“It’s true.” Liviana’s smile was one that held secrets—something sly and knowing was in the tilt of her lips. Those strange silver eyes shifted between Calix and me. “I could see you would not only be the catalyst but would be the reason and the answer.” My eyebrows furrowed together at her vague explanation.
“Don’t mind her.” Baach drawled, rolling his eyes. “Seers just love holding information on a hook. She could explain, but she won’t.”
The princess huffed, “Things must happen as they’re meant to. I can only interfere so much before it risks changing things. The Gods were very clear.” She softened a bit, looking to her brother and then me, her eyes imploring, “They only show me so much. Trust me, I wish I knew a lot more than I do, but it tends to come in bits and pieces.”
“Seems like a lot of pressure.” I muttered, shaking my head, baffled by her prophecy. How could I be the answer, the reason? What could I do that would ensure human freedom? It made no sense at all.Slaverywas the reason.
“Don’t worry about that right now. We don’t expect you to come in and know the answers to everything. Let’s start with what you know about Cyrus, Astraeus, and their plans.” Calix redirected me, his voice encouraging, and his eyes gleaming.
“Alright.” I sighed, trying to forget the strange prophecy. The soft smile that crept across his face in response had a tinge of pride to it.
I laid everything I’d learned out for them. It took a while—long enough that they called in food as we realized we were going to miss dinner. I couldn’t believe I was watching a king, princess, and nobles of all kinds eating while standing and plotting. It was so unlike what I’d grown used to. They were so casual and laid back amongst themselves. Calix never even insisted on anyone addressing him properly. His friends called him by his name.
When I started explaining Dusk’s future plans, they listened with wide eyes and open mouths, shocked at the lengths Cyrus would go to. I couldn’t blame them; I was still disturbed by it myself. Using forbidden magic, creating iron weapons, sacrificing humans…
Calix looked increasingly disturbed as well, his eyebrows furrowed as his eyes clouded, the purple darkening to an eggplant shade. His shoulders stiffened, and the room seemed to darken around us, until Eryx clapped a hand on his shoulder, and Calix shook his head—the room lightened immediately, the shadows retreating.
“You managed to get an incredible amount of information. This will absolutely help us to change the course of the war going forward.” Calix praised as I finished, looking at me with respect in his eyes that was hard to take. “We have enough warning to craft a defense against the iron weapons they’re planning on if it comes down to that, but the best-case scenario will be stopping them before more human lives are lost.”
I nodded in agreement, and the others murmured their own. It was clear none of us wanted to see more human lives lost—especially for such a nefarious purpose.
“You’ve also given us several areas we can focus on exploiting.” Calix continued, leaning over the map as he ground his jaw back and forth in thought, moving the pieces around. “Weakening the alliance with Dawn will certainly help, for one. The other kingdoms are largely following Dusk’s lead on this at themoment, given they are the ones we’ve attacked most—their treatment of humans was the most concerning to us, and for good reason.”
Calix scowled at the map of Dusk, knocking the pieces representing Dawn off the kingdom map. “If we can get Dawn to submit and break the alliance, we should be able to get the other kingdoms in line. Especially once everyone finds out what Dusk is planning. None will accept use of the forbidden magic. If we push hard at this, we may be able to force the kingdoms into a treaty that sees every human slave freed. Though, there will likely be some bloodshed needed to achieve it still.”
The king’s words were fierce and passionate, and seeing a Fae with so much invested into human freedom was…it was enthralling, in truth.
“You really think so?” Hope lit my own eyes as they caught his. It hadn’t seemed possible my information could help them that much, but once Calix laid it out, I could see the way the dominoes would fall. It could be possible, and my excitement at the prospect grew.
“I do.” Calix nodded, his silvery-white hair swaying with the movement. “And you’re welcome to be involved as much as you want. You can join the Resistance and help us directly, or you can find another job, one that fulfills you, I hope.”
“I want in.” I practically demanded, shaking my head. “I’ve spent my entire life living with this—rage. Rage that humans are enslaved, rage that I was a prisoner in my life, rage that other humans seemed to just roll over and accept this was our fate. Living in Dusk showed me it was more complicated than I knew—much more. But it also proved to me that change will need to be forced, kingdoms like Dusk are corrupt beyond anything I could have imagined.”
It was true. All of it. But beyond that—Liviana said I was a pivotal piece in whatever was to come. The gods had sent thatmessage, and if the gods had a plan for me—who was I to argue? Knowing that all my work spying was actually important, and that we could use it to fix the continent, it meanteverythingto me. I wouldn’t squander the chance I’d been given to be a part of this—to see real change come about due to my actions.
I once thought my life would be nothing more than a gust of wind through the forest of the Fae’s infinite lives—but now, I could plant roots of my own. I would make a real impact on history—and a big one, if I had any say in it.
Calix’s serious facade cracked as he slowly smiled—a vicious, fangy smile that made tingles break out over my skin. His eyes sparkled, a swirl of colors sweeping into the purple and leaving me slightly breathless as I watched them, entranced.
“I’m glad to hear it.” Calix rumbled so deeply that I felt it down to my bones. “The first step will be training you. Titan and I will make sure one of us is working with you each day. We meet in the afternoons every few days to discuss the Resistance and any updates unless there’s something that can’t wait, like today.”
“Does this mean I get a weapon?” I bounced on my toes, the thrill of such a forbidden thing running through me. Titan barked a laugh while Calix rolled his eyes, but I saw the smile he tried to hide.
“Yes, Asteria, you’ll get a weapon.” The king confirmed. “Titan won’t accept anything else, believe me.” Titan rolled his own eyes back at his king, leaving me wondering yet again at how casual they all were together.
Calix trusted these people. Implicitly. They were his friends, and they saw him the same. I thought of Cyrus, who only had Vissy—and he wasn’t exactly loyal to Cyrus in the strictest sense of the word. Looking at Calix now, it was hard to even recall Vissy’s golden eyes, Calix just took up the entire space around him, demanding attention.
He was regal in a way Cyrus wishes he was, sexy in a way Vissy would kill for. I would need to be very careful. I didn’t want anything to mess up this strange and wonderful turn my life had suddenly taken. I would have to keep things as strictly friendly and professional as possible around the king.
“Well, now that’s sorted, let’s show the new girls the city!” Ilta cheered, with a beaming smile.
“By Nox, yes!” Harpina yelled her approval, joining the commotion. The others began talking all over themselves and I watched on, completely bemused.
“They’re always like this,” Calix murmured to me, a soft smile in place as he watched his friends—his family. My heart ached unexpectedly at the sight of it. I’d never had anything like this, but he had a whole group of tight knit friends, close family, and a kingdom that loved him. I had Priscilla, but I didn’t even know if I could count Emmie anymore, and Eris was barely an acquaintance. I suddenly wished I had what Calix did. I wondered if, now that I was staying here and working with them, I could maybe…fithere.
Friends were different from lovers. I could guard my heart against any romantic love while still accepting the love of friends. I’d discovered already that my life was so much fuller with a friend in it. Like there had been a room I didn’t realize was empty until someone stepped into it and the sound echoed. Now, that one single person left the room feeling small and unused. It needed more people to fill it up and looking at the rowdy group in front of me, I had hope it would soon be quite full.
As long as I could keep Calix at a distance, everything would be fine.
