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He pressed the top of the locket and a compartment popped open, revealing a lock of dark hair tied with red ribbon.
“Since you were married,” he continued, “You’re a citizen of Denvato, too. You’re welcome to attend the funeral, and even stay with us, to learn more about her culture. If you’d like that…”
Camina nodded, but turned away, hiding the tears on her cheek. She hugged Amir and we said our goodbyes. It felt strange, to say farewell to people I barely knew and feel like I was losing a piece of myself. We were all together, for the moment, but soon we’d split up again and be separated by hundreds of miles.
“We’ll need to send an emissary to Skormhead and Iklebot,” I said. “You could go home, for a while, if you want to.”
“I’ll bring Master Svboda’s body,” she said.
“When you’re ready,” I said, “maybe you could replace her here.”
“And do what?” Camina asked. “Train chosen? Will there be any chosen?”
“Honestly we haven’t figure everything out yet.”
“Well, until you do, maybe it’s time we showered?”
I smiled at her, squeezing her hand. Then found my way back to my bedroom. So much had changed, from the early days in Damien’s apartment, when I was all alone. When a look, a touch, would sustain me for days. This apartment had always felt like his. Now it was mine. But did Damien feel the same way? Now that he was human… would he even want me, like this? The covenant bound us together, but our roles seemed undefined. Was he still a prince? Could our relationship be salvaged, after what I’d done to him, taken from him?
I took a long shower, staining the tub red until the water ran clear. Now that the purification engines were off, the citadel had a surplus of power for hot water. Damien was loitering outside the hall, when I came out wrapped in a towel. He seemed awkward or embarrassed. And thinner than he should be. Somehow it was even more attractive to see him this vulnerable. I wanted to grab him and kiss him, but I didn’t.
“There’s some clothes in your room,” he said, clearing his throat. “But they haven’t been washed in a while. I found some more stuff in my room that might suit you better.”
I’d only been in Damien’s bedroom once, when I snuck in to spy for the rebels. That felt like ages ago. We’d been together in Iklebot, but so much had happened since then. I hadn’t even considered where we’d sleep, since we each had separate bedrooms, but I didn’t want to let him out of my sight.
“Lead the way,” I said.
His bedroom was brighter than I remembered, with large windows that let in the sun. It had a slightly musty smell, like it had been empty for a while. Damien showered while I changed. He must have ransacked the building to find clothes for me, but the choices weren’t bad. Soft, lightweight linen and cotton. I chose a pair of gray shorts that hugged my hips and a white sundress. The rest I put aside for the others.
Damien came out in a towel, his skin glowing. I made no move to leave and he didn’t seem to mind my presence, so I sat on the bed while he changed into a pair of sweatpants and a Tshirt. Then he leaned back on the bed, against the pillows.
After a moment, I settled in next to him and he raised an arm around my shoulder. We stayed like that for a few minutes, feeling the warm sunlight on our legs, listening to our breaths and hearts mingle.
“What’s it like?” I asked. “Being human again?”
“Strange,” he said. “Foreign. I feel so weak, so slow. I was still basically a kid when I turned. Most of the cities were wiped out. War, famine. And then of course, the fighting. Earthquakes, extreme heat. I explored, for a while. I followed the news, until there wasn’t any. Mostly I was trying to survive. To feed humanely, without risking my own life. Hunting, while being hunted. Never trusting anyone. Afraid, hungry, alone. By the time the ash started, the news had long since gone silent. It was a blessing, of sorts. The human population shrank drastically, while the compounds grew. The world was dead, except for my father’s little portion of it. Then one day I ran into his soldiers, and followed them back to the citadel. I hated him for it, at first. But I came back. I watched the humans grow. So innocent. So happy. Compared to what was out there, during the race wars, the Culling, the decade that followed. Maybe I was naïve, but part of me wanted to believe.”
“In what?” I asked.
“In him. In the magic of it. That maybe something good could come of all of this, something better.”
“Are you angry I killed him?” I asked.
“I helped, remember?” he said. “But no one should rule forever, the temptation is too great. I thought, eventually I could take over my father’s kingdom, and run it better. It just needed more time, more stability, and then slow, subtle changes. I thought I could be the one to do it. In time, I found someone to share ideas with. But we argued. He wanted immediate change. I was more patient, lost in theories and philosophies. I never had any intention… of going back, of becoming human again. I’d grown too comfortable, maybe. I didn’t want to risk my position.”
“You didn’t want people to get hurt.”
“And look what happened to Quondam. All of them, punished for my carelessness, because I dreamed too big, trusted too much. And now, after all this—”
I grabbed his chin, steering his face to meet mine, and kissed him. The sadness and regret in his eyes melted away, as he reached around my waist to pull me closer.
“What was that for?” he smirked.
“Nothing. Just wanted to shut you up, and remind you that I’m not my grandfather.”
“No, you certainly aren’t. Especially in that dress.”
“Maybe I should take it off then,” I quirked an eyebrow. He leaned in to kiss me again, but this time I pulled back.
