Page 41 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

He snorts. “Are you kidding? I’ve never been more proud.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He leans in and whispers, “And turned on.”

I shudder as he presses a quick kiss to my neck. The signal coming through the bond is enough to make me feel exposed, standing in front of all these people and thinking about Aries naked.

He laughs like he knows exactly what I’m thinking. Then he takes my hand and leads me to the center of the arena before turning us to face the crowd.

Aries’ voice is clear and confident as he addresses his men. There’s no hint of the worry I felt from him earlier when Leo told us about the blight. Or the guns the orcs have. “I stand before you, having returned from a foreign world where I battled a great threat on behalf of its people. I also found my mate in that world. A powerful, kind, capable female with the power to conjure and create worlds at her fingertips, and has brought usboth home to Astronia where we will now fight alongside you to battle the threat to our survival here.”

My cheeks heat as everyone turns to stare at me. But I keep my head held high for Aries’ sake. Blossom catches my eye and winks. I exhale, relaxing a bit as I focus on my friends.

“The orcs think we are weaker without a mated pair on the throne, but they are wrong,” Aries goes on.

“They’re doing a pretty good fucking job for being so wrong,” someone mutters.

Everyone tenses as they wait to see what Aries will do with the outburst. But Aries nods. “They used the element of surprise and our own disorganization against us. But no more!”

His voice booms the last three words, and the crowd quiets.

“You are Astronia’s strongest, bravest, deadliest defenders. I have seen their numbers and their weapons. We will beat them, I have no doubt of that. But we must unite. To remember who and what we’re defending. We are Astronians. We do not give up, and we do not accept defeat. This land has belonged to us since the goddess entrusted it to our care. We will not fail her. We will not fail our people. I am Aries Nemos, son of dragons!”

He raises his sword, and the crowd cheers.

The energy is a buzzing along my skin, a taste on the air, and I breathe it in, inspired by the faces looking back at us with so much trust and loyalty. It’s kind of incredible standing up here like this. My blood pumps with the surge of their enthusiasm.

When they quiet again, Aries explains the guns he saw. Siege weapons, he calls them. The men’s expressions turn grim—and deadly. He doesn’t mention that he knows they came from my world. I’m glad for that. It’s smarter that we focus on the orcs and the threat at hand without bringing Constantine into it.

Still, my mind wanders as Aries talks.

Between the orc’s arsenal and the blight slowly draining the land, it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than battle axes and blades to win this war.

It’s going to take magic.

I can’t deny the thought that whispers through my mind. Or the fact that there’s only one magic user standing in their midst. But I have no idea how to use what’s in me against something like this. And I’m running out of time to learn.

Aries goes on to outline a grueling training schedule that will begin effective immediately. From now until we march for the front lines, everyone will be expected to train every spare moment. Despite the relentless expectation, I can’t help but feel a little jealous that every warrior here already knows where they fit into the larger plan.

Even Mag and Blossom nod with matching expressions of anticipation like they can’t wait to get started. I’m grateful they’re here with us, but I also can’t help worrying about how many of these faces will not make it home again when this is all over.

When the meeting ends, Aries squeezes my hand as the soldiers break off into groups. The ones in the fancier uniforms head for a small outbuilding nearby, Leo along with them. A few of the men in the group look back at Aries expectantly.

“How’d I do?” he asks me, ignoring them.

“You nailed it, Your Highness,” I tease.

He smiles, his eyes sparking with an aliveness that wasn’t there during our time in the library. “Thanks. I wasn’t sure how they’d receive me back after the way the council rejected me.”

“These men are not the council,” I say. “It’s pretty obvious they trust you and are willing to fight beside you.”

He glances back at the men waiting on him. “I need to meet with the unit leaders. Do you want to come or…?”

He hesitates, clearly willing to let me join him if I want to. But I shake my head. “I’m going to see where else I can be of use.”

“Okay.” He brushes a thumb down my cheek. “I’ll find you when I’m done.”

I watch him walk off to join his men, who all shake his hand and clap him on the back in warm greetings. It warms my heart to watch him with his people.

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