Chapter 59
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
PHOENIX
Naita soars through the skies, my heart soaring with her.
I’ve never felt so exhilarated before. I watch the streets of Jaakii stretch miles below as we head for the castle. Naita slows down a bit as she circles the castle grounds a few times, and with one powerful screech that echoes through the whole city, she lands right at the entrance.
Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I slide off her. The moment my feet hit the ground, Ezkai Bjorn and Ezkai Emil rush outside. The moment they notice the magnificent dragon next to me, their steps halt, eyes wide.
“General,” Emil mutters and both of them immediately kneel with their fists pressed to their hearts.
“Rise,” I say and wave at them. “This is Naita.”
I’m giddy with excitement.
“Where’s Jax and Vera?” I ask once they rise, still in awe at the dragon sitting behind me. “I need them to come see this.”
Ezkai Bjorn recovers first. “They’re in their rooms, General. The Taaslord is looking for you.”
“Great,” I say. “I want Noire to meet Naita, too.”
Right then, Noire walks out, his long black robes trailing behind him dramatically. His gaze snaps to Naita immediately, but he doesn’t look surprised.
“Look, Noire! Naita came back to find me,” I say, smiling from ear to ear.
Maybe not all is lost, yet.
Noire dips his chin in acknowledgment and says, “I never doubted that your intuition about the connection was correct, General.”
My smile only grows at his words. I did expect him to be a little more excited, though. He looks…oddly calm.
“Why were you looking for me?” I cock my head to the side.
He pauses for a beat before saying, “You have guests.”
“What guests?” I glance back at Naita. “Can it wait? I want Vera and Jax to meet Naita.”
“I think you’ll want to take this meeting,” he says. That gets my attention. “It’s Royal Commander Axel Dukas.”
His name on Noire’s lips is like a punch to my stomach. Cold seeps into my bones at the mention of the man who murdered my family in cold blood. Cold flames of rage simmer to the surface. Naita behind me growls lightly.
Noire’s gaze snaps to her over my shoulder before returning to me. “He’s not alone, General.”
“King Francis is here, too?”
“No. It’s…someone else.”
I glare at Noire for a heartbeat before giving him a sharp nod. With one last glance at Naita, I follow Noire inside.
He leads, our steps echoing in the stony corridors, as we make our way toward the war room. With each passing heartbeat, anxiety claws at my chest. But it’s losing a battle against the cold flames of rage that threaten to consume me.
I can’t lose my shit, despite it all. Not right now. Not ever.
I’m the Ezkai General. I must act like one even if I desire nothing more than to bury my blade in Axel’s heart and watch as he bleeds out.
Inhale.
Exhale.
I don’t feel.
I don’t think.
I simply am.
A steady mountain.
Noire pauses when we approach the door before he pushes them open. He steps to the side, allowing me to enter first.
With my head held high, heart beating steadily, I enter the war room. Whatever I expected, it wasn’t silence.
Axel Dukas stands by the table with the Ekios map, hands folded behind his back. My fingers find the handle of my blade on instinct.
But it’s the figures by the window that stop me cold.
“General.” Axel acknowledges me with the official Ekiosh greeting. “Thank you for seeing us.”
My gaze wanders away from him, to the four strangers. One man, three women. All human. Not Royal Guards, dressed in simple brown leathers. A little worn, but tidy.
My mind reels as it tries to process what I’m seeing.
Who I’m seeing.
When I meet the familiar hazel eyes, it hits me like a ton of bricks.
Startled, I take a step back.
No—
It can’t be.
The woman steps forward, her eyes soft and full of unshed tears. “Phoenix—”
I stare at her in horror.
“General—” Noire says but my brain doesn’t register his words.
I can’t stop staring at the four people who look just like my family.
I shake my head. “No. You’re dead. You died.” I throw Axel a glare. “You set our home on fire.”
Axel is calm and collected as he keeps my gaze, but says nothing.
My father’s familiar voice cutting through the silence makes me flinch. “Phoenix, he didn’t kill us. He saved us.”
This can’t be happening.
I—I watched Axel order his men to burn the house.
My family—they were inside. I heard their screams as they burned. Didn’t I?
The scent of burning flesh is lodged in my throat to this day—
Was it theirs, or mine?
My hands tremble at my sides as dreadful realization dawns on me slowly.
All of it was for nothing?
They are supposed to be dead. The thought spins and spins, refusing to settle.
If they’re alive…
Then what was all of this for?
While imprisoned, Jax imagined only one thing… her.
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