His eyes narrowed, like the thought of not being able to do that angered him greatly. It was kind of adorable.
Smacking his chest playfully, I continued, “Even if you could, I wouldn’t want you to. We as individuals are the sum of all the moments of our lives—the good and the bad. I’m proud of the woman I’m becoming, and I want to continue to learn and grow. I can’t do that if I’m put in a box and kept away from it all. I might fall along the way, but I know the three of you will pick me up, just as I’ll do for you, as equals.”
Kolvar’s cedar scent consumed me as he added his warmth to the hug, seconds before Elijah’s clean eucalyptus scent was mixed in. The three of them held me silently between them for a few minutes. There was an electric energy running through us that blossomed hope in my chest despite the fear I knew we all felt at what was at risk.
“One day we will be able to live without the fear of Malakai hanging over us like a storm cloud,” I whispered, breaking the silence, knowing I needed to go see Myrin.
“I won’t rest until that is our reality,” Elijah growled out. “We will bring him down, Kyella.”
We.
Hearing him vow that we would end Malakai as a unit was what I needed, and after exchanging a brief kiss with all of them, I set off to find Myrin.
I knew I wasn’t as skilled as them. I knew being in the center of this battle was a huge risk. I wasn’t blind to my weaknesses, but I couldn’t let them stop me from doing what I felt was right in my soul.
As I approached Myrin’s private quarters, her guards immediately stood in the center of the two large doors, blocking my path.
“Our ruler is not expecting anyone at this time,” one said, their tone brokering no room for argument. It was on them if they couldn’t see that I wouldn’t leave without being permitted entry.
Trying to keep my tone polite, I took a deep breath and asked, “Can you please let them know that it is urgent, and that Kyella is here to see them?”
They shared a look, and I had a feeling that my “please” wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
An exhale of relief whooshed from me as the door clicked open and Myrin popped out, her mask firmly in place, before nodding at the guards for me to pass. They immediately parted, and I padded into the room. Myrin shut the door behind me.
She didn’t ask why I was here or how I was doing, instead she walked toward the chairs and poured me a cup of tea. Sitting down with the cup tucked against her palm, she gestured for me to do the same. It seemed that she knew exactly what this was about, and I suppose it made this easier. At least she didn’t expect me to just sit down and accept her wishes.
I expected my confidence to crumble when I sat in front of her and prepared to give her all the reasons why she was wrong, but I found myself feeling emboldened and not willing to back down as I started.
“I’ve been told of your desire for me to remain behind during the war against Malakai and the Thaician Empire.”
She leaned forward, picking up the cup from the table and passing it to me. She settled back into her seat, pinning me with a look that was…indescribable. It felt as if she was searching my face for something, but I couldn’t quite put my finger onwhat.
“Yes,” she stated simply before sipping from her cup. “And how do you feel about that?”
My lips flattened as I tried to control the emotions raging, unbidden and uncontrolled, through my body. I needed to explain without letting my feelings get the best of me, so I drew in a deep breath through my nose before releasing it slowly through my mouth. I repeated the action twice more before I felt like I could actually talk to her.
“I fell in love with this empire because of the freedom and equality that I have seen in my short time here,” I explained, thinking of the marketplace and all that I had witnessed there. “I’ve never felt so at home anywhere, even including the small farm I was raised on by my father and aunt. There was an air of fear each day, being under Malakai’s control.”
She nodded, sipping her tea and waiting for me to continue.
Swallowing down the emotion that threatened to take me over with thoughts of my family, I pushed on, trying to convey the depth of my sincerity. “I want to fight for my home, Myrin. I want to feel like I actually contributed to making this world a better place. Not just for this empire, but for the broken one I grew up in as well. I want to make it a safer and happier place for the children and families that are stuck there. I don’t want anyone else to endure what I, and so many others, have at Malakai’s hands.”
Sitting with Myrin, I had the unsettling feeling that, despite the fact that she wasn’t wearing her ceremonial mask, she wore an invisible one with me. I couldn’t get a read on her emotions and was thus caught off guard when she said, “I know you feel that way, Kyella. You are a good and kind person all the way to your core. That is exactly why I need you to stay behind. I need someone who I trust to rule in my stead while I am at war.”
“What?Myrin, no, I—” I immediately protested before cutting off as I dropped my teacup on the table and pushed to my feet. I couldn’t help but pace near the window and clench my hands, my palms becoming sweaty as nerves and fear set in.
My mind reeled as I repeated what she said over and over again in my head.
I couldn’t possibly take up the mantle in her absence. While I wasn’t prepared for battle entirely, I was even less equipped to be a leader of an empire. Even if it was just a temporary position.
Staring out of the large window, I looked at the buildings of the city, heart warming at the glow cast upon them from the last rays of the setting sun. An array of oranges and purples reflected off the water in an image so stunning I hoped that somewhere there an artist was painting this moment.
Myrin’s cup clicked against the surface of the table, and I heard her push from her chair. Her voice softened as she joined me. My stomach twisted as more emotions bled from her than I’d ever seen or heard.
“Kyella, I told you before that dhampyr are destined to change the world while they walk in it—for good or bad. Even before I really knew you, everything within my soul knew you would change it for the better. You are a beacon of light and strength, even if you don’t see it.
“You possess all the qualities that people will loyally follow. You would be a loved ruler, governing equally with both compassion and strength. I want you to consider taking over the Thaician Empire in Malakai’s stead. It will take patience and true devotion to change an empire that has been set in its way for hundreds of years, and I know you have that within you.”
