Chapter 36
Lana
Silence hung in the air.
The chaos of the strox taking over the arena had vanished as the magnificent creatures remained bent to the crown. The royal guards stood frozen in place, jaws open in shock at the sight. One guard rubbed his eyes as if it were a dream.
Kade’s shadows remained pooled at my feet, and I sensed him approaching from behind. He stepped around me, facing me as he too got down on bended knee. “Your Majesty.”
“Are you crazy? Get up.” I grabbed his hand and tried pulling him to me. The strox along the front line raised their heads slightly, eying the two of us carefully. “You do realize you are a king, right?”
Kade smiled but shook his head.
Movement rustled in the silence, and I looked up only to be rendered speechless as goose bumps prickled the back of my neck.
The Fae in the arena, every single one of them, dropped to their knees as well, followed by the royal guards.
Fists over their hearts as they bowed their heads.
I watched awestruck, my heart palpitating in a nervous rhythm.
I glanced toward Ian to see his reaction but found him kneeling as well, a smile plastered across his face.
All my friends bowed alongside the rest of the Fae gathered here. My lip quivered as a resolve, unwavering and steady, beat in my chest. I wished those I’d lost could be here to see this. Not the bowed heads, but the people coming together as one in the face of danger.
“Do you remember what I said to you after the festival?” Kade’s voice floated to my ears.
“Look around, Lana. You’ve brought not just me but an army of Fae, your friends, the guard, your kingdom, and even the damn strox to their knees.
You will lead us to victory. It was the role you were born to play, a queen not sitting idly by anyone’s side but leading this world.
Our world.” He reached for my hand, kissing my palm.
“Besides, every good king knows it’s really the queen who rules the land. ” He chuckled, grinning up at me.
I let out my own laugh and tugged on his hand. “Please,” I whispered, so nervous for what this all meant. “Stand with me.”
He rose, followed by the strox and everyone else. He intertwined our fingers together as we faced our people.
I signaled to the Royal Guard, waving for them to approach.
Those farther away ran closer, gathering with those already awaiting instructions.
Ian and the others funneled people closer to the dais.
Despite watching the strox bow before me, they remained cautious as they skirted around the edge of the arena, putting as much room as possible between them and the battle birds.
The guards settled into formation to my left, still tense and breathing heavily, but present. I allowed them a moment to catch their breath before giving them my set of commands.
“The strox are on our side. They will not harm you if you do not harm them. They are loyal to me.” I paused, allowing the information to settle.
Once satisfied the initial shock had worn off, I continued.
“We have a powerful ally, and they will join us in our fight against Thames. Rest. Sleep, if you can. We leave at dawn for the border. Ready your weapons—the time for battle has come.” My chest tightened as the words left my mouth.
So it begins.
“All hail Queen Illiana,” a voice rang out from the guards. Others followed, chanting in unison before they marched away to prepare for our early departure.
My friends made their way toward Kade and me as the reality of what we were about to do set in. I had given the command; the decision had been made. Tomorrow we would leave to find Thames and battle for Atheria.
“So, uhm.” Jax cocked an eyebrow, his focus solely on the strox. He crossed and uncrossed his arms, restless watching the birds. “What are we supposed to do with all of them?”
My breath caught as a weight solidified in my chest. “Corbin would have known what to do. He had a way with animals unlike any Fae I’ve ever seen. You would have thought that was his actual magic.”
“He had a way with everyone,” Ian chimed in, remembering his friend. “Trust me. You thought I was the playboy? You have no idea.”
Raya playfully smacked his chest, and he kissed the side of her head before sobering. “He would’ve figured out how to care for them and loved it.” Ian pursed his lips, holding Raya tighter to his side.
I could tell Ian was trying to keep himself together. He always relied on Corbin as a confidant, especially when it came to Hidden Henchman activities. The bond between them had been special, and I prayed we could end this so my friends could grieve. So we all could.
“What do you think they eat?” Jax mused, his sole focus on the strox.
Kalliah rolled her eyes, standing with her hands on her hips next to Ian. “Why are you always talking about food?”
“What?” Jax put up his hands in confusion.
“I mean, they’ve got to eat at some point, and I don’t want any of us to become a late-night snack.
We need them at their fullest potential.
” He eyed the creatures warily one more time.
“You know, I’d just like to state for the record, I don’t think I’m the most qualified for dinner duty. ”
“Chicken,” I muttered under my breath.
Jax winked at me. “They answer to you, Your Majesty. Not your favorite general, Jax Wilder.”
“Did you actually get promoted?” Raya snorted.
Jax dramatically let his jaw drop. “Excuse me? It’s a very busy time for Her Royal Highness. It’s at the top of her to do list, already a done deal.”
I laughed, realizing just how far Jax had burrowed into my heart. His levity, his playfulness. He’d been through so much too, but he didn’t let it change him.
Storm stepped forward. “Come on, Kade. Let’s go before Jax promotes himself to a prince or some shit. We’ll go figure out what to do with the strox.”
Kade looked slightly dejected but resigned himself to join Storm. He pinched my chin between his finger and thumb. “I’m in awe of you,” he said, quickly planting a kiss on my cheek before making his way to the arena steps and huddling to devise a plan.
“Be good to my ferocious friends,” I yelled as they walked away.
Kade and Storm turned and bowed in jest. “As Your Majesty commands.” Storm smiled.
I didn’t want Kade anywhere else but by my side, but if he had to be with anyone, I was glad it was Storm.
The bond between us tightened, my chest expanding to enclose the enormity of my feelings.
It begged to remain close to him, not just from desire, but from the unknown of what still lay ahead.
At the forefront of that fear was the knowledge that the prophecy had yet to be fulfilled. The darkness in Kade still remained.
Bickering beside me brought me back from my concerns.
“Is there a duty you do think you’re qualified for?” Kalliah asked with a slight smirk.
Mischief glimmered in Jax’s eyes. “I’m going to get some dinner for us, but save me a spot in your room tonight, Kalliah. I can show you exactly what I’m most qualified to perform.” He winked and disappeared quickly back toward the castle.
“You can’t be trusted alone in that kitchen, Jax,” Leif shouted, running after him. “I’ll come with you to make sure you don’t break anything, or Lucinda will have my neck. I refuse to be fired because of your incompetence.”
Kalliah sighed, letting her head fall back. “Because Leif is the person who never pisses Lucinda off.” She shot me a look that I couldn’t decipher as exasperated or happy, but she ran to catch up with Jax and Leif. “Meet you in your room in an hour, Lana.”
Ian and I couldn’t help but laugh. I was beyond pleased my best friend had found the love of not just one but two men.
“I promise I won’t fire you,” I said, crossing my fingers over my heart. “Or Leif.” I narrowed my eyes. “And apparently, not Jax either.”
Draped across the chaise, I shoved the last bite of biscuit smothered in jam into my mouth. Despite how unladylike it may have been, I licked the sticky sweet substance from my fingers.
Ian and Kalliah sat across from each other in front of the unlit fireplace, inhaling the last pieces of their dessert.
“My compliments to the chef.” I nodded toward Kalliah, savoring every last bite of the sweet bread.
“You know, for as ridiculous as Leif is sometimes, he really is a fantastic baker.” Kalliah wiped her hands on a nearby napkin.
“He may have taught me a thing or two over the years.” She leaned forward, whispering, “The secret is honey in the dough, but don’t you ever tell him I shared his family secret. I’ll deny it until the day I die.”
I giggled. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Besides,” she added, “pretty sure the only reason Lucinda hasn’t given him the boot from the kitchen is because no one else knows how he does it.”
I laughed. “Lucinda deserves a raise, I think.”
Ian walked toward the window closest to where I lay on the chaise, distracted by something. He looked out at the garden and took a deep breath. “Once tomorrow starts, there’s no going back.”
My shoulders slumped forward as the nervous energy for our path ahead returned. I wanted to spare the people I loved from the road we traveled.
Kalliah moved to sit next to me, squeezing onto the chaise, and Ian turned to face us.
“We have fought our entire lives to survive, but this will be the hardest battle yet. I just—” Ian paused, running his fingers through his loose hair.
“I need you both to know how much I love and admire you. It has been a privilege to be your friend for all these years.”
It felt like all I did was cry lately. The burden of the kingdom, the grief that had come with this fight—they were constant companions whose only outlet seemed to be through tears.
I didn’t know how else to respond though.
Even Kalliah looked like she was ready to burst into tears, a rarity when it came to her.