When Estingai returned sixteen minutes later, she had to hide a grin at the shock on everyone's faces. Uuldina and Meik'ka gaped openly, and Marjatla and Aaden looked stunned. Even the mechanics and workers moving around the garage stopped to stare after her, shying away if she walked past them. Estingai didn't blame them.
She wished she could have given everyone else warning, but that would have meant missing Uuldina and Meik'ka's dumbfounded, almost terrified expressions.
As she approached, Marjatla's wide-eyed stare turned into a grin, and Aaden's followed a moment later.
"Thank you for waiting," Estingai said as she stopped before them. "I'd kept this in my workshop, repairing what I damaged and trying to reverse engineer what I could and understand how the enhancements work. It's taken some time, but I find it good to keep busy."
The armor wasn't in as good repair as she would have liked but all of the pieces were wearable. Estingai had plans for making the mask a bit more striking, but wore that at her hip for now, next to her own.
"Is that—?" Meik'ka began.
"The armor of a Lightforged?" Estingai supplied "Yes. I took it off the body of the one I killed at Ghostmine."
She took a moment to look between the four leaders, then settled her gaze between Uuldina and Meik'ka.
"I'm sure you all must have worked out an agreement already, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of the benefits of joining our factions. In addition to receiving access to our intelligence networks within the Imaia, you will be under the protection of the only person in the Remnant that has taken down a Lightforged single-handedly."
I can promise them that, at least.
"The Remnant?" Uuldina asked.
Thoughts of the Deathknight tried to surface once more, but Estingai shoved them back down and nodded. "That's what we are now. The last of those who opposed the Imaia. The Remnant of the Armies of the Night."
Meik'ka frowned at that but Uuldina actually smiled. "I like the sound of that."
"I expect you'll be in charge?" Meik'ka asked.
Estingai looked to her, then Uuldina, and shook her head. "Marjatla and Aaden will tell you I'm no good at that. I'm just the one that kills anything the Imaia sends after us."
A/N: What do you think of Estingai's stance on leadership? How do you think she will follow up this display?
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The Last Knight (An Awakening the Lightforged Novel)
Ciencia FicciónHer husband was murdered, her rebellion left in shambles, and the factions have begun to turn on one another in the chaos. Only one thing is certain: their world is dying and their only chance of survival is together. Sometimes, the darkest circums...
