Stepping inside, Caelan nearly tripped at the sight of at least fifty men and women spread around the open space. Their clothes were worn, dirty, and ragged. Too many of them looked painfully thin, their faces too gaunt. Soldiers and citizens left to fight for their homes on too little food. Caelan needed to fix this now.
“Your Majesty,” Tomas said, jerking Caelan’s gaze to him. The old soldier had dropped to one knee, his right hand pressed to his chest over his heart, and his head bowed. “My life for Erya. My blood for the crown. My soul for the Godstone.”
A wave crashed through the room as every man and woman dropped to a knee and repeated the vow. It was the same vow every soldier gave when they entered the Royal Guard. They lived it. As long as they were a Royal Guard, they were expected to give everything to the protection of Erya, the crown, and the Godstone. It was why none of them dared to marry until after they retired from service. They allowed nothing to come between them and the vow.
Caelan was left shaken to his very core. It was as if all the air had been sucked from the room and a thousand-pound weight had settled on his shoulders. This was what it meant to be king. Their lives were in his hands. From this day forward, his every decision would impact whether these people lived or died. He vowed that he would never take that responsibility lightly.
Placing a hand on Tomas’s shoulder, Caelan squeezed it and fought for air so he could finally say, “Rise, Captain Tomas Soto. Erya accepts your life. The crown cherishes your blood. The Goddess blesses your soul.”
Tomas rose, and Caelan might have completely thrown him off balance by pulling him in for a hug. There was just such relief that Tomas was still alive and fighting for Stormbreak. Everything in him argued that he could trust this man, even after the encounter with Levi. Tomas had trained him, dedicated his life to the protection of Erya. He was not a traitor.
“Thank Tula you survived,” Tomas murmured a little brokenly in Caelan’s ear.
A cheer echoed through the warehouse as the other soldiers shouted and clapped, welcoming their king home at last. Caelan released Tomas, both of them laughing, their eyes suspiciously bright.
At the back of the warehouse, a door slammed open and a booming voice rang out. “What the hell! I missed the festivities.”
They turned to see a tall Black woman weaving through the crowd, heading straight for them. This had to be the infamous General Johanna Morgan.
“There’s still time, General,” Caelan replied with a grin.
When she reached Caelan, she dropped to a knee and saluted, seeming all too happy to repeat the same vow Tomas had made. Caelan accepted and tried to shake her hand, but Morgan pulled him into a half bear hug that left Drayce snickering.
“About time we got this party started,” Morgan complained. “The Empire has overstayed its welcome.”
“I couldn’t agree more, General.” Things were coming together, and it was time to make some plans that might not only save Erya but all of Thia.
On the way to the private office that had been set up, Caelan wandered among the gathered fighters, shaking hands with everyone he saw and offering up words of thanks and encouragement. He didn’t miss that Tomas, Johanna, and his friends stuck incredibly close to him. While outwardly welcoming and friendly, everyone was watching for even a hint of treachery. Caelan remained their last hope for saving Erya, but he had a plan for that as well. Not that he was entirely sure anyone was going to be a fan of it.
The six of them crowded in the office, Caelan moving to the swivel chair behind the cluttered desk. The walls were covered with a variety of maps, while more notes about troop movements were pinned up. Stale coffee and sweat hung heavy in the air. It was cramped and uncomfortable, but when Rayne took up position behind his right shoulder while Drayce and Eno leaned against the wall near the door, Caelan couldn’t help but grin at the rightness of it all. If he was lucky, his life would contain this easy arrangement for many years to come.
“My friends, the Empire’s days in Stormbreak are numbered,” Caelan announced in the coldest voice he could muster. “Thank you for all your efforts to help our citizens get to safety and for opening the supply lines again. From this day forward, I wish to focus on removing the Empire’s only interest in our home. Possession of the goddess, Tula.”
“Your Majesty, you don’t believe they’ve invaded for the purpose of seizing Erya like they did with Damardor?” Tomas gasped. Johanna remained silent, her expression growing cloudy.