After the bodies are buried, we are all exhausted. My wound opened up again, but I refused to stop until the job was done. Each person I buried is a scar on my heart, a life snuffed out too soon.
I stand where she did, Regina, and stare out at the numerous graves. This area will forever be known as the place where we won our freedom, where we stood up for our homes, despite the odds.
Where we fought.
Where we died.
Where we grieved.
Where we begin again.
I watch the people mingling below—Seekers helping Berserkers, and Paradise helping Lost. All the clans are interwoven, healing and bonding, bringing an idea to my head. No more division, no more infighting.
One north.
One nation.
Could it work?
As I observe them, I realise it might. For way too long, The Wastes have been divided, with different rules for each clan and too many people falling through the cracks.
Scavs, roadies, Seekers, and Berserkers, we are each our own people, but if this war has shown us anything, it’s that we can work together. And maybe we need to in order to protect our world, our lands, to keep our people safe.
“Baby girl?” Thorn rumbles behind me, making me turn to look at him. He smiles, flashing those pearly whites, and I notice his hair is slightly longer too, no longer cropped to his head. The scar on his face stands out starkly. “They are ready.”
I nod and look back before turning and taking his hand, letting him help me across the sand, my stomach rolling at the pain. I need to lie down soon before I pass out. That wouldn’t be a good thing to do in front of everyone, it’s a sure sign of weakness.
We head to one of the bigger tents, and when I duck inside, I see the leaders gathered. Nan, Priest, Dray, Piper…and a young man I don’t recognise, obviously for Reeves. He nods as he stands.
“My name is Jon, I’m Reeves’s second in command. I guess that makes me…the leader now.” He sighs. He’s a big guy, really big, with tattoos covering every inch of his body. He has blood covering one side of his face, and his eye is ballooned shut, but he stands tall.
I look to Nan, and she nods. “He’s a good en, girlie, ma hu—Reeves was training him for years ta take over, the old cunt.”
Jon’s lips tip up at that. “Or trying to get me to. I always thought he should stay in charge. The stubborn bastard would have led until he died on his bike.”
I smile and pick my way through the tent to the cushions piled up towards the back. Maxen, Drax, and Jax duck in, and Maxen instantly sits behind the cushions and helps me down, though he makes it look like he is simply touching me while I struggle to sit and lean back into him. I thank him mentally for supporting me.
I ignore the dizziness and sip some water as I look around. We are all worse for wear, all lost people. “Well, that was a shitshow,” I start, making them all laugh as I smile. “But we won, and that’s what counts. They won’t be fucking with us again in the near future, but now we have some hard decisions to make. I want to meet you all at The Ring in a few days, once you have had a chance to mourn and celebrate with your people. Tonight, we will be having a feast to honour our warriors. You are all welcome to stay or leave. Thank you for fighting at my side.”
Nan pulls a bottle from her shirt and takes a sip, winking at me. “I already started celebrating, lass.” She passes it to me, and with a laugh, I take a swig before handing it to Dray. He leans down and kisses my hand before taking the bottle and, eyes on me, places his lips around the rim and drains some, his throat working. I shake my head of my dirty thoughts and clear my throat, looking around again. “I will meet with the new Cities leader I put in place, and make sure they respect our boundaries. I also have some ideas on how to strengthen our people, but it can wait for now. We are all tired and hungry and need some time to process what happened.”
“Those who no longer walk with us will wait for us as angels. We have fulfilled the great prophecy,” Priest intones, making me blink.
Piper shifts closer. “Does he always talk like that?”
Leaning into her, I conceal my mouth with my hand. “Always, but he’s a scary motherfucker, don’t cross him.” I smile at him. “Great.”
Dray grabs my legs and places them on his lap so I’m spread out between them. It’s not very dignified, but when he starts massaging my calves, I can’t find the energy to care. “Shall we say three days and meet at The Ring?”
“Make it four, lass, ya need to heal.” Nan looks at my bleeding wound pointedly, the bandages more red than white at this point. Doc is going to flip.
“Fuck, fine, four days. Now…how many did you each lose?” I ask. It’s a hard question, but I need to know.
“Forty of my angels.” Priest sighs. “Good believers, our church won’t be the same.”
“Around fifty or so,” Jon adds, swigging the bottle. Nan plucks it from his fingers and downs the rest while we watch, wiping her mouth on her hand and letting out a loud burp.
“Too fucking many, but it was all worth it, girlie. Now, stop stressing. Ya don’t need to act all queenie today, we won. Fucking celebrate! Screw your harem of men and drink too much. Tomorrow, ya can go back to never letting ya hair down.” She pulls another bottle and tosses it to me. Drax catches it on my behalf as I shake my head.
She stands and glares at the others. “Come on, you bastards, I’ll let ya buy me a drink.”
Priest stands, as does Jon, and Piper winks as she gets up. Nan points in her face. “Not you, ya look like a lightweight. I don’t do puke.”
I watch them go, and when they leave, my men surround me again, and I just relax back into them. The bottle gets passed around, but I can’t concentrate, my mind on everything to come.
There is still so much to do before I can relax.
Who knew the woman who used to drink herself to death every night and fight to feel something would be the one passing on the drink? I guess it’s the burden of leadership, or maybe I have grown up and finally healed from my past.
Ivar still haunts my memories, and my body is covered in reminders, but I am so much more now than that slave girl. I’m a queen. Nan was wrong, a queen doesn’t get a night off, not ever, but in the shelter of my men’s arms, I can relax enough to let my body heal.
For a night at least.
“Soulmate, look at me,” Dray demands.
Blinking, I turn my head and meet those cold eyes.
“I have led my people for a long time. They don’t need you to stay apart from them and never relax to know you care. Go, join them, show you are still one of them, still the champion who stole the heart of a Seeker King and killed a Berserker King. The woman who saved The Wastes. Enjoy it, you deserve it, and we will be at your side.”
“He’s right, sweet cheeks. Killing yourself over those who died and what is to come won’t help them. Your people love you because you are there with them.”
“Sing their songs with them, drink with them, eat with them, and hear their grief and stories,” Jax murmurs.
“You’ve got this, Mi Alma.”
Are they right?
I never saw myself as above anyone out there, how could I? I came from bloodshed and anger, a creature formed from the ashes of darkness and pain. I might be a queen in name now, but I am still the Champion, the one who rode The Wastes. Who hunted and captured.