“Like I said, I’ll fight whenever you need me,” Raven declared.
Gaige shook his head, eyes cast downward. “So long as you’re part of the Council, we’ll provide aid. That said, Yazmin is the more imminent threat. We don’t know how long it will take Varek to make his move, but we do know when Yazmin will strike. Let’s deal with her first.”
“Agreed,” Kost said. “In the meantime, we should move everyone from Cruor here.”
“What?” Calem straightened in his chair. “Why?”
Kost removed his glasses and began polishing them. “Because it’s the most prudent thing to do. Both as a show of unity and to make it easier to protect our own. We’ve been running ourselves ragged trying to cover both locations. With everyone in Hireath, we’ll be able to fortify our defenses more efficiently, in case Yazmin returns.”
“But Cruor is ourhome.” Something akin to anxiety flickered in Calem’s normally playful gaze, and the mercury thread around his irises seemed to glow. He glanced between Noc and Kost as his fingers drilled against the table. “We can’t abandon it.”
A deep, familiar ache invaded my chest. None of my assassins ever spoke about their past, where they came from or what their lives were like before they died. But I remembered watching Calem as he helped orphans in the streets of Ortega Key. And I remembered the strange mixture of pain and gratitude in his eyes when I gifted him Effie.
I wasn’t sure if Calem ever had a home—not until Cruor. And I knew exactly how painful it was to have something like that stripped away.
“It’s only temporary. I promise,” I said. He nodded, but his fingers continued to rap against the wood.
Oz studied his brother for a long moment before shifting his focus to Noc. “And what of Darrien? All he’s ever wanted is to run Cruor. If he finds out our home is unguarded, he’ll attack.”
“I’ll lock it down.” Noc’s voice was low. “No one in, no one out.”
“You can do that?” I asked.
He nodded once, expression hard. “Yes. It’s only been done a handful of times. The spell is draining and not really feasible unless Cruor is under siege and everyone is safely inside. Or in this case, everyone has evacuated.”
“This way, both Cruor and our brethren will remain protected. It’s the best path forward,” Kost said. “We’ll make the journey immediately.”
“Perhaps I should join you,” Gaige said as he straightened his papers and laid down his quill. “I want to take another look at your library to see if there’s anything that can help us with Yazmin’s spell.”
“Good idea,” I said.
“Take whatever you need. Once I lock down Cruor, it will be a while before I can open it again.” Noc looked first at Calem, then Oz and Kost. “Wewillcome back.”
Calem’s shoulders slumped, but he nodded wordlessly along with Oz.
The safety of our people was more important than Cruor, but I wouldn’t brush aside their concern. Not now, not ever. “Cruor and Hireath will stand together.”
Kaori tipped her head. “Together it is.”
“Agreed.” Raven stood, shoulders rigid. “Shall we?”
All gazes focused in my direction. We didn’t have much in the ways of concrete plans—not yet. But we had hope. Family. As I looked back at my new Council, warmth brewed in my chest. We had an uphill battle before us, but I had faith in my friends, new and old. I glanced at Raven, the harsh glint in her eyes feeding my determination. At Gaige and Kost, their quick minds strategizing outcomes I hadn’t begun to fathom. Calem and Oz’s unflinching loyalty. Kaori’s quiet authority. Her presence alone would sway many Charmers to our side.
And Noc.
He’d once told me we were each other’s greatest weakness. But we were also each other’s greatest strength.
Squeezing his hand, I stood. “Let’s go change history.”
He smiled, genuine and true, and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. “Whatever you say, Crown.”
Two
Noc
The throne room had seen better days, but Leena had insisted the ceremony be held here, where everyone could bear witness to the damage Yazmin had caused. And inevitably, the damageI’dcaused. I pressed my lips together as I tried in vain to replay the events of that day. But Yazmin’s control had been strong, and the memories of what I’d done were hazy. The aftermath, however, was not. Bile soured my tongue as I glanced around the space. Attendants had done their best to clean it, but there were still charred marks from the Vrees’s lightning scorched into the floors. Deep gouges from his claws. Crumbled columns and broken branches from the makeshift ceiling moved off to the sides. At least they’d managed to remove the blood.
Yet, in spite of it all, there was an air of beauty that couldn’t be dampened.
