Page 69 of Dreams of Ash and Smoke

“I would’ve killed him.” Hadeon growls, his voice dripping with venom as he stands by my side.

“I know.” My eyes scan the carnage around us, the ground slick and sticky with blood from our fallen enemies. I can feel the weight of their deaths on my shoulders, but I push it aside to focus on what needs to be done. I turn to face the ten male warriors who had bravely followed me into battle, who now stand before me with heavy hearts and bloodied weapons. “Clean this mess up,” I command, my tone firm and unyielding. “Our civilians should not have to bear witness to the atrocities that these invaders almost unleashed upon them and their homes.” They nod in agreement, determination etched on their faces as they kneel down and begin the gruesome task of disposing of the enemy corpses. As they work, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride and gratitude toward these men who were willing to risk their lives for ourpeople.

I help as we pull the dozen soldiers into a pile before Hadeon sets a fire to it. They burn as we watch, the stench of burning flesh traumatizing my nose. “May their souls be accepted by the Gods.” I speak the funeral chant aloud, hoping I am not the only one. But I allow the single tear to flee from my eye as they repeat it. The sounds of their voices carrying it in a wave of noise echoing into the night.

Once we were done, we set up camp and get ready to sleep. I hadn’t wanted a large tent, but they insisted so Hadeon was placed right next to mine and the others surround me. It is nice, having people care for you in this way. Regardless of my status, I was comfortable with their presence.

I recall the sensation of being surrounded by trees, the sound of leaves rustling and twigs snapping under my boots. The heat of battle. Someone saved my life, their accurate arrow whizzing by me to demand the life of it’s target. I wonder if it was a local villager we didn’t account for in our mission briefing. Eryx will have made sure to search for them, but in the chaos, I had completely forgotten about that possibility. My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a zipper— another soldier probably relieving themselves. It hits me then; my disregard for potential danger could have cost us our lives. Despite my exhaustion and injuries, sleep eludes me as I lie awake, replaying the events in my mind and berating myself for my recklessness.

I huff and turn in my makeshift cot, trying to find a comfortable spot to bring me some peace.

Chapter 37: Reunited

Verena

As Hadeon and I approach the towering stone walls of the castle, the setting sun casts a golden hue over the land, bathing everything in a warm glow. The air is filled with the sound of birds returning to their nests and the distant rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. The castle stands proud and strong, its turrets reaching up toward the darkening sky.

As we pass through the towering gates, my gaze falls upon familiar guards that I know had accompanied Eryx on his journey. My heart begins to race with anticipation as we enter the courtyard, my eyes eagerly scanning for any sign of him. And then I saw him, standing by the ornate fountain in the center of the grounds, his black as night hair catching the last rays of sun and giving him an dark angelic aura. His perceptive brown eyes gazing off into the distance, lost in thought as he spoke with Esmeray, the sunlight illuminating their faces like a spotlight on a stage.

Without a second thought, I dismount my horse, the leather reins slipping from my grip as I kick up clouds of dust with each step. My cloak flutters in the wind like a banner, marking my determination to reach him. Hadeon follows close behind, his keen eyes observing our reunion with a small smile playing on his lips. But my focus is solely on my husband as I run toward him, feeling the pounding of my heart and the burn in my lungs. Finally, I throw myself into his arms, feeling the warmth of his embrace and thesolidness of his body against mine. He lifts me off the ground, twirling us around in pure joy and relief at being reunited. In that moment, nothing else exists but the two of us wrapped in each other’s arm.

As he sets me down gently on the soft grass, I can feel the blades tickling the backs of my calves. His touch is like a warm embrace, comforting and soothing. “I am sorry,” he starts, but I don’t want to hear apologies. Not right now, not when his lips are so close to mine.

“None of that matters,” I whisper, my hands cupping his cheeks as I lean in to meet his tender kiss. The feeling of his lips against mine is like a spark of electricity, sending shivers down my spine. The grass beneath us seems to come alive with the sweet scent of spring flowers, perfuming the air with their delicate fragrance. In this moment, nothing else matters except for the warmth of his touch and the taste of his lips on mine.

It’s only been a week, but I missed him so much. I never thought I’d miss another human like this.

A loud, harsh squawk pierces through the air and my eyes instinctively search for the source. They lock onto a majestic raven, its sleek black feathers glinting in the sunlight as it takes flight. It lands gracefully on a high windowsill, its beady eyes scanning the scene below. I can’t help but wonder if this is the same raven I’ve seen before, or if it’s just one of the many wild birds that roam these lands. But something about its discerning gaze makes me feel like it’s watching me specifically. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought, and I can see Eryx glancing in the direction of the bird with a furrowed brow and confusion dancing across his dark brown irises. As if sensing our unease, the raven lets out another squawk before flying off into the distance, leaving us with a sense of anxiety that lingers in the air. “That is odd. That looks just like the raven I saw in Elmswood.” My gaze turns to his frantically.

“What?” I ask him.

“I was fending off Zoryan soldiers and a raven flew past me, almost signaling that someone was in trouble behind me. But I can’t see any one aside from our own soldiers fighting as well and the bird whips around again, somehow convincing me to follow it before it lead me around thecorner where I saw a child being cornered by a Zoryan. I saved his life. The bird saved his life.” He explains to me and I gape while Esmeray adds to it.

“Ravens are very intellectual. It probably followed us.”

I can’t believe my eyes. The raven was the same one I had seen earlier this morning in Aradon. How can this be possible? Was it just a mere coincidence or did this bird hold some deeper meaning? My mind races with thoughts and questions, but one stands out above the rest: was this raven an ally or a foe? The idea of being able to shape-shift as a High Fae feels like a distant legend, something that hadn’t been seen in centuries. Yet here I was, faced with the possibility of encountering one.

Amaelya shape-shifted but she couldn’t form into animals or items. It was strictly fae or human beings and even then, Eryx had told me it was only for short limited spurts of time.

There was only one person that I knew who could possess such power. But the chances of them being here, now, seemed impossible. I can’t wrap my head around it all — it feels as if chaos and order were battling within me. Was I overthinking things or was there truly more to this than meets the eye?

* * *

Exhausted, we made our way to our room, longing for some much-needed rest. But duty calls for other obligations. We had to prepare ourselves for the grand dinner being held tonight. However, before that, there were important matters we needed to discuss. As Eryx closes the door behind him, I walk over to the end of the bed and turn to face him.

“I should’ve made it a point to tell you. I know that. I guess in my brain, I didn’t see it as important but the real reason is because I didn’t want you to look at me differently.” I speak first. He steps closer, taking my hands in his.

“I can never look at you differently. You are my little star, Verena. The light that leads me home every night. The moral compass that brings me back from my own dark thoughts. My northern light. I love you. You aremy queen. My wife. My mate. You matter to me more than anything else on this Gods-forsaken Dimencreas.”

“I should give up the need for revenge. It’s childish. This country is more important. You are more important.” I breathe out a sigh as I speak, the words heavy.

“No.” He surprises me. “You are right. Dryston might’ve died but his mother would never had allowed you to continue. Dryston was planning a war before you even left him. He deserves everything you want to give him.”

I feel my heart swell with love at Eryx’s words, his sincerity washing away any doubts that linger in my mind. I look into his eyes, seeing the depth of his feelings reflect back at me. In that moment, I know that we were truly meant to be together, no matter the challenges we have faced.

“I love you, Eryx,” I tell him softly, my voice full of emotion. “You are my rock, my strength. I am grateful every day that our paths finally crossed again.”

Eryx pulls me into a warm embrace, holding me close as if he never wants to let me go. We stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms, finding solace in the presence of our love.

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