Not a single person in the throne room remained standing.
“Find someone worthy of standing beside you. Someone who inspires you, but more importantly, inspires your people.”
My chest tightened. My father had wanted so much for me. So much for ourkingdom. He would’ve liked Leena, I had no doubt of that. He would’ve seen her potential to rule, the depth of her kindness, and handed over his throne just to put her in charge.
That can still happen.
The errant thought nearly upended me. Not because it was entirely new. While I’d been under the influence of the oath, driven mad by Yazmin’s wishes, I’d fallen prey to visions of an inky-black snake. Of Zane. He’d been known as the Viper of Wilheim and was the heir to the throne before becoming the first undead assassin. His presence had pushed me toward the ruins, toward reclaiming my title. But when the oath had been fulfilled, the haze of Yazmin’s control had faded along with him.
So thinking about taking the throne now, even for the sole purpose of making sure Leena was on it… That thought was wholly mine. And one I didn’t want to acknowledge.
Clenching my jaw, I buried that notion deep inside. I didn’t want to rule. The only crown I wanted to abide by was Leena’s, here in Hireath.
“I promise to be transparent with you, always,” Leena said. Her steady voice reverberated through the room, once again capturing my attention. “Yazmin is planning to raise Ocnolog. She has two out of the three ingredients needed to do so. My goal is to stop her before that happens. I don’t want a war. But if she succeeds…” She looked past all of us to study the statue at my back. “Ocnolog cannot be controlled, and we will be forced to fight.”
“How will we stand up to Yazmin?” the same woman from before asked.
“Raven will organize our forces.” Leena gave a deep nod to her fellow Council member. “It’s not a question of strength—we have our beasts—but she will help orchestrate our defenses.”
Raven’s brows climbed toward her hairline, but she didn’t refuse. “I can begin training anyone who is interested immediately.”
“Me too,” Ozias said, clearing his throat. Every pair of eyes rounded on him. Some thankful, some uncertain, most fearful. “I’ve been training new recruits for decades at Cruor.”
“Thank you, Oz.” Leena gave him a warm smile, then addressed her people again. “Cruor will join us in this fight. For the first time in centuries, we are not alone.” Reaching for her beast, she placed a steady hand against Onyx’s hide. “My beast trusts them, and so do I. Together, we are stronger. Together, we will protect you.”
A resounding roar from Onyx punctuated Leena’s promise, and the birds above abandoned their perches in a startled flurry. A litany of calls slipped from their beaks, and I stilled when I noticed one sparrowlike beast that hadn’t moved. Its steel-gray feathers and violet breast were different from the rest of the flock. It cocked its head in Leena’s direction, targeting her with three black eyes. A yellow film slid over them.
Time came to an immediate halt. Iknewthat beast. I’d first seen its kind in Midnight Jester, the black market tavern near Cruor, when I’d met with Wynn to discuss Leena’s bounty. He’d summoned that creature and promised to watch our every move. And he made good on it, too.
Until I’d summoned a blood blade and put an end to his spying.
Thin, near-invisible shadows festered around my fingers. Someone was watching us. No doubt it was Yazmin. One icy tendril took shape, floating above my hand in the form of a small needle. To end the beast’s life now, right here, before all these Charmers? Battle strategy told me it was the right thing to do. We couldn’t have our enemy spying on us. And yet… My gaze flitted over the captivated audience. They’d yet to notice my slender weapon. If they saw me take down a beast, right after Leena’s promise of unity, we’d lose all the ground she’d just made.
My fingers twitched. Would capturing it cause the same reaction? The blade dissolved, only for more shadows to intertwine in the shape of a small net.
“Noc?” Kost asked in a whisper, eyeing the tendrils. With their heightened senses, Calem and Ozias heard him, too. They tilted their chins in my direction, avoiding obvious movements so as not to draw attention.
Seconds ticked by. My gaze flicked first to Leena’s smiling face, then to the crowd. The amount of trust she’d garnered was palpable, but it was also new. If we damaged it now, there was no telling if she’d be able to regain it.
As much as it pained me, I let the shadows disperse and nodded tightly in the direction of the beast. “Spy.” As if it somehow heard my barely audible words, the bird jerked its head in my direction. And then it took off in an erratic flight pattern, escaping after the rest of the flock.
“Yazmin?” Calem asked. The mercury line around his muted-red irises flared. He’d gotten better at controlling the beast within, but there was no telling when he’d explode next.
“Likely.” My eyes narrowed as I peered through the branches. Leena continued speaking, calling the ceremony to a close. Charmers rose from their kneeled positions and headed for the exit, some stopping before her to bow or whisper words of hope. Gaige and Raven joined her, milling about the crowd to offer reassurances.
Kaori strolled toward us. She stared at Calem, likely studying that dangerous thread of silver in his eyes. “Something happen?”
“Noc says we’re being watched.” A rogue muscle throbbed down Calem’s neck. Kaori grazed the back of his arm, just the briefest of touches, and then clasped her hands before her. He exhaled slowly, rolled his neck from side to side, and then let out a sheepish smile.
Kaori looked back at me. “Tell me what you saw.”
“A bird beast. The one with three eyes and a yellow film covering them. Wynn had one.”
She turned without speaking and signaled to Gaige, Raven, and Leena. They excused themselves and walked over to us, and we waited in silence for several minutes until the last of the Charmers left the room. Leena sidled in next to me, eyes alight and cheeks rosy. She was beaming. I hated that we’d have to bring her back down to reality so soon. But this was war. Celebrations were always cut short.
“Noc spotted a Femsy. We have to be more careful,” Kaori said.
Leena’s smile fell away. “Yazmin.”
