“Have you come to aid us?” I asked.
The strox raised and lowered its head once.
I touched my fingers to my lips, in awe of what the strox’s help could provide and that they’d come without being called. They’d come to defend our home. Their home.
I reached forward, touching my hand to the creature’s beak.
“Thank you,” I whispered, goose bumps lining my arms.
Despite the misunderstandings, the trouble they’d faced before from us, they were willing to fight for what was right. Willing to fight for us.
I stroked my hand gently over the strox’s beak, curling my fingers around its face before I looked up into the beast’s eyes. Hoping I’d conveyed my gratitude, I scanned as many of them as I could, making eye contact with each.
The strox in front of me stepped back, away from my touch, and dipped his head, bending forward before lowering his beak to the ground.
One by one, the rows of strox behind him followed his lead and bowed before me.
Bowed before Evelyn’s line in a time when we needed them desperately.
Bowed before a queen.
Chapter 36
Lana
Silence hung in the air.
The chaos of the strox taking over the arena had vanished as the magnificent creatures remained bent to the crown. The royal guards stood frozen in place, jaws open in shock at the sight. One guard rubbed his eyes as if it were a dream.
Kade’s shadows remained pooled at my feet, and I sensed him approaching from behind. He stepped around me, facing me as he too got down on bended knee. “Your Majesty.”
“Are you crazy? Get up.” I grabbed his hand and tried pulling him to me. The strox along the front line raised their heads slightly, eying the two of us carefully. “You do realize you are a king, right?”
Kade smiled but shook his head.
Movement rustled in the silence, and I looked up only to be rendered speechless as goose bumps prickled the back of my neck.
The Fae in the arena, every single one of them, dropped to their knees as well, followed by the royal guards. Fists over their hearts as they bowed their heads. I watched awestruck, my heart palpitating in a nervous rhythm. I glanced toward Ian to see hisreaction but found him kneeling as well, a smile plastered across his face.
All my friends bowed alongside the rest of the Fae gathered here. My lip quivered as a resolve, unwavering and steady, beat in my chest. I wished those I’d lost could be here to see this. Not the bowed heads, but the people coming together as one in the face of danger.
“Do you remember what I said to you after the festival?” Kade’s voice floated to my ears. “Look around, Lana. You’ve brought not just me but an army of Fae, your friends, the guard, your kingdom, and even the damn strox to their knees. You will lead us to victory. It was the role you were born to play, a queen not sitting idly by anyone’s side but leading this world. Our world.” He reached for my hand, kissing my palm. “Besides, every good king knows it’s really the queen who rules the land.” He chuckled, grinning up at me.
I let out my own laugh and tugged on his hand. “Please,” I whispered, so nervous for what this all meant. “Stand with me.”
He rose, followed by the strox and everyone else. He intertwined our fingers together as we faced our people.
I signaled to the Royal Guard, waving for them to approach. Those farther away ran closer, gathering with those already awaiting instructions. Ian and the others funneled people closer to the dais. Despite watching the strox bow before me, they remained cautious as they skirted around the edge of the arena, putting as much room as possible between them and the battle birds.
The guards settled into formation to my left, still tense and breathing heavily, but present. I allowed them a moment to catch their breath before giving them my set of commands.
“The strox are on our side. They will not harm you if you do not harm them. They are loyal to me.” I paused, allowing the information to settle. Once satisfied the initial shock had wornoff, I continued. “We have a powerful ally, and they will join us in our fight against Thames. Rest. Sleep, if you can. We leave at dawn for the border. Ready your weapons—the time for battle has come.” My chest tightened as the words left my mouth.
So it begins.
“All hail Queen Illiana,” a voice rang out from the guards. Others followed, chanting in unison before they marched away to prepare for our early departure.
My friends made their way toward Kade and me as the reality of what we were about to do set in. I had given the command; the decision had been made. Tomorrow we would leave to find Thames and battle for Atheria.
