Chapter 25 Revelations
REVELATIONS
Sunlight shines through the open window in my bedroom and warms my face.
My first night in our rebel hideout felt like the first night of restorative sleep I’ve received since coming to Idirhalla.
Birds chirp merrily outside, and my mom’s smiling face gazes down at me from above the mantle.
It feels like at any moment she could sweep through the door and tell me breakfast is ready.
Every square inch of this place sings of my mother. My body feels whole, my mind feels quiet, contented even, and I’m excited about today’s challenge. I slowly ease myself up, propping against a pillow, when Mina barges in.
“I’m here!” she squeals, hurtling across the room. Her wings vanish a split second before she throws herself on my bed. I giggle as she flops herself on her side. “It was a race, and I beat Evander,” she snickers.
“Did he even stand a chance?” I ask, admiring the flush of her cheeks.
“Not even a little bit,” she smirks.
There’s a knock on the open door, and Mathilda peeks her head in. “I thought I heard you two in here.”
I pat the empty side of the bed, smiling up at her. “There’s room for you, too.”
Mathilda waltzes across the room, already dressed for the day in her leathers, but her wings are nowhere in sight as she snuggles down onto the bed with us. “Any trouble on the way here?” she asks Mina.
“None at all, but the rumor is that Lena has fled the capital after attacking Odessa’s mate in a fit of jealousy.” She rolls her eyes.
I gawk at them both. “Are you serious?”
They laugh loudly, but Mathilda speaks up, “I don’t understand why you’re surprised. Of course, they would spin something in their favor.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I know, but still,” I look between both of them, “gross.” Mina throws her head back and laughs, quickly followed by me and Mathilda.
There’s another knock on my door, and we all share a look. “Come in!” I call.
Lachlan pushes his way through the door, a tray full of food balanced in one hand. He pauses as he takes all of us in, sprawled across my bed.
“Uh, ladies,” he nods, “Key, I brought ye breakfast. Actions and all that,” he smirks.
The sight of him, all muscular lines clad in leather with breakfast in hand, has me fighting the urge to jump up and wrap my arms around him.
Mathilda looks at me and my budding smile before glaring at Lachlan. “Just leave it on the table.”
He purses his lips, annoyance flashes across his face, but he does as she instructs. He halts at the threshold before leaving. “Agatha wants to meet with ye in the throne room, so I’ll be right outside when you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” I call to him, but the door is already shut.
Mathilda frowns at the smile still on my face. “You can’t be serious,” she huffs.
Mina glances between us. “What’s going on? What did I miss?”
Mathilda stares me down, prompting me to fill Mina in like I did for her last night. I twirl a lock of hair around my finger, avoiding her eyes.
She groans with annoyance. “Lena here has had a crush on Lachlan her entire life. Her whole life, during which she didn’t know about the existence of this place, but Lachlan did.
” She gives me a look again before glancing back at Mina.
“Then he basically tricks her into coming here, and essentially betrays her.” I open my mouth to interject, but she cuts me off.
“Yeah, yeah, he brought you here for the betterment of the realm and to protect you, but still, he knew, and he didn’t tell you. ”
I stare down at my fingers, gently pulling at the threads of the burgundy duvet, and to my surprise, Mina pipes up. “So he didn’t handle it as he should have, but did he apologize?”
“Yes.”
“And did he mean it?”
“And then some,” I grumble, glaring at Mathilda.
“Then forgive him.”
My eyes flick to hers, but her eyes bounce between mine and Mathilda’s.
She sits up, clearing her throat. “Once is a mistake, twice is a choice, and three times, well, that’s just who they are at that point.”
I nod, agreeing, and even Mathilda sighs. “Fine.”
They clamber out of my bed. “Eat some breakfast and get dressed. We’ll see you after your meeting,” Mina calls over her shoulder before they leave my room.
Dressed in my new, unscathed leathers, my stomach full of delicious eggs and toast, I smile to myself before stepping out into the hall.
Lachlan is standing beside the door. His magnificent wings are out, and they take my breath away.
I’ve only ever seen them twice before, and besides the first time, never this close-up.
The raven-black feathers remind me of oil as they shimmer in the soft sunlight flooding in from the windows down the hall. My fingers itch to stroke a feather, but his knowing smile catches my eye.
“Impressive, huh?”
I roll my eyes at his arrogance. “You’re ridiculous,” I mutter.
“Right this way, my queen.” He grabs my hand and tugs me down the hallway.
Agatha is waiting for us in the throne room of the castle.
My feet echo against the stone floors as sunlight lights my path, streaming in from the second-story windows high above.
The shafts of sunlight spear through the room every few feet, making a pattern of light and shadow on the walkway to the large wooden throne at the far end of the room.
Agatha’s back is turned to us, her head bowed in supplication to the throne before our echoing steps reach her, and she rises. We come to a halt a few steps behind her, and a ghost of a smile lingers on her face when she takes in our conjoined hands.
“Today will be the first of many of your, hopefully, long rule, Lena. Let’s set a precedent, shall we?
” Her voice reverberates all around us, scattering the dust motes floating in the shaft of sunlight between us.
I look at Lachlan, but he’s already gazing at me.
His lips kick up into a small smile, giving me the support I desperately need.
I look back at Agatha, who is studying us closely.
“Let’s do this,” I say.
Her smile is broad and contagious. “Let’s get you in the ring, my queen.”
There must be something in the air here in Olundy.
My muscles are twitching with untapped energy as I bounce from foot to foot and shake out my shoulders.
My hair is braided back in one single plait down my back, the ends of it tickling my exposed lower back.
My new leathers are the same woven leather as my old ones, but the color is a richer chocolate brown.
Fit for a queen, Agatha had said on our walk here.
The training grounds are not as packed as they were yesterday, but at least a dozen warriors are doing various activities.
I hope that once they see me in action, it will help build their confidence in me.
No one has been outright rude, but I don’t have a firm reputation here, and I still need to earn their loyalty.
That will probably take months of hard work, but I understand that it’s not something that can be rushed.
If I’m going to lead them in the upcoming war or, at the very least, into this rebellion, I need their support.
Armed with my ax and a shield, I stare down Lachlan as he draws his sword and spins it from one hand to the other.
Show off. Tane, Mathilda, Evander, and Mina are present, leaning on the wooden fence rails or, in Mina’s case, perched on top of them.
Their expressions are a mix of bemusement and delight as they watch us circle each other.
Tane murmurs loudly to Evander, “I bet you a dozen cakes she kicks his ass.”
“I bet you a dozen he drops her in 2 minutes,” Evander scoffs, and his feathers ruffle.
I’m not offended. Evander hadn’t been able to train with me before we left the capital. Tane has a vested interest in my sparring capabilities, so he just smirks, stretching out his hand to shake on the bet.
“Let’s go, Lena!” Mathilda calls.
Mina raises a fist over her head and howls her best war cry. I shake my head, trying to ignore them, but a smile breaks across my face from their support.
Lachlan’s eyes narrow slightly, and like before, I see his moves play out like a movie in my mind before he side-steps in my direction, his sword slashing in line with his footwork.
I parry two of his blows with my ax hilt before using my shield on a glancing blow. His face gives nothing away, his expression remaining neutral. But I can’t help but smile as I think of how far my training has come in such a short amount of time.
His next maneuvers play out in my mind a split second before I have to dodge his swing. I recenter myself and struggle to clear my mind so the visions can come across sooner, but the cheers from our friends are making that difficult.
Taking a chance, I opt to go on the offensive when Lachlan pauses a beat, adjusting his stance, and I catch him off balance. He shuffles his feet to rebalance and block my blows, but the reverberation from the ax was something he was not prepared for.
My skin begins shimmering, and I force myself to use more of my power, a tingling spreading across my chest and into my limbs. I prepare for his next moves, but no visions come. The sight of my glittering skin is a distraction for him, and he lowers his sword.
His mouth drops open, and his eyes are full of wonder.
“Ho-ly gods,” Mina mutters, and our friends shield their eyes from my growing light.
A hush falls over the training ground, and I spin in place.
The light wasn’t this bright last time, and a warmth spreads from my chest. My necklace pulses more rapidly than it ever has before.
The dozen warriors on the grounds cease their activities.
The Affric Clan, with their yellow kilts, drop to one knee and bow their heads.
Other warriors only manage to stand and gawk. I hear the clatter of Lachlan’s sword on the ground and turn back to him. His eyes are even wider, the wonder edging on complete shock, before he, too, sinks to one knee and bows while covering his heart with a fist.