A hand found my arm and I turned, spotting Edwin, who looked equally exhausted. I felt bad about that.
“Edwin, your house?”
“Fully the disaster I expected.” His eyes fell and he shrugged. “My family’s all alive and fine. That’s what really matters.”
“I’ll fix your house,” I promised him.
“I know you will.”
“Go to your palace rooms,” I said, my heart breaking at his obvious grief. “Rest. You’ve done enough for today.”
“Wehave done enough for today,” he corrected with a stern look. “We both have been here over sixteen hours and it’s time to go sleep.”
My mouth opened on an objection, squawking, “I’m needed here—”
“Why are you acting like this is your fault and you have to fix it?”
His words hit me like a slap to the back of the head. He was right, this wasn’t my fault—I just felt responsible because I’d known it was coming and thought I could prevent it. I’d failed because I hadn’t gotten the seawalls fixed in time even though, logically, I had done all I could. The change in timing had undone my efforts. Still, I flinched, the guilt thick and roiling about in the pit of my stomach.
Edwin rolled his eyes, grumbling something else under his breath, before he turned and called, “Mage Wyverstone! Are all people accounted for?”
“We’re doing a last sweep of all the streets!” he called back while still actively wielding magic. “But I think they are!”
Grunting in satisfaction, Edwin turned. “Dame Remfrey, how goes?”
“Think we’ve got everyone settled in hotels!” Dame Remfrey responded while barely lifting her head from the clipboard. “We’re about to quit here.”
“Good.” Edwin spotted someone else and asked, “Sir Collins, how goes?”
“Just on standby until the mages find someone else,” Sir Collins rumbled back in his deep voice. “I’ve got the city guard organizing now to protect the area from any looters.”
“Thank you.” Edwin cocked a brow at me, full of challenge. “Seems like everyone knows what to do without your high and mighty ass standing here looking decorative. Go to bed.”
I spoke rhetorically to the air. “I think I’ve just been very neatly put in my place. Fine. Let’s return to the palace.”
I was too wound up to sleep, however. If anything, I felt an itching need to go back over my list of events and come up with new plans for them all. If the timelines of them could be shifted about, nothing was safe. I needed a plan B.
Twenty-seven
Edwin
Three long days passed, and I was exhausted to my marrow.
Part of it was the work—having to rescue what we could and demolish what needed to be rebuilt. We were all doing sixteen-hour days to keep up with the ever-changing list of what needed replacing, repairing, and rebuilding.
I had been to my house twice, once to drag anything worth salvaging to the second story, which hadn’t been touched by water, and carefully situate the items to dry out. The second time, I’d gone in to check everything was secure, and I’d spent a good hour in front of my bookcases, crying. Not only had my books been utterly destroyed by the water but the bookcases themselves were now hopelessly warped. I’d spent three bonuses having those shelves built, and the loss of my whole library hurt. Seriously hurt. I only kept the damaged books in place so I could make myself a list. Although how I’d replace some of the books, I had no idea, as several series were no longer in print.
Between all the work, I sat with Prince James at least twice a day to make sure he ate. I was very worried about him. He justdidn’t make taking care of himself a priority, and he wouldn’t eat regularly unless I was with him. Getting him to sleep every night was another battle entirely, and to be honest, I didn’t know if I was winning. He prioritized people’s needs over his own. Often to his own detriment.
In my fugue of exhaustion, it took me a day or two to realize things had visibly changed with the populace. The average citizen had many a scathing remark to say of the royal family—except for Prince James, Princess Helena, and Prince Royce. About the three who were visibly helping and trying to make things right again, people sang their praises. The other half of the royal family? Scum.
I rather shared the opinion.
The Wrath had done several other things, but one of the more subtle shifts was that of power. It became increasingly obvious people were coming to Prince James because he would get things done.
Take now, for instance.
Prince James had encouraged Marquess Marrable to step outside with him on the patio so they could discuss a new bill. Or rather, a revised bill Marquess Marrable had brought with him.
