Elemental Prince by Megan Fall
Chapter 46
Kell
Kell did nothing but rest for two whole days before he had enough. He thought he’d done well lasting that long, but he was miserable. A warrior like him couldn’t sit still. It wasn’t in his blood. He needed to keep busy and be outside with his men. He wished everyone would stop fussing over him. Kell understood dying and coming back was a little over the top, but he was here now and ready to lead his warriors against Connor’s army. It was time to end this.
Over the past two days he had received a constant stream of visitors. Behr and Oryn popped in almost every hour to keep him appraised of everything happening outside and help finalize the plans. Torin was the worst of the lot, coming in to check on Kell every half hour in concern. And his wee warrior refused to leave his side, which he couldn’t fault her for. But it was difficult to spend any quality time with her with the men buzzing in and out interrupting. Every warrior wanted to come in and wish him well and be assured that he was truly alright.
The nights were spent with Emmalyn alone and Kell made every minute count. They made love, they talked, and they learned everything possible about each other. Both understood the situation could have turned out vastly different and neither was willing to take this second chance lightly. It was a tender time, and one Kell relished. He loved his girl and made sure she knew it.
After those first two days, things thankfully went back to normal. Kell was outside training with his men and almost completely at full strength. Everyone was relieved to see the improvement, including Kell. He would never admit to anyone just how scared he had been. His death affected him greatly, and most likely would for a long time to come. His only recourse was to push it to the back of his mind and keep going forward.
With the warrior’s help, Kell came up with a plan. It was a solid plan, and one that didn’t require a lot of strategic planning. He would send small groups of men into his Kingdom in hopes of discovering the enemy still searching within. The warriors would subdue the threat and steal the distinctive black clothing. As soon as sufficient numbers of his men were outfitted, they planned to slip onto the castle grounds. Some warriors would seek out Thane and his mother, some would release their fellow warriors captured, and others would place themselves in strategic positions to do the most damage.
When Kell was ready to attack, his men would strike from inside the castle as well. The enemy would be brought down from the outside and the inside. In theory, it would be extremely effective. Kell and Emmalyn would both join the fight, despite Kell’s reservations on allowing her to participate. He had nearly lost his mind when Emmalyn declared she would be going into battle by his side. After everything they had been through recently, including Kell’s own death, he was terrified at the thought of anything happening to his wife.
Emmalyn argued that they were safer and stronger together, which he couldn’t discount. Kell could keep a close eye on her without worrying over her protection, and concentrate on the fight. Both would wield their powers, which had grown considerably over the last few days. He had watched as Emmalyn practiced fighting with Darrow and Abrielle, even though she had tried to do so without Kell’s knowledge. Emmalyn wanted to contribute to the fight while keeping control over what she could. Each day she got stronger and quicker with a sword.
Kell was near the cabin this morning training with his men when the sound of hundreds of horse hooves shook the ground. He wasn’t concerned as the Elements would surely warn him of any incoming threat. Kell shoved his sword back in its sheath and held up his hand to stop the men from taking up defensive positions. Waiting patiently as the horses drew near, Kell was not surprised that Behr and Oryn both edged in to flank him.
The horses broke through the trees with Mathias in the front and Kell’s warriors relaxed. Mathias was clearly showing up with aid, as evidenced by his armour and the volume of men accompanying him. As he dismounted, Kell walked over to greet him.
“Mathias, it is good to see you,” Kell grinned while giving the big man a half hug. “And I appreciate your support.”
Mathias scoffed as he slapped Kell roughly on the back. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I would have been here sooner had I known the King was the threat. We could have stopped this long ago.”
Kell nodded, completely in agreement. “He hid it well. I had no idea either.”
“I am sorry,” Mathias grunted. “It must have been a blow to discover such terrible news. And to have the threat originate from someone so close to you. It is abhorrent to think about all Connor has done.”
“I do not wish to dwell on it,” Kell growled in response. “Now is the time to eliminate him and take back what is rightfully mine. I will take his head and avenge my father for the betrayal he suffered.”
“We are with you,” Mathias vowed. “My men are yours to command.”
A great squeal emanated from the forest as Emmalyn broke from the trees at a dead run and threw herself at her guardian, causing the men to cover their ears. Mathias grunted as Emmalyn’s tiny body slammed into his, but he took the blow easily and only took a small step backwards. It was clear for all to see the bond the two of them shared. They embraced for some time and Kell could hear his bride’s quiet sobs. When they finally pulled away, both could be seen wiping at their cheeks.
“I’ve missed you,” Emmalyn declared once she had gotten herself back under control. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.” She moved back to Kell’s side and grinned up at him as she latched onto his arm. “Mathias is here,” she happily declared pulling a chuckle from Kell.
“I can see that,” he grinned back. “And I am honoured to have him fighting by our side.”
“There’s one more thing,” Mathias began before a commotion caught their attention.
The couple looked at the men behind Mathias and the group suddenly parted to reveal someone decked out in full battle gear. The man awkwardly approached Kell and Emmalyn, and stumbled several times causing Mathias to snort in amusement.
“Jesus, you’re going to break your neck. Why you insisted on wearing all that I’ll never know,” Mathias huffed as the man reached their side.
“I’ve always worn this into battle,” the man grunted, attempting to raise the ridiculous headpiece he wore.
Mathias watched the unsuccessful attempts for a few minutes before shaking his head and stepping in to do it himself. “You haven’t been in battle in over twenty years,” Mathias scowled, as the mask finally lifted.
Emmalyn squealed again as she launched herself at the newest member of the group. Her father faltered for a minute as Emmalyn hit him full on, but Mathias was there to prop him up.
“Surprise,” King Lorcan choked as he fought to hold in his emotions. It was a losing battle though as his daughter sobbed against his chest. In seconds his own tears were falling. “It is good to see you my precious girl.”
“You too,” Emmalyn smiled as she finally pulled back. “But I think we need to find you more suitable attire. I bet you can’t even see out of that helmet, let alone move comfortably.”
The King dropped his head in defeat, causing everyone to laugh. “It is a tad difficult,” he conceded.
“Come,” Kell interrupted taking charge of the situation. “My warriors will see to your horses and we will serve you some hot food. You made good time, so I’m assuming you rode straight through?” Mathias nodded so Kell continued. “You can sit and eat while we discuss our plans.”
“And I’ll help you out of that contraption,” Emmalyn sighed, taking her father’s arm and helping him maneuver to the large campfire burning brightly in a small clearing.
By late afternoon, another group had arrived led by Rayme. He had gathered hundreds of men from Kilharbor. Kell was pleased, as their numbers had grown to the thousands. Over the last few days, more of his own warriors had trickled into camp and Kell now had a substantial army at his back. The battle would almost be an even one.
With the plan carefully discussed and food handed out, Kell was forced to tell his story, hopefully for the last time. It was a long afternoon and the day slowly bled into the evening. More shelters were erected and bedrolls laid out for the increase in troops. The King stayed outside with the men, even though Emmalyn fought viscously to convince him to come inside. In the end, Lorcan won, and Emmalyn and Kell had the cabin to themselves. Kell couldn’t be happier. It was their last night together before descending on the Kingdom. Some of his warriors already departed to assert themselves into position inside, and tomorrow before the sun rose, the rest would follow. They planned to strike the castle at dawn, just as the sky was breaking with the first hints of light.
Kell and Emmalyn were just getting settled when a pounding sounded at the door. Growling in frustration, Kell slipped back into his clothes and headed for the door. Emmalyn quickly dressed and followed on his heels. Kell opened the door to discover Behr standing on the other side with a scowl indicating bad news. His words confirmed Kell’s suspicions.
“You need to come outside. Another visitor arrived while you were inside, and it’s someone you’ll want to deal with personally,” Behr grunted.
“Just one?” Kell questioned, on edge from the carefully controlled way Behr was holding his body. It was obvious the warrior was ready to blow.
“Just one that you need to concern yourself with,” Behr confirmed. “There were two men, but the second one we doubt is a threat.”
Kell raised his eyebrows at the cryptic wording and motioned for Behr to lead the way. Behr stalked to the main campfire where most of the warriors had gathered around. Kell immediately noticed his men standing menacingly in a circle with swords drawn.
“Move,” Kell demanded as they glanced his way.
The warriors did as he asked, but Kell could see they weren’t happy about it. He scowled, then roared as his whole body lit with a fire he could barely contain. There in the centre of the circle, looking defeated and broken was Seraphine. And with a single look, Kell knew she was about to reveal something he didn’t want to hear.