Page 104 of Calling of the Crown

A unanimous cheer erupted from the crowd, and fists rose into the air in huzzah. Different groups broke off to get in their battle positions, and my friends climbed onto the platform with the rest of us.

“Akira,” Rune said. “Will you fly overhead to check Elias’s army and the field? Make sure nothing nefarious is happening before we all go out there.”

“Of course,” the Raven Fae answered. He disappeared into the nearby headquarters tent that was still erect, and moments later, a raven flew out from the tent flap, soaring up through the trees. We waited and, after a few minutes, the raven glided back down through the trees and into the tent. A normal looking Akira popped his head out, and when he did, I saw his eyes were wide and face ashen. “Get in here.”

My heart filled with lead as our small group and the generals filed into the large canopy where Akria had just finished pulling on his shirt.

“What happened? What did you see?” I immediately asked in alarm.

Jesiah placed an arm around Akira’s shoulders, and Akira looked up at him solemnly before meeting my eyes. “They’ve drained the lake.”

“What?” Imani shouted.

“What do you mean they drained the lake?” Dallas demanded.

“The lake is completely dry,” Akira fretted, his voice sounding more and more helpless. “It looks like a massive crater in the earth now.”

“That was our only source of water out here,” a general worried as the color drained from his face. “That’s our main source of weaponry and power.”

“Of course Elias would do something as cowardly as remove Water Fae’s only source of power right before the fight starts,” Ardley cursed with a deep scowl.

“Can’t you pull water from the air and ground?” Bassel asked, his eyes darting to every Water Fae in the room.

“Not all of them,” Rance said. He swiped a hand down the side of his face. “Some can, but … I don’t think that will be enough. We need water and lots of it. Without the lake …”

My breath came out heavy and fast as I tried to understand how this had happened. Answering that question wouldn’t do me any good, so instead, I focused on trying to come up with a solution.

Forcing my panic down my throat, I snapped my fingers and demanded, “Someone get me a map. Now.”

I STOOD ON THE CREST of the hill, staring at the thousands of Fae spread out beyond the crater where Lake Wisps used to be. All that remained now was a deep hole of dried rock and dirt. This had been Elias’s plan all along. I’d wondered why he’d chosen a location for our fight that would provide the necessary element most of us needed to even have a chance. Now, I realized he never intended for us to have access to it. He’d wanted us to rush onto the field, realize our water source was gone, and become easy slaughter for his army.

And how he’d managed to rid the lake of its water?

Betrayal.

The Water Fae who had disappeared—Dax and his parents, Angus, Bella and her family, all of them—lined the edge of the lake on the front lines of Elias’s army. They’d truly joined him, eager to rid Ambrolia of anyone who followed me, even if that meant joining the people they hated to do it. They’d no doubt been the ones to rid the lake of the water.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke quietly for only my group to hear. “Everyone knows what to do if this doesn’t work.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” was the quiet response.

From everyone except Rune.

He gripped my hand tightly, and I looked up at him to see the mix of terror and encouragement warring in his eyes. He was against this plan, as were all those closest to me. But we all knew it was the only answer, and should it go wrong, they’d be ready to go with Plan B—retreating with every Fae behind us and hiding in the human world again.

I stood on my tiptoes to kiss Rune.

One more time.

I ran my thumb over the ring on my hand and pulled back only enough to whisper, “Until the waves cease their tide and the flames burn out. Forever with you.”

He swallowed hard. “Forever with you.”

I gave his hand one more squeeze and took one more moment to stare into his eyes before starting my trek alone down the hill. I took deep inhales and exhaled slowly as I tried to feel past the panic, fear, and anxiety swarming my mind.

According to the map, the closest water source was the Morardian Sea, but it was a good fifteen miles away. I’d never called on water that far, and according to everyone in the headquarters tent, it would be impossible for our kind to summon water from such a great distance without traveling there to get it and walking it all the way back here—something we didn’t have time for. Because no Fae was powerful enough to do it these days, I walked through the tall flowers alone. I wouldn’t risk everyone’s life on an impossible task.

Please. Please water. I need you. Give me strength. Give me power. Help me be like the Water Fae of old. Help me be like my mother.

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