Chaos swarmed around us between the cries and sharp orders. A heady fear permeated the tension-filled space.
A few Fae appeared along the outskirts of the arena, where they’d watched the marriage trials not long ago, standing huddled together in small groups as they stared at the growing number of ancient birds.
Behind us, I could see over the back of the arena toward the palace, where staff that had been outside ran toward safety or hid behind bushes—anything to save themselves from the beasts.
“Lana, watch out,” Kade shouted as a royal guard threw a javelin at a strox that had already landed on the arena ground. The weapon passed right over my head as Kade’s shadows yanked me back to avoid being hurt. The javelin hit the strox in one of his wings, and the bird let out a pained yelp.
Whipping myself around, I searched for the guard responsible. It took me a minute to spot him a few feet away looking mighty impressed with himself and calling to others to follow his lead.
“You,” I seethed. “Throw one more weapon at the strox and I will feed you to them for dinner. Do you understand?”
The guard appeared perplexed, shock paling his face. “Your Majesty, they’ll attack. There’s too many.”
“Do not harm them,” I yelled.
The guard bowed his head in shame. “I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“Tell your comrades now. No one attacks. Go.”
It couldn’t hurt to have the guards spreading the word among themselves while Ian and Raya tried to get to the leaders as well.
The guard ran toward a group of Fae working on loading a flaming ball into a catapult.
I finally made it onto the arena floor, and the sight took my breath away. There were so many strox, more than I thought even existed. I felt Apollo hum in its sheath, alive with power as if this was where we were meant to be, alongside the ancient birds.
“Jax,” I called over my shoulder. “Go with Leif and Kalliah to block the tunnel entrance. The more people running in, the harder it will be to maintain order.”
“On it,” he shouted, tugging Kalliah and Leif behind him.
Kade and Storm remained by my side, Kade’s shadows trailing behind me as I slowly approached the beautiful yet frightening beasts.
A few guards called my name, running down the stairs we’d descended from. “I’ve got them,” Storm said, turning to approach them.
The strox who had been shot jolted forward toward the guards with the catapult, and I ran. If this one attacked, there would be no convincing the guards to stop.
I skidded to a halt in front of the strox, holding up my hands in front of him.
While Evelyn had assured me they wouldn’t harm me and they’d even helped Jax hunt in the woods, the sheer number of them overwhelmed me, making me freeze.
My heart pounded, and even though the sun was setting, it glowed brighter, pulsing as if encouraging me with its rays illuminating the field.
Cautiously, I skirted around the edge of the arena, maintaining eye contact with the injured strox. Its gaze followed me instead of attacking, allowing me to guide its attention away from the catapult. While the injured strox fixated on me, the other beasts all positioned their bodies to face the dais. I glancedover my shoulder and looked toward it from this angle. The once pristine white marble pillars were now cracked, fissures flowing down. One of the front pillars had crumbled completely.
Suddenly, the sound of beating wings and beasts slamming to the ground ceased. The guards’ shouting died down, and a calm silence descended over the arena. I still held up my hands toward the wounded strox, though it had calmed significantly and stood side by side with the others.
Emotions flooded me as I stood on the field. The last time I was here, my mother was alive. I’d seen my parents together for the last time without even realizing it. Then I’d run into battle, not knowing if I’d live to see another day, yet pushing myself toward the fight without magic anyway. Swallowing down the fear of what was happening in my home in order to defend it. While the same was true today, I knew this time, my death wouldn’t be at these beasts’ hands.
This time, I had the power to prevent the battle between beast and man.
I lowered my hands, watching some of the guards and staff come out of hiding and move slowly into the open. Seeing people here, knowing the dais stood behind me where I’d watched my trials alongside my parents, where I’d watched Kade and Ian, my breath hitched. Grief, love, anger, all of it welled inside and coursed through my body.
A vice tightened around my chest. How had so much happened in such a short amount of time? My voice caught in my throat as tears streamed down my face. It took me several moments to gather myself before standing tall in front of the strox.
Kade’s shadows whispered at my feet, and the light inside of me warmed at their touch.
He let me stand tall before them, on my own, just as he always did. Waiting beside me in case I needed him but allowing me to do what I had to.
One of the strox in the front took a step forward, slowly, almost reverently. As I met its black-eyed gaze, I knew why they’d come.
