Page 140 of Her Ivory Flame

They had been decent at keeping their emotions at an even level, only a few times her anger reflected in him. Anger of not being able to beat him at hand to hand combat and her blockage from her power still nagging at her.

Running footsteps could be heard behind her and she spun to see the same messenger boy from last time they arrived coming towards them. Kaden went rigid, which meant she felt her heart start to race and muscle tighten until the male got to them.

“My queen.” The male said between heavy breaths. “Scouts have reported an army ready to attack heading this direction.”

“That’s not possible.” Kaden snapped.

“No one in Mydalsa would attack another village, let alone my capital.” she hissed.

“It's not from within Mydalsa you majesty, it's from Mavros.” The male's eyes looked terrified and she felt her stomach sink.

“What did the scouts see?” Kaden barked.

“Those creatures, a few hundred of them, leaving Mavros’s territory. They had wings this time.” The males quivered in fear and she wasn’t sure if it was from the news, or Kaden’s deadly stare.

She could feel his anger swallowing their bond and she tried to counter it as quickly as possible before she was swallowed too.

“We need to act now,” she said quickly, instantly moving towards her home a few yards away.

Kaden and the male followed, all rushing into the longhouse to find the others in a cheerful conversation while finishing their lunch.

“They’re coming.” Kaden roared, everyone jumping to their feet in shock. “Mavros has an army heading to us, all with wings and will be here in a few hours.”

Xander rushed towards them, fury filling his eyes. “We need to get the town people to safety. No doubt they will attack here first.” His voice was deep with anger.

“There are caves a few miles from here, hidden from outsiders but the elders should know how to find them.” She added.

“We will leave to evacuate, and send word to the outlying villages,” Finnley said in a hurry.

Raine, Finnley, and Titus all charged out the door towards her people in hopes to try and save them. War had never been fought in Mydalsa other than Odin and Loki’s feud millennia ago. Even then, no outsider ever attacked them.

She ran to her room and pulled open her bottom drawer in her dresser, her battle armor still untouched inside it. The silver carved steel reflected the sun coming from the window and her heart started to race at the thought of wearing it again.

She was in Mydalsa, her home, and she was their last hope to protect it. Full powers or not, she would fight for her people again or die trying.

She grabbed the gear and started to dress in it for the first time in a century. Leather laid under the steel breastplate and she pulled it over her head like a shirt. It covered her breast and stomach down to her naval, straps holding it up over her shoulder.

She yelled for Kaden, who stormed in seconds later staring at her with wide eyes.

“I need you to tie this in back for me.” she sighed and watched him walk slowly to her.

“You’re wearing your armor?”

“Figured if I was going to possibly die, I’d rather die a warrior than a coward.” She turned away from him, his hands lacing the leather straps quickly.

“You were never a coward, Alyra.” he snapped.

“I hid away for a century and now because of it, my people might die.” She snarled and stepped away from him to grab the bottom of her body armor.

That familiar wave washed over her and she glared back at him, his eyes studying her intently.

“We won’t let Mydalsa fall.” he reassured her, his voice struggling to be calm and she figured her anger was passing to him.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled on her leather and fabric skirt that fell just below her knees from its resting place below her naval. Next she grabbed her iron shoulder covers and had Kaden help her secure them in place.

Steel plates were strapped to the outside of her forearms and lastly, she put on her knee high steel boots lined in leather.

Kaden stayed to help dress her, having to tie straps and fit plates as she donned her armor, and when she was done she took a deep breath.