The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Fallon

Fallon, Fox, Adam and the Sirens and Mer all stand in a small group just outside the camp.

"You don't have to go," Fallon whispers. Fox looks at her and pulls her into a hug.

"Yes, we do," he says as he holds her tight. Tears spring in Fallon's eyes and she gulps, her lip quivering. The Sirens and Mer walk over to Adam and hug him as he bends down, all of them crying like Fallon is.

"It has been an honour working with you, my friend," Lilah says to Adam. He smiles and closes his eyes.

"Thank you," he replies, "and it is my honour to be a part of this," he replies, his own voice wobbling as he looks at Fallon. "Don't hang around here too long, Princess," he says, "hurry and find your sister." Fallon nods her head and walks toward him. He bends down and hugs her.

"I will after I get to Hildorn mine," she assures him.

"Thank you," he whispers, his voice gravelly. They pull away and Fallon looks up at him. "You and your sister have saved many of my people. I am eternally grateful and no matter what," he says, his voice sounding stronger, "you burn them all to the ground." Fallon smiles.

"Don't worry, Adam," she tells him. "If we do fail, we aren't going out without doing a heck of a lot of damage." He smiles.

"Good," he says. Fallon looks back at Fox, her jaw clenching.

"Do you remember Shaelyn's eighteenth birthday party?" he asks. Fallon's lip wobbles.

"How could I forget?" she laughs. "Illyana and Wyatt...." she shakes her head and Fox laughs.

"Those two..." he sighs and gulps. "I wish I could see them both again," he says and looks down. Fallon lets out a sob.

"You can if you don't go through with this..." she whispers. He looks at her.

"We've already talked about this, Fallon," he says with a soft smile as his eyes go glassy with tears. She shakes her head and they hug again, holding each other tightly, her body shaking. 

"Thank you," she whispers in his ear. "For making all the years in the castle bearable," she tells him. "For looking after us." He laughs.

"I can't take all the credit," he tells her. "But, it was my honour. You girls are my family," he says. Fallon holds him even tighter, her eyes shutting as she hugs him close. "When you see the others," he begins, talking about both her sisters and the other red guard allies. "Tell them goodbye and that I love them and..." his breath hitches. "I couldn't have asked for a better family."

"I will," she says.

"Here," he says and passes her a letter. "I wrote this for Ana and Wyatt," he tells her. She takes it and shoves it beneath her corset.

"I'll get it to them," she promises. He nods his head.

"Find her, Fallon," he says.

"I'm going to," she tells him and he smiles. He nods his head and pulls away, going over to his horse.

"Goodbye," he says. Fallon looks up at him.

"Goodbye," she says as a fresh stream of tears fall across her cheeks, her chest clenching. Fox's jaw clenches and he licks his dry lips before wiping away his own tears. He looks at Adam and takes a deep breath. The centaur nods his head and looks back at them all.

"Stay strong," he tells them. "And tear them all down," he orders.

"We will," Fallon promises and the Waterfolk nod in agreement. Fallon looks back at Fox and he smiles weakly before looking at Adam.