Mother pulls me into her arms the moment she sees me and drags me inside, out of the cold. “Catarina said you were back but that you were not to be disturbed. I’m so relieved you made it. But where is Eloise?”
“Sleeping. Recovering.”
“Did it work? Have her powers returned?”
I draw my thumb over the side of my jaw. “We think so. It was clear that Thanesia blessed her, but she was too weak to attempt magic after we revived.”
“Blessed her with what?”
“Her heart now beats like a shade’s.”
My mother’s gaze turns sharp. “Is she now a shade?”
“We don’t know. It’s too soon.”
“And what about you? You walked the road. Did Thanesia bless you?”
“As fas as I’m concerned, my gift is having Eloise back alive. Both of us back alive.”
“Then your journey was truly a success.” She offers me a seat at the table.
Karyl strides in from the kitchen with a plate of vegetables for snacking. “Welcome back, brother.”
I stand and hug my sister. “Since we are all together, I have an announcement to make. Eloise isn’t just my mate. She’s my bride. Catarina married us before we descended.”
They both gasp in surprise, then Karyl pulls me into another tighter hug. “Your wife and your mate! Princess Eloise,” she says. “I always wanted a sister.”
“What would you think of Queen Eloise?”
They both study me intently. “What are you saying, Damien?” Mother asks.
“You’ve asked me time and again if I would step up to lead the resistance. You said I was our best chance of taking back the kingdom. Is that still true?”
She releases a deep breath and exchanges looks with Karyl. “It is. Not just our best chance. Our only chance. Aurora’s prophecy left no room for interpretation with regard to this.”
“But Father named Karyl as his successor, didn’t he?”
Karyl’s eyes go wide. “How could you have known that?”
“The Darklands hold more secrets than most will ever know.”
“He only named me because you were gone, Damien,” Karyl says, tucking a loose strand of hair into her braid. “Believe me. If I thought I had a chance of success, I would have retaliated against New Stygarde decades ago.”
I take her hands in mine. “You’re strong, Karyl. If you want me to lead, I will lead, but I will need your help if we are to succeed. Father believed in you, and I do too.”
She snorts. “Thank you for the vote of confidence, but I would rather not. I have no aspirations to the throne. You were born for this Damien. It should be you.”
“Then send a bird to Tempest and tell her to bring the leaders of the resistance as soon as they are able. I will meet with them, and if they will have me, I will rise to lead their cause.”
Mother grabs my hand. “You won’t regret this. Stygarde needs you. I’d dare say that Tenebris needs you, too.”
I stare at my hands. I’m feeling anxious and dissatisfied, but I can’t pinpoint the cause. But when I look into my mother’s and Karyl’s eyes, so like my own, I understand. “We will have to kill him. Brahm will not survive the coming war. Not after what he’s done. He will likely be killed in battle, but if he is captured, he will be executed,” I say.
She winces at the thought, as I expected she would. All this time, she’s tried to convince me to save the kingdom, to take back Stygarde, but she rarely mentions Brahm by name. I must make sure she’s on board with the reality that this war won’t be over until Brahm and Nevina are dead.
“We could capture him. Imprison him,” she says, her blue eyes flaring with light.
I shake my head. “There is no other way for him but death. He killed Father. He stole other shade’s children. The people must know that we are not, and never have been, in alignment with him or Nevina. Only his death and hers will allow our citizens to feel safe again. If I do this, Mother, Brahm will die. You must know this, and you both must accept it.”
