Chapter72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuyb4WOx1U
43
He felt something warm and heavy on72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYY78t0rWW
his chest. At first, he was confused72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnX0hFJA761
because he thought that he had been killed, but he felt very much alive. He72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuPTwHnr6n
slowly opened his eyes, but promptly closed them again as the bright light72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDq1R2TjJ7y
blinded him. He stirred, but heavy hands kept him still.
“Your72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT5c68SbG0
wounds haven’t fully healed.” The man said. “You need to lie still.” He72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJBLK0qouU
recognized the voice of Topal which meant he had to be back in the Capital.
“What72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcqT9C94Ok
happened?” Vander groaned. He tried to sit up, but again Topal pushed him back72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdq5902jnB
down.
“Don’t72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYd2QFM0he0
worry about that now.” He scolded. “Rest and be well. There are plenty of72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSv5eAbtDeT
people who wish to see you.” Slowly nodding his head, Vander drifted off back72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNVCGsH36A
to sleep.
Over72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC4EWJVGua
the next few days, he heard many people entering and leaving the room he was72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkubF1EXaV
staying in, but he didn’t hear anything that was being said. The only thing he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0nEwtR1oQ
noticed was when Shea came in to sleep on his bed. He could feel how worried72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyau9DpEWf
she had been and how excited she was that he was back. He held her close, not72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiCpSWQeA7
willing to be parted with her again. Alex came to visit him on the fourth day72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkv9DQ46yg
to tell him what had happened.
“We72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0j8Uxv2Gr
came back as quickly as we could.” Alex sat in the chair; his hands clasped72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJQkF8jEZW
together. Since arriving he hadn’t looked his friend in the eye, not once.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVGSZYRbFM
“After I explained what happened, the Commander came as well. He was worried72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ea0S3Qr4o
for you and when he saw you lying on the ground near death, he was beside72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBOqfMYzCP
himself. He wouldn’t stop until you could be seen by Topal.”
“What72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlAgIbLJY2
about Eve and Jogun?” Vander asked. “Where they found?”
“No,”72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPB5g3rR9a
Alex shook his head. “They were gone along with twenty other Serpents, but72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bCmjK68gp
because of you we have vital intel about where they have been hiding out. The72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI6ElweHkj
army has been dispatched to hunt them down.”
“That’s72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykAQpvsWPX
a relief.” Vander sighed.
“It’s72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEf8uYWySsA
in the hands of the council now. They will decide on our next steps.” Before72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2aLr7b927
Vander could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Alex stood as Cuvera72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FVZI0MAyV
walked in with Kiara right behind her.
“My72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vYmOkqhWC
prince.” Vander went to sit up, but Cuvera shook his head.
“Stay,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWc9UyTxXEy
as far as I’m concerned, you’re a hero and I should be bowing to you.” Cuvera72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4fWqzpB89
looked at Alex. “Do you mind if we have the room?”
“Certainly.”72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM36SULRKBp
Alex bowed his head and shuffled out. Kiara slowly closed the door behind him.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGQXuAKQxI
They waited a couple of moments to make sure they were truly alone before he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsOLDorq1z
sat down in the chair.
“Thanks72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9l2CaP2xNi
to you, my Queen has returned.” Cuvera smiled. “If there is anything in the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WPAIAFi0B
country you would like, it is yours for the asking. My family owes you an72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqqqKrRsvf
enormous debt.”
Vander72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYh4eVI0Tf
took a few minutes to ponder if before shaking his head. “Nothing comes to72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTBWPZ9io5
mind. Can I think about it for a bit?” Cuvera nodded his head. He opened his72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ilKdgwEMZ
mouth to speak again but closed it shortly after. Vander could tell that his72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8qnSGNaUf
friend was fighting biting back his anger, but he didn’t know why.
“Perhaps72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrAqS4YoxL
I should be the one to tell him.” Kiara placed her hand on her fiancé’s72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtij3tUnEY
shoulder. He interlocked his fingers with hers but gave an apologetic smile.
“No,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bq1eQ8tJd
it’s better if it comes from me.” He took a deep breath. “Despite Peyton’s72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcCi9IBh3w
betrayal there are still many on the council who blame you for what happened.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgq12bsI1oi
They decided to keep you from the Blades since it was also one of your recruits72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFPTIEz3uG
who betrayed us.”
“That’s72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GbKl3Ka1p
outrageous.” Alexander shouted. He came back in from the hallway angrier than72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPjgVvAxpQ
Vander had ever seen him. “He saved the Queen and ousted a traitor. What are72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTR7LH18Ew
they thinking?”
“Politicians rarely think, Alex.”72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwTy4nhUMI
Cuvera said. “However, that decision ultimately rests in my hands, so I have72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTbv21Pgsb
decided to ignore their judgement. Vander, this next part is for you to72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5UwaG8JRH
decide.”
“Yes?”
“I’m72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkk4NJsaWp
currently short a Commander, would you do me the honors?” Cuvera smiled down at72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi9Dp7O7Kt
Vander, holding out his hand hoping his friend would accept. He didn’t even72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyxmj5qQ1v
have to think twice. He took the hand and smiled.
“Yes,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oiwvqc3GM
my King.”
…
A72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tsxYBOAFP
week later Vander stood in front of the mirror struggling to put on his72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMfwtzu0Qv
uniform. Today was the day he would be coronated as Blade Commander and he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGelv4uLZuJ
wanted to do it right. It had taken a long time for Topal to give permission72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeGYb2L8VV
for Vander to walk around, but it would still take a few more months until he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CZA8hwn99
was back to normal. However, a couple of things did change. His hair had gone72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhpLC7QQT1
back to its normal color as the coming together of his demon and him changed it72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeHJlSbgR5
back. It showed that he fully accepted his abilities instead of finding them.
The72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7FW5ojOsI
other thing that changed came into the room and wrapped her arms around72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡru3lcfpzeS
Vander’s shoulders placing a kiss on his cheek. “Have I thanked you today for72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQy6Adb1rxr
saving my life?” Eliza whispered in his ear.
“No,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqgXYRVNZr
but you can do so by helping me get dressed.” Vander said. “I have to be there72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKte6ISRRU
soon and I’m nowhere near ready.”
When72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj0bPdjumG
he awoke from his coma, he wasted no time marrying Eliza. Despite knowing each72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJiP20qKU3
other for only a little while, he couldn’t deny there was a connection between72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsntUK2rhxd
them that hadn’t existed with anyone else he had been with before. He had72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDKlaDbK8q
nearly lost her once and he wasn’t willing to go through it again. Their72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuki8U47mkn
matching gold bands glinted as she fixed his baldric to his belt.
“Do72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6aZlExmSi
you still wish to go to the beach?” he asked her. Her golden eyes met his as he72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9KqdvAPhs
saw her smile.
“Are72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrN15NQ0qI
we going there soon?”
“After72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdrsajwNC0
the ceremony.” Vander nodded. “I have a few months of vacation I have to take72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZZqyDBCJz
to recover from my injuries. Alex, Chicken and Rooster will be busy reforming72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkTQAPCVcR
the Blades in my absence, I just must get better.”
“I72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T6cwAbXpo
bought a new outfit I can’t wait to show you.” She teased him gently.
“One72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Gd5DNpJYL
thing at a time.” He smiled. “Let’s get through this.”
Hand72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAB1vjPuWYU
in hand, the two of them left the room and entered the throne room, which was72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1iRRkQrr1
filled with Blades and council members, many of which frowned at his entrance,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtG2yT373D
but there wasn’t much they could do about it. This was Cuvera’s choice, it72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPCvMZ1iMh
didn’t matter what they wanted.
The72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGiQxywAvG
Warden’s had all gone home to their territories to begin the hunt for the72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7NyruQOdd
missing Serpents. No one would rest until they were caught and brought to72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe9zjnvLeY
justice. No one kidnapped the queen and got away with it. The Cranton family72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnG5aqhOVt
was also being investigated for their ties to the Black Order and Serpents, but72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZFLrdVTKq
nothing had come up yet. Cuvera wouldn’t rest until the matter was settled, but72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeULDdQpPEL
that was for him to do.
Eliza72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9cjkff3kl
walked over to stand by Alex and Shea who couldn’t hide their pride at Vander’s72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkkV7YSp0q
promotion.
Vander72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvqceEMjq5
walked up to the center floor, just in front of Cuvera, then got down on one72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKqOcIqhvU
knee and bowed his head. He heard the king remove a sword from his scabbard and72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDWQjfVyKi
hold it aloft.
“Do72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RfqSbqzHI
you, Vander, accept the title of Commander and everything that comes with it?”72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyzytCLd9d
Cuvera asked.
“I72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkLYu9SwSj
do.” He shouted back.
“Do72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDtrblc7bE
you swear to give your life for me and the citizens of this realm if I ask of72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8Peo1lfWr
it?”
“Only72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3QAztF01u
death will release me from my vow.” He responded.
“Then72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMevhTwQgmb
I name you Vander, my Blade Commander.” Cuvera said. “Please rise and accept72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnBaZaSYRz
this sword.” Vander stood then walked up to the platform as the crowd cheered,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡref8656Rpy
chanting his name. He accepted the sword that had been created for him. The72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEr6AXrROxH
scabbard had been painted to resemble a white wolf while the weapon was made72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEueAedu379
from white titanium found deep within the northern mountains. It was sturdy and72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2H1HbC2mO
resilient, just like him.
As72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x2KpCfFbv
he looked over the gathered crowd, he knew the next few years would be72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8WeABHdeu
challenging, but he would have to do his best to protect the people here from72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYnvEbfVt1
the vision Humi had shown him. He still hadn’t told anyone, and he likely never72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8uwA2osc2
would. This was his burden to bear and bear it he must. For he was the only one72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFzOgy9U8J
capable of protecting them all.
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He72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ILkzbbPPz
is, the Eluvian Blade.
