Broken, but Not Defeated

Chapter 60 (Caldina

     "I'm glad you're letting her go," I say, walking up the stairs of the old watchtower.

"Yeah," Levindal sighs, not turning to look at me. I walk over to him and stare at the sunset. We stand like that for a few minutes before Levindal says, "My father made me promise him to take care of her." He looks down at his folded hands. "Am I doing the right thing, Caldina?" He asks so quietly I barely hear him.

"Yes, Levindal," I promise, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You might have made that promise to your father, but you have to remember we also have to let them grow up, we can't just always lock them in their rooms."

"What if she dies?"

"Then she'll die honorably knowing that she's protecting her king and country."

"Did we make a mistake?" he asks, I look at him in confusion. "I mean should we have done it?"

"Done what?"

"That day in the forest, maybe I should have just killed you." he mumbles under his breath. I don't say anything, just look out. "How do you think they are going to respond, to us being. You know what.

"What?" I ask.

"You being their rightful queen?" he asks.

"Of the Witches or of the Fae?"

"Fae."

"I don't know." We lapse into silence again.

Levindal looks at me. "She lost her mate when she was young, you know. She disappeared for months, showing up in one spot only to disappear a few days later. Lyra has never been the same, she covers up her pain with sarcasm and charm."

"Don't we all?" I ask.

"No, everybody is different, some cover their pain with sarcasm like Lyra, and others become cold and silent devoid of any emotions, like you were before you found your siblings," he says, staring at me. "Tell me, little Warrior, would you have helped the humans if your siblings hadn't asked you for help?"

"Probably not, and don't call me little Warrior!" I snap, though secretly I quite like it when he calls me that.

"Or what?" he asks, maneuvering me against the wall.

"I'll punch you."

"No you won't."

"I'm not devoid of emotions either!" I add for good measure, before I drive my knee up. He steps back to protect himself, tripping over an old cloak on the floor. I race for the stairs, running down them as fast I dare. His boots pound behind me. I race through the door and take off at a sprint. Levindal tackles me to the ground.

"You will pay for that, little warrior."

I slam my head into his nose.

"No I won't," I state, when his body jerks away to protect his nose. I use the distraction to roll so he's pinned beneath my back. I launch to my feet and grab the knife in my boot. I twirl it through the air, I let my smirk into a smirk.

"Commander!" Esta yells, racing to my side.

"Yes?" I ask, never taking my eyes off Levindal.

"Fidelia has an urgent report for you," Sienna finishes, right behind Esta. I slip the knife back into my holster that is attached to my boot. I turn on my heels and stalk away.

"This is not over, Caldina!" Levindal yells after me. He's right this is far from over. But instead of yelling, I bite my tongue.

"We have a problem," Fidelia says the moment I step foot into the tent. The Wraiths fan out around us. I jerk my head at Vivian and Valeska who go outside to keep away eavesdroppers.

"What is it?" I say throwing myself on my bedroll.

"They've destroyed the bridge."

"I saw that coming," I say under my breath.

"No you didn't, instead of witches, it was the king's guards."

"The king's guards?"

"Yeah, I guess they don't take too kindly to witches being in their kingdom."

"What's the plan then?" Sienna asks.

"The plan stays. Esta, train Juliana and be ready to do anything." She nods. I look around me.

"What did I do to deserve such loyal friends?" I ask myself.

"I don't know," Esta says, smiling.

"By being loyal to us, and caring for us when no one else would," Mave says looking from where she had been studying the ground.

I remember when I found Mave in the woods, she had been standing over the dead bodies of the murderers breathing hard. She was one of the first recruits. Mave was a mess the next few days, attacking anyone who got close to her. I was the only one she would let close to her, she didn't even trust her own mother. It took her three years to get back to normal, or as normal as someone can be who has lost her world. Every single one of us has lost someone important to us. Me, my mother and father, Sienna, her sister, Ingrid, her parents and her brothers, Willow, her older sister, Winhilda, her entire family were massacred, and Arietta, Lucia, and Fidelia lost their fathers.

"Mave's right," Lucia agrees.

"Where are we stationed?" Fidelia asks.

"I know we fight the best together, that's why we're going to be near the gate. Arietta and Lucia are going to be on the gate's wall, protecting it from any measure they take to bring it down."

"That's if they let us in?" Esta mutters.

"We'll be in the city, even if it is by force," I say looking at each and every one of them, "but if that happens, only kill if you need to."

"Why not send the Fae?" Sienna says from beside me, I turn and look at eyebrows raised. "From what I gather, King Malcolm will be forced to allow King Levindal in. It's how politics work, just like he would be forced to allow Queen Lunetta in." My brain starts working overtime.

"He would have to allow Queen Kathrine in."

"Exactly!" Sienna says, a rare smile gracing her lips.

"What about princesses?" Esta asks her, a smirk on her lips.

"Yes, he would have to let Katrina in."

"Not who I was talking about, but thanks."

"Then who?" Sienna wonders.

"I'm guessing the same thing for princes?"

"Yes..." Sienna says, confused.

"OH! I see where this is going!" Cyrene exclaims.

"Finally someone as smart as me," Esta jokes.

"You're talking about Juliana and Wesley."

"Yes and no," Esta says, clearly disappointed..

"Very good, Esta." I say, finally getting it.