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Nik’s arm tightened around me, and the warmth of his smile as he looked down at me made the idea of forgiving his parents seem easy. I knew it wouldn’t be a simple matter in reality—it had taken me a long time to overcome the image of Nik standing over the Constantines, and I had already been in love with him. But with time, I hoped Nik’s parents and I could associate each other with something beyond the events of our first meeting.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
The king finally stood from his throne and stepped off the dais, joining the small gathering of men and women who formed both his government and his family. Anka and Colton broke off their conversation to look at him expectantly, and Augusta drifted closer.
“I won’t deny a sense of betrayal to find so many of you involved in a scheme against me,” he said.
“They wouldn’t have been involved if the plan had involved any actual harm to you,” Evermund said confidently. He hadn’t even been in the city, but he clearly had total trust in his wife and her allies.
King Marius inclined his head in acceptance of Evermund’s words. “Betrayal might be my first reaction, but it would be remiss of me if I looked no further than that. The very fact we were brought to this extremity means that collectively we have failed in our task of united government. The immediate crisis seems to be past, and Grey is no longer a threat, but it is clear that serious reflection on these events will be needed.”
He looked at Anka. “Not all of those reflections are for right now, but I would like to start by apologizing to you, Anka. You have been a loyal and dedicated servant of Tartora for many decades, and it was wrong of me to force you into a position you didn’t want. If you wish to resign as Royal Mage, I will accept your resignation with good will.”
She regarded him in silence for a moment, her expression thoughtful.
“I accept your apology, Your Majesty. And at some point I will resign because I have always been a law keeper and always will be. However, I agree that changes are needed, and it seems to me that this isn’t a time to be without a Royal Mage.”
“Thank you, Anka,” Evermund said, sounding relieved. “As always, your judgment is sound. An objective party—one with your wisdom and experience—will be a welcome asset as we repair what has been broken.”
She smiled back, and the king nodded. I examined the crown prince. He was young compared to the others in positions of authority, but he was clearly comfortable in their midst.
If I remembered rightly, he had once been Royal Mage himself, and I could see why Airlie had wished for his presence from the beginning. Even with my extremely limited experience of this group, I could feel how the dynamic had changed with his presence. He would be a good king one day, and they all knew it. Already they afforded him some of the respect and authority of his future position.
I wrapped both my arms around Nik and squeezed. He had pushed himself to the edge to bring back the right person. He smiled down at me, but now that the immediate excitement was past, he looked even more exhausted.
“You need some sleep,” I whispered, running my hand along the edge of his face.
“Seeing you is better than sleep.”
“Today has taken some very unexpected turns,” Augusta said acerbically, breaking into the various conversations.
I turned to look at her, my heart sinking as I saw her eyes were fixed on her former apprentice, now turned reneger—Nik. I had hoped she might be willing to take him back so that he could complete his apprenticeship, but her expression wasn’t promising.
“While some rules have always been stretched for those of royal blood, some rules are immutable. I didn’t speak previously because I am not totally lacking in compassion and wished to allow a family reunion. But word has been spreading that Prince Nikolas is back, and an example must be set. Renegers cannot be accepted into society, no matter what they might have done in the way of public service.”
The queen flinched, her face paling as her eyes jumped to her son. Nik himself remained straight and unmoving, however, his face grave.
A moment of silence passed, and I held my breath, wondering if he would ask her to take him back. But he must have read the answer in her face because he made no such request.
“I do not deny your words, Master Augusta. And I did not come with the expectation that I could remain. Only the gravity of the situation brought me here in the first place. I will be gone by morning. I ask only that I be allowed to sleep before setting off again.” He swayed slightly as he spoke, emphasizing the exhaustion behind his words.
“Nik!” For a moment I thought I’d spoken, but the voice had been his mother’s. The distress on her face was obvious now, tears springing to her eyes. “You can’t just leave again!”
The king put a gentle hand on her arm, looking at her with a set expression that was trying to hide his own distress. “My dear,” he murmured, “Augusta is right. However much we want things to be different…”
“Surely there’s something we can do.” She glanced at Augusta, but the Master of Plants was still watching her old apprentice.
The king glanced at Augusta as well, his mouth tightening. “Perhaps in the future…” he murmured even more quietly than the queen.
The tempestuous events of the last few days hadn’t placed the king in a good bargaining position. Of those around him, Augusta was one of the few who had been unwaveringly loyal, and he must be reluctant to pressure her into something she clearly didn’t want to do.
I shook my head, a continuous movement that expressed everything I didn’t have the words to say. Nik pressed me against him, whispering into my hair.
“I’m sorry.” He sounded broken. “If there was any way I could stay…” His muscles jumped as he held me close. “But you know I will always do everything I can to protect you. Even if that means walking away and never seeing you again. With Grey gone, I’ve become the greatest threat to your future, and I won’t drag you into my outcast status.”
My heart broke at his words. The strength of his hold told me the words he would never say aloud. Nik would never abandon me. If he couldn’t join society, he would remain in the shadows, watching for anything that might threaten me.
I couldn’t bear the idea of that life for him. I wanted to tell him that I would give up everything and become an outcast with him. But I knew I didn’t have that choice. Amara had risked everything to stand by me, and I had made a commitment to her. I still had a year of my apprenticeship, and I suspected we would spend at least some of that time with Anka, helping to train others how to make walls.
