Page 105 of Clash of Kingdoms

I dropped to my knees and looked out to the world beyond, the water crystals in the soil that reflected the sunshine. The dead trees with the sharp branches. The snowy mountains far in the distance. It was the first real breath I’d taken in a long time…but there was still the weight of grief.

More men had died in this battle. And many more had already been slain. Our world had just become much smaller. There were now twice as many women as men because so many had died. While I would rejoice in victory, it still felt like a loss.

A hand landed on my shoulder.

Without looking, I knew who it was.

“I know.” My brother’s voice was gentle. “I know…”

I continued to stare ahead, my sword impaled in the dirt in front of me. “How many did we lose?”

“Maybe a quarter…”

I released a painful sigh.

“But it’s over.”

“I’m not sure how to rebuild after this.”

“Just be grateful there is a world to rebuild.” He pulled his hand away from my shoulder and extended it to me so he could pull me up.

I hesitated before I took it, wanting to stay on my knees forever and avoid the aftermath of war. But I took it and let him hoist me up. I grabbed my sword, and we turned back to the castle together, our swords still in our grip.

When we approached, medics were in the field getting the injured on stretchers. Harlow was one of them, bandaging up the wound of a fallen soldier. I let her do her duty and approached the gate. Aurelias and his brothers had survived. So had his father, who stood off to the side as he spoke to his general.

Atticus came up to me, not a scratch on him. “You alright?”

It was a complicated question to answer. “Yes…physically.”

“At least it’s over now. There’s no one else coming.”

I nodded as I gave him a one-armed hug. “I hope this is the only war you’ll ever know. And your children will never know one at all.” I released him then walked to my wife, who’d been anxious to greet me ever since she’d seen me walk through the gate. Her eyes shone with emotion, not just because I’d come back to her, but because the war had finally come to an end.

I enveloped her in my arms, and she collapsed against me, like she’d lost the will to be strong, finally allowed her body to be defeated by the grief and the anguish.

I held her against me, my chin on her head, and stood there for a long time, not in any hurry to be anywhere else. My family was safe. Our kingdom was victorious. Now it was time to heal. “You saved us…with the gold.”

She didn’t acknowledge the compliment, and she would never acknowledge it. She pulled away and looked at me, her hands cupping my cheeks and wiping away the spots of blood. “What can I do for you?”

“All I want is a hot shower…and some pot roast.”

Despite the sadness in her eyes, her lips tugged up in a smile. “Come on, let’s go.”

TWENTY-FOUR

AURELIAS

Harlow was on the battlefield, helping a soldier clean his wound with antiseptic before she wrapped the gauze tight around his arm. He gave a grimace in pain at the pressure before he wiggled his fingers to make sure he could still move.

I stood behind her and waited for an opportunity to speak with her, not wanting to interrupt her work. She didn’t discriminate with her patients, helping vampires too. Soldiers worked to place the dead onto the pyre to burn, while everyone else tried to save as many people as they could. The demons were left where they fell, a problem for a different day.

When she stood up and turned, she noticed me, and the flush of emotion that flooded her was intoxicating. She moved to me, a bag of supplies over her shoulder, her hands dirty from the patients she’d touched. That was probably why she didn’t cup my cheeks like she normally would. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

I dipped my head and kissed her. “Need any help?”

“No,” she said. “You already did your part.”

I wanted to shower with her then sleep side by side in our bed. I didn’t want to say a word, just be together. I probably should feed, but I didn’t even want to do that. All I wanted was her…especially now that our time together would soon be over. But I knew she would never abandon her duty—and I would never ask her to.

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