Page 53 of Queen of Legends and Lies
My heart swells as they chant, “Long live Queen Lark!”
“Fewer voices than before,” Sterling murmurs, a low rumble that only I’m meant to hear.
We both know what it means. We’ve lost far too many soldiers over the last few months. That means we have less magic at our disposal, and less magic means it’s going to be harder to keep our lands safe.
I turn to Agnar. “Remember Tír Ríoga?”
His battle-scarred face sobers as he nods. “Corrupted armies on the move. Ambushes instead of open attacks. Sneaky bastards.”
“So we have to be sneakier.” Scanning the soldiers calling my name, I acknowledge the weight of my responsibility as their queen, as their protector.
The damp earth from the overcast day sinks beneath our boots as we near the training fields. The soldiers’ chants are a balm against the chill in the air.
“Fewer in number, but their spirits are unbroken.” I gaze out at them with a mix of pride and sorrow.
Sterling nods while examining the ranks. “I’ve worked and trained with them. They’ll follow you to the ends of Tirene, Lark. And beyond.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a solitary figure lurking just at the edge of the commotion. Celeste, her thick blond hair tied back, stands a few paces away, as if unsure whether she’s welcome. She inches toward us, hesitantly attempting to bridge the gap.
My jaw tightens on instinct.
According to a few of the council members, she offers sound ideas, but something about her just sets my nerves on edge. Even more so than Elijah. And he tried to kill me on more than one occasion.
Sterling’s hand rests at the small of my back, a silent and steadying presence.
He leans in close, his breath a whisper against my ear. “I don’t trust her, either, Lark. Not fully. I know you said she saved me, but for the life of me, I don’t understand why. Or why she wasn’t corrupted.”
“She wasn’t a pet favorite of Xenon’s when you were an instructor at Flighthaven?” I keep my eyes on the troops training in front of us, but out of my periphery, I notice Celeste chatting with Duke Bron and Vicar Moise.
Leesa, Bastian, and Agnar line up beside us.
Sterling watches Celeste for a few moments before shrugging. “Not that I noticed.”
I feel a little better when he says that. “Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and possible spies always within sight.”
He presses his lips to my temple in a fleeting kiss. “Exactly.”
“I forgot to tell you. She was in my vision the night of the coronation, right before she arrived.” I glance over my shoulder where Celeste’s blond head hovers like a question mark on the fringes of our group. “Or someone who looked like her. A blond woman on the battlefield. It could’ve been a child. Either way, there was definitely a resemblance.”
“Could’ve been her. Then again, visions aren’t always clear.” Sterling’s calm contrasts the storm of thoughts in my head.
Before I can respond, Lord Serle Hamilton appears, all simpering smiles and fawning gestures. He ushers us all up to the elevated rostra, which is normally used by the generals overseeing formations.
We climb the steps reluctantly, both preferring to view from the sidelines so we can hear and interact as needed. But snubbing the council in public wouldn’t do.
“Your Highness,” Serle beckons me closer, his black wings catching the light as he moves, “what are your thoughts on the new defense strategies?”
“Solid.” I keep it short. Sterling and I worked with Agnar to ensure our borders were secured. The new defense strategy was our plan. Had he paid so little attention that he didn’t realize that?
As if answering my unspoken question, Serle shifts his attention to Celeste. “What’s your take on this, Lady Celeste?”
“Strategies are only as good as the minds behind them.” She flashes him a bright smile, revealing even white teeth. “What do you think of their chances?”
Moise’s eyes are wide, like he’s been clinging to her every word. “Why is King Xenon sending his army north?”
“Perhaps a better question is, why did he send them there first?”
Rafe’s voice cuts through the air, sharp like a blade against the soft drone of council chatter. “That would mean all the outer lands. Not just the Northern Kingdoms. But if he starts in the North, then he has two fights on two fronts. Though this also suggests that, once he takes the North, the lands in between will be caught in pincer attacks from the North and the South with no place to run.”
