The Hawk Lord by Amy Sumida
Chapter Forty-Six
Despite Dal's declaration, we didn't head back to Stalana right away. Instead, the leaders of the armies gathered around a rekindled fire pit and argued while their soldiers gnawed on dried meat and passed around jugs of water. Now that the battle was over, the humans seemed to be comfortable around the Unsidhe and lounged among them companionably. Fighting beside someone will do that—remove the differences between you, no matter how dissimilar you might be.
I wasn't with the soldiers. I stood beside my warlord watching and listening to the other leaders. Dal was quiet too, his arms crossed as he pondered the flames before him. Some of the fae officers and the Unsidhe commanders wanted to stay on Alantri and fight our way across the continent, laying waste to their cities and taking their fortresses. They wanted to push our advantage now that we were all there. But the Sidhe warlords argued against it. Now that Gremara was dead, the Farungal would be weakened, and the Sidhe hoped it would make them more open to peace. The Unsidhe especially didn't like this idea and argued that we should end the Farungal while we had the chance.
“Our soldiers are tired and our rations will only last a few days,” the Wolf Lord—a thickly built man with shocking red hair cut to his shoulders, practically a buzz cut among the Fae—said. “We are not prepared to extend this battle. And although our numbers are great, we're on Alantri. The entire Farungal race is here. I vote we go home.”
“But we'll have them quaking in their boots!” a Red Cap warlord growled, his hat dripping blood over his thick hair. “We can end this war at last!”
The Unsidhe around us murmured in agreement while the humans and Sidhe shifted uneasily. I stood still. My arm had been healed by an army doctor, but I wasn't about to pick up a sword. Sure, ending the war would be great, but we were on their soil and if we gave the Farungal enough time to rally, they could surround us. As the Wolf Lord had said, their numbers were greater than ours here, and they had the home advantage.
Then the crowd parted and the Lynx Lord, who'd been notably absent, strode up with a beautiful man beside him. They were both dressed in pants and boots but nothing else. My gaze was briefly snagged by the intricate tattoos that covered the Lynx Lord's chest and swirled down his arms, but then I realized who his companion was. The hero. The man who had died to save us. He wasn't human anymore. The Beasts and the Goddess had accepted him, as I knew they would.
Gone was the gauntness. His body was slim, much thinner than the Lynx Lord's warrior build, but had filled out to a healthy thickness enhanced by sleek muscles. His dark, blond hair gleamed bronze in the firelight, sweeping back from his freshly fae face in a civilian style, and his pale, green eyes glowed with magic. Soldiers whispered around us, one word on everyone's lips—Valorian.
But it was the Lynx Lord who spoke in a clear, resonant, deep voice, “We will not win the war today. We don't have the advantage here and, frankly, I don't have the heart to exterminate a race. Not now that the Goddess has given me a Valorian. Who can look upon him, on the love that he represents, then turn around and slaughter children? Not I. Not even Farungal children. I say we take the win and the gifts the Great Mother had granted us and go home.”
The Sidhe warlords nodded in agreement and the Unsidhe grudgingly gave in as well. As quickly as that, it was decided, and the warlords broke off to wrangle their soldiers. But I went straight to the new Valorian with a smile on my face.
“I'm Ravyn,” I said as I extended my hand. “In a way, we're brothers.”
“He's like you,” the Lynx Lord explained to the man.
The new Valorian's eyes widened as he shook my hand. “You were human?” His voice was hesitant but had a rich timbre to it.
“He was,” the Hawk Lord declared as he stepped up beside me. “Now he's a Hawk and he's done well in our world. You will too, I'm sure.”
“Thank you,” the man stammered and squinted around himself. “I... this is a bit... uh, I thought I was dead.”
“You'll be okay.” I laid a hand on his shoulder. “I know what you're going through. Everything seems really bright and loud and scary right now. Your body doesn't feel like your own. Even walking is weird. But you'll adjust soon and then you'll see that it's fucking fantastic.”
The man offered me a shy grin. “It's a hell of a lot better than the alternative.”
“No shit.” I laughed.
Someone dropped a weapon and it made a loud clatter. The new Valorian flinched, terror filling his eyes briefly. Then he flushed with embarrassment and stared at the ground.
“This is Luca,” the Lynx Lord said as if nothing had happened. “Luca, this Dalsharan, the Hawk Lord. Ravyn is his consort.”
“It's an honor to meet you, Luca.” Dal extended his hand.
Luca blinked from Dal to me and back before shaking the Hawk Lord's hand. “Lovely to meet you,” he murmured.
“I tried to save you,” I said to Luca. “But he got in my way.” I elbowed Dal affectionately. ”And then the Goddess told me to let you go. Now, I understand why.”
“The Goddess,” Luca whispered, his eyes drifting off. “I heard voices. Was one of them her?”
“No, those were probably the Beasts,” I said. “I didn't hear the Goddess—or feel her response, rather—until I started speaking to her. Just say hello. Introduce yourself. She's with you.”
“With me,” Luca murmured, a twitch of pain crossing his stunning face. He looked around at all the bustling activity and then at the Lynx Lord. “Thorne, I can't... it's so loud. I can't do this.”
“Okay, Luca,” the Lynx Lord said gently. He gave us a heavy look. “We'll just be a few minutes. He needs some time to adjust.”
“Of course,” Dal said. “Thank you, Luca. For what you did for us. That was one of the bravest things I've ever witnessed.”
“Fucking inspiring, man,” I said. “If I'd been in Sidhe form, I would have gotten goosebumps.”
Luca whispered, “I just wanted to go home. And if I couldn't do that, I wanted to die knowing that home still existed.”
The Lynx Lord's jaws clenched and his arm went around Luca's shoulders. “Stalana and all her inhabitants continue to exist because of you, Luca. Come on, we'll get you something to drink.”
And then the deadly Lynx Lord with his wicked tattoos led his Valorian away, glaring at anyone who got too close. They passed General Neela, who stared after them forlornly.
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked Dal.
“Luca was likely tortured,” Dal said as he watched the Lynx Lord grab a bottle, then take Luca to the top of a small hill. “But he's fae now; the magic will heal him. He just needs some time.”
“I hope so.” I watched the men settle on the hill, and then the Lynx Lord tucked Luca in protectively against his side. My eyes widened when he kissed Luca's forehead and stroked his hair tenderly. “Do you think... Isn't the Lynx Lord into women?”
“He was,” Dalsharan said with a somber look Neela's way. “But the bond between a faerie and their Valorian is a strong one.” He turned to look at me and smiled. “We see into your souls when we give you ours. And if it's a good soul—which it must be to become Valorian—we can't help but fall a little in love.”
“That's really sweet, babe, and I love you too, but... fuck,” I shook my head as I stared at the two men on the hill. “That shit's gonna be fucked up.”
“It could be,” Dal agreed and took my hand. “But that is for them to decide. We have made our choices, and we're happy with them. I'm sure the Goddess will lead Thorne and Luca toward happiness too.”
I grinned. “Maybe you should give the Lynx Lord some pointers. If Luca is straight too, they're really gonna need some help.”
Dalsharan laughed and put an arm around me. “Love will lead them, Ravyn.”
I laughed right back at him. “If you think that love will magically teach two straight guys how to be gay, you're more of a romantic fool than I thought you were.”
Dalsharan frowned at me. “I'm not romantic. I'm the Hawk Lord.”
“Yeah, yeah, says the man who calls me sweetheart.”
“Why are you so hung up on that endearment?”
We walked off arguing about love, sex, and the best names to call each other, as we grinned like idiots. Dal was right, Thorne and Luca weren't my problem. I'd leave their hearts in the Goddess' hands. She, at least, knew what she was doing.
