Armageddon

Chapter 19: If You Should Die

Selena walked with Lord Godfrey and Vulduin through the keep of Dark Blood Hold, flanked by a large contingent of bodyguards and soldiers. Silver and Rahim remained close behind, chatting about what she could only assume. Blacksmith work stations lined around the fortress; her ears rang from the clang of the artists' hammers. Her stomach rumbled when the perfume of roasted beef and potatoes graced her nostrils.

Noctis and the rest of the ferals were led towards the open fields outside the gates by Lord Godfrey's appointed soldiers. Several butchers and chiefs zipped by Selena's group, some carrying steaming cauldrons of food, to meet with the dragonkin flight and offer cattle to gorge on to their hearts' content. The whelps swooped downward and circled the cooks as they chirped in delight.

Lord Godfrey guided Selena and their group around the militia lines and artisans preparing for their counter-attack against the Lich. Meanwhile, Rahim's head kept whipping around to see how many vampires there were within the keep, and Selena could hear him mutter under his breath, "I knew the Shadow Templars were real. I knew it." He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me about them before?"

"About vampires existing? You found out when Kain rescued you. Remember?"

"Yes, but I mean when you first discovered you were the Crown Princess."

Selena shrugged her shoulders. "It was on a need-to-know basis, and you didn't need to know at the time."

"Still, you could have mentioned it whenever I brought up the Templars. Maria and Niamh thought I was mental."

Selena couldn't control her laughter, but Rahim was not amused, offended by her lack of support. "I'm sorry, and you're right. I should have told you—I promise not to keep secrets from you anymore."

Yet, Rahim still wasn't happy. "Is there anything else that I should know? Like if Maria was a vampire the entire time and that she wants to suck my blood?"

Rahim tightened his lips when he saw that Godfrey's piercing eyes were upon him, making him shake in his boots. "You should be a little more respectful to the Dark Lady Maria. She's betrothed to one of our own, Lord Kain Vanguard."

Shocked and dumbfounded, a huge grin appeared on Selena's face. "That's so exciting." Kain was a captain from their initial meeting, but now Selena assumed he earned a new title since returning to the keep. Either way, she knew that Kain was a highly regarded Templar. "But, Lady Maria told us she was going to Winterguard."

"My escorts brought her to Winterguard safely on behalf of your mother's request, Your Grace. Shortly after, however, Lady Maria and Lord Vanguard grew close, and, after arriving here, the two were soon to be engaged." Godfrey turned his attention to Selena with sparkling yet deadly crimson eyes. "We are aware of your and Silver's engagement, and we offer our congratulations, Your Majesty."

Selena and Silver turned to each other, but the two silently agreed that the war came first. They smiled and bowed before Silver said, "Thank you kindly."

Selena asked, "How many fight for us, my Lord?"

"Around twenty thousand have pledged their blades to you, Your Grace." When he noticed the hopeless look on Selena's face, Lord Godfrey added, "We've been actively working on our battle plan, as numbers do not always win a fight."

"My Lord, how were you able to acquire such an army in only a short while?"

"When we heard what happened in Snowhaven, I immediately called upon all our allies outside Armageddon. We have connections to Runefell and Mirrorhold, and many you see here have answered our call for aid. They've traveled a great distance to serving you and us."