“I meant every word.”
“We know, which is why you make a great Queen. Above life and limb, you put your people first. You already had their loyalty, but today, you gained their respect.”
“Doyouthink I’m ready, Ser Aeron?”
A small smile played on his lips as he rounded the table to sit in the empty chair next to her. He engulfed her hands in his, his tone taking on a more serious note as he said, “No one is ready for what war brings, Auraelia. Not even me. It’s brutal. It’s exhausting. And you will lose more than just people when you step out onto that field. But if you hold on to who you are, you will win this. Just remember, you are allowed to bend, but never the knee. And under no circumstances are you allowed tobreak. Do you hear me? You are a strong, capable woman. And I amhonoredto fight by your side.”
“Your sister told me something similar not too long ago,” she said with a light chuckle.
“She’s a smart woman. Who do you think I got it from?” he replied, the smile returning to his face.
“Thank you. For—” She shook her head, her chest tightening as she held the gaze of the man who had done so much for her throughout her life. Who continued to do so. “Foreverything.”
“With my honor and my life, my Queen.” With a slight bow of his head, Ser Aeron stood and placed a kiss on Auraelia’s brow before excusing himself from the tent. As soon as the flaps fluttered closed behind him, they were pulled aside once more as Master Demir walked through.
“Your Majesty,” he said before dropping into the same bow she’d been receiving since she arrived at camp.
“Master Demir, please rise. What can I do for you?”
A smile stretched across his tanned face. “I believe it is I who can do something for you. Here.” As he gestured behind him, his son—Atticus—stepped through the opening with a long box in his hand. “It’s your sword, Your Majesty. She’s finished. As are the other weapons you asked for, though I’m not sure how you’ll carry all of them,” he said with a chuckle.
“The daggers aren’t for me; they’re for Lady Piper. She has an affinity for small sharp objects.”
“It’s true,” Piper said with a shrug as she pranced across the space excitedly to take the smaller box from Master Demir. “Thank you, sir.”
With a word of thanks, Auraelia took the box from the boy and brought it to the table, gasping as she opened the lid. Inside, nestled on a bed of green velvet so dark it could have been mistaken for black, was the most beautiful piece of craftsmanship she’d ever seen.
As she ran her fingers along the emerald inlay of the blade, her magic sparked in her veins, trailing out of the tips of her hands and setting the stone aglow. The swirls where the blade met the hilt were more defined than the last time she’d seen them, twisting and twining into little vines that translated all the way up the hilt.
“It’s stunning,” she breathed as she lifted it from the box, testing the weight and balance. “You are an artist, Master Demir. Thank you.”
“It was my honor, Your Majesty. May these weapons serve you both well.” He bowed his head, untied a sheath around his torso, and handed it to Auraelia. “A woman with a sword is an asset. A woman withtwo isdeadly. May the Goddess Rhayne guide you to victory, my Queen.”
Master Demir bowed at the waist, but as he turned to leave, Piper called out, “What about a woman with daggers?”
“She is both,” he said, throwing Piper a wink over his shoulder before exiting the tent.
Standing outside her tent, Auraelia shielded her brow from the midday sun as she watched Piper walk out into the open field and kneel down in the grass—her head bowed as she slid her fingers across the blades.
“What’s she doing?” Xander asked as he leaned on the support post beside his sister.
“I think she’s trying to see if she can pull a vision. See if she can ascertain the outcome before it starts and give us an edge.”
“Do you think it will work?”
Auraelia shrugged, her gaze still focused yards away on her friend. “I don’t know. I hope so, but she’s still trying to understand her triggers.” Blowing out a heavy sigh, she turned toward her brother and asked, “Has there been any word from the Court of Opal?”
Pity filled Xander’s eyes as he looked her way, and that was all she needed.
When she turned back toward the field, Xander wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, you need to eat.”
Nodding, she let him lead her back into the tent where a plate of roast, carrots, and bread sat steaming on the tabletop. “Havethe men eaten? Haveyou?” she asked when she noticed only one place setting.
“Yes, and yes. Aiden and I wandered about to meet some of the men and ate when they did. We’re fine, Rae.Eat, please.”
As if on cue, her stomach rumbled, and she gave her brother a sheepish smile before digging into her plate.
She was nearly halfway done when all hell broke loose outside. “What the hell is going on?”
