Page 202 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

Bayrd leaned onto the table and Cai dropped his head back with a sigh, anticipating whatever the Volant leader had to say. “There is another matter at hand that needs to be discussed as we are dealing with matters of the throne.”

“You never lose a feather, do you?” Cai said and I caught my brother’s smile at my general’s words.

Ignoring him, Bayrd turned to me. “We have all three grandchildren of Jonah here and we have no need for a foreign king. It feels like a matter of time before you truly crown him before our people, your mother’s killer, as that. Is that what you want?”

I knew he was attempting to goad me. But what I didn’t know was why it was working. It was true. The bargain was ending—should have already ended. And the lifeline Kilian was attached to with it. The way that thought filled my stomach with discomfort made me angry. Why did what I’d been waiting for years made me uncomfortable?

“What I want, Bayrd, is to have reassurance of support when my father opens war toward the continent.”

“It doesn’t feel like it.”

“And do tell, what does it feel like?” Cai pushed through clenched teeth.

“Like a lie,” Bayrd said fearlessly. “And for the sake of your people, I suggest you take action to put such rumours at peace.”

“Whose rumours?” my brother asked, tilting his head to study Bayrd. “Presumably yours?”

The man bristled. “With all due respect—”

“Don’t start a sentence speaking about respect when you have no intention of being respectful,” my brother said. “I might have only arrived yesterday, but I helped my mother raise this kingdom from its foundations. I have known you since the day she made you leader of the Volants. People speak. It is not so difficult, Bayrd. To know.”

I tapped a finger on the table. “Let's cut it short, shall we? What is it that you want, Bayrd?”

“Resume your engagement to my son. Two true Olympians on the throne, ruling by one another as gods have dictated from the start of our times. Better than anyone, my queen, you know the consequence of marrying another kind. We Olympians adore the spiritual, live by it and for it. We haven’t had a single king or queen who has had an unblessed marriage. Yet you wear no band of blessing, nor will you ever be able to get it from the gods if you marry him. Not to think of heirs which you could never have with him.” He glanced at a few other tribe leaders who he surely had discussed this with and had obviously disagreed with him from the scathing look he gave them. “Though a piece of paper can suffice many, we Volantians will not put our sacred laws behind.”

I turned my attention to Lazarus who had remained silent all the way through his father’s words. “Is that what you want?” Men and their selfishness never ceased to disappoint me. I needed to know who was pushing this. Who did I have to kill, son or father?

Cai cursed under his breath and Eren scrutinised me with uncertainty.

“You were all I ever wanted,” Lazarus said. “And I do think my father is right.”

I nodded. “We will continue this meeting another time.” Perhaps a beheading could clear up my mind.

As the room began to empty, Bayrd turned to me one last time. “Consider it well, Your Majesty.”

Two beheadings? I leaned forward. “You’d be rather surprised, Bayrd, but I’ve considered everything rather well. Have you?”

“It will not be my fault if my people wish to distance themselves from Olympia.”

The air chilled. “It will not be my fault either when I pull the zgahna over the Volants and let the rest of you become skewered meat for Isjordians and Fogling. This is my land, not because you or the land fear me, but because I am the land and I am fear. Think well, Bayrd. Are you willing to be the face of disaster?”

“I’ll be whatever is best for my people.”

“Mine,” I bit out. “My people.”

Bayrd said nothing.

The meeting chamber’s doors had barely shut when Cai said, “You better be considering this well, Cakes.”

“I am.”

“Lazarus is a prick,” he snarled. “His father is worse.”

“Good thing I am not making Bayrd king then.”

He growled. “If you do this just to spite Kilian and to shut up Bayrd, perhaps your brother should have taken that offer when he had the chance.”

“Don’t throw me as bait,” Eren said.