Asteria put her elbows on the table and leaned toward Idalia. “It’s clear you think we’re right about Cyrus, but where do you stand on that matter?”
Idalia sighed, smiling slightly, “I will be honest, I have never much considered them. Perhaps that makes me as awful as my husband.”
“Never,” Altan spat, shaking his head in disgust. “You could never be like him.”
“And you?” Asteria raised a brow at him, and I shot him a smirk as he found himself under her intense gaze. “What do you think?”
Altan sat back and looked at her for a minute, before a smile slowly broke out. He began counting on his fingers as he listed his thoughts. “I think the two of you are planning to lead Celesterra into a new age. I think my shit brother will drive our kingdom into the ground. And I think I’m helpless on my own tofixanything.”
He looked contemplatively at his mother, then his little sister, before finishing quietly. “I think it’s time I finally made a move. And that’s going to be joining your side.”
Idalia smiled proudly and patted his chest, “As if you had a choice, my daring boy. I would be making you regardless.”
Altan rolled his eyes affectionately as his mother laughed. “Well, I’m glad we’re on the same page. I can definitely bring some others in as well. There are those in Sunrise who wouldn’t stand for what Cyrus is doing, and others who are close to humans.”
“You should go with them,” Isleen spoke up for the first time, and as every eye remaining at the table focused on her, she sank slightly into her chair from the attention.
“Isleen?” Altan asked quietly. “What are you thinking? Don’t hide that big brain away.” His teasing was lighthearted, and it made me soften a bit toward him. Despite him seeming better than his father and brother, and agreeing to help us, which was really the bare minimum as far as I was concerned, knowing he was a caring big brother was definitely a point in his favor.
Going by Asteria’s feelings, I could tell she thought similarly. Even more so, he was encouraging his sister to think for herself. Too often, women were disregarded, and Gravadain had displayed enough of that behavior tonight alone.
“I’d love to hear what you’re thinking, Isleen,” Asteria encouraged her, smiling at the girl. It made her look up, and her eyes locked with Asteria’s. There was a sheen to her eyes that I recognized.
The stirrings of hero worship.
There was quite a lot for a young girl to look up to, after all. Asteria was not only the first female heir; she was a former slave turned Fae and a woman who let no one and nothing stop her from doing what she wished.
“Altan and I have a way to communicate,” she confessed, and the siblings smiled secretly at one another. “If he goes with you, we can stay in contact more easily. He can start tonight with gathering people, and I’ll continue when he’s gone.” She nodded decisively, as if setting herself to the task. “No one notices me. Certainly not Father.” She scoffed. “I can do what you did, Princess, and work on finding out plans from the shadows.”
“Father will definitely react when he finds out I left with you, which would give you something to go on.” Altan mused, before shaking his head. “But it’s too dangerous, Izzy. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Altan,” she sighed sadly. “Should they lose, I’ll be in more danger without my magic and under an overlord who not only looks down on women like Father but wields iron for his punishments.”
Altan opened his mouth, but she cut him off before he could get a word out. “You know where this leads; don’t pretend you don’t.”
He sighed, running a hand down his face, looking around helplessly. I could relate.
“Don’t worry, darling.” Idalia ran her hand down her son’s back. “I’ll be here with her, and I’ll help where I can. Gravadain will be watching once he realizes you’re gone, but he won’t watch your sister; she’s right about that. I’ll make sure she’s careful, and distract him and your brother where needed.”
She turned to me, and her face grew stern. “I don’t agree with how you did things, Calix.” She looked at Asteria and softened a bit. “But I can see what was driving you to such lengths. I am trusting you with my son. He may not be heir, but he’s more precious to me than any title he could have. You will protect him. Do I make myself clear?”
I nodded solemnly, but Altan interjected, “Mother, I’m a warrior; fighting is in my blood. I can protect myself.” He kissed her cheek, and she swatted him away with a smile.
Asteria looked over to me with a smile growing on her face. We may not have gotten all of Sunrise, but we knew going in that it was going to be near impossible. This was better than I’d hoped for.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Asteria
We spent the next day,while Gravadain supposedly deliberated, exploring Sunrise Kingdom. Calix took me into the jungle, and I got to see monkeys swinging from the trees and panthers prowling around on the ground. We took a flight across the Tritonian Sea, and made a quick trip to where it met the Damculous Ocean to visit the mermaids.
It was there that I reunited with Kallianassa, a mermaid I frequently visited when I’d lived in Sonmathion.
“Asteria!” she squealed as she spotted me. Her hair was flying in the wind, and with the purple color on top leading into teal ends, it made for quite a pretty sight. Her teal eyes had a ring of purple, matching not only her hair, but her fin, which was a sparkling purple and teal ombré. Her coloring is what had drawn me to her when I was younger, but they came in all sorts of color combinations. Like her friend with pink and orange coloring that swam nearby.
“Kalli! How are you doing?” I asked, sitting down on the rock beside where she was sunning herself. Calix looked a bit bemused as Kalli focused in on him immediately, staring as she licked her lips.
“Clearly not as good as you.” She laughed, eyeing Calix like he was a juicy whale she wanted to take a bite of. I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling my magic flare inside me.
