Page 52 of Crown of Iron (The Crown Trilogy #1)
Thirty
I shove the last pin in my hair, securing the bun to the back of my head, and release a long breath.
My reflection stares back at me, fierce in her black armor with her chin held high.
No crown on my head could make me feel as powerful as I do now.
Tonight will be my first act as a leader who will rule and fight to the death for what is right.
I'm laying claim to what I want and will stop at nothing to get it.
I exit my room just as Greer steps into the hallway.
She wears her new protective armor, without the fire element.
As always, she’s strapped an assortment of blades to her body, with two secured to her back and several down her thigh.
With my single sword swaying from my hip, I appear vastly underprepared compared to her.
She sweeps her gaze over me and reaches for a small dagger strapped to her boot.
“I have my sword,” I say, clenching the hilt.
“I know, but one more won't hurt.”
“Of course it won't.” I slide the sheathed blade inside my boot.
We exit the barracks to find a sea of ebony.
Hundreds of soldiers move toward the training field.
Every single one of them has made a choice.
They do not have to march into battle to save my father.
Kyron offered them a reprieve, telling them he would not hold it against them if they chose not to risk their life for another.
So it was by their own volition that they came to their general.
Greer and I push our way to the front of the crowd, and she leaves my side to stand next to an elevated platform with Terro and Ulric.
Terro jerks his head to the side, motioning me to stand next to him, but I hold my place with the lower-ranking soldiers.
I know where I belong, and I've yet to earn the right to face those who battle with me tonight as a leader.
Murmurs come from the far end of the gathered soldiers, and some take a step back as a menacing figure walks toward the platform. Kyron doesn’t wear the new uniform but the leather and steel of a Stigian warrior. It’s his disguise to get us into the prison.
Leif flanks the general and slides in with the other officers.
I'm surprised to see him geared up like the rest of us.
As my future husband, Micah has ordered him to stay far away from the battlegrounds.
He must remain protected if I'm to bear an heir to my crown.
But like so many other things this day, he is refusing to fall in line.
Kyron takes the platform and sweeps his gaze over the soldiers at his command.
The metal capping his shoulders and covering his chest makes them look broader, threatening, terrifying.
Matched with his Stigian eyes, he looks every bit the role he must play.
He’s a superior warrior who will stop at nothing to take my kingdom and siphon the dormant power of those I swear to protect.
Kyron lifts a hand, and the crowd falls silent. “For too many days, we have fought on the defensive, protecting the lives of every Lucent and shedding our blood on our own land. But tonight, we will spill the blood of our enemy on Stigian soil!”
The soldiers beat their chests and release ominous cries; their tongues hanging from their mouths.
“Tonight, we have chosen to bring back one of our own!” Kyron shouts over the noise.
Feet stomp and fists pound over hearts to a swift beat. The soldiers chant the words of an old prayer, turning it into their battle cry.
Guide us with your light.
We move with your wind,
find strength from your earth.
We flow with your waters,
and attack with the force of lightning .
Burn bright in us, Statera.
Our enemy will fall cold at our feet.
We fight for our land.
We die for our freedom.
May Lucent prevail, may Lucent prevail.
The army parades toward the wagons and horses, ready for the battle ahead.
Leif falls into step with me, and I look him up and down, saying, “Micah would kill you if he knew you were coming.”
“That would make two of us. Besides, I'm assigned to a different mission with Wel and a handful of new soldiers. We won't be near the battle.”
“You care to tell me what you’ll be doing?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Let's just hope I'm not needed tonight.”
We reach my horse, where a stablehand waits to give me the reins.
“Hey, Elle.” I look back at my best friend. “Please be careful.”
The worry in his hazel eyes is like a knife to the heart. We don't know a world without the other in it, and I pray we never will. I put my arms around his neck and squeeze. “You're not getting out of marrying me this easily.”
He chuckles and buries his face in my neck. “I love you.”
“I love you too. I'll see you soon.”
He nods and lets me go. “May the Statera bring you safely home, Your Grace.”
“May the Statera protect you and your secret mission, Captain Stone.”
I climb onto my horse, take one final look at my best friend, and merge with the soldiers heading for Stigian.
We ride for hours before Kyron pulls the reins on his horse and raises his fist. “Primary unit, we dismount here,” he calls to the army behind him.
I slide down from the saddle, and my teeth clank together when my feet hit the stone ground. Placing my hands on my hips, I stare up at the enormous snow-capped mountain hovering over me. Since crossing the Stigian border, the land transformed into a flat, treeless wasteland void of all wildlife.
“Why would anyone want to be here?” I mumble while a member of the secondary unit ushers my horse away to the safe zone .
All the stories I grew up hearing of Stigian are nothing more than lies.
Despite seeing the map of the capital and all the impressive structures, this land is desolate.
Are the people who abandon Lucent for this place so desperate for something different they happily resort to this?
I can't imagine trudging on and believing this land will give way to something better.
“We will march through the mountain pass in twos,” Kyron says.
The soldiers pair up and move between the narrow split in the center of the mountain. I slide into the formation and a hand curls around my bicep, pulling me back.
“You're with me, princess.”
I step to Kyron's side and patiently wait for his next order.
I long for it. Until this moment, he hadn't spoken a word to me since this morning.
I can see the worry in his eyes and the stress in his tense shoulders.
He focuses on every passing face like he's logging them to memory, making sure we leave no one behind.
When only a few soldiers remain, he takes my elbow and guides me into the line, and we enter the dark chasm.
He holds out his palm and a small ember globe forms in the center, lighting our way. The flame flickers over the sharp lines of his face, giving him a haunting appearance.
I can't help but to take advantage of the dark passageway and slide my hand into his. He stiffens, his fingers rigid inside mine.
“There’s no need to be so tense, general. I'll be at your side to protect you the entire time,” I say with a hint of playfulness.
He spares me a glance from the corner of his eye, and I flash him a grin. My attempt to keep things lighthearted flounders when he releases my hand.
“You have to remember to keep to the plan no matter what happens, and everything will be all right,” he says.
I move my face in front of his, lining up our eyes. “Are you saying that for my sake or yours? Because you don't need to reassure me. I know you have thought this through, and everything will work out.”
His Adam's apple bobs, and he whispers, “It will.”
The next hour marching through the mountain is silent, leaving me to wrestle with my thoughts.
It's difficult to keep a clear head when so many lives are at stake.
What if we didn't foresee something crucial?
What if the entrance we chose is guarded better than we thought?
What if we can't find my father? What if this mission fails?
I want to unleash my worries, share them with the man beside me.
The fears are so clear on his face as well.
I open and close my mouth several times when my anxiety mounts, but I choose to say nothing.
Kyron has taken risks, put the lives of himself and his soldiers on the line before.
I'm sure this is all part of his routine before a battle. I just wish it wasn't so quiet.
With every step toward the Stigian capital, my heartbeats turn erratic and terrified trembles vibrate through me.
I clasp my hands together to stop them from shaking.
Every single one of my nerves is on edge, bouncing together like bubbles in boiling water.
Every flicker of light or unexpected sound has me jumping and gripping the pummel of my sword.
I might explode if the mountain pass doesn't come to an end soon.
Everyone speeds up their pace, and low murmurings erupt at the front of the line. The mountain is giving way, and the relief washes through me. And just as quickly, it vanishes. We’re getting our first glance at tonight's battleground.
I step out of the mountain's shade and my breath hitches, trapping sea-salted air in my lungs. Even from a distance, it’s easy to make out the sleek, symmetrical buildings made of glass and steel.
They tower well above the massive wall protecting them.
Beams of multi-colored lights shoot toward the clouds, reminding me of each of the Statera's gifts—fire, ice, water, earth and so on.
The Stigian capital is the most magnificent city I've ever seen.