Page 60 of Clash of Kingdoms

My brother walked up to us, and he went to Atticus first, embracing him in a bear hug like he was his own son. He squeezed him hard then pressed a kiss to his temple. My brother loved my children like his own, and I loved Lila like my own as well. He gripped Atticus by the shoulder. “You fought valiantly today.”

Atticus nodded, but his eyes were empty.

My brother looked at me next. His eyes were heartbroken just like mine. We’d survived the night and made it to day, but we’d lost so much. We’d lost the people we’d vowed to protect. We’d lost soldiers and civilians. We’d lost women and children. We’d lost…everything. And the demons had lost nothing.

Ian moved into me, and we embraced, a one-armed hug that was solemn and depressing. He pulled away and looked across the sea of dead. “Storm will notify Ivory of our survival?”

I nodded.

“Good.”

We stood there together, absorbing the magnitude of our loss in silence. The only thing I was truly grateful for was the fact that my brother and son stood with me in that moment, that the people I loved most were still with me. But that graveyard was full of brothers and sons…of entire families.

“We should ride back,” Ian said. “The demons will return. We need a plan.”

“There are more of them?” Atticus asked, snapping out of his reverie.

Ian and I both turned to him, and we realized he didn’t know the truth.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him.

Ian did the dirty work for me. Told him about the crystal and its ability to reincarnate the demons. We’d killed them, but they would be back.

Atticus said nothing for a while. “Oh fuck.” Now his shoulders dropped in hopelessness.

“We need to destroy the crystal or flee.” Ian looked at me again. “Those are the two options. Or maybe we should choose both options. Send away our people and leave behind a group to destroy the crystal. If they fail, at least the others will survive.”

I didn’t have the heart to plan our next move. It was too broken. “Return to HeartHolme with Atticus. I need to stay here.”

“Why?” Ian asked.

“Because my people need me right now.” They needed me to mourn with them. To carry the dead to the pyres. To help those in need. War was more than the battle—it was the aftermath, and I wouldn’t desert them to rush back to my castle to plan the next move. “I’ll lead our people to HeartHolme once they’re ready.”

Atticus stared at me for a moment before he walked into me and embraced me.

I held him, my palm against the back of his head, mourning in silence.

We stood that way for a long time before he pulled away and wordlessly walked away. My brother joined him.

Aurelias returned to me. “Shall I return to HeartHolme?”

“Yes. I’ll remain here with my people.”

“My brothers have agreed to accompany me to the crystal to destroy it.”

My eyes were on the muddy graves when he spoke, so I redirected my gaze to him. “We just need to gather the supplies for the detonators, then we’ll go.”

“Gather what you need in my absence. When I return, we’ll forge our plan.”

He was quiet for several seconds. “With all due respect, we may not have that time. The demons could be back in just a few days, and we simply don’t have the numbers to defeat them a second time?—”

“I’m aware, Aurelias.”

“If we destroy the crystal before they leave, they may not attack us again since their deaths will be permanent.”

“I need to be here with my people?—”

“Then my brothers and I will gather what we need and depart, even if you haven’t returned.”