Chapter 41
Chapter
Forty-One
“Draemornian troops are closing in on the castle grounds, I would predict that within a few hours—by midday at the latest—we will be in the depths of battle. Prepare yourselves to protect what's ours.” King Hawthorne sounded terrified, but I had a hard time focusing on his words.
My family's village was gone. Burned into ash. The place where I was raised, a pile of ruins. The village where my mother and sister lived. Destroyed.
There was no chance that they survived. Not if things really happened how Sawyer described them. And by the way the king spoke, I had no reason to doubt his claim.
My nails left indents in my sweating palms. I held back tears as my mind intruded on me, forcing me to vividly imagine their screams as they were suffocated beneath piles of rock and burning wood.
I couldn’t stop myself from picturing their charred carcasses, surrounded by smoke and lying in the rubble of my childhood home—now their grave.
I wanted to vomit. Cry. Scream. But an outburst wouldn't bring them back. I needed vengeance, and I would have it. King Beaumont and his piece of shit soldiers would soon learn just how powerful a product of Blythe was.
Glancing up, I noticed Sebastian staring at me. His eyebrows furrowed as he watched me intently, waiting for me to snap. But I wouldn't break. Not yet. There was work to do.
My hearing narrowed in on the tail end of King Hawthorne’s speech.
“The first years are not responsible to fight, but we need all the hands we can get, so if those in your combat groups are willing, please direct them accordingly.” He rose from his throne, stepping down the velvet steps to approach me.
“Yeah, yeah. I know. I have no choice but to fight. You don't need to remind me,” I snarled at him before he got a chance to speak.
He didn't flinch at my rudeness. “I want you to flee. The Draemornians are going to be coming after you. They want to take over the kingdom, yes, but they want you more. Leave the grounds, and stay hidden.”
My neck bounced back at his words. I certainly did not expect him to want me to hide. Shaking my head side to side, I dismissed the order. “No way in hell, Your Majesty. Beaumont’s soldiers just burned my family’s fucking home to the ground, meaning my mother and sister went down with it.”
Ignoring my choice of words, Aldous said, “This is an order, soldier. Protecting your gift is more important than you getting revenge.”
“What happened to me having to fight no matter the cost? Remember your whole broken arm, fighting even if I am laboring my child speech?”
Gasps emitted from the bystanders in the room, but I ignored them.
“I have changed my mind. Now leave.”
I put my hands on my hips, scowling at the king of Caelestis. I'd had more than enough of him controlling every aspect of my life. The worst part is that I'd let him. For almost a year I had let this man dictate my every move. Not anymore.
I was done.
Straightening my posture, I leaned my face close to his. “I'm not a coward. And you don't control me.” My words spat through bared teeth.
Turning from him, I stormed out of the throne room, leaving Caelestis’ ruler dumbfounded. I smirked to myself, proud of my long-awaited resistance to authority.
Footsteps followed me out, but I didn't look to see who it was.
“Maeve, can we talk about this, please?” Sebastian's voice of concern passed through one ear and out the other.
I kept walking, heading for my room to get my armor.
“Maeve?”
I closed in on the door of the soldier's housing.
“Maeve!” Sebastian cut in front of me, stopping the in entryway where I laid bleeding not long ago.
“Move,” I warned, my fists clenching by my sides.
He shook his head. “I know you're upset about your family, and you have every right to be, but you're not fighting this battle.”
His words came out as a demand, but I would not tolerate being bossed around by anyone right now—not even him.
“Upset?” I scoffed. “I'm not upset.” Jutting my shoulder into his chest, I pushed by him and started up the stairs. “I'm shattered. I'm devastated. I’m fucking pissed!” I yelled down the steps.
I barged into my room, immediately stripping my clothes off to change into something more combat appropriate.
I pulled on a pair of leather pants that matched my boots and a long sleeved top.
After tying my hair into a quick, messy braid, I moved to my desk, hunching over it and shuffling through the drawers trying to find my dagger.
Sebastian watched as I scrambled frantically around my room, collecting everything I needed to go destroy some Draemornian assholes. He came up behind me and tried to wrap his arms around me, but I turned out of his hold.
“Don’t,” I cautioned, knowing if he tried to talk some sense into me that I may just listen.
His shoulders drooped in defeat. “I will get on my knees and beg you if I have to. Please just let me bring you somewhere safe.”
I glared at him, chewing on the inside of my cheek as my anger boiled over.
I should have listened. Should have done as he advised. But there was no retribution if there was no pain, and I’d be damned if I let him avenge my family for me.
“No.” My hand secured around the dagger he gifted me and I sidestepped away from him, moving to sit on my bed so that I could tie my sheath.
“Gods, Maeve, come on!” Sebastian threw his arms in the air. “You almost died like, a week ago for fuck’s sake!”
“Yeah, but I didn't. Pia healed me and I’m fine,” I growled at him.
“But you almost did!”
I jumped back to my feet. “BUT I DIDN'T!” I screamed in his face.
My yelling didn't faze him. “Please. Just let me keep you safe—”
“Sebastian Aldous freakin’ Hawthorne!” I shouted, interjecting his plea.
His eyes widened at the use of his full name.
“You can either stand there and argue with me over something that I'm going to do anyway, or you can help me buckle this damn chest plate.” I rose to my feet and shuffled the armor that matched his over my head.
A muscle in his jaw ticked as he considered his options, neither of which he was thrilled with—his face gave that much away. He grunted in disapproval, but caved and stepped behind me to tighten the sides of my armor.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him, my tone relaxing as I met the mask of fear he wore.
“You better be, because I meant what I said—no veil or life or death will keep me from you.”
Amidst all the chaos, the prophecy had been tucked neatly away in the back of my mind. Though Blythe told me not to fear, adrenaline coursed through me at the idea that I might actually not be fine.
When he finished, I brushed my lips against Sebastian's, possibly our last kiss for the unforeseeable future—or forever if the prophecy ended with my demise. Then I packed a few things into my rucksack and tossed it over my shoulder.
“Just promise me you’ll stay by my side?” he asked.
“I promise,” I said dryly, unsure if that was a promise possible to truly keep.
Sighing in defeat, he offered me a soft smile as he backed away. “Let's go fuck up some Draemornians then.”
Smiling back at the man I loved, I prayed to the gods that this moment together wouldn't be our last.
“Everyone split into their training groups, then follow the orders your instructors have put in place for you.” Sebastian's voice boomed throughout the great hall, addressing all of the first years who were willing to fight.
Good thing he had more sense than his father and came up with a plan in case this happened.
Otherwise we would have been screwed. He stepped off of the pedestal, maneuvering his way through the crowd to my group.
Kohen followed him, glowering at Pia as he approached. He tried to talk her out of fighting, as well, but she wouldn't give in.
“Here's how this is going to go.” Kohen took charge, clasping his hands together behind his back.
“The Draemornian army is expected to attack by midday.
Most of the more experienced soldiers have really advanced mental shields, so don't bother using your powers as your first line of defense.
A swift stab of a blade will do the trick.
Many of you are going to die, so if anyone wants to change their mind, there's the door.” Kohen gestured to the exit.
“There's a group in the throne room waiting to go to the dungeons.
There's a tunnel down there that travels about a mile underground.
It will take you to a concealed exit chamber—where?
I can't disclose that because I don't know.
But that's your best bet at staying alive through all of this.”
“Did you know about that?” I bent to the side to whisper to Pia, figuring that she'd lived in the castle long enough to know its hidden passages.
She shook her head.
A few first years made a run for it, but most of us stayed. We knew what we signed up for.
“Our group is going to man the wards that surround the castle. We will be on the front lines, stopping the Draemornians from the second they step foot onto the grounds.” Sebastian's eyes rolled over me, and I could sense his apprehension from even this distance.
“If you don't have a weapon already, get your ass to the armory and get one, then make your way to the main gate,” Kohen ordered.
“NOW!” Sebastian yelled for added dramatization.
Our group separated, and Pia and I gathered in the front of the room with Sebastian and Kohen.
Sebastian ran a finger over my thigh, stopping at my sheath to remove my dagger. I raised an eyebrow as he pulled a small vile from his back pocket.
“What's that?” I watched as he wrenched the cap off my dagger and emptied the contents of the vile into the hollowed out center, careful not to spill any on himself.
“Poison.”
“What kind?”
“The kind that kills someone within minutes of simply touching their skin. Seconds if it enters the bloodstream.”
I winced, uncomfortable that I would have something so deadly strapped to me.
Sebastian twisted the cap back on, then resheathed the blade against my leg. “To put it lightly, don't screw up,” he warned when he met my distressed gaze.
“Very reassuring. Thanks.”
Sawyer joined us when he was done briefing his soldiers. “Those idiots are going to die.” He angled a thumb back at his group. “One of them just asked me how long I think this will take.”
“What you tell ‘em?” Kohen snorted.
“Few hours at most.”
“That's cruel,” Pia sneered. “You know damn well no war had ever finished in a few hours.”
“Maybe it will motivate them to try and make history,” Sawyer replied, then turned his gaze to me. “You need more than just a dagger, Maeve.”
I glanced at Pia, noticing that she had a few blades strapped to her. “Shit, yeah. Okay, I’ll run to the armory and then I’ll meet you guys outside.”
All four of them shot me down.
“You're not leaving my side, remember?” Sebastian argued, receiving an eye roll from me in response.
“I’ll go,” Sawyer offered. “What's your preference?”
Unsure, I looked to Sebastian for guidance. “I dunno. I’ve mostly only worked with a dagger.” I’d only used a sword a few times in practice and during the trials. I was much more confident with a dagger, but options were good.
“You should have a sword in a situation like this.” He turned to Sawyer. “Something light. A thin blade but sturdy hilt. Bring a sheath to go with it.”
Sawyer nodded, then took off in a jog.
“It's not too late, I can still bring you to the dungeons. You can get out of here,” Sebastian suggested as he turned back to me.
“No. I need to do this.” My family deserved retribution, and I would make damn sure they got it. Only then would I allow myself to grieve.
He puffed his cheeks out, nodding as his hand settled on the back of my armor and guided me out of the hall.