AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There was no love lost between King Eduart and me. He was under no misconceptions that Ilikedhaving his people stationed inside the castle. And in the absence of Alastor’s protection, Eduart would expect me to prepare for an invasion. So, letting his people—the enemy now more than ever—stay within the castle walls would be illogical, suggesting guilt on my part.
“Get rid of them,” I said decisively.
Garath tore his stare away from the window to look at me. His slow nod—and Hills’s wicked, eager grin—convinced me this was the right call.
“I want them gone,” I added, turning to head back toward the altar. “All of them. By the noontime bell.” I raised one hand to my mouth to chew on my thumbnail. “We’ll reconvene then to begin preparations for the invasion. I don’t want any of Eduart’s people catching wind of our plans and relaying them to him.”
“Understood.” Hills bowed her head, her chin-length, salt-and-pepper hair swinging forward with the motion. “I would also suggest vetting our own people,” she said. “To ensure the Sierra scourge has been eradicated completely. I wouldn’t put it past King Eduart to make an attempt on your life—or Liam’s—in order to throw the kingdom into further chaos. And if they’ve turned any of our own people, that would be the quickest and easiest means to accomplish the task.”
My stomach knotted at even the possibility of anyone sending an assassin after my son.
“You could disguise it as ‘checking in’ with the people during this trying time.” Hills angled her head to the side. “They did just lose their queen, after all . . . ”
Having worried my thumbnail to the quick, I switched to chewing my index fingernail. “Good thinking. Clear everyone out of the castle—and I meaneveryone—and I’ll begin empathic interviews at the gate this afternoon. That way, we can be absolutely certain that every single person who crosses the bridge and enters the castle is loyal to us.”
Again, Hills bowed her head. “It will be done.”
I continued my pacing. “We’ll need to move up the coronation. We no longer have months to prepare, and the people will need more stability than a queen regent can offer during the coming time of war.”
“It should be on the equinox,” Garath said, his voice a low rumble. “To mark a new beginning for the kingdom.”
My eyebrows rose. “But that’s this Friday—in just four days.” How would we possibly prepare in time? Pythia Salma, who would be leading the coronation ceremony as head of the Temple of the Seven Kingdoms, wasnotgoing to be pleased about such an accelerated timeline.
The corner of Garath’s mouth tensed, then hitched upward. “Itisthis Friday, which means it’s also a sabbath. You could incorporate your coronation into the candle-lighting ceremony. Many of our people will see this as significant—the Patrons blessing your coming reign.” Garath laughed under his breath. “Considering the timing of it all, I’m half-tempted to agree with them.”
My lips spread into a slow, knowing smile. “Garath, you’re a genius.”
His expression was pleased, but the shadows in his eyes remained. We had a lot to talk about in the coming days. Personal matters. Much had changed now that Alastor was dead and Fin was back.
Finwas back.
I still didn’t believe it—that the gruff man who had ended Alastor’s putrid life was the same man who had taken such pleasure in teasing me all those years ago.Tough stuff. That was what he used to call me. I considered how he must have seen me now. Not so tough anymore. He wasn’t the only one who had changed.
I recalled Mother’s words when we first learned Fin’s village had been abandoned. My heartbreak had been clear to her, even without the use of her empathic Abilities.
“I knew something like this would happen,” she had said. “There’s a reason we call themGhosts—they can vanish in the blink of an eye.”
But Mother had been wrong about Fin and his people. Again, I wondered what he had been through over the past decade. He had said his village was attacked. Was that why he had all but vanished? He had blamed Mother—potentially blamedme? I felt sick to my stomach knowing he might’ve thought me capable of such wretched duplicity.
It had to have been Maylar. I had pressured Mother to dismiss him shortly after I returned from my brief visit to Fin’s village, the one that had resulted in me being with child. Maylar had not been pleased with being stripped of his position at court. He must have found someone else to leech power from and convinced them to attack Fin’s village. Three birds with one stone. Revenge against Mother, Fin, and me—the three people he had likely blamed for ruining his life.
I shook my head, dispelling those thoughts. I didn’t have time to dwell on the past right now, not when we were on the brink of war and the fate of my kingdom was at stake. I needed to focus on the present situation. This war would bring the fighting to Corvo City—likely to Castle Corvo. It would endanger Liam’s life.
We could still run. Give it all up and flee. Fin was here in the city. We could leave with him, follow him to the desert. Liam could get to know his true father, someone he could admire and learn from.
When I reached the altar table, I stopped and stared into Zoe’s piercing aquamarine eyes. Shewasn’ta goddess like the Temple proclaimed and so many of my people believed. But she had survived during the Turn centuries ago and made an impression on the world. The impact of her and her people’s lives and actions spanned the two-and-a-half centuries separating us, shapingmypeople’s daily lives.
I plucked a match from the jar and swiped it over the stone striker. A flame burst to life at the tip of the match, and I touched it to the votive’s wick, waiting for the candle to light, then blew out the match.
Again, I looked at Zoe, studying her features. Strong, beautiful, wise, fierce. Dani was the Patron usually favored by mothers seeking guidance and protection for their children, but Zoe had been a mother, too. One who had faced fertility issues and other maternal struggles. Many forgot that.
I closed my eyes, imagining what Zoe would have done in my place. Would she have stayed and defended her people, or would she have run, protecting her family?
I lifted my lids and peered up at the sprawling battle scene stretching across the canvas above the bookcases. Zoe, Dani, Jason, Jake, and all the other Patrons were there, fighting for their home near a gleaming metal tree on the grassy hillside and in the blood-soaked valley below it. For their people. They had stood their ground.
I read the polished bronze plaque affixed to the bottom of the elaborate, gilded frame.
Always remember the fallen and be aware of their lasting footprints on our lives.
