The Warrior’s Broken Mate novel Chapter 104

I stared at the Ash Queen in disbelief – I hadn’t destroyed this realm; I only wanted to finish my task and return to Elias before the baby arrived. Yet her knowing look, like many others here, told me there was more going on than I realized.

“It makes no sense. How the hell did I do this?” I asked, looking over the empty space around us.

“You did it when you killed the black witch. Celestra. Have you been having strange dreams lately? Dreams that don’t belong to you?” She asked.

“Dreams? While I’m asleep and awake.” I said.

“There’s a reason for that. Arthur really hasn’t told you anything, has he? You don’t know why you’re here.” She said.

“Why don’t you tell me? And then we’ll all be caught up.” I said.

Suddenly we heard shouting and an energy blast came flying at the Ash Queen. She disappeared in a cloud of smoke, before the energy ball could hit her and Arthur came running around the rocks with a lot of his warriors and our warriors.

Elias suddenly unfroze and he looked around at everyone really confused.

“What the fuck? How the hell did they get here?” He asked so I ran over to him.

“It’s a long story.” I said.

“Are you alright Lyra?” Arthur asked, racing over to me.

“I’m fine. She didn’t hurt me.” I said.

“Who?” Elias asked.

“The Ash Queen. She froze you so we could talk.” I said.

“She was here?” Elias yelled.

“Yeah. But she didn’t hurt me.” I assured him.

“What did she say to you?” Arthur asked.

I know the Ash Queen can’t be trusted, but I’ve had a bad feeling about Arthur ever since I got here. I know that I can’t tell him the truth. He’ll just spin it to his own advantage and if there’s any truth to what she said, I need to find out.

I wasn’t an idiot though. I know that she could have been lying out of her ass to drive a wedge between us. But that doesn’t change the feeling that I’ve had about Arthur. I knew that it was best just to keep it all to myself at the moment.

“A bunch of mumble jumble. Like she was talking in riddles. I don’t really know what to make of it.” I said.

“Let’s get back to the village. What are you even doing here?” Arthur asked, holding my arm.

“I needed to come and check something out.” I said.

“This is where you killed them. You don’t need to be plagued with those memories.” Arthur said.

He started leading me away from the area with Elias standing back.

He didn’t like that Arthur was getting so close to me and trying to take care of me the way that he was. But he stood back watching us with a wolf by his side.

We returned to the village, and I sat on the bed by the window while Arthur brought me food and drink.

“Is everything alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, though he studied me.

“You seem distracted. Are you sure the Ash Queen didn’t say anything to you?”

“Like what?” I asked, curiously.

“I don’t know. Anything. She loves playing mind games. I don’t think she’s ever told the truth about anything in her life.” He said.

“No. Probably not.” I said.

We then heard a bit of commotion outside so Arthur went to the door and I sat up to look out the window at the village and Kronos was only just returning with the warriors.

“What happened?” Elias asked, walking towards them.

“We checked on the other survivors and the wolves that you sent to protect them. Everything is fine. I think there’s something interfering with your mind link connection. That’s why you’re having trouble getting through to them.” Kronos said.

“What could be doing that?” Elias asked.

“That’s exactly why everyone we brought is coming with us.” Elias barked. “That’s why we dragged them into this. They’ll see how outnumbered they are there’s only so much room inside that stone. We make them regret thinking they could hide from us.”

“You already lost men.” Kronos hissed, stepping forward. “How many more do you want to throw away for pride?”

“I won’t sit here and do nothing.” Elias snapped, eyes flashing. “We’re losing time. She already came after Lyra once. We want to go home to our son.” His voice broke, then hardened. “I won’t let them keep us here because I couldn’t act.”

“That’s reckless.” Arthur said coldly. “Stupid and reckless.”

“Why were you so desperate to go to the castle alone with Lyra?” Elias cut in, venom in every word. “But you refuse an army? Why does it have to be only you and her?”

“Because an army announces war.” Arthur said, voice low and clipped. “If it’s just us, she’ll know we mean to parley – to settle this without slaughter. You want to smash everything to bits before you even speak.”

“You’d gamble diplomacy on a whisper and a smile?” Elias spat. “You’d risk us in the hope that she keeps her word?”

“Better a careful plan than a massacre.” Arthur said. “Better two men and a chance to end this without more names added to the ground.”

Kronos laughed, short and bitter. “You speak of chances while men bleed. Pick a side, Arthur coward or fool.”

–

Elias glared at Arthur. “If you won’t lead, fine. But don’t stand in the way when the rest of us do what needs to be done.”

“And if you tear the place down and bring down the whole realm?” Arthur snapped. “Then you’ll have everyone’s blood on your hands.”

Silence slammed into the clearing like a door. For a long moment none of them moved – only the hard, dangerous hum of people pushed to the edge that had snuck in to see what the yelling was about.

I sat there quietly watching the whole interaction between everyone and listening to their points as they spoke.

Listening to everything that was being said, it made one thing even more clearer than before.

Elias was the only person in this realm that I truly trusted.