Page 21 of Realm of Crows (Wings of Ink #5)

Taking a slow breath, I let his words settle. Not an accusation or an insult, but simply a reminder that my Crow physique will not falter as fast as their human one .

Pouly shoots him a deadly glare. “Watch how you speak to your queen, Rochus.”

The man flinches, but I hold up my hand to stop any debate right there.

“It’s all right, Rochus. You worry what will happen to you and yours if you march into battle against Erina’s legions, especially when they will be featuring Crows and Flames alongside human soldiers.

” I don’t even want to think about the chances the rebels will be getting themselves killed at first contact.

And it will be on me. “I won’t force you to fight.

I won’t force any of you to fight on my behalf.

If you choose to walk away today and sit it out somewhere in the remote corners of Tavras, that’s up to you.

I won’t judge you for laying down your weapons after a lifetime of fighting. ”

Rochus’s shoulders rise and fall with a breath of relief, but I’m not done with him.

“If it’s any consolation, my powers won’t make much of a difference in the battles to come with Erina and Ephegos using the magic-nullifying drug to coat their soldiers’ armor and weapons.

You might go into battle less equipped to beat them, but it will be me on my knees and puking up my guts when the enemy strikes. ”

Horror crosses Rochus’s features, and beside him, Ed opens his mouth to speak.

I cut him off before he can get a word out.

“I don’t know if you have been given all the details of what the drug does to us, but rest assured, your queen will be useless and dependent on your strength before this war is over.

So if you choose to abandon her, that’s all right with me.

But if you choose to abandon Tavras, you’ll have your fellow rebels to answer to.

Because ultimately, Tavras isn’t mine. It is all of ours, and I’ll fight to the death to protect it. Even on my knees in my own vomit.”

The room is so silent I can hear my own heart hammering against my ribs.

Tori and Clio are holding their breaths while Andraya and Pouly’s eyes shine with pride at my desperate speech.

The tension is about to tear the room to shreds when the young rebel woman with the unreadable face places her fist on her chest and lowers herself to one knee. “I will fight to the death for Tavras.”

Solemn brown eyes glance up at me, and my chest fills with gratitude and guilt as this one soul I’ve convinced to lay down her life for my cause pledges her loyalty.

“So will I,” Ed croaks, less formal with his manners, but he inclines his head, a boyish smile on his young features. With a quick hand, he wipes back the dark waves shifting into his face, and he meets my gaze. “My queen.”

The guilt is overwhelming as I answer his smile with one of my own, while indecision is warring on the two rebels’ father’s face.

It takes him a few heartbeats to come to terms with his kids’ decision, but his shoulders sag with defeat, and he bows, fist over his heart. “To the death, Queen Wolayna.” And I want to cry for all the lives that will surely be lost on my behalf.

Keep it together, Ayna. I will myself to remain strong, not to let my own fear show. Those rebels are my responsibility. Mine to protect .

Thank Tori for reading the room and knowing if there are any more words spoken regarding the topic of the potential consequences of a confrontation with Erina’s legions, I’ll fall apart.

With a clap, he gestures at the black-and-gold clothed guards.

“Very well. Now that we’ve settled that, each of you will site-hop one of the rebels to the various factions hiking up north and help them deliver this”—he flicks his fingers, and a stack of parchment appears in his palm—“message. Queen Wolayna, would you mind signing your name at the end of the instructions so it’s an order from the queen they fight for? ”

He holds out the stack to me, a pen in his other hand, and I take it.

After reading each of the papers, all giving the same instructions we’ve agreed upon, I sign my name and send a prayer to all the gods who will listen that none of the rebel groups will have a change of heart. We’ll need every last one of them to win this war.

Tori hands the folded parchments to the rebels, and each of the stone-faced guards steps to the side of one of them.

“Don’t scare the humans,” Clio says to the fairies before they join hands with their rebel and vanish from the throne room, leaving Andraya and me behind.

“Andraya and I are a proven team,” Tori says, holding out his hand for the lady.

“It will take them an hour or two to finish their task,” Tori lets me know with the face of my friend, the coldness of the general gone.

“I gave each guard a route to follow so we don’t double-visit camps and waste time.

I’ll take Andraya; Clio goes with you. We’ll meet back here when we’ve spoken to every last group of rebels heading north, and when we’re done, we’ll celebrate the Winter Solstice. ”

On instinct, my eyes dart to the window, where the pile of wood has grown into a huge bonfire.

Beside it, two tall male shapes are heaving more logs, layering them into a stack.

One of the two forms stops mid-motion—Myron—and even when I can’t make out details of their faces across the distance, I could swear he’s looking at me.