Opening the leather satchels, they all pulled out their demon masks, one by one placing them upon their heads until an assembly of Raithian’s doppelgängers stood before Evie and me. Once, that would have been a frightening sight, today it was an empowering one.
“Tuis viribus pugnamus!” Harper called, facing the army. The Latin vow of unity translated to with your strength we fight, a promise made to give each other fortitude in battle. The sentiment was echoed by the entire army.
Lifting his spear to the sky, Kingston struck a fist to his chest twice. “Aghu. Aghu!” he let out the tribal roar of war of his race.
“Aghu. Aghu!” The rest of the Elevated Warriors echoed, hitting their chests too, and joining him in power.
“We want to fight with our kin too, king and queen!” The shout suddenly came from our right, and we all turned to see a group of about a hundred men and women, young and old, walking towards us from the back. With weapons tightly grasped in their hands, they made their way to us, stopping only when they reached the army. “If you’ll have us.”
For a moment, shock rendered us speechless, the people coming to us and asking to fight were not trained warriors. They were the farmers and leather workers, the cooks and fabric weavers, the shoemakers, castle staff, and the builders, even people who found any other way to help in the hidden city. They had never been to war before, but they wanted to join us today.
Exchanging a meaningful glance, my queen and I nodded. “It will be our honor to have you with us,” Evie answered.
“Get them arm shields and more weapons from the training racks, and make sure they fight in the back of the army,” Harrison immediately instructed Hanna and Fletcher, who began to mobilize.
With a thankful bow, the men and women moved towards them, claiming their armors, and assembling at the back of the warrior lines.
“Before you leave…” The Truth Teller’s voice stopped us from walking, and I saw her stop before her son. “I have something for you.” She turned to the rest of us, as though she could see us. “For all of you.”
Opening a small pouch that hung from her wrist, she took out a silver pin with the Dragon crest, pushing it against the center of her son’s breastplate. A small clink noise echoed when the little hooks on the back of the pin snapped into the metal, securing itself.
“It’s a truth talisman,” she explained. “It will protect you, and your Dragon, from any illusions or efforts to command you the Warlock King might attempt.”
“Thank you,” he whispered while Aelia cradled his face and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
“I love you, Son. I always have and always will.”
Asher’s muscles tensed with emotion, but in the best way. “I love you too, mother.”
Knowing how much that meant to him, Skylar caressed his arm just as Aelia moved to the next Elevated Warrior, placing a pin on her, and continuing down the line.
When she stopped before Evanna, giving her a pin too, she bowed at us, her attention turning my way. “You can fight him without this, my king.”
“I can.” It wasn’t a question, but I answered, nonetheless.
“Thank you, Aelia. We truly appreciate it.” Evie smiled, escorting her to the side of the path.
When we reached our Dragons, I found Aeramen next to Tharion and Vyper, his shrieks echoing in the air with each jump, urging me to him. “I’m sorry, buddy. You can’t come.”
“But I can help!” he insisted, restlessly. “I can fly!”
A small smile tugged at my lips while everyone else mounted their companions. I lifted a hand to his head, scratching the space between his horns, and he immediately gave into my touch.
“I know you can fly now, and I’m so very proud of you, but I need you to stay so you can help protect the Dragon babies. Can you do that for me? Can you use your strength to protect them?”
Thinking about it, Aeramen finally nodded, his enthusiasm for being able to help beaming out of him. “I’ll protect the babes.”
“Thank you.” Lifting my other hand, I caressed his chest while he nuzzled my neck like a puppy. “I love you.”
Vyper snorted next to him, like he couldn’t believe Aeramen had fell for that, and I narrowed my eyes at him. “You can’t come either.”
“What?!” His nostrils flared with his vicious hiss—like it could scare me. “I am an adult now. Big and strong. I can fight with you!”
“If you have to tell me you are big and strong, then you are not as mature as you think.”
He growled again, fins trembling at the sides of his head, but I ignored him. “Oh, come on! My brother is going!”
Ugh. Okay, he had a point.
“Fine, but don’t go trying anything crazy like fighting Azazel,” I warned out loud, sending a pointed glance at him. “Your mission is to protect the men and women who joined our army today, so you’ll be flying with Daghae, Ardor, Draco, Nuri, and Torrent. Understood?”
He swiftly nodded, his chest puffing with pride that he was part of my Legion force. He seemed excited too, like a kid going to the candy store.
Shaking my head, I turned to find Kingston and Imogen nearby, so I walked towards them, pulling them aside. My attention travelled to Evanna, seeing she was already above Star, ready for us to take off. When my gaze returned to my mentor and the chief, they removed their masks, deep concern capturing their features.
“What is it?” Kingston asked, and I hardened myself for what I had to say.
“I’m not going to make it out of this fight,” I declared, ripping out the bandage.
Horror broke through the chief’s eyes while Imogen’s face hardened with the reminder—I had already trusted her with that truth. My hand lifted to stop him from freaking out.
“It’s okay. I’ve made my peace with it since the Truth Teller revealed my fate, but I need a favor from you, so you need to know.”
A million emotions churned on Kingston’s face, finally settling on acceptance. “Does Evanna know?”
I shook my head. “I only told Imogen, and now you. Evie suspects something might happen, but I didn’t want to burden her with this. The battle weighs heavily enough on us as it is.”
“What did the Truth Teller say to you?” Kingston couldn’t help but ask.
“That a river of my blood would be what finally saves Caelisium.”
The words darkened their demeanor, with them unable to find a different meaning no matter how hard they tried. “Whatever you need from us, it is done,” Kingston somberly promised.
“I placed a protection shield on Evie last night, while she slept, but if anything happens to me—when it happens to me—I need you to get her out of there and ensure that she survives. She has to survive this,” I emphasized, forcing the pain that statement caused deep down into the recesses of my being. “I know she released you for being her guardian, Kingston, but I beg you—”
“It is done,” he vowed, and pulled me into his arms for a fierce hug.
“I will protect her with my life,” Imogen vowed as well before hugging me. “It has been an honor, my king.”
“Thank you,” I answered, clearing my throat. “It has been an honor for me too.”