I nod, agreeing, and even Mathilda sighs. “Fine.”
They clamber out of my bed. “Eat some breakfast and get dressed. We’ll see you after your meeting,” Mina calls over her shoulder before they leave my room.
Dressed in my new, unscathed leathers, my stomach full of delicious eggs and toast, I smile to myself before stepping out into the hall. Lachlan is standing beside the door. His magnificent wings are out, and they take my breath away. I’ve only everseen them twice before, and besides the first time, never this close-up.
The raven-black feathers remind me of oil as they shimmer in the soft sunlight flooding in from the windows down the hall. My fingers itch to stroke a feather, but his knowing smile catches my eye.
“Impressive, huh?”
I roll my eyes at his arrogance. “You’re ridiculous,” I mutter.
“Right this way, my queen.” He grabs my hand and tugs me down the hallway.
Agatha is waiting for us in the throne room of the castle. My feet echo against the stone floors as sunlight lights my path, streaming in from the second-story windows high above. The shafts of sunlight spear through the room every few feet, making a pattern of light and shadow on the walkway to the large wooden throne at the far end of the room.
Agatha’s back is turned to us, her head bowed in supplication to the throne before our echoing steps reach her, and she rises. We come to a halt a few steps behind her, and a ghost of a smile lingers on her face when she takes in our conjoined hands.
“Today will be the first of many of your, hopefully, long rule, Lena. Let’s set a precedent, shall we?” Her voice reverberates all around us, scattering the dust motes floating in the shaft of sunlight between us. I look at Lachlan, but he’s already gazing at me. His lips kick up into a small smile, giving me the support I desperately need. I look back at Agatha, who is studying us closely.
“Let’s do this,” I say.
Her smile is broad and contagious. “Let’s get you in the ring, my queen.”
There must be something in the air here in Olundy. My muscles are twitching with untapped energy as I bounce from foot to foot and shake out my shoulders. My hair is braided back in one single plait down my back, the ends of it ticklingmy exposed lower back. My new leathers are the same woven leather as my old ones, but the color is a richer chocolate brown.
Fit for a queen, Agatha had said on our walk here.
The training grounds are not as packed as they were yesterday, but at least a dozen warriors are doing various activities.
I hope that once they see me in action, it will help build their confidence in me. No one has been outright rude, but I don’t have a firm reputation here, and I still need to earn their loyalty. That will probably take months of hard work, but I understand that it’s not something that can be rushed. If I’m going to lead them in the upcoming war or, at the very least, into this rebellion, I need their support.
Armed with my ax and a shield, I stare down Lachlan as he draws his sword and spins it from one hand to the other. Show off. Tane, Mathilda, Evander, and Mina are present, leaning on the wooden fence rails or, in Mina’s case, perched on top of them. Their expressions are a mix of bemusement and delight as they watch us circle each other.
Tane murmurs loudly to Evander, “I bet you a dozen cakes she kicks his ass.”
“I bet you a dozen he drops her in 2 minutes,” Evander scoffs, and his feathers ruffle.
I’m not offended. Evander hadn’t been able to train with me before we left the capital. Tane has a vested interest in my sparring capabilities, so he just smirks, stretching out his hand to shake on the bet.
“Let’s go, Lena!” Mathilda calls.
Mina raises a fist over her head and howls her best war cry. I shake my head, trying to ignore them, but a smile breaks across my face from their support.
Lachlan’s eyes narrow slightly, and like before, I see his moves play out like a movie in my mind before he side-steps in my direction, his sword slashing in line with his footwork.
I parry two of his blows with my ax hilt before using my shield on a glancing blow. His face gives nothing away, his expression remaining neutral. But I can’t help but smile as I think of how far my training has come in such a short amount of time.
His next maneuvers play out in my mind a split second before I have to dodge his swing. I recenter myself and struggle to clear my mind so the visions can come across sooner, but the cheers from our friends are making that difficult.
Taking a chance, I opt to go on the offensive when Lachlan pauses a beat, adjusting his stance, and I catch him off balance. He shuffles his feet to rebalance and block my blows, but the reverberation from the ax was something he was not prepared for.
My skin begins shimmering, and I force myself to use more of my power, a tingling spreading across my chest and into my limbs. I prepare for his next moves, but no visions come. The sight of my glittering skin is a distraction for him, and he lowers his sword.
His mouth drops open, and his eyes are full of wonder.
“Ho-ly gods,” Mina mutters, and our friends shield their eyes from my growing light.
A hush falls over the training ground, and I spin in place. The light wasn’t this bright last time, and a warmth spreads from my chest. My necklace pulses more rapidly than it ever has before. The dozen warriors on the grounds cease their activities. The Affric Clan, with their yellow kilts, drop to one knee and bow their heads.
