It was, it seemed, exactly what the Royal Army needed to retake the advantage. They surged forward, toward the palace gates, while Aidon focused on the fire. He kept that ring burning strong, until every last one of the Bellare had dropped their weapons.
Only then did he let it fall, his body sagging with relief as he cut the thread to his affinity.
Like a sword to sinew, Natali had once said. They were right.
The commander of the Royal Army stepped forward, his brow furrowed as he took in Aidon. And then he turned to the rebels, his chin lifting as he gave his troops their next order.
“Arrest these people in the name of his majesty, King Aidon of Trahir.”
***
“Please,” Ryker was begging. “I kept our bargain!”
“Did you?” Josie bit out as she closed the distance between them. “What part of your bargain spoke to aiding a coup?”
Ryker’s eyes were panicked as they darted between her and Aleissande.
“I couldn’t stop the coup,” he exclaimed, his breath going shallow as Aleissande’s knife pressed closer to the skin of his neck. “But I could prepare for it.” He tried to crane his head away from the blade as he met Josie’s gaze.
“I helped your parents escape!”
“You’re lying,” Josie accused. But Aleissande’s eyes were narrowed in careful concentration, and Josie knew she was using her affinity to sense the truth behind Ryker’s words.
“No, he’s not,” Aleissande said slowly. “He’s telling the truth.”
“They’re in the farmlands,” Ryker hurried to explain. “I paid a guard to keep them there until I send for them. It was the only way to keep them safe. Avis would have murdered them.”
Josie’s legs felt weak beneath her, and she couldn’t tell if it was the adrenaline draining from her body or vicious relief orboth.
Her parents were safe.
Did they know she was alive?
“Why did you stay loyal to us?” Aleissande pressed, her brow still furrowed.
Ryker’s throat bobbed. “I told you once that I care for the humans in this country. I did not lie. I realized that Avis”—he cut a glance at his fallen comrade—“his motives were not so just.”
“Took you long enough to get there,” a voice drawled from the back of the throne room.
Josie went utterly still, her heart leaping into her throat. Time seemed to slow as she turned, her blade clattering to the floor.
In the broken doorway, clothes filthy and face unshaven and eyes battle-weary, stood Aidon.
***
“Aidon.”
His name was a broken rasp that fell from his sister’s lips. She stared at him for a long moment, and then she was running across the throne room, a wet, joyous laugh bursting from her as she launched herself into his arms.
He staggered backwards, his own laugh fading into a choked sob as he hugged Josie as tightly as he could.
“Seven hells, is it good to see you,” he murmured, his eyes squeezing shut as he let the familiarity of his sister’s embrace wash over him. There was something unique about Josie’s hugs. Perhaps it was simply that they were a comfort he’d had for the majority of his life.
Josie sniffled, her cheeks wet with tears as she pulled back enough to peer up at his face. “Iknewyou would come back,” she whispered.
Even now, her unyielding faith in him had something warm spreading through him. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve it, but he would spend his lifetime trying to be worthy of such a thing.
“I take it by your presence here that you were well received by your army,” Aleissande said from where she stood, her knife still trained on Ryker. “Or did you sneak through the wine cellar as well?”
