Chapter 209- Calm After Connections
Lexy
For the first time in what felt like years, I could breathe without fire weighing heavy in my chest.
Ever since that night in the meadow—when the triplets, Tarria, and I sat in meditation and Abellona appeared to us—I had carried with me a peace that was unshakable. It wasn’t the fragile kind of calm that shattered with the first hint of danger, but something deeper. A stillness that ran into my bones.
I had always been fire. Always burning, always moving, always struggling to keep control. But now, I found myself quiet inside, steady, as though the Phoenix herself had poured her flame into me and burned away the restlessness I’d carried. Even when I trained, even when I worked with the children, even when shadows of war lingered at the edge of my thoughts, that calm remained.
And CJ… my heart warmed just thinking of him. He had stepped into his role as king with a strength that humbled me. He carried the weight of leadership not as a burden but as a crown he was born to wear. His voice commanded loyalty: his presence brought order. Where once I felt like we carried the world between us unevenly, now we walked as equals—two halves of a flame burning in balance.
The alliance reflected that balance. For the first time since Adrian’s betrayal, the tribes and packs weren’t just surviving, they were working together like parts of the same body. Decisions were no longer clouded by doubt or division. Resources moved swiftly, warriors trained side by side, councils ended with agreements instead of arguments.
Every day, reports came in of the progress. Adrian’s men, once shadows hiding at the edges of our lands, were being hunted down, flushed from their hiding places by scouting parties who now moved with precision and trust. Most of them had already been captured—defeated not just by strength, but by unity. Those who remained were scattered, weakened, unable to regroup.
It was strange, after so long in chaos, to sit in the council chambers and hear no shouting, not fear, but steady voices reporting victories.
The great hall buzzed with life as I stepped in alongside CJ. Torches lit the walls with steady golden flames, their glow reflecting in the polished stone table that stretched through the center of the room. Around it sat the leaders of the alliance—wolves, elders, tribal chiefs, and warriors who had fought beside us through fire and blood.
CJ took his seat at the head of the table. His presence alone silenced the room. I sat to his right, listening, watching as the council prepared to give their reports.
“Begin,” CJ said, his voice calm but commanding.
The first to rise was Commander Alric, his broad shoulders stiff with pride. “My patrols in the northern ridges found three of Adrian’s men hiding in the caves. They surrendered without a fight. Weak, malnourished, and disorganized. We’ve secured them in the holding cells.”
Murmurs of approval circled the room.
Next came Elder Rhyss, leaning heavily on his staff, his voice deep and steady. “The river tribes have agreed to reinforce our supply lines. Food and medicine will reach all territories twice as fast now. For the first time in months, no camp has gone hungry.”
I felt warmth bloom in my chest at those words. Hunger had always been the quiet enemy, creeping in where blades could not. To hear that no one starved… it was more powerful than any victory on the battlefield.
One by one, the leaders stood to give their reports. Small victories, each, but together they painted a picture of undeniable progress. Camps secured. Borders strengthened. Families returning to their homes without fear.
“They’re unraveling,” one of the chiefs said. “Without Adrian’s guidance, the rest of his men are little more than rabble. They won’t last.”
I glanced at CJ, curious about his response. He leaned forward, hands folded onto the table, his eyes sharp.
“Do not mistake their weakness for safety,” he said, voice firm. “Adrian’s men are dangerous because they are desperate. A cornered wolf will still bite. We do not underestimate them, not now, not ever.”
The hall quieted. Heads nodded. I watched as his words sank deep, not as warnings but as truth they all accepted. That was his gift. He didn’t need to shout or threaten. His steadiness alone commanded faith.
General Kaelen spoke next. “We’ve pushed into the western woods. Traps were discovered, clearly set by Adrian’s scouts. But none of them succeeded. Our soldiers dismantled them and flushed out another group attempting to regroup. They’re being brought in for questioning.”
CJ’s jaw tightened, and he exchanged a look with me. We both knew the truth: Adrian was still out there. As long as his idea lived, his people would keep coming from the shadows, clinging to what little power was left.
But for now, his grip was breaking.
When the reports ended, CJ stood. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.
“You’ve all done well,” he said, gaze sweeping the room. “Our people are safer than they have been in years. That is because of each of you, because of the trust we’ve built, because of the strength of this alliance. But do not grow complacent. Adrian is dead, but his ideology is not destroyed. They will strike again when we least expect it. We must be stronger than his shadow. Together.”
The room erupted in voices of agreement, a unified cry that echoed through the stone walls.
I sat back, pride swelling in my chest. Watching him lead, I realized again how much he had grown into his crown. The boy I had once gave attitude, the man who had fought tooth and claw for survival, had become a king others would follow without question. And I… I had become something different too. Not just his queen, but a flame steady enough to walk beside him, not behind.
Later, when the council dismissed and the leaders departed, I lingered beside CJ. He rubbed the back of his neck, the weight of the crown visible for only a moment now that the others were gone.
“You did well,” I murmured, slipping my hand into his.
His lips curved faintly. “So did you.”
I tilted my head, curious. “All I did was sit and listen.”
“And remind them with your presence that fire and light still burn in this kingdom,” he replied. “Don’t ever doubt how much that matters.”
I leaned into him, letting my calm flow into his warmth. Together, we stood at the head of an alliance not fractured, but whole. For once, we were not scrambling to survive. We were moving forward.
Yes, shadows still lingered. Adrian’s name had not been erased. But for the first time, I did not feel dread when I thought of the future.
I felt ready.
The calm inside me was not weakness. It was a promise. A flame steady enough to burn through whatever darkness dared to rise again.
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