AISLIN | I

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

THE KINGDOM was alive like I had never seen it before. We had won.

The citizens had watched the army march out, fully prepared for battle. Queen Aria had been forced to reveal that the King had been missing and that we were going on a rescue mission. We were greeted with celebration and banners upon our return. There was to be a two-day festival in honor of our valor.

I had regained consciousness on the way back and was bombarded with questions, all of them asking if I was okay. The blast had dislodged one of my daggers and that was what had caused my wound. I was told it had not pierced anything vital, but that I would need to have it bandaged daily for a few weeks. I was also told that I had broken the tibia in my left leg when I landed. It was splinted for our journey, but on our return to Kavan the royal medical team fashioned a cast out of a wooden boot and plaster.

Leland wasn't hurt as badly as I was. He had cracked a couple of ribs and was bruised everywhere. He was mostly okay though; we all were.

I was briefly informed of the events following the explosion. Arius and his battalion had been far enough away that they weren't affected. The syndicate and I were taken to safety and treated while the rest of them handled the few that were left. We had lost three-hundred and seventy-five soldiers and Queen Aria gave everyone a proper burial to honor their sacrifice and promised their families they would never be in need.

I sat on the floor of my room, soaking in the sun that shines through the wall-length window. I was calm on the outside, but restless at the same time, and I wasn't sure why. We had won and gotten the king back, why was I so restless? Something wasn't sitting right.

"For as long as I've known you, you have always sat anywhere but the chair," Kingsley's voice filled the silence.

I turned around seeing Mèabh and Kingsley leaning on either side of my doorway. I chuckled, "It's nice. You should try it sometime."

Kingsley walked forward, "Did you forget who my family is?" She sat down next to me, folding her legs in so she was sitting on her knees, "I could do this all day."

I chuckled and looked over my shoulder at Mèabh, "And you?"

"I don't do hard flooring," she shook her head. " If I'm going to sit on the floor, I'm going to do it where there's grass." She came over and sat in the chair next to us. I laughed.

"How do you intend to spend your day?" Kingsley asked me.

"I didn't have anything arranged. Why?" I shrugged.

"Well, today is the last day of the festival, and we were debating whether or not to go. You've been trapped in the castle since we returned, and we think you should get out." Mèabh responded.

"Agreed. You need some fresh air just as much as we do, and I know you're tired of being cooped up in here all day," Kingsley stated. She was right.

"Who all is going?" I asked.

"Everyone: Arius, Willow, Blakely-Rose, Leland, August, the Princess and Princes, and ourselves." She said in response.

"Sure," I shrugged with one shoulder. "Count me in." They both nodded.

"Wear something comfortable. That does not include armor.Weapons, however, are allowed," Mèabh said.

"Deal. Meet you downstairs," I nodded.

As soon as they left, I went to the wardrobe that the Queen had filled for me. My options were limited because of my cast. I managed to pull some light brown leather shorts over my cast and paired them with a white button-down shirt, again being careful not to disturb the bandage on my torso. On my left leg, I put on my black knee-high boot and tucked my daggers into their sheaths inside. I fastened my belt around my waist, inserted my sword into the sheath and fastened the strap on the pouch around my thigh.