Clearing his throat, I saw Isaiah’s eyes begin to pool with tears as he choked out, “This is my final wish as Empress. Go forth with love and compassion, my friends.”
With a shaky inhale of breath, I lifted my chin and closed the distance between Isaiah and I. Reaching out to lay a hand on his forearm, I smiled softly as his gaze lifted from the parchment and onto my face. “I promise you that we will never let her memory be forgotten.”
Brushing his hand across his cheeks roughly, he nodded before rolling the scroll back up. He trembled slightly as he dropped to a knee and lowered his head. “Long live the Empress!”
My eyes darted around the room as, one by one, each person dropped to their knees and bowed their heads. Even the men who had malice hiding in their tone and greed lurking in their eyes bent the knee.
I wouldn’t let them get away with their disrespect of Myrin’s memory that easily. I knew the only reason they were bending the knee was because of the threat that I would be able to take away everything from them. I didn’t wish to displace their families, if they had any, so I would look into each of them privately before deciding their fate.
“Long live the Empress,” I heard my three vampyres yell, their deep voices echoing through the room and making my skin break out into goosebumps.
This was happening.
In my soul, I knew I couldn’t replace her, so I would have to find my own path to becoming the Empress these lands needed. With a deep breath, I accepted the torch that Myrin was passing to me and lifted my chin, steeling myself for what was to come.
“Rise.”
Chapter Twenty-four
Kyella
The moment fresh air hit my face, I felt like the pressure squeezing at the center of my chest evaporated. The overwhelming sense of purpose I’d felt in the council room was present, running under my skin like an unshakeable energy. Without all of those expectant eyes on me, I felt like I could finally breathe again. I didn’t have to wonder if I was saying the right thing or presenting myself in the proper manner to the high-ranking people who lingered in that room.
It seemed there was an instant expectation of me now. I was supposed to be an Empress who could lead her empire into war and ensure that most—if not all—her citizens came home to their families and friends. I knew Myrin would have been able to do all of that, or at least tried her damn best to. While I would trymybest to pull on the level of confidence she had always exuded, it was abundantly clear that self-assuredness would come with time and experience. Which were things I didn’t have the luxury of waiting for.
I exhaled slowly and closed my eyes, leaning against the cool, stone wall. Dragging in a deep breath, I enjoyed the billowing gust of wind blowing against my skin as I listened to the distant discussions taking place between my men. Following my appointment, and after a round of introductions to each person present in the council room, we quickly made plans for a meeting,afterMyrin’s vigil. After establishing the meeting and expectations for attendance, Dakath, Kolvar, and Elijah suggested I step away from the council room for a few moments. I had done my best to appear collected and unfazed by my new title and responsibilities, but it was obvious they saw through my facade. This moment of quiet, with the sound of the ocean in the distance? It was needed.
My vampyres weren’t far away, though, only down the hallway from the open door I had stepped out of. Their low murmurs barely reached my ears, and I took comfort in the knowledge that they were close but allowing me my space. I was a bit shocked they were allowing me this much distance, but I was beyond thankful for the brief respite.
When the sound of wings beating in the air eclipsed the low murmur of their conversation, my eyes popped open. I offered a tired grin to the cream colored bat as he flew into my line of sight.
“Barnabus,” I said with a tight nod to Myrin’s familiar as he landed on a nearby ledge. The grief that reflected in his silver-lined eyes felt like a punch to the gut, and I found myself realizing hownormalit felt talking to him like he was a person. In his own way, he was extremely expressive. “How are you doing?”
I sighed. Maybe it could just be chalked up to me wanting to feel like I had a friend right now.
I would imagine similar to yourself with Myrin’s passing.
The sound of a masculine voice filling my head caused me to jolt in surprise hard enough that I nearly slammed my head into the wall behind me. My neck twisted as I leaned forward, looking to each side quickly as I tried to identify the owner of the voice. I heaved a deep sigh as my shoulders loosened, thinking that maybe I was just overhearing a distant conversation. I didn’t want to think of the implications of the fact that the answer somehow perfectly matched what I had asked out loud…but the low murmurs of my men weren’t nearly as clear as the voice that had just echoed in my head. My gaze slowly moved back to Barnabus as he settled on the stone railing.
There was…
There was no way,right?
“Barnabus?”
You’re not imagining things, Kyella. You can hear me.
My mouth dropped open as my eyes widened, bugging as I considered the cream-colored bat on the railing, sitting primly in front of me. I shrieked, “You can talk?!”
Quiet child,Barnabus scolded, and I swore his little brow pinched together.
His voice could only be described as distinguished, and the way he tipped his head up suddenly seemed far too human-like in nature.I don’t speak to others. It would be best to keep the knowledge that we do between us since they wouldn’t be able to understand me anyway.
Thinking back to moments of Myrin and him interacting, the pieces began to click together. They’d been communicating mentally the whole time.
“But…I can hear you now?” I asked, my eyebrows arching toward my hairline. When I had asked my question before, regarding how he was doing, I’d expected him to respond in clicks or to flap his wings like he had communicated with me when rescuing me from the boat…
I couldn’t shake my shock at the clear-as-day voice in my head.
