Page 52 of Lies That Blemish
Kohen nodded. “Imagine what it could do to an enemy’s heart…”
It was an unsettling thought. I’d never seen such an incredible weapon before.
“How many of these do you have?”
“Just one. I’ve been working with my blacksmith for two months, perfecting it. I got the vision the night you found out… the truth,” he said wearily.
If we had a hundred of these, we could take Luska in one night.
“Can you make more?”
“With time.”
I nodded, smiling. “Good. I should go. I have a thousand things to do and?—”
His lips were on mine in an instant, and I melted into his touch. It reminded me of last night and the pleasure I’d felt, the way he’d tenderly made love to me and called mewifeany chance he got.
“Everything will be okay,” he whispered into my ear before stepping back.
It should have felt like a promise, but instead, it felt like a consolation. Like he was warning me of a storm coming and to take cover.
Chapter 18
Aisling
I wason a happy high from my night with Kohen, hardly able to believe I’d just become his wife in secret. But nothing had felt more right. I didn’t deserve his forgiveness after everything I’d done, everything my father had done—to him and his people. But he gave it, and not just that— he bound himself to me for eternity.
‘I’m happy for you,’Liana said again.
I smiled, the wind whipping against my face.‘Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me my father was a bad person,’I told her.
Reaching up, I touched the necklace at my throat with a smile, fingering the ring there. I had no idea how this would work when I could tell people, but… being Kohen’s wife, having peace between our nations. It was the only way I could stay true to myself.
‘Land at the front gates of the Wilds. I want to check in,’I told her.
My mind was running wild, trying to keep all the things in line that had to be done. I had cadets in the Wilds, I had the training center ready to start up another boot camp, I had my sisters to protect, the peace treaty with Imbria to draft, and Luska to keep an eye on, especially after we tore down part of the Wall. It felt like too many moving pieces.
When Liana began to descend over the gates, I saw there were already dozens of cadets with creatures outside, getting triaged in the medical tent. Hopefully for minor injuries.
It was the morning of the third day. Most should be making it out by now. I’d expected more than this. Maybe they’d already been bused back to the capital.
‘Look up,’Liana told me.
I snapped my head up and gasped.
At first I pulled for my magic, thinking what I was seeing was a Luskin assault. But when I recognized Charlene, I grinned.
Charlene and over three dozen others were riding Talanagi.
“Empress!” Charlene screamed over the wind. She rode a black-feathered griffin with blue ember marks. She had a large claw mark gash on her left arm and was covered in dirt.
I laughed in shock as the troop of cadets flew around me in circles. Dragons, winged lions, griffins, so many flying Talanagi. It was incredible.
Our plan had worked. We now had a force to properly fight Luska with.
I flew in circles with the other cadets, who were whooping and yelling into the sky with excitement and joy lifted in my chest. Things were looking up. This peace that Valor spoke about, that she thought might be impossible in her lifetime, seemed just within reach to me now.
After checking in with the guards at the gate and congratulating the cadets who had made it out, I flew home.
