I sigh. “Take the person for a stroll through the bonfires and hold hands the entire time.”
I look to Ryder and expect him to simply vanish from this whole awkward situation, but instead he nods to me.
When I reach for his hand to pull him up off the ground, I hesitate. “Are you sure this is okay?”
He takes my hand in his. “Yes, Princess.” I shake my head, and he takes the lead, walking us out to the center of the lined firepits.
“I’m sorry about all this.”
“Don’t be,” he reassures, squeezing my hand a little tighter.
“I’m surprised you came,” I tell him as we continue on down the lit path.
“I may have been pushed a little.” He turns to me. “But I’m glad I came. I like seeing you like this with them.”
“Like what?”
“Relaxed. Unburdened by all the things you normally let weigh you down.”
“They tend to have that effect on me when we’re all together. Maybe you’ll let it rub off on you,” I suggest, not quite as casually as I had hoped.
“Is that your way of telling me you want me around more often?” he asks with a cheeky smirk that makes my heart flutter.
“I guess it wouldn’t be the worst thing,” I tease with a nonchalant shrug.
As we make our way down the aisle of ashy terrain, I can’t help but notice everyone stop to bow as we pass by. If we were back in Strellesia, I wouldn’t think twice about it, but here it doesn’t happen as often. Everyone is much more relaxed around him than back in the kingdom.
“Did I miss something?” I stop and look around at the groups of people who have stopped what they were doing to show their respect for their king.
“They’re not bowing to me, Reign. They’re bowing to you.”
I almost hurt myself with how fast my head whips around to look at him. “Me? But I’m not their queen.”
He starts walking again and takes me with him. “Maybe not, but to them you could be.”
“Why?” I ask, still confused by it all.
“Because of this.” He lifts my hand that is still intertwined with his. “But also because they know you.”
“What? No, they don’t. I mean, sure, some of them do, but I don’t know most of the people here.”
“They may not know you personally, but they know that you defied my father, and they’ve heard what you endured while you were held captive. Besides, most of them are aware you possess special gifts, even if they don’t know the exact details. If I asked them to follow you, they would. Not just because I asked it of them, but because they believe in you, too.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
Ryder instantly tugs our connected hands, turning me toward him. His thumb gently strokes my cheek, igniting my heat.
“Don’t ever say that.” His brows pinch with seriousness. “Your strength and resilience deserve to be admired and respected. Whether or not you believe it, you were born to be a leader.” He puts a finger up, stopping me from arguing. “Not because you were born from The Mother as a phoenix, but because you have an unwavering calling to fight for what is right. It’s embedded in you like it’s embedded in me.”
I don’t say anything. Instead, I take in his words as I look around at the people who make up this new place I call my home. It makes me wonder what each of their stories is, and I find myself wanting to feel closer to them.
Ryder seems to read my thoughts because the next thing he says is, “Do you want to show them who you are? The versionof you that you’ve kept hidden?”
I don’t need him to clarify. I know what he means. For so long, I kept my powers at bay in fear that the king would collect me, and after I found out I was a phoenix, I never wanted to share that part of myself until I was sure what it all meant. But even though I still don’t have it all figured out, I find myself ready to share it now.
“I’m nervous,” I admit, squeezing his hand a little tighter.
“I know,” he says, rubbing his thumb over the top of it in circular motions. “What if we join you? Your friends and I?”
