AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Summit?” Mavlyn asked. “What summit?”
“I’ve called the House heads together for a summit to discuss Ediria’s leadership and its future,” she said. “Einar and I have come up with a plan that we think everyone will be satisfied with, and I hope you will all be by my side when I present it next week.”
“Of course,” Mavlyn said. “I would be my honor.”
“And mine,” Leap agreed. “But, as your friends, I still think it would be better if we knew what we were walking into. You know, in case it’s a stupid idea and we have to brace ourselves for another civil war.”
Einar snorted at that. “If this causes a civil war, then Ediria deserves to fall apart,” he said, then winced when Adara elbowed him in the ribs.
“Don’t jinx it!” she scolded him, then leaned forward on her elbows. “All right. I’ll tell you. But you have to promise not to breathe a word to anyone else…”
48
Einar
One week later
I sat next to Adara at the massive round table in the council chamber—a room that had not been used since King Aolis had taken the throne. The table was so large it took up most of the space in the room, but even so, it was barely big enough to seat everyone who’d answered Adara’s call to attend the summit.
Each of the House heads had arrived—Cascada and Prentis representing the water fae, Lord Oren with Tempest--who had been named as his successor--and the Oracle, and Lady Mossi with Avani and Mavlyn. Mavlyn sat between Quye and Mossi, a choice Adara had made deliberately to make Mavlyn more comfortable. Even so, it didn’t seem like she held any ill will toward Mossi—the two of them had exchanged very cordial greetings upon entering the room.
“All right,” Adara said, raising her goblet to quell the chatter in the room. My heart swelled with pride and admiration as I looked at her—she was dressed in a flowing gown of shimmering blue-green silk, cinched at the waist with a silver belt and adorned with silver beading at the neckline that glimmered in the light. The gown was airy and light, yet it still flowed with a certain regality, and her lavender hair was styled in loose waves that framed her beautiful, determined features. “Let’s get down to business. As you know, I’ve called you here to discuss the succession.”
“Yes, we know,” Lady Mossi said. “Though I admit I’m not sure why you bothered. I expected to be called for a coronation ceremony instead.”
“Would you have come?” Cascada asked from the other end of the table. Her tone was only mildly acerbic—she’d mellowed out since being released from Nox’s influence.
“Of course I would have,” Mossi said stiffly. “While I still think the earth fae should eventually be allowed to rule again, I admit it would be a disgrace for one of us to take the throne now, given that we allowed ourselves to be manipulated and used as pawns in the Mother of Shadows’ grand plan for destruction.” She inclined her head to Adara. “I owe you a great debt and an apology for all the wrongs I have committed against you. You have more than earned my House’s fealty.”
“And ours as well,” Prentis chimed in. “I should have never agreed to go along with Lady Axlya’s plans to force you into marriage with me in exchange for our help. We should have supported you unconditionally.”
“This is all very touching,” Lord Oren drawled before Adara could respond, “but perhaps you might let the lady actually tell us what her plan is, before you all pledge your undying loyalty to her?”
The others glared at him, and Adara stifled a laugh. “I thank you for your heartfelt apologies,” she told them, “but Lord Oren is right. I haven’t come here to tell you that I’m taking the throne. In fact, my intention is to abolish the Kingdom of Ediria altogether.”
The water and earth fae sucked in shocked breaths, but Lord Oren only smiled. I wasn’t exactly surprised, given that he’d already threatened to pull out of the alliance. “You can’t just disband the kingdom!” Mossi cried. “Our existing infrastructure will fall apart! We’ll have to negotiate a new set of trade agreements and laws!”
“I think that’s a small price to pay in exchange for giving each realm its autonomy back,” Adara said gently. “Besides, I’m not suggesting we go back to the way things were before the alliance. We would become a republic, where the House heads rule together with regular council meetings and voting sessions.”
“And not just voting amongst the elite,” Mavlyn chimed in. “The lesser fae will also have a say. We need to create a system that represents the needs of all the people, not just the Greater Fae.”
“I don’t know about that,” Lord Oren groused. “There is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen.”
“Perhaps, but even restaurant customers get to vote—with their wallets, if not their words,” Adara pointed out. “Just because the lesser fae don’t have as much magic doesn’t mean they don't have value. We must find a way to include them.”
“What of Heathfyre?” Lady Mossi asked. “How is that land going to be divided amongst the Houses?”
“It’s not,” Adara said. “I claim Hearthfyre on behalf of the dragons. The land is rightfully ours, and the dragons deserve a home, especially after coming back to Ediria and risking their own necks to help save you all.”
“No one is arguing that the dragons deserve a home,” Cascada said. “But there are only a few dozen of you. Surely you don’t need an entire realm! And there is still the matter of the fire fae—”
“About that,” Quye interrupted, holding up a finger. A slow smile spread across her face as all eyes in the room turned to her, and she pulled out a notebook from a pocket in her robes. “I went exploring around the ruins in Hearthfyre, and found some very interesting journals and ancient texts. It turns out the dragons didn’t kill the fire fae at all. They are actually their descendants.”
The room exploded into chaos at this, and I cast Adara a hopeless look. I’d hardly believe Quye’s theories myself, even after she’d shown me everything. Could these fae really be expected to?
“Have faith,”she said to me through the bond. She sent a pulse of reassurance down the connection, and my nerves eased a little.“The others may not like what Quye has to say, but they do respect her as the Oracle. They’ll come around eventually.”
“How could the dragons possibly be descendants of the fire fae?” Lord Oren snapped. “Everyone knows they arrived in a hail of meteors!”
