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  At long last, Jace spoke. “Once you’re crowned king, where does that leave Elanor?”

  Daniel lifted his brows slightly. It was not the first question he was anticipating, but he had a ready answer for it. “At my side as my wife and queen.”

  After all, that was exactly the outcome he hoped for. He wasn’t interested in anything other than a serious relationship with marriage as the ultimate goal.

  “It’s a lot to ask of her.”

  Daniel opened his mouth but had no prepared answer for this. It was a lot to ask. Ruling a kingdom was not easy. It would strain them both. Now he did clear his throat. He took a little longer to answer than he would have liked, but he was confident in his words.

  “I would never ask it of her if I didn’t believe she was capable of handling its hardships. I think she would make an great queen.”

  The slightest hint of a potential smile crossed Jace’s expression. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking. Daniel wasn’t quite sure which.

  However, Jace then tipped his chin in a slow nod. “I think she would too.”

  Daniel’s painfully thudding heart picked up a notch.

  “You may court her,” Jace said. “Just make sure you take care of her.”

  Daniel let out a great breath of air and put his hand over his heart in a solemn promise. “I will.”

  Jace appeared to take his measure for another uncomfortably silent moment before he said, “I’ll let you go talk to her. I’m sure she’s waiting.”

  Daniel tried not to grin overmuch. This couldn’t have been easy for Jace, and he didn’t want to rub it in or press his luck. “Thank you.”

  He made a hasty escape and headed straight to the door. Perhaps he should have checked to see if Trask and Balen had more to discuss, but it wouldn’t do to let Elanor wait around out in the cold. They’d find him if they needed him. He had all day to focus on reality and responsibility. Right now, his mind was a little too stuck on someone else.

  Jace was right. Elanor waited for him just outside of the meeting hall, her hands tucked into the pockets of her long coat and her cute little nose pink at the tip. Her bright eyes met his and widened a little in expectancy. She stepped forward to meet him.

  “How did it go?”

  “It went well. I have his permission”

  A grin sprang to her lips, and Daniel didn’t hold back his own this time.

  “So, now that I know I won’t mysteriously disappear into the forest or anything for being seen with you,” Daniel made an attempt at seriousness but couldn’t quite wipe the smile from his face, “I want to officially ask you, Lady Elanor Cantan, if you will permit me to court you?”

  “Of course!”

  Her enthusiasm warmed his heart. He’d been tempted to kiss her before today, but right at this moment the urge was downright painful. He nearly gave in, but Jace would probably walk out right then and catch him in the act. Better to wait for a more opportune and private moment, difficult as that was. He didn’t want to rush anything.

  Instead, he offered her his arm. “Let me walk you to your cabin.” She must be freezing by now.

  With a happy little grin, she took his arm with her gloved hand, and he guided her in the direction of her cabin, though he was in no particular hurry to get there.

  * * *

  After gathering cleaning materials from the supply shack, Jace strode across camp with Tyra and mulled over his conversation with Daniel. He’d seen the two of them walking when he’d left the meeting hall. Elanor certainly looked happy with the way she gazed up at Daniel and laughed at whatever quip he made. Jace had thought he would still hold some hesitation, but speaking to Daniel and witnessing his sincerity had eased his mind. He couldn’t help smiling just a little over the memory of the prince’s discomfort.

  Halfway through camp, Jace took a detour and approached Trask and Anne’s cabin. Anne answered the door and invited him inside. Her mother sat near the fire with a cup of tea. Jace greeted her and then turned to Anne.

  “Trask probably told you about the cabin.”

  She grinned. “He did. I’m very excited for you and can hardly wait until you tell Kyrin.”

  Jace’s smile came easily. “Neither can I. Do you or Lenae have extra curtains or anything else that would make a home comfortable for a woman?”

  What exactly went in a house beyond the basics? He supposed Kyrin would fill the cabin with her womanly touches once they moved in just like Kalli had done at the farm. Still, he wanted to have it partway furnished and comfortable for her.

  Anne’s eyes twinkled. “I’m sure we can find some things. If not, we’ll make some. You just see about the cleaning up.”

  “Thank you.” Jace didn’t know what he’d do without the friends he had made in this camp. “I really appreciate it.”

  “Consider it an early wedding gift. You both deserve it.”

  Jace thanked her once more and then went on his way. When he reached the cabin, he paused at the door to savor the weight of the moment. With a smile to himself, he turned the knob and stepped inside. He surveyed the interior now that it was daylight. It wasn’t overly in need of cleaning. The floor would need sweeping and scrubbing, the windows washing, and a few cobwebs eradicated. After all, only men had previously occupied the cabin—no women to keep it as neat and tidy as Kyrin and her mother kept theirs.

  He lit a fire in the fireplace to warm the cabin and set a bucket of snow by the flames. While waiting for it to melt, he started with the cobwebs and brushed the soot from the wall around the fireplace before cleaning the windows. He looked forward to seeing what Anne would come up with for curtains. Color would really brighten up the place. A nice quilt for the bed and a couple of rugs would also help. He paused to visualize where he and Kyrin would place their things. Their things. He was more than ready to share everything about his life with her.

  He walked over to the fireplace where a second bucket of snow had melted into fresh water and grabbed a hard brush and a rag to get to work scrubbing the floor. Setting them down in the corner, he dunked the brush into the cold water.

  As he pulled it out again, a deep roar echoed like thunder outside. Jace froze. That was no dragon.

  Chapter Three

  For two heartbeats, Jace could not move, but the answering roars of the dragons jolted him into motion. He jumped to his feet and grabbed his coat as he dashed out the door with Tyra. The chaotic mingling of dragon and firedrake roars blasted the air above him. A wave of fire rolled through the bare branches. He ducked and covered his head as the heatwave struck him. Sparks and flames rained across camp. Thank Elôm for the fresh snow that stopped them from igniting anything.

  Jace raced toward the Altair cabin. Men dashed in front of him on their way to their dragons, Kaden leading the way. As Jace rounded one of the cabins, the sight nearly stopped him in his tracks. Black and gold clad men on foot and horseback dotted the tree line.

  “Jace!”

  His gaze shot to Holden rushing toward him. He tossed Jace his sword. Jace yanked it out and let the scabbard fall, not slowing his pace. Ahead, Marcus and Liam stood outside their cabin. Marcus shouted orders to the militia gathering around him. When Jace reached Liam he skidded to a halt.

  “Kyrin?”

  “She’s inside. Lenae and Meredith too.”

  The first clanging of swords echoed nearby, and Jace spun to look around camp. Where was Elanor? A moment later, she and Elian appeared and ran toward the cabin. Elanor’s wide eyes flashed and darted around camp as battle sounds rang through what had always been a safe haven.

  Jace grabbed his sister’s arm and hustled her up to the cabin. “Kyrin, open the door!”

  It swung open, and Kyrin stood on the other side, her face mirroring Elanor’s. In her hand, she clutched the quarterstaff he’d carved for her. Jace guided Elanor inside and grasped the doorknob as he looked down at Kyrin.

  “Stay inside and keep the door locked.”

  She barely nodded, her eyes
holding with his, but he had no time to say more. He yanked the door shut with a desperate prayer that no enemy would get past, and then turned to join the rest of the men.

  Clanging swords resonated from every direction as a ring of soldiers closed in around the perimeter of camp. Dragons and firedrakes roared overhead and somewhere in the forest the frozen trees cracked and splintered. Jace followed Rayad, Holden, and Elian to the edge of camp not a hundred feet away where Marcus and some of his men were already embroiled in a fierce skirmish.

  Warmth burst from Jace’s chest, chasing away the cold biting at his bare fingers. One of the soldiers turned to meet him. Their swords crashed together. Jace’s left arm ached at the impact, but the surge of heat in his veins masked the pain. He shoved the man’s blade away and went on the attack. He would not see this camp fall to Davira’s men. He’d lost a home and loved ones already. Not again.

  He pressed his advantage against the soldier, who clearly lacked experience, and left the man fallen in the snow. He swiftly scanned the area to see just how many soldiers they had to deal with. The black and gold uniforms appeared to match the number of men from camp. Had any of the dragon riders alerted the militia in the other camps? Would reinforcements come to their aid? Or were the other camps under attack as well?

  Jace couldn’t dwell on these questions. Whatever happened, he had to focus on the fight before him as he met with a more seasoned warrior, who required his undivided attention. The man aimed a quick thrust of his blade toward Jace’s chest and then swung for his legs. Jace jumped back and waited for an opening for his own attack. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted soldiers making their way deeper into camp.

  * * *

  Kaden latched the straps on Exsis’s saddle as quickly as his cold fingers would allow. He shot another glance upward. Captain Darq and the other cretes had already engaged with the firedrakes, taking to the air without saddles. Kaden would have followed, but his men weren’t quite that daring. So he stayed behind with his small army of dragon riders to saddle their mounts. Thankfully, they could have done this chore in their sleep and it only took a few minutes, yet it felt like an eternity.

  As he worked the last buckle, he eyed the fight taking over camp. A battle waged in his heart as well—to fight the firedrakes or to remain here on the ground to fight alongside his brothers. But he was a captain, and airborne battle was what he and his men were trained for.

  With his saddle secure, Kaden scrambled onto his dragon’s back and scanned his men. Most were in the process of mounting as well, and the others only seconds behind. The moment everyone was seated, Kaden traded a quick glance and nod with Talas before ordering everyone into the air.

  He and Exsis took off first, the dragon’s powerful wings shooting them upward, past the treetops. Here the battle played out. Around two dozen firedrakes circled the sky over camp, swirling the smoke rising from the cabin chimneys. Darq and a dozen crete riders darted amongst them, dodging snapping jaws and roiling blasts of fire.

  The frozen wind whipped across Kaden’s face feeling as though it were taking skin with it. His coat flapped behind him, providing little protection against the cold. He hadn’t even had time to button it in his race to get himself and his riders into the air.

  But the cold wasn’t their biggest threat right now. A firedrake swooped at him from his left. He checked for Talas who was only a dragon-length behind him. Together, they countered with two perfectly-timed attacks, sending the drake toward the trees in a smoking heap. Kaden checked his other men. They worked in pairs as they had all practiced many times. He wasn’t worried. He was confident his men would have no problem taking out the drakes along with Darq’s riders.

  What did worry him was the fight on the ground. Even now as he glanced downward, he spotted flashes of gold rimming camp. He gritted his teeth, but the most he could do was glare at them, at least until the firedrakes were dealt with.

  Kaden forced himself to focus on the battle at hand. No amount of confidence would save him if he failed to pay attention to what was going on around him.

  * * *

  The clash of swords, shattering roars, and battle shouts echoed outside the cabin. Sounds that should never have invaded this camp—their refuge. Kyrin clenched her fingers around her staff as her heart thumped with every shriek and cry of the dragons. Please, Elôm, protect the men! Locked inside the cabin while the battle raged just outside brought memories of Samara flooding back along with her fear of losing those she loved. What if the men couldn’t hold back the soldiers? Give us victory, Lord. So many innocent lives depend on it.

  She looked around the cabin, her gaze touching each person—her mother, Elanor, Lenae. Their tense faces and frightened eyes were fixed on the door, the only thing shielding them from the danger outside. Meredith huddled in the back corner with Ronny, who held her hand and pretended to be brave. Michael paced in front of Kyrin, his sword in hand.

  “I should be out there,” he muttered. “I should be helping.”

  “Marcus wanted you here to make sure we all were safe.” Kyrin tried to calm him, but he didn’t seem to hear her.

  Glass shattered, spraying across the floor from the window to Kyrin’s left. She jumped back, and Meredith screamed. A soldier stood at the window, his sword drawn. He used his gloved hand to swipe away jagged pieces of glass to climb through. Cold seized Kyrin, but she pushed herself into action. She rushed to the window and rammed the end of her staff as hard as she could into the soldier’s chest. He grunted and disappeared from sight. Kyrin didn’t dare get closer to see where he went.

  Frigid air rolled through the broken window with the sounds of the battle. Michael stood at Kyrin’s side, prepared to intercept if the soldier tried to get in again. Kyrin’s heart thudded in her ears. Were soldiers breaking into the other cabins? Would the women and children inside be able to stop them like she and her brother could?

  Something solid smashed against the door. Kyrin flinched and spun to face it. Another impact and the area around the lock cracked. Michael rushed toward it but looked back at Kyrin, his face set in steely determination. “As soon as I’m out, lock the door behind me.”

  “Michael, you can’t go out there,” their mother gasped.

  The soldiers struck the door again, and it threatened to give way.

  “If I don’t, they will get in.” Michael swung his gaze back to Kyrin.

  She stood frozen in indecision. He was right, but just like her mother, she feared for his safety. Yet, if the soldiers broke down the door, how many might get in? It would be up to her and Michael to hold them off. Could they do it, just the two of them?

  Staring at her brother’s hard-set face, he suddenly looked much more like a man than a boy. A man who desired to protect his family. Though her heart faltered in uncertainty, she nodded and hurried to the door. She traded a look with Michael as he gripped his sword in preparation, and then he reached for the lock. Unbolting it, he flung the door open and rushed out, taking the soldier on the other side by surprise. Swords clanged, but Kyrin didn’t see anything that happened next as she slammed the door shut again and relocked it. She gripped the knob and closed her eyes.

  “Elôm, please protect him.”

  * * *

  Marcus sidestepped to dodge a blow and then launched an attack of his own. He didn’t recognize the soldier he faced, but he did recognize the familiar fighting style typical of all Arcacian soldiers. It was the same one he had trained in and spent countless hours practicing. It was practical, precise, disciplined… predictable. Marcus knew it and could execute it as easily as breathing, but thanks to Jace, he had expanded his knowledge and ability. Through the sparring sessions they’d had in the last few months, he’d learned maneuvers to take down an opponent that weren’t part of his strict military training.

  With one of these newly learned techniques, he twisted his sword around and slashed open the top of the soldier’s thigh. The man grabbed for it, and Marcus used that moment to take
the soldier down. He scanned the area. A glimpse of Liam brought a quick flush of relief. While his brother didn’t like to fight, he could when called upon, and Jace’s tips would serve him just as well.

  Movement in his periphery yanked his attention to his right. He spun around, his sword ready but froze. A daunting figure in black and gold armor had just entered camp—the General. They locked eyes. His grandfather’s narrowed. He took a step closer, his presence as commanding as ever.

  “Stand down, Marcus.” His deep voice held the same force and intensity it always had while giving orders to his soldiers. “You don’t all have to die here. Order your men to surrender.”

  “Only so they can die on an execution platform elsewhere?” Marcus shook his head and raised his sword. He’d always expected this day would come—when he and his grandfather would face off, not just with words but with blades. “We won’t surrender.”

  The General glowered at him. “Don’t test me, Marcus. It won’t end well.”

  But Marcus wasn’t a boy anymore, nor was he under his grandfather’s command. He was the leader of the militia, and it was his responsibility to protect those within this camp. He gripped his sword firmly and resumed a defensive stance. The General’s expression darkened. He raised his own sword and took a deliberate step forward. Marcus drew one quick breath before their blades crashed together. The force jolted up his arms and into his shoulders.

  The General attacked again—precise, swift, shattering. Despite his age, the man was the most skilled opponent Marcus had ever faced besides Jace. Though he’d sparred with his grandfather in the past, this was altogether different. The General had more combat experience and expertise than any man Marcus knew. For a moment, Marcus’s confidence wavered. Could he even hope to stand up to his grandfather? However, everything he fought for quickly overcame his uncertainty. He had people behind him—people he loved and needed to protect.