Page 41 of Burn of the Everflame

Alixe ran to speak with my father, who had gathered with the Crowns in a cluster around a blood-soaked soldier at the base of the front steps.

“W-we were on the dock,” the man stammered. His hand was clamped over a gash on his arm, his expression dazed. “The water seemed too still—like it wasn’t real. Then . . .” He shook with a full-body flinch. “They were everywhere. Appeared right out of thin air. They cut down half the battalion before I realized who they were.”

“Illusions,” I guessed. “If Diem can use every realm’s magic, Ophiucae must be able to do it, too. He used Lumnos magic to cloak his army until they arrived.”

Meros stormed toward me. “Did you do this?” he demanded, white-capped orbs of water at his palms. “Was this all a distraction so he could slip in unseen?”

“He’s coming to kill my family,” I growled. “You think I’d welcome that?”

Auralie edged between us. “The Crowns called this meeting, Meros, not us. For all we know, you lured him here to force our hand.”

Meros held my glare. Sophos set a palm on his chest and pushed him back, then shot a glance at the Ignios gryvern, who was pacing the palace walls. “Tybold isn’t burning you alive, so I assume Ignios lives?”

I nodded. I’d left the Ignios bastard behind for now. His consequences would come soon enough.

“Then we can forgive what happened. The cease-fire is unbroken.” They looked at Auralie. “You have to help us.”

“No.”

Her flat tone stunned everyone—including me.

“You killed my daughter,” she said.

“That was Ignios!” Sophos argued.

“You played a part in it, too.” She gazed around at the other Crowns. “For every Descended life a Guardian took, you made the mortals pay a hundred times over. Now you will learn what it means to suffer for the crimes of another.” She set her jaw and faced Cordellia. “Tell our people not to intervene.”

“What about your demands?” Arboros cried.

Auralie’s brown eyes, still wet with tears, smoldered in response. “Here’s my new demand: destroy your thrones. End the Descended reign in Emarion. Forever.”

Slack-jawed stares returned in answer.

“The Crowns are offering you a truce, woman,” my father hissed. “You said yourself that he’s a threat to mortals, too.”

“I fought him once and won. I like my odds.” She snapped on her heel, striding for the palace. “I’m going to get my son.”

I ignored the indignant look my father turned on me and moved to follow her, but Alixe caught me by the arm. “If Diem is dead, shouldn’t there be a new Lumnos Crown?”

I shoved her away. “I don’t fucking care.”

“Luther, look.” She pointed up at the royal terrace, where Sorae was perched protectively at Teller’s side as they watched the chaos unfold. “She’s still obeying Diem’s orders. If Lumnos has a new Crown, why hasn’t its gryvern left to find them? What if the Ignios King is lying about⁠—”

“I saw it, Alixe,” I said bleakly. “Teller did, too. We watched him stab her.”

All these weeks, I’d been trying to ignore what I’d seen, but the Ignios King had no reason to lie—his revelation made things infinitely more difficult for the Crowns.

Alixe’s cobalt eyes filled with sorrow. “It doesn’t matter,” she said, shaking her emotion away. “Until Blessed Mother Lumnos reveals a new Crown, I serve Diem’s orders.” Her piercings glittered as she pointed her chin in challenge. “Do you?”

I stalked away without an answer. I couldn’t bear to let her see my agony. I caught up to Auralie in the foyer, and we walked with Eleanor through the vacant halls. Every guard had either run outside to defend the palace or fled to save themselves.

“What happened?” Teller asked when we found him on the royal suite’s balcony with Taran. He looked at his mother and stilled. “Were you crying?”

“Lu, what’s going on?” Taran asked.

“Ophiucae’s coming,” I answered grimly.

Taran swore. Teller paled.