Page 72 of Realm of Crows (Wings of Ink #5)
Fifty-Four
Ayna
It takes until the end of the day before we’ve arranged for the fairies too severely injured to be treated in the camp to be transported to the infirmary at the palace in Aceleau.
Andraya and Pouly have taken over the command of the rebels, while I’ve appointed Iliana the new general of the Tavrasian army.
They now stand on the edge of the field where the rebels and Tavrasian soldiers have gathered, watching their queen step before them.
My legs are shaking as I climb onto one of the larger boulders scattered across the field and raise my hand to get their attention.
“My fellow Tavrasians.” My voice is like sandpaper, but the murmurs die down, and their faces shine with both awe and disdain, depending on which part of the crowd I happen to glimpse at.
“Today marks an important day in the history, not only of Tavras but of all of Eherea. While many of you fought under Erina’s rule because it was your job to do so without questioning, your actions caused bloodshed and turned you against your own people—and the people of Askarea and Cezux. ”
Shouts of objection and wails for mercy weave into the whispering that rises across the field.
If there are any Tavrasians left who’re ready to attack in Erina’s name, even after his death, Iliana has the order to capture them and lock them up until they come to their senses.
I won’t make the new Tavras a place of tyranny or fear.
“I don’t condemn you for your choices, neither do I applaud our victory over King Erina and the Crow he called his general.
Instead, as your queen, I must look ahead to a brighter future, where Tavras, Askarea, and Cezux can live in peace once more, and our prosperity comes from trade and education, from arts and culture. ”
Some of the rebels from Iliana’s troops shout their agreement.
“As your queen, I am ready to forge a new path. One where all voices of Tavras are heard—the ones who believe we need more than what our lands provide, and the ones who believe our own people are all we need. I will not reign this realm on my own but with the help of the people, of representatives carrying your voices to the heart of Tavras.” Scanning the Crows for familiar faces, I nod at Andraya, Pouly, Ed, Gabrilla, Pouly’s sister Enhela, and her partner Kae.
“I will name a group of women and men who have Tavras’s best interest at heart to carry your needs and frustrations to the throne of Tavras.
Together, we shall mend and rebuild what’s broken in this realm. ”
Cheers erupt from the rebels and even the Tavrasian soldiers who fought because it was their job, not their vision to conquer the fairylands, make gestures of agreement to this new version of a rule—one where their queen will become less and less important—until the realm will govern itself, and its people will work together to keep it prosperous.
When I climb off the boulder, making my way through the crowd, my heart lightens with every step.
Tavras is free. Free of Erina’s rule, free of the general who used it for his own insane plans, and free of a cleft running through its people for hundreds of years.
Finally, there is a foundation of peace.
I’ll show my face in Meer someday soon to let them know their queen has different plans from sitting on said throne and that I’ll trust in the people of Tavras to govern themselves with Andraya and Pouly leading all endeavors of peace and prosperity, but for now, I need to be with my other people.
When I return to the camp, Myron, Royad, and Silas are standing by a fire, warming their hands like human soldiers.
The blood has been wiped off their faces, and all wounds have been healed.
The resilience we’ve all built up toward the drug is really taking effect with this new variation Ephegos and Erina had the soldiers use in this battle.
My own injuries are nearly healed as well, my magic returning more by the minute.
Even the magical injury from Erina’s attack has sealed to all but an angry pink blotch; it simply took a little more time than the usual wound.
I yet need to clean up and find leathers that aren’t torn and tattered at my shoulders and arms, but that can wait.
“Is it done?” Myron holds out an arm, curling me into his side the moment I’m close enough, and I savor the warmth of his body seeping through our leathers.
“It’s done.” I barely get the words out, Myron’s potent scent of freedom driving my thoughts toward clear blue waters and the wind in my hair.
“What about the Crows?” Glancing over my shoulder at the tall, intimidating males strolling about the camp, I wonder if they will be loyal to us because they are convinced it’s the right thing to do or because their master was killed.
“They are what’s left of our people,” Royad says, sadness filling his expression. “Thirty Crows and the four of us.” He gestures at Myron and me and Silas and himself.
“And the eighteen males who vanished from the Seeing Forest after we set out to save you from Meer,” Silas notes with that darkness in his tone, telling me his heart hasn’t recovered from the series of betrayals he’s endured.
Not even the sight of Gabrilla alive brought back a smile to his face, despite the moment they seemed to have shared during the solstice celebration.
“We can’t execute them for having made poor choices,” Myron points out, his arm tightening around my waist but his grasp gentle where the remains of the injury Erina gave me are fading. “If we do that, you’ll need to execute me, too.”
“You didn’t turn against your people the way they did,” I object, but the sincerity in Myron’s gaze silences me before I can make my case.
“Not the way they did, but Ephegos was right about one thing. I abandoned my people by giving up on breaking the curse. I betrayed them, too.”
“You made up for it by breaking the curse anyway.”
“ You made up for it by breaking the curse.” He leans down to kiss the top of my head. “My queen.”
For a long moment, I simply stand there, enjoying that we’re safe for once rather than hunting down options that might buy us a chance at survival. When my heart is full to bursting, Myron sighs through his nose and straightens his posture.
“There’s a thing we need to do then.” He nods at Royad, who turns on his heels, climbing onto a box of supplies a few paces away.
“Listen up, Crows!” His baritone carries through the camp on a gentle breeze blowing the stench of blood and death away.
The Crows turn where they are, flocking around us like birds would on a meadow, their eyes alive with questions and their foreheads creased with worries.
“Your king has something to say to you.” With those words, Royad climbs down from the box, returning to Myron’s side, ever the protective shadow.
Myron doesn’t pull out of our embrace as he speaks to what’s left of our people.
“You all followed Herinor’s example and fought the bargain you made with Ephegos despite the threat of consequences from the ancient magic of bargains, and I’m grateful for your support in the final battle.
You might be considered traitors because of your earlier choices, but that’s not how I choose to see you. ”
A murmur runs through the Crows, but not only through them—Fairy soldiers have stopped to listen to Myron’s speech.
From their expressions, I can’t tell if they are entirely happy with the Crows’ presence—especially their presence without chains on their wrists and ankles.
Their eyes have been following the Crows around the camp since the moment they arrived, and I can’t say it doesn’t ease my worries, knowing they’ll have our backs if the Crows choose to turn against us after all.
But the way Ennis and Gorrey’s faces light up at Myron’s words tells me that shouldn’t be what we worry about.
“We are what is left of a once great and terrifying people. We are all that is left. Killing you would erase our species from this world.” Myron looks each of them in the eye.
“With your final statement against Ephegos and your willingness to sacrifice yourselves and all you hold dear to fight for what you believe in, I consider you part of our future. A future as Crows.
“I won’t make you swear an oath to me or strike a bargain the way Ephegos did, but I will ask you if you are willing to give me your loyalty—to give us ”—he pulls me even tighter to his side—“your loyalty. Without it, you will not have a place among this new court of Crows and the realm we will find to call our home. ”
My eyes fill with fresh tears as one by one the Crows fall to their knees, lowering their heads as they kneel to Myron the Valiant—and their queen.
As I look upon the Crows I’ll call my people, Rogue’s dark figure catches my attention from a few feet behind the kneeling males.
Our gazes lock for a brief moment, and he inclines his head as if in approval of what just happened here.
From his direction, a dark breeze swirls through the air, carrying his velvet voice to my ear.
“All hail the Queen of Crows. Lead your people back to greatness.”
We return to Aceleau the way Crows travel best—carried by our wings—resting in treetops and eating from the provisions Tori and Clio had us pack from the army supplies, and when we arrive in Aceleau a few days later, the Crows who have joined us stay with the fairy soldiers in their barracks.
“We can’t stay here forever, you know that,” I remind Myron as we make our way up to our guest rooms. A bath and change of clothes sound divine right now, and I can’t help but think of taking that bath together with my mate—alone for the first time since we marched into battle.
“My bargain with Tori will kick us out soon enough.” The humor in Myron’s voice is new and almost brings me to my knees. Such joy and lightheartedness have entered his demeanor since we walked off the battlefield, thirty Crows richer.
“I know.” At the top of the stairs, I stop to stand on my toes and kiss his cheek. “And our people will come with us.”
“So you’re ready to leave Tavras to itself?”
I watch Silas and Royad walk down the hallway before us, their gait defined by both relief and exhaustion.
Time for them to get some proper sleep. Hopefully, Kaira has gotten some rest since she returned here with Clio, Tori, and the Fairy King.
The mystery around Herinor’s absence has caused me enough sleepless hours; I can’t imagine how she must feel.
“I’m ready to get things in order in Meer and show my face to the people of Tavras before we get on a ship and sail east.” My stomach flutters at the thought of riding the waves again.
I’m not sure how exactly I feel about leaving a kingdom behind whose freedom I fought so hard for, but I know it will be in the best of hands between the two people who got me out of Erina’s palace to begin with, and Iliana, whose sense of justice and outspokenness will be an asset as an adviser to the new government of Tavras.
The rest of the pieces will fall into place as time progresses.
They will establish their own rules and laws to live by, and I will return to check in on them when we visit Aceleau one day.
It’s the best possible future for a kingdom under the rule of a tyrant, a kingdom split for so many generations. This is the best chance I can give them to heal.
We continue down the corridor hand in hand, Myron’s thumb brushing along the inside of my palm, and those butterflies in my stomach take flight for an entirely different reason.
The living room is empty when we enter the guest suite, the silver sofa and armchairs in the exact same spots as we left them before we headed out for battle.
Myron leads me past the others’ doors, guiding me into our own bedroom.
I’ve barely crossed the threshold when his mouth covers mine, fingers delving into my braid, and a groan of contentment and pleasure rumbles in his chest. Fire ignites in my belly, searing through my veins until it collects in the mark in my palm, where it slips from my skin in the form of little stars.
“Apparently, I love you enough to create a new universe from my feelings.” I laugh, peppering his face with kisses.
“Apparently, I can’t imagine any universe without you in it.” Myron takes my hand into his, guiding it to his mouth and brushing his lips across the mate mark in a tender kiss.