Page 253 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

“Why do you keep coming here?”

“For a few hours I'd like to live in it. What is and was of me is in here. I don't know what I am in the world outside because I was never meant to survive. I was just…lucky.”

That hurt my heart. Knowing that he had thought so made me hate myself. I should have been there for him like he was always there for me. “You’re my brother. An Olympian general. Son of a fallen hero. You are Cai. You are the boy who saved me.” I reached to rest my hand on his. “You are all those in my world and much more in many others.”

He laced his fingers with mine and held my hand tight in his. “So,” he said, his mouth twitching into a smirk. “The Adriatian fool was right, you are a heavenly being.”

I pulled my hand away and smacked him on the head.

“You will want to take that back,” he said, rubbing his head before pulling a bunch of salted caramel candy from his pocket.

I went to my knees and bowed deeply to him. “Forgive me.”

He chuckled and threw a piece of candy at me.

“I can read it in your eyes,” he said, staring at the fading sunset while we ate the delicacy. “You want to rain down hells.”

“And if I truly want to?”

He considered me for a moment. “I will be right beside you. Just as I promised that first day.”

I sucked in a harsh breath. “It will not be pretty.”

“It is an ugly world, some flames ought to decorate it.”

“There is something I need to do first.”

He nodded. “Don’t skewer the old man. He is harmless.”

I backed away and bolted to the second highest peak in the Volants. Right between two cliffs that framed Volant, the city that touches skies. There were many reasons why I adored this part of my kingdom. The old Olympian architecture from centuries ago was still holding up, all white carved arches and columns, the old path laid with grey granite tiles and the massive stone hands covered in moss that helped the heavy waterfall pour over the city edge and fall over miles down below. Once, gods themselves had walked over this very path.

Everyone stopped in their tracks as I passed through, few children gathered behind me, following me around as I made my way to Bayrd’s home.

Tristin landed before me right about as I was reaching Bayrd’s mansion gates. “I cannot stop you—”

“No, you can’t,” I said. “Did you know?”

Her expression remained cold as always as she nodded. “Most of your family history was burned during the night of Draugr and a lot was kept a secret by the Skygards themselves, but father keeps memoires in his study. And there have always been whispers. People talking. Rumours of your magic.” She rubbed her eyes. “For heavens’ sake, you’ve grown wings and call skies as if they are yours. If you weren’t of guardian blood, I'd still think you of heavens.”

“And Bayrd knew.”

“I am not here to protect my father, Snow. I am here to protect my queen,” she said, glancing behind me, over the crowd of children spying behind us. “So don’t do this. You’ve never killed for power or to take power. Don’t make your people fear you the same as they fear Silas.”

The words were unsaid, but I heard them. Don’t become your father.

The old mansion’s doors creaked open and Bayrd pushed through. From the way his expression fell and how his head hung low, he was expectant of death. “My queen. What calls you to my home?”

“I want you to resign your position,” I said, stepping forward. “Hand your duties to Tristin as Lazarus is already my General and part of my court.”

He glanced between his daughter and I, tension bleeding through his greyed features. “Are you asking?”

“I am ordering.” At my word, the sky greyed without effort at all, mimicking the thunder in my voice. “This land is mine no matter your beliefs and differences. The air is mine. The sky is mine. The gravel beneath your feet is mine. These people are also mine. And you’ve always known that, Bayrd. That I will always be more related to them, hold more importance to them than any man could. Not only because I am queen. And you took a chance from my ignorance. Attempted to profit from my ignorance. Desired to claim my city and my people as your own. You speak of divine laws when I turn to be, as you know, divinity itself. You broke not only my laws as queen, but those older than time. This kingdom is made of thirteen, but its heart is one and will remain one. To suggest otherwise calls for death. You’ve done much for my Olympia, you helped people of my own tribe hide in these mountains, for that I owe you gratitude and respect. But it doesn’t mean I owe you subjugation. Tell me, Bayrd, can they ever bow to you how they can bow to me? Can you protect them how I can?”

Uncertainty and challenge crossed his face, but he inclined his head in a bow. “Tristin will be prepared to represent Volant in court.”

Turning round, I raised a brow at the little, curious spawns who’d probably spied every word that had come out of my mouth. “Who wants to play ball?”

“Me!” they all screeched in unison, and I chased them around and between the ancient buildings of the city till my thighs burned and my lungs had expanded to the size of a cushion.