“Queen Asteria.” I turned and found a human man standing before me. He bowed his head in greeting, long pale hair tumbling forward. “I’m Einer. I was one of the humans who fought in the battle against Aelius’s forces.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Einer,” I told him honestly once he’d raised his grey eyes to meet mine. “I thank you for fighting. It’s incredible to see other humans finally rising up against slavery.”
“Knowing there’s a chance for freedom…” He shook his head in amazement. “There was no way we couldn’t fight. We’ve accepted our lot for much too long.”
“Agreed,” I said fiercely, and Einar smiled widely.
“And knowing the future Fae queen had, until recently, beenhuman.” He chuckled. “That’s something you don’t see every day. The more we heard, the more we realized that now was the time. Between you and what King Calix has accomplished, the humans of Celesterra finally have a chance.” Tears filled his eyes, and I grabbed his hands, squeezing.
“We do,” I said, before realizing what had come out of my mouth. “I—I mean?—”
Einar laughed, throwing his head back slightly. “The fact you still think of yourself as a human says it all, I think.”
“I suppose it does,” I agreed ruefully, shaking my head at myself.
“Is it true what they say? About what’s happening in Dusk?” His voice quieted, but I heard the rage that underlined every word. The fury that the humans of Celesterra were finally finding within themselves after too long suppressing it.
“It is. We’re working now to dismantle his operations, and free as many as we can.” I explained mournfully. “We hope to incite further rebellion among those not in the camps.”
“Good. I realized when Aelius rounded up so many humans that something was very wrong, but I never could have imagined such a thing.” Einar shivered as he thought of it, and I wished it was impossible to imagine myself.
But I knew how far Cyrus would go to get what he wanted.
Einar met my eyes, taking his clenched fist and putting it over his heart before bowing his head once more. “You have my blade, for whatever it is worth against a Fae’s. I will fight for you, Queen Asteria, with the same fervor you carry for us.”
I fought off the rising tears his words conjured. I nodded deeply. “Thank you, Einar. I will always value it as equally as any Fae’s, if not more so. Fae have every advantage. The fact that you will fight despite that, shows your worth is much greater.”
The smile on his face was one I would never forget. No matter how many centuries I lived.
Knowing that I could inspire humans to rise up and fight was everything I had ever wished for when I was growing up in Sonmathion. It was the first time tonight that I didn’t feel like a little girl playing dress-up.
I felt like aQueen.
One actually worthy of the crown I wore.
I would never misuse the power granted to me as my birth father has. I would fight for those who need it most. I would fight to bring balance back to Celesterra.
And I would fight to ensure my own freedom. From the trauma of slavery and Cyrus combined. Fight to free myself from the mindset that kept me trapped, convinced this was all temporary.
If I had to journey to the ends of the world and the Otherworld besides to be truly free, I would throw myself into Tartarus now and start walking.
Which was exactly what I was going to do.
* * *
The blue skiesaround me were a welcome sight. My smile lit up my face as the burning ball of fire unraveled itself from its curled-up position and let loose a trill in greeting.
“Zhu!” I greeted him excitedly in return as he flew around me. I brushed a hand down his scales, letting the fire lick my palm and reveling in the pleasant warmth left behind.
“No wonder you’ve never burned me.” I laughed, shaking my head. “Did you know all this time that I was a dragon too?”
His head bobbed in confirmation, and I looked at him sternly for a moment. “You couldn’t have clued me in?”
He shook his head, and I could swear he was smirking at me. I sighed, giving up. I was sure there was a reason for it. Actually…
“Are you real?” I whispered, scared of the answer. “I’ve seen you and Luna all my life. I thought you both just dreams, but now…”
He flew around me until his body snaked in a circle, putting his face right in front of mine. Eyes of fire looked right into mine, the intense stare feeling much too real to be anything but.
