Page 17 of Burn of the Everflame

6

LUTHER

The ride to Lumnos was unbearably slow, but mercifully quiet.

With Cordellia and I united against her, Auralie relented to come on two conditions. First, we would walk away unless the Crowns agreed to everything the rebels asked. Second, since the Crowns invited the Guardians to attend, the Guardians they would receive.

Every last one.

And so, with a flock of hawks sent out across the continent and a fleet of ships pirated by the Meros rebel cell, we’d loaded up every willing Guardian in Emarion and set sail across the Sacred Sea.

Teller and I took to the sky on Sorae to keep watch from above. The Crowns were true to their word—for now, at least—and the army ships kept their distance.

The weather was clear, and Coeurîle was a splash of green on the horizon, tugging at my soul and making each mile in the opposite direction an arduous task. Knowing I was hours away from confronting the people who had caged her had awakened a beast inside me. I no longer feared what I might be capable of doing.

I was certain of it.

“It’s her birthday today.”

My gaze cut sharply to Teller. “Diem’s?”

“She makes an event of it every year,” he said. “She wakes the whole family up and forces us to climb the roof to watch the sunrise. Then she prepares her special breakfast. Usually it’s dry and inedible, but we always lie and tell her it’s the best meal we’ve ever had. One year, she insisted we all go swimming, even though the water was freezing. Mother had to make a whole pot of hot cocoa to get us warm again. I think that was D’s real goal.” He chuckled to himself. “That’s her. Anything for chocolate.”

I stared at him mutely, struck by the unexpected glimpse into a part of Diem’s life I’d never known. I often felt like my world had only begun when she stepped into it. To hear how full hers had been, how filled with joy and love . . .

Each word he spoke was a dagger, but I cherished every wound.

“We’d go into town and do all her favorite things, then we’d go home and pile in her bed, and we’d listen to her make up wild stories until we all fell asleep. I used to tease her that she loved her birthday because it was all about her.” His smile began to fall. “It wasn’t. It was about us. Our family. Spending time together.”

There was no way the Crowns could have been aware of the significance of this date. Only births of full-blooded Descended children were formally recorded, so mortal birth dates were known only to their families.

And yet, it felt too convenient, too coincidental. Like there were hands at play . . . but perhaps not the Crowns’.

“Teller, the other day, you said the Queen of Umbros was killed on the island.”

He nodded. “I think so. She was on the ground, and the Ignios King had a blade that was covered in blood.”

“Did you see Diem’s Crown? Did it look any different?”

“I was too far away to tell. Why do you—” He stiffened. “You think the Umbros Crown went to Diem?”

“Perhaps. She took the Crowns of Fortos and Montios when their Kings died. Your mother’s spies say the Centenaries have become unusually reclusive. If Umbros is without a leader, their Descended would want to keep that quiet.”

“Maybe that’s why the Crowns won’t let her leave the island. If she has four of the nine realms, one more will give her a majority.”

And then she’ll lead them all, I thought. As she was always meant to do.

I looked ahead to the nearing Lumnos shore. “Perhaps it’s time to deliver her a fifth.”

“You’re going to kill a Crown?”

“I’m going to free Diem. Whatever it takes.”

Silence fell between us, though I could sense my words had troubled him. He fidgeted, shifting his weight.

“You doubt my commitment?” I asked him.

“No,” he said quickly. “It’s not that.” His voice grew quiet. “Do you still believe I don’t deserve Lily because I didn’t stay in Lumnos?”