Page 119 of Crown of Wrath

He chuckles and holds up the rag in his hand that he was using to clean tables after breakfast. “This is the most dangerousweapon I’m wielding today. I’ve never been a warrior or king. The only bit of notoriety I’ll ever have in a story are the two women in my life. You be safe out there. I know you have to fight, but…”

I give him another hug to interrupt him. I can’t promise that I’ll stay safe. I can’t promise him anything.

“I love you,” I say softly. “When this is all over, I hope that the two of us can spend some real time together.”

“We will. You, me, and your mother… and I guess your husband, too. It’s so strange to think of my Little Star already married. It was only a month ago that I remember you being eight.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “It’s been a strange year for everyone, I think.”

“But it’s almost done,” Da says softly. “It’ll be better tomorrow. Everything will be simpler then.”

I nod to him and pull away. Again, I can’t promise anything, but I can hope. “I hope so,” I say softly. “But I have to go. I just…”

“I know,” he says. “Go fight. Be the Queen. I’ll be here when it’s all over.”

I give him another quick hug before leaving the cottage that he shares with Mother. As soon as I step out of the cottage, Cole is in my mind, giving me updates.My father and I are ready with the shadow walkers. The humans have staged their equipment. Your mother is pushing us the last few miles to Draenyth. It’s time, my love.

I take a deep breath and run toward the staging ground. I don’t want to waste a drop of power shadow walking to it. It’d be good to warm my body up, anyway. When I see Cole standing next to his father in a group of almost a hundred shadow walkers, he’s already smiling at me. Echo is at his side looking very terrified.

I ignore my husband and focus on the fourteen-year-old that shouldn’t be anywhere near a battlefield. First, I have to makesure that she understands the limits of her role in this. I will not put her at risk.

“You understand what your only job is today, correct?”

She nods hesitantly. “Stay in the void, near the boundary with Nyth and Valinar. Pull the wounded out of harm’s way and put them back in Valinar. Attack through shadows if I have the time and energy. Do not leave the void.”

I put my hand on her shoulder and squeeze as I look down at her, my face as serious as ever. “And what happens if The Darkness comes?”

“I touch you with shadows and then leave.”

I nod to her. “You will not enter the battlefield, Echo. You will not help us regardless of what happens. Do you understand?”

“What if you’re having a hard time with Gethin?” she asks. “Everyone knows Steel is weak to Shadows, and I’m the best with them.”

I shake my head. “It’s too risky. I have shadows, too. You be there in case one of us gets wounded, and we need to get pulled to safety. That’s your job. Just like the archer doesn’t take part in the cavalry charge because their jobs are different. If you ignore your job, there’s no one else who can do it.”

She swallows hard. “And if I get tired? If I… can’t keep going?”

My lips draw in a thin line. “Then you can’t keep going, but I think you have more strength in you than most people would believe. Keep working as long as you can. If you have to leave the void, then leave the void.”

She nods, and it’s obvious that she’s terrified. That isn’t exactly surprising. She’s done incredible things for how young she is, but this is too much.

“Good. You’re going to do fine,” I say. Then I look at Cole, whose lip is curled up in a grin. He is the opposite of terror. I remember him going hundreds of miles without smiling outside of training. Now he’s the least serious person here.

“What’s got you so happy?” I ask quietly so that only he can hear me. I’m glad he’s not wearing the Shadowed Cloak today. Sure, it would have given him some powers he doesn’t have otherwise, but if something were to happen to him, then Gethin would have it. And more importantly, I enjoy being able to see him. Those beautiful eyes. Hisverykissable lips.

“It’s nice seeing you with Echo,” he says. “I mean, I like you all the time, but seeing you working with Echo makes me think about what it’ll be like when we have children.”

That makes me pause. Children? But… I’m only twenty-three.

I guess Cole sees my emotions written all over my face, and he laughs again. “I’m not talking about tomorrow, Maeve. We’re Immortals. Ten years. A hundred years. I’m not in any rush.”

Oh. “For a minute, I’d gone back to the way I was raised. Women were supposed to get married, take care of the household, and have babies.”

His laughter seems so at odds with what we’re all preparing to do, but it brings a smile to my face. There was so long that it seemed like he’d never smile, but now, even on the brink of a battle we could die in, he’s capable of laughing without reservation.

That’s my husband. Not the broody, snarling High Fae prince I met in The Tilted Mug. Not the one who acted like I was the most annoying person he’d ever met on the road to Aerwyn. That was what happened when he had to protect his emotions from the world.

I close my eyes, and in an instant, I can see his mental landscape. I’m standing next to the obsidian tower that I nearly broke and did my best to heal. It’s not flawless. Massive cracks spread like spiderwebs all over the midnight black stones, but they’re filled in. Red crystal has grown up where I broke him. Flames made solid.

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