Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
WOLFE
Today was the day.
War.
When the sun rose, we'd leave Vyrenth Hollow, gather with the army at the camp in Zaynel, then portal to Kazavania.
For now, though, it was still dark. Still quiet. Still safe.
Elariya and I lay wrapped in each other's arms, watching the stars slowly fade from the sky as dawn approached.
She had her back pressed against my chest, but she held my hand. I’d watched her sleep after I made love to her, but she stirred not long after, her mind as troubled as mine.
That was several hours ago.
Her finger glided over my thumb. I stroked hers in response. She wanted to talk. I could feel the words in her mind pressing against the bond.
She’d been holding back, deciding which of the million things on her mind was most important. What could we talk about before the sun rose and our lives changed again.
“I love the Moonfrost flowers in the garden.” She spoke in a child-soft voice, the words cautious in the silence. “They’ve grown a lot this past week.”
“They’ll become even more vibrant in the weeks to come.” I continued stroking her finger. “In the summer they grow to the size of carriage wheels and look like the moon.”
“That must be beautiful.” There was a smile in her voice.
“It is. And the best fun when you’re a kid.”
She chuckled. “I was thinking that.”
“My parents used to bring us here every summer to visit my grandparents. We had the best time. Alaric, Zyrra, and me. We’d play through those flowers all day long, pretending they were air ships.”
“Sounds like fun.” She turned her head slightly.
“It was the best time of our lives. The plants and trees in the Magical Realm all have a soul. They love children most for their purity. I could almost feel the forest spirits watching us. But that was a long time ago. No children have played there since.”
“That’s sad.” Her voice dropped below a whisper.
I was silent for a moment then I thought I’d indulge myself. We still had a few more moments of peace. I could still dream. “Our children can play there. Just like I did.”
She turned. Fully. Her eyes locked with mine. The soft light from the hearth lit the wonder in her eyes.
“Our… children?” she reached up and cupped my jaw.
“Yes. Four of them.”
She smiled wide. “Two boys. Two girls.”
I nodded. “The girls will be as beautiful and adventurous as you. And the boys… gods help us.”
We both laughed.
“Dragon riders,” she said. “They’ll be as passionate about dragons as you are.”
“That sounds like our girls too if they’re anything like you.”
She stroked my beard and smiled. “Yes. That sounds right.”
We gazed at each other for a moment. Then the room brightened as the first ray of dawn peeked through the sky.
The lightness between us instantly dimmed, taking the dream with it.
“I want it Wolfe,” Elariya muttered, the desperation in her voice gripping me. “I want that dream. Children with you. Children who run through the forest, pretending the moon flowers are airships, and day dreaming of flying dragons. I want that with you.”
I took both her hands into mine and held them close to my heart. “I want the dream with you too. You are my reason. My reason to fight.”
She slipped her arms around my neck and held me. In her mind I heard her wish.
Come back to me.
I wanted to tell her I would.
We both knew I couldn’t. But she knew I’d try. Always.
The camp stirred beyond the tent.
I fastened the leather bracer around my forearm, testing the fit before reaching for the sword resting against the table. My armor had already been buckled into place. Every blade had been sharpened. Every plan made.
There was nothing left to prepare.
Only the waiting.
Elariya was with Laureth, spending a few final moments with her dragon before we marched. I’d summoned my Veythral and was waiting for them to arrive.
I wanted a few moments alone with them. Just us.
The tent flap shifted.
Alaric entered first, followed by Garrick, Bastian, and Arielle.
They were ready for battle.
They stood around me in a circle and we looked at one another.
After everything we'd survived together, it was strange to think this might be the last time we stood in the same room.
"Look at us. It feels like we've come so far," Arielle stated with a grin.
"Because we have," Bastian replied, his words holding more sentiment for the two of them.
She leaned into him for a brief moment before straightening.
Garrick folded his arms and shook his head with a crooked smile. "You know, this all started with a voyage to the Mortal Lands looking for a troublesome little thief."
"And somehow we came back with your mate," Bastian intoned.
Alaric tipped his head. “Then everything else happened.”
"I couldn't have asked for better friends," I said. “But the gods blessed me with more than that. I got the best family.”
They all looked at me, stunned. That was the warmest I’d ever been with them. I didn’t speak to them as their leader or their king. I spoke as though the same blood flowed through our veins.
Arielle pressed down on her back teeth, her eyes glossy. A tear ran down her cheek. "Oh no." She wiped it away. "I can’t cry before a battle."
A smile tugged at my lips.
"I think, under the circumstances, it would be understandable."
She crossed the room without another word and threw her arms around me.
I held her tightly.
“We have to make it through this,” she whispered against my neck.
“We better.” I brushed her hair, remembering the scared little girl who’d come to live with my family all those years ago. “Remember what I told you.”
“I remember.”
“Good.” I made her vow by blood oath to get herself and Elariya out of the battle if things grew beyond our control.
When she pulled away, I looked at them again.
“Everyone ready?” They each had their separate tasks.
They nodded as one. Just then the tent flap opened again and Kaem came in.
“Apologies your Grace.” He dipped his head. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but you have some visitors.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Visitors? From where?”
He held the flap open and in came all ten kings from the other Fae kingdoms across Vaelthorne.
My jaw dropped. “My… Kings.”
King Archemii from Heulyn was the first to step forward. “Young Nightblade. We’re not sure if we should be offended you never called for our aid. Or that we received word from the Seer of your plans. In any event we are here to march at your side.”
Emotion tightened my chest, a mixture of profound gratitude and overwhelming relief. This wasn't just about Galaythia anymore. Not just about the Nightblades—or me—fixing a problem we should never have had to face.
We were in this together.
I crossed the room before I even realized I was moving. Instead of offering my hand as I normally would, I embraced him.
“Thank you for coming,” I rasped.
“You are most welcome young Nightblade.”
We pulled apart and I looked at each of them.
“Your father would never forgive us, if we didn’t help,” King Paeulyn said with a deep chuckle, running a hand through his long white beard. “Your father could hand me my ass when he was alive. I wouldn’t want to suffer his wrath when we meet again in the afterlife.”
“I owe you my gratitude. All of you.”
“Let’s get these bastards.” King Archemii cracked his knuckles. “We can celebrate after. Maybe even coronate the new king of Galaythia.”
I grinned. “That sounds like an idea.”
“We come with twenty thousand warriors ready to fight.”
Twenty thousand. Gods be good.
In total we’d have twenty-six thousand strong. Finally, I felt optimistic.
I smiled and glanced back at the others. They looked more hopeful too.
“I think we’re ready to go.”