“I’d like to offer you the position of Master of the Guard.” Gabriel studied Colin, his fingers toying with his glass. “I realize that after leading the rebellion, taking over Scoria’s position as captain may not be enough for you, but this new position as master will also serve on the Council of Elders. We need to remake the Obsidian Guard into something to be proud of again. A unit that serves the people in peacetime as well as war.”
Colin’s throat bobbed, his lower lids lining with silver. Leena couldn’t remember ever seeing him so moved, with the exception of the moment in the cradle when he’d wanted her to take his tooth. He glanced toward her, almost as if he was asking for her blessing, and she gave him a swift and certain nod. “It would be my honor to serve Paragon in this capacity. It will take work, but I’m confident the dragons of Paragon are up to the task of remaking their military, one that works for and with our allies.”
Gabriel’s expression softened for the first time, as if Colin’s acceptance was a huge relief to him. Leena glanced at Colin proudly. He was perfect for the job, and maybe she could get work in Paragon too, perhaps in the palace kitchen or in one of the shops in Hobble Glen. She knew several languages, after all, and was no stranger to hard work.
“Which brings us to you,” Gabriel said, shifting his focus to Leena.
“To me?” In shock, she was speechless as the full force of his attention turned on her. “I promise you I won’t be any trouble—”
“We’re going to need a court historian.”
Leena froze. Did he say what she thought he said?
“With your being a former scribe, Raven and I thought you would be the perfect choice. You’d be responsible for recording all the meetings of the Council of Elders as well as accurately detailing significant events in Paragonian history. Of course, you won’t have the benefit of a pool of tears, so you’ll have to be where the action is.”
“Yes,” she blurted, a smile spreading across her face. Was her skin glowing? The joy she felt inside must be visible on the outside. “I will be your court historian. Oh, Gabriel, thank you! You won’t regret giving me this opportunity.”
“Good. Then it’s settled. You’ll both move in to the palace as soon as we can get it rebuilt. Until then, the owner of the Silver Sunset has agreed to lease the inn to us. You’ll have a room there.”
“We’ll be living in the palace?” Leena gaped in surprise.
Colin seemed equally unsure. “Neither Scoria nor Ransom lived in the palace. Even when Ransom was… staying in Eleanor’s rooms, he didn’t officially live there.”
“Butyouwill,” Gabriel said. “And so will your mate. The kingdom of Paragon owes you dearly for your leadership of the Defenders of the Goddess. You’ll both live in the palace, and you will be compensated well for what you do and will have access to the royal staff. I assume, now that you’ve mated, you’ll only be needing one suite of rooms?”
Colin shot her a questioning look, and she poured her agreement into her smile. His eyes sparked with masculine heat.
“Are you sure? It’s a lot of change for you,” he asked her.
She glanced down at the table, embarrassed to be having this conversation in front of Gabriel. She wasn’t ashamed. She just wished they’d spoken about it earlier. “I’m sure,” she said. “As sure as I have ever been.”
“Yeah, we’ll only need one,” Colin said, never taking his eyes off her.
“Excellent.” Gabriel stood from his chair. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more job offers to make.”
Colin shook his hand firmly. “Thank you, Gabriel.”
Leena bowed, heart brimming with appreciation for Gabriel’s kindness. “It’s a new beginning for both of us.”
Gabriel smiled, his eyes glancing heavenward. “For all of us.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Kingdom of Paragon
The Obsidian Palace
Year of the Goddess: ?βιθ, Pisces 28th
Six months after the Paragonian revolution
With the help of fifteen witch architects from Darnuith and a dozen engineers from Rogos, King Gabriel and Queen Raven have successfully reconstructed the Obsidian Palace for a new generation. The lava rock that previously carved through the gardens has been removed, and new flowering trees and shrubs have been planted in the scorched soil.
The palace itself has been reconstructed to let in more light with an open and welcoming floor plan. It starts in the veranda, where the family crest has been lovingly restored by Alexander, who is now serving as the royal artist. What once depicted a dragon wrapped around a golden fruit tree now includes his mated witch sitting atop his tail. The crest commemorates the love of Tavyss and Medea, whose brave sacrifice in the fight against Eleanor and Brynhoff laid the groundwork for the new kingdom. Rumor has it that the redesign was in part at the suggestion of his mate, Maiara, who is now serving as the court healer.
Beyond the veranda lies a great hall, also designed by Alexander with the help of engineers and architects from Rogos. Fashioned in a circle rather than a traditional rectangle, the room is constructed with collaboration in mind. King Gabriel’s goal is to undo the damage caused by Eleanor’s reign. To increase a sense of equality and partnership among the five kingdoms, there is no dais and no thrones as there were under the reign of Eleanor and Brynhoff. The king and queen address their guests from the center of a ring of seats, and when they are done, they sit in common chairs among the others.
All fifteen bedrooms have been reconstructed with en suite bathrooms along with the dining room, library, and a state-of-the-art kitchen. Although their location is undisclosed, there are also treasure rooms for the palace dragons. The Obsidian Dungeon, however, has not been excavated, nor has the rubble beyond the library that once housed Eleanor’s ritual room. By royal decree, they will be sealed off from the palace, never to be used again.
