Chapter 18 – Battle
MARCIA’S PERSPECTIVE
20 min left
Morning crept in soft and cold across the ridge where Dravic’s soldiers slept. Our banners flapped in the wind, half–torn and dragging.
I stood beside Dravic, my squad behind me. They were tense but ready. Scared, sure, but there was fight in their eyes. The kind that didn’t come from rank or blood, just a shared goal.
before
Dravic handed me a leather scroll. “Intel,” he said. “Enemy forces are split into three battalions. We hit them Kael’s so–called reinforcements arrive.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
now,
Kael and Eunice were desperate to look good before the king. And in spite of all the rumours about them, the King was still moved by Eunice’s showy vigour and flashy patriotism.
The idea of striking first should’ve felt like power. But it didn’t. It just felt like pressure.
“You ready?” Dravic asked, brushing his fingers against mine.
Strange tingles shot up my arm. I took a deep breath, then nodded at him.
10:29
Chapter 18 – Battle
20 min left
Abigail and Marcus flanked me. Hailey, Xayden, Quin, Tony, and Laura followed close behind. They weren’t just my friends. anymore, nor just my fellow disciples.
They were my army.
My warriors. My soldiers.
Down in the valley, the enemy waited.
Laura and Quin had their hands raised near their eyes, helping them see much further than I could. Maybe Dravic was able to see as well, thanks to his wolf vision. I didn’t want to use magic right now. I was saving my energy for the battle.
“They’re here,” Laura said suddenly, making my entire body tense up. It wasn’t fear—more like thrill. Something I’d almost waited for.
“Soldiers from Rum, and archers from the West,” Quin said, glancing at Dravic.
He didn’t waste a moment. “Move!” he shouted.
We ran down the slope together. I threw my dagger mid–stride and didn’t wait to see if it hit—I knew it would. No magic. Just what I’d trained for,
Abigail twisted past a spear and landed a blow. Marcus slammed into an archer’s chest. Everyone fought like hell. Steel flashing,
10:29
Chapter 18 – Battle
boots kicking dirt. My squad didn’t hesitate.
*** 20 mín left
I pushed through the chaos, cutting down soldiers before they could regroup. I didn’t have a wolf to shift into. No claws, no teeth. But I had anger. Pure, raw and unchecked. And memories to fuel it—my father’s voice, Arthur’s grin, Ryke’s laughter, my mother’s compassion.
Rum had taken everything from me.
I slashed a soldier across the chest, his eyes black as he fell to the ground. I raised my sword, but stopped when he screamed, eyes returning to their humane brown shade.
“Please,” he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks. He was a kid. Barely fifteen.
I moved past him.
I wasn’t her.
I wasn’t Eunice Hale.
My jaw tightened at the thought, anger melting into sorrow.
The words of Dravic’s letter played before my eyes.
Eunice had captured a young boy in the war. An enemy alpha’s son. An Alpha Heir.
10:29
Dallie
19 min leff
She’d ignored war agreements and tortured him, cut off his ears and damaged his eye. It forced Rum into submission, leading them to surrender before her.
But the poor child who was sent home didn’t live too long. He killed himself, too ashamed, too broken.
My mother paid the price.
A werewolf attacked me, teeth bared, claws glinting under the light.
I waved a hand, taking away his sight for a moment. He froze, and I cut his leg, forcing him to his knees. His vision returned, and he growled, attacking me again.
I ran my blade through his chest and withdrew it, blood spraying across my face.
His body fell to the ground, turning back to his human form.
I stared at him, unsure how I felt.
I’d trained months for this. I had hardened my heart.
But seeing bodies drop at my blade or magic didn’t feel joyous.
It was exhausting. Mentally. Emotionally. Even spiritually.
“Look who it is,” a voice growled, making me spin on my heel. A
10:29
Chapter 18 – Battle
(**) 19 min leff
soldier stood at a distance, armed from head to toe, sharp teeth showing as he grinned. “Aren’t you the Xendale girl? You look just like your mother.”
Just like that, the enemy wasn’t human anymore. Just monsters.
I let out a cry, rage blinding me as I charged towards him, sword drawn.
But the ground gave way beneath my foot—sucking me into a large hole. A yelp escaped my mouth, eyes squeezing shut, bracing for impact.
But a firm arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me back up before I’d hit the bottom.
Dravic spun me around and set me down, as my heart raged in my chest, hands trembling.
Marcus stepped behind us, sucking the air from the enemy’s lungs.
“You okay?” Dravic whispered, arm steady around my waist, green eyes filled with concern.
I swallowed, before giving him a nod.
“Keep moving,” he whispered. “Don’t heed challenges, they’re always traps. Don’t break ranks.”
10:29
Chapter 18 – Battle
I gave a nod, moving along with him.
He’d saved me again. For the millionth time in my life. Somehow, he was always there in time.
****) 19 min left
The battle raged on, steels clashing, screams and growls echoing in the air. We fought—relentless, unyielding. Dravic stayed close to me now, probably afraid I would let my emotions get the best of me.
I didn’t mind him. It was nice to be cared for.
As I slit across the chest of an enemy, the sound of hoofbeats caught my ear.
I turned, and so did Dravic, both of us exchanging confused glances.
A group of older soldiers rode into the valley. Not polished or dressed in the king’s colors—just dark leathers, worn blades, tired eyes.
Dravic stepped forward when they arrived, speaking to them like equals.
I stayed behind, watching from a distance. But the moment one of them turned to look at me, I recognised him.
Captain Rohen.
Chapter 18 – Battle
19 min leff
He’d served under my father. He used to visit the estate when I was little, eating stew in our kitchens and laughing with Arthur and Ryke.
“Marcia,” he said, removing his hood. His beard was streaked with grey now, but the sear under his jaw hadn’t faded. “You’ve grown.”
A knot formed in my throat, but I swallowed it down and nodded. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“We heard the stories,” he said simply. “Didn’t know if they were true. But you held your ground like your father would’ve. We’ll fight beside you, if you’ll have us.
I nodded again, having no reason to mistrust them.
They were reminders of my father. And they would fight for the kingdom as fiercely as he did.
After the battlefield had quieted—when the smoke began to clear and the screams had turned into silence, more reinforcements were no longer needed.
We’d done it. Without Kael. Without Eunice.
All under Dravic’s leadership.
Chapter 18 – Battle
(**) 19 min left
He was a fierce commander. An incredible warrior. And the ideal prince.
He approached me in my camp after a while, his expression unreadable.
“Come with me,” he said.
I followed him at once.
We walked in silence, weaving through the hills until the path narrowed, thick with trees on both sides. My boots crunched against dry grass. The air here smelled sharper—like ash and old blood.
Dravic finally stopped at a clearing. His hands were stiff at his sides, fists clenched.
I glanced around. There was nothing remarkable about the place. Just scattered stones and burnt roots.
“Where are we?” I asked.
He looked at me, his gaze gentle. “This is where your father and
brother died.”
B
Write your comment
ir Gifts
A Rejected Luna – Her Rise to
