Chapter 51
Darrow
Watching my wife get betrayed publicly by her best friend was painful.
If Loden or Jax had done that to me, I might have killed them, and I doubted I’d ever be able to trust anyone again.
I wished I could have been on that field in my body to somehow shield her from the heartbreak, but I’d promised to keep a close eye on her until our forces reached the square.
I could only do that through the sebeska, so my body remained in our hidden staging area, in the opposite direction from which Aella and Faina had come to Balzour.
Several guards remained to protect me until I woke.
They gave me a nod and stepped outside once I sat up.
It took a few moments to orient myself inside the empty cabin we’d commandeered, gulp some water, and regain my bearings.
Once I was certain I wouldn’t stumble or fall, I teleported straight to the square.
I didn’t have the God of Wrath’s power this time, but hopefully I wouldn’t need it.
I searched for Aella immediately. She battled Elgord and Evrenn, though I had no idea when the baron had joined the fight, since I had left the sebeska right after she took down Ulmar.
I noted neither attempted to kill her. She wasn’t experienced enough with a blade to handle two opponents, especially my well-trained cousin.
Yet both were careful with how they aimed their weapons, giving away that they couldn’t do more than injure her. They must have been terrified of Unseelie retaliation. I needed to get her and my sister out of here soon, since they were both wanted by our enemies.
At least Faina wasn’t in any trouble. I glanced in her direction and found her straddling a dark elf, punching him in the face. Undoubtedly, she’d take his sword and slaughter anyone who got in her way.
I caught Commander Norvin staring at Aella with murderous rage. His expression told me he didn’t have any qualms about killing her, likely because of the goddess turning his daughter into a Cù Sìth. The elf wanted revenge, even though he’d brought it about by encouraging Sariyah’s betrayal.
He bellowed for one of the dark elves to give him a sword since my wife still had his. The fool hadn’t noticed me standing a short distance away when he accepted a blade from a Karganoth soldier who had an extra. That would be his last act after all he’d done.
I grabbed both men with my powers and snapped their necks.
They crumpled to the ground. For so long, I’d wanted to face the Therressian commander who led troops to butcher my people.
I would have preferred to take my time and make it a slow, painful death.
That’s what he deserved for killing Aella’s father, thereby putting her under the control of her brutal uncle for all this time, but I wouldn’t risk something happening to my wife while I sought my vengeance.
When I returned my attention to Aella, I found Baron Elgord gaping at me in shock.
It was easy to see the precise moment he realized magic worked in the square.
Horror transformed his features. He knew he was no match for me, but he had no idea I’d heard the filthy things he’d said a short time ago.
No one would get away with talking to my mate that way.
Grabbing him with my powers, I slammed him to the ground, knocking his head hard enough to render him unconscious. He would regret the day he ever laid eyes on Aella. Later, in a private place, I would play with him. He would know pain in ways he never imagined.
Next, I swung my gaze toward Evrenn, but she’d caught me attacking Elgord.
Aella managed to get a strike across her chest while she was distracted, slashing her skin open.
My cousin screamed in rage as she stepped back and pressed a hand to her bleeding wound.
I knew what she’d do next, but I couldn’t grab her fast enough. She teleported away.
“Dammit!”
Veronnian soldiers, along with a larger Andalagar force, broke through the line of dark elves into the square.
We couldn’t spare enough to outnumber the troops stationed here, but after making substantial promises based on Loden’s recommendations, Chief Orran had agreed to join the battle.
He hadn’t wasted time moving his warriors to meet us, leading me to think he even looked forward to it.
With black and red stripes painted across their faces, they howled as they rode on horses from different directions and slaughtered every enemy they could find with brutal intensity.
More came from the sky on their Pegasi, diving down to attack like wrathful angels.
Their blades were razor sharp, cleaving heads and limbs from bodies easily.
Hooves crushed skulls with loud crunches.
Orran’s forces were ruthless as they faced the Therressian and Karganoth contingents, who didn’t stand a chance.
I moved toward Aella, but she wasn’t paying attention to me.
Following her gaze, I caught sight of a light elf with short, dark blond hair.
He fought against one of the Veronnian soldiers who didn’t know his true identity.
Using my powers, I dragged him over to us.
The soldier he’d been battling gave me a confused look.
“He’s mine,” I called out, and gestured for him to go.
He nodded respectfully and ran to the next enemy.
“Camden, how good to see you.” I steadied him with a firm hand on his shoulder as he wobbled from his disorienting trip across the square. “Glad to see you’re in one piece.”
He glanced at Aella, then at me. “I was trying to work my way to your wife in case she needed help.”
“That’s good of you, but that’s my job.”
“Sorry.” He straightened. “I didn’t see you.”
“Your duties as my spy here are finished. Remove that awful uniform and then help these people off the poles,” I ordered.
“Umm.” He glanced around at the raging battle. “What will I wear?”
“I assume you have underclothes, so you may keep them and be grateful I allow that. The memory of you lying naked beside my wife is still too fresh,” I said, giving him a menacing look.
Aella smacked me in the arm. “Do we really need to go over the fact that you encouraged that?”
“You didn’t have to be so enthusiastic while sleeping with another man.”
Though I knew I was being unreasonable, since we had still seen each other as enemies back then, I was suffering under the restraint of not touching her for too long.
It had become so bad that her hitting me in the arm felt good.
Any touch from her was welcome, even if she broke my nose, I’d be happy right now.
She shook her head, frustration lining her bruised and bloody features. “I’m not going to argue with you because I’m really not in the mood.”
I wished I could heal all her wounds—physical and emotional.
“I’m sorry for what happened with Sariyah,” I said, giving her a solemn look.
Raw anguish surged across our bond, so deep it stole my breath.
It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, with my own emotions stunted.
How that level of sorrow, betrayal, and self-recrimination didn’t crush her, I didn’t know.
Embarrassment colored her cheeks as she realized what I could sense from her.
Did she think I’d find her foolish for trusting a childhood friend?
Rather, it pained me to watch more of her beautiful innocence torn from her.
Somehow, she reeled in her agonizing emotions little by little as I watched her expression turn blank. I hated that she felt the need to hide her feelings from me. In that moment, I realized I might never earn her trust after what happened today.
How could I, after all that others had done to her? I’d made some grave errors with her as well that couldn’t be easily forgotten. Still, I wouldn’t give up. Aella was worth fighting for, and maybe that would help her see her true value.
She gestured toward a pair of dark elves running toward us. I barely glanced at them before taking their hearts and crushing them. Those two knew who I was and had put up some defenses, but they were low-level and incapable of truly saving themselves.
“I don’t suppose a really terrible day will earn me a hard fucking?” she asked, lifting a brow.
As she waited for an answer, three Therressian soldiers ran toward us.
Aella sent a burst of wind that hurled them into the nearest building with crushing force.
I doubted they’d get up again. Watching her do it made me hard as a rock.
If not for my vow, I would have fucked her right then with the whole battlefield as our witness. We’d kill anyone who came near us.
“I told you before, I will gladly give you anything you want if you let me have what I requested,” I said, adjusting my pants. They were far too tight for my liking.
She glared at me. “The last thing I need is anyone pretending to be tender and caring, Dare.”
“I won’t be pretending,” I stated, taking a short step closer to her. “I would be showing you what I can’t fully feel but wish I could. Your body deserves to be worshiped.”
Someone cleared their throat from behind me. I’d known he was there, but I wasn’t ashamed to let him hear what I said to Aella. She needed to hear me say it, even if there were witnesses.
“We’ve defeated the enemy’s forces here, and we’re searching the town for anyone who might have hidden away,” Chief Orran said, moving into my view. “Could you save this conversation for later?”
I noted that the Pegasi had left the square and were now flying over streets and buildings as their riders scanned the ground below. No one in the open would be able to hide from them.
Aella turned to him, drawing a deep breath. “Sariyah betrayed me. It turns out she wasn’t my friend like I thought, and she was ready to hand me over to the Unseelie.”
The tribal leader stiffened. “Where is she now?”
“A goddess showed up and turned Sariyah into a Cù Sìth. Apparently, betraying a close friend deeply is how they all end up that way, so she’ll be stuck in the body of an ugly dog with a cruel mistress dictating her life until someone kills her,” Aella said.
Her voice lacked emotion, and I couldn't feel anything through the bond. She’d built a wall around herself.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Orran worked his jaw.
“I’d known her father was corrupt for decades and had my suspicions about her, but I’d never found evidence of her duplicity.
She played her part well and was good at hiding her motives.
It’s the real reason I wouldn’t let her stay in my territory even after the prince left.
I wanted her to believe I was interested in her, but I could only give her so much leeway without risking my people. ”
He’d suspected all this time? If we didn’t need him so badly as an ally, I would have punched him. I never left him in the dark when I had intelligence that affected him or his people. Perhaps I required a trade for it, but I didn’t hide it altogether.
My wife stared at him disbelievingly. “You didn’t think it was important enough to tell me?”
“I couldn’t risk you acting differently with your friend,” he said unapologetically. “As your husband knows, we do what we must to gain intelligence.”
He wasn’t wrong, considering I often manipulated people, but this was Aella. I glared at him. “By saying nothing, you risked her life, or worse, if the Unseelie had gotten a hold of her.”
“It was your friend’s plan, and when you brought it to me, I told you it was risky,” he replied, uncaring of my anger. “And as I said, I wasn’t sure of Sariyah yet. She might have been as innocent as your wife.”
Aella shook her head. “It’s done. I’ve learned a valuable lesson today on trust, so just let it go.”
There was so much more I wanted to say to both of them, but this wasn’t the time or place.
I forced myself to concentrate on our surroundings, realizing there truly were no more dark elves moving about.
Most of the Therressian forces were dead or captured.
The Andalagar had them lined up across the street, stripped of their weapons.
Everyone had been freed from the poles as well, with Camden wearing only tight briefs and a beige undershirt, tending to them.
A few others helped him, but he received many strange looks.
I pointed at Baron Elgord, who was slowly rising from the ground. “That one is my prisoner to take.”
Orran glanced at him and quirked a smile. “Only if you allow me a few minutes with him first. That elf has been a thorn in my side every time I needed holmium, and he tried to charge me far more than its value.”
“Just save me a few places to hurt him, and I’ll grab him before we leave.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Aella looked at the chief. “So you’ll be taking control of Balzour permanently now?”
“That’s the agreement,” he said, with a glint in his eyes.
The Andalagar hadn’t been interested in risking themselves outside their territory unless they had something to gain.
They would be taking the strip of land running from their southeast territory all the way down to Balzour.
Their new border stopped about where the dead zone began just southwest of town.
Orran had promised he’d give us fair deals on the holmium, with Aella receiving it free whenever she came to pick it up herself.
The prince, my father, my brother, and I had heatedly discussed it, but in the end, we’d agreed it was time for the natives of Zadrya to take back some of what they had lost. It was only fair.
Veronna hadn’t been able to purchase holmium from these mines for many centuries, so we were still better off than before when we’d always had to go to the ice giants.
I turned my attention to Aella, speaking into her mind to avoid being overheard. Let’s get Ulmar before the Andalagar realize you didn’t kill him.
He was still lying on the ground a short distance away, unconscious from blood loss.
Your cousin, Evrenn, is probably back at Ivory Castle, gathering more soldiers. I have a feeling she won’t relinquish this territory without a fight, Aella said, sighing.
I gave her a meaningful look. Everything worth having takes time and patience.
She swallowed and looked away.