Chapter 80 Lennox
LENNOX
If all went according to plan this war would be over today.
Adreona and Keziq would be dead. The future of vampires and the good of Lethenia secured.
It felt like deja vu. Like I was living the day on repeat, thinking this would be the day this war ended.
How many days would feel like this? Would today truly be the last?
I said my last goodbyes once again, just in case.
Gave the army a rallying speech.
It already felt like it had less of an impact. It was the same words I told them each time before we entered into battle, just a slightly different variation.
But if that’s what I needed to do day after day until this battle was won, I’d do it.
The army still cheered, their voices rumbling the forest as they raised their weapons and fists into the air, echoing my battle cry.
But here I sat, with Luka in an open pocket in the forest, in what used to be a village but was now nothing but depleted buildings.
Our soldiers had started the rumor of our location hours ago, but still, there was no sign of Adreona or her army, so we waited.
And waited.
“What if she never comes? Do we wait here all night, or do we go back to camp?” I kicked at a rock, sending it scattering into the rubble.
“It’s still early.”
“But—”
I turned my gaze skyward at the sound of flapping wings. My hair blew around my face as Declan landed with a thud.
“There’s a group of soldiers coming this way, way more than we’re prepared for.”
“She brought her entire fucking army, didn’t she?”
“It looks like it. I already sent a few flyers back to get the rest of the soldiers. They should be here within the hour but—”
“But Adreona’s army will be here before then, won’t they?”
The harpy nodded.
“So we hold them off until then, hope we can get to Adreona and Keziq before it’s too late.”
“I’ll tell my scouts to keep an eye out for her, but we’re going to have to hold them back until backup gets here.”
I unsheathed my sword. “What are we waiting for?”
A cry tore from my throat as we ran through the forest, weapons raised as we crashed head-first into our enemy.
The clang of steel rang out over the forest.
Blood splattered across my face, I didn’t even have time to wipe it away as I thrust my sword upwards into the soldier’s chest. I leapt out of the way as they fell toward me, removing my sword as I turned toward my next opponent.
There were so many of them. Declan had warned us but—we were severely outnumbered. They hadn’t brought their army, they had brought Dhampirs too. They ripped through the forest with vicious growls. Swords alone wouldn’t cut it today.
“Luka!”
“Yeah?” I cut down opponents as I moved in the direction of his voice.
“I need you to cover me.” I slid my sword across a female’s neck, blood gurgled from her lips as she slumped to the ground.
“I’m here. I’ve got you.”
I sheathed my sword and closed my eyes. I outstretched my palms, sending out my magic.
The fighting had just begun, our soldiers hadn’t managed to infiltrate their frontlines yet past the Dhampirs.
My magic snaked along the ground, past the soldiers facing off, shifting until it met the soldiers farther back in their lines.
I closed my hands into fists.
The ground rumbled beneath me, but I held firm. I tugged at my magic watching as the ground crumbled beneath half of Adreona’s army.
Screams pierced the air, but I ignored them, the corner of my mouth hitching up an inch as I watched Adreona’s army disappear into the ground.
“That should hold them off for a while,” Luka said from behind.
An exasperated scream pierced the air. “She’s here,” I muttered. “Adreona is here.”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes.” I’d heard that scream of frustration more times than I could count. “We need to get to her.”
I removed Minerva from its sheath once again. “Let’s go.”
Luka and I fought our way through the remains of Adreona’s army, our friends at our backs with the rest of our small legion following behind them.
I could feel us getting closer to Adreona with every step we took. I didn’t know how, but by some twisted turn of fate, I could feel her.
When we reached the sinkhole I created, I used my magic again to manipulate the earth, along with my water magic to make a bridge across the cavern.
As we crossed the ice bridge, I didn’t look below at the soldiers who pleaded for our assistance.
Adreona’s soldiers were waiting for us on the other side, the ones that had managed to escape my manipulation of the earth.
“There she is.” I spotted their leader at the back of their legion,
Adreona’s gaze slid to me, her few remaining soldiers parting to clear a path between us.
“Where’s your witch?” My voice rang out over the battlefield.
“I’m right here.” Keziq made her presence known as she appeared out from the shadows.
“This ends here,” I told the pair.
“What are you asking for? A fight to the death?” She let out a harsh laugh.
“That’s exactly what I’m asking for.” I tightened my hold on my sword. One way or another, this ends today. Not all of us would walk off this battlefield.
Luka’s swords glimmered in his hands as he stood at my side.
I heard footsteps crunching behind me. I knew without looking who it was.
Blood and dirt crusted Kara’s face, her blonde hair windblown.
Luce’s staff glinted in the sunlight, her black rotting vein pulsing against her skin.
Nico had shifted back into his wolf form, his silver coat crusted with blood and dirt.
Declan’s wings were spread wide, his black feathers still shining.
Together. We’d meet the end together.
Whatever end it would be.
Adreona’s guards closed in, we were outnumbered, but we had something they didn’t have.
A thirst for blood. Vengeance.
They’d put me through fucking hell.
This went even farther back than my parent’s death, and my brother being held for three years as a hostage.
It went back to Luka’s cousin Este’s disappearance, her death.
All of it—I’d get vengeance for it all.
And we’d come out on the other side with a better Lethenia.
We had vengeance, but we also had hope.
“No more guards doing your fighting for you, just you and me.”
Adreona scoffed. “That shows you’re not a true queen, are you? A true queen lets others fight her battles for her.”
“Well, I’ve never thought of myself as a true queen, so why start now.”
A cry tore from my throat as I ran toward her. Her hands went to her face as her guards closed around her.
A figure danced to the right, a flash of dark hair sneaking between the shadows.
“Luka! Don’t let Keziq get away!”
“I’m on it, Sweetheart.”