Page 75 of The War of Wings
I didn’t stick around to watch the wound close. No, I was on my feet, moving stealthily through the people now that my legs had full range of motion. I struck down Occulti with one handand healed the injured with the other, fighting off the pangs of guilt when I saw motionless chests and unseeing eyes.
The ballroom shuddered as a driva landed on the roof, talons scraping against sandstone. I pulled on my line to Adorex, but all I felt in return was her own anger. Her roar was music to my fucking ears as unbearable heat surged again.
The last of the Occulti was still tearing mercilessly through the crowd, screams of terror ringing in my ears from all directions. The demon went down in a hissing mess of flailing limbs and snapping teeth, and then it was dead.
The heat dissipated. The crowd stilled. Fear hung heavy in the air. But me? I felt vindicated.
Occulti. Gone,Adorex sounded in my mind.
Never had I heard a quiet so beautiful as the one that fell over the ballroom. The sound of slow, rhythmic wingbeats from outside was a metronome to the end of the world. My footsteps echoed as I made my way through the ballroom, nodding to the guards and waiting as they pulled away the makeshift barricade.
And there they were, landing hard in the scorched remains of the expansive courtyard. Adorex, Obitus, and Gehenna, nostrils steaming, throats vibrating with a low rumble, standing shoulder to shoulder in all of their terrifying glory. Opalescent scales glowed beneath the moon as Adorex’s serpentine neck flexed forward.
Petra. Proud?Adorex’s mind echoed through mine.
“I’ve never been more proud of anything in my life,” I murmured, barely containing my smile as I moved to stand before Adorex, facing the opened doors of the ballroom.
Shocked gasps filtered from within the ballroom as people fought to peer out.
“They will not harm you,” I called.
“Dragons!” someone shrieked.
“Drivas,” Cal corrected, pushing through to lean against the doorway with a smirk on his face that sent my stomach into a freefall.
Adrenaline still coursed through me, my skin slick with sweat. A few blisters dotted my palms, but overall, they’d fared surprisingly well.
The same could not be said for Queen Irli’s gardens, and I winced as I looked around. They’d been all but reduced to the charred skeletons of bushes and trees. Piles of ash littered the grounds, the only thing that remained of the demons that had attempted to enter the ballroom.
Burned. Castle, Adorex thought.Oops.Then surprise filtered through into my head, a ripple of excitement following it.Noros.
Tyrak’s face was alight with a smile as he emerged from the crowd, descending the few steps as he beheld the drivas. His face grew impossibly brighter when his eyes landed on Adorex. “Hello, old girl,” he cooed, placing a hand against her nose for a moment before he backed away again.
Happy, Adorex thought.
Cal pushed off from the doorframe, coming to stand by my other side. The bravest of the guests followed him out the door, taking a few cautious steps into the night, their eyes bulging from their heads. Understandably, a healthy number stayed back.
As the smoke dissipated, I cleared my throat. Both Cal and Tyrak gave encouraging nods from where they stood off to the side. The plans had changed, but the speech I’d rehearsed remained the same.
“I am Petra, Queen of Astran and Daughter of Katia and Rhedros, Keepers of the Saints.” More gasps sounded and it took everything within me not to roll my eyes. Everyone one of these motherfuckers had read as much in my missives. But,gasp, it really is her!Keep it together, Petra,I reminded myself.This is the plan.“I sent word to each and every one of you,” Icontinued, my voice booming through the silence. “I told you what had happened in Eserene, and all I received in return were denials, and only from those who were kind enough to reply.” I took a deep breath, tamping down the anger and channeling it into something like authority.
Something like a Saint.
“Darkness is upon us. Katia and Rhedros have been captured and imprisoned. What you witnessed here tonight is a drop in the bucket compared to what happened in Eserene. The Occulti demon horde has somehow found its way here to the Human Realm, led by Malosym, a demon lord who has been masquerading as a human for years now, infiltrating society and leaving destruction in his wake.” Murmurs rippled through the crowd, hands flying to mouths and eyes widening. “Yes, Malosym. The Malosym some of you may have read about in books of lore. Now, I’m calling upon you this evening to ask for your help. The Occulti are going to get stronger as Malosym gets stronger. This will not be the last time we see them, and it is going to be far, far worse. Our only chance of saving the realm is going to come from our combined forces.”
More whispers sounded. “Quiet,” Miles barked, suddenly appearing beside Cal. Nice of him to fucking join me.
“I’m going to ask that the leaders of each kingdom as well as their most trusted advisors meet me tomorrow at first light to discuss our next steps. It is, ultimately, up to you whether you choose to join me or not,” I added, the words sour on my tongue. “But I do ask that you hear what I have to say.”
Queen Irli stood to the side of the crowd, unperturbed by the decimated state of her garden. King Laion, however, showed every bit of disdain I’d expected, though I suspected it had nothing to do with the ashes and soot. I peered past them, to the ballroom that had been all but upended. A handful of lifeless bodies remained, strewn between overturned tables and bits of glass.
“Funerals will be arranged for the fallen, and dinner will be delivered to your rooms,” Queen Irli suddenly announced, clapping her hands together and unofficially putting an end to the night. I let out a breath, thankful for the dismissal.
We’d made it over this monumental obstacle.
My pulse had returned to normal, but adrenaline still had me firmly in its grasp. My movements felt jerky and unnatural. I was exhausted but restless. Vindicated yet terrified. And once again, I found myself at the head of some sort of piecemeal military that I would be expected to lead. I just hoped it would turn out to be large enough.
As the crowd dissipated — all craned necks and whispers — I made my way back into the ballroom. Cal, Miles, and Tyrak spoke with a few of Nesan’s military leaders, no doubt working out the logistics of tomorrow’s meeting. The musicians of the orchestra were packing up their instruments, many of them teary-eyed and shaky. Eyes were on me, burning into my skin like a brand, murmurs sounding as I walked past.
