices, needs, and wants are always you.”
“Always,” she whispers.