“I have no quarrel with any of you.” I look at each of them in turn, including Bale, even though the sight of him yanks my stomach to the floor. “I have two kingdoms to rule, and one that needs drastic changes. I’ll put an end to raids. To blood markets. Bloodwold vampires will heed me or die.” I lift Rannigan’s head as proof of intention. “I’ll bring my husband’s head back as evidence of my rightful succession—and that I mean what I say.”
Rexton Hale lifts his voice from the middle of the crowd. “And Fanghaven?”
“I’m hoping you’ll work with me,” I answer. “Help me keep Fanghaven running smoothly while I deal with Bloodwold.”
A dangerous sound rattles in Bale’s chest. Shadows seep from him, but he doesn’t let them take form. “You can’t be serious.”
My attention whips back to him. “Starborn doesn’t matter anymore. Cealastra is gone, and we all know it.”
“So you’re giving him a kingdom?” Bale growls.
“I’m giving him a job,” I snap. “I’m the Vampire Queen. The entire east is mine.”
“Idallia…” He reaches out a hand, too far from me to make contact. It’s supplication, not touch.
“Don’t you mean Clara?” I ask harshly.
“No, I mean Idallia. Please.” His hand still reaches for me. I can’t take my eyes from it. How I once longed for that hand, that invitation. For him.
Hardening my heart, I rip my gaze from Bale and look around the room for what I need. I see a satchel and grab it off a felled vampire. Blood all over me, I stuff Rannigan’s dead-eyed head inside, then sling the strap over my shoulder and walk to Fyrestar.
“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my castle in Bloodwold. I’m its queen, and Rannigan has no heir.” Fanghaven doesn’t truly need me, but I can change Bloodwold. I won’t rest until I eradicate the blood violence there. “Everyone is free to visit except Bale Cinderheart.” I say the last looking straight at Bale. I might never see him again, and I refuse to acknowledge how much that hurts.
He looks pierced by a hundred daggers, and I’m the throwing hand. His eyes. That mouth. His feet slide backward, taking him away from me. Bale has never retreated from anything, but I just blew him wide open. I crushed him like he crushed me.
Fyrestar gets low near my side. I climb onto his back and then pull an injured Sol into my lap. “Rim!” I call sharply.
Rim looks once at Bale and then hops toward us. “Forever and always,” he says just for me. I swallow thickly. I have my family with me.
I turn to Kellan. Then to the rest of the Elite Wing. “Thank you for being my friends. I hope I’ll see you again.”
They all look devastated, but no one asks me to stay. They know I can’t. I see the promise to visit in their eyes, and that’s enough for now.
“Kellan?” He steps forward despite Bale’s low growl, and I ask, “Will you please give Sybil and Stuart enough of my gold for five lifetimes? You know where my vault key is, right?” He nods. “Tell them goodbye for me and send the rest of my gold on to Bloodwold. I’ll probably need it there.”
“Sybil would want you to say goodbye yourself,” Bale says softly.
I turn to him, tears crawling toward my eyes on burning spikes. “We don’t always get what we want, do we?” My words seem to flay him alive. Good. I’m raw and bleeding too.
I look away, swallowing the thick heat in my throat. I won’t see Sybil grow old and go blind after all. I’ve never had a premonition that didn’t come true, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.
Like finding out I’m a starborn queen.
I don’t ask Bale for permission to take my birds. He gave me his promise. And no matter what else he’s done, I know that wasn’t a lie.
I can’t look at the team again. I miss them too much already, the closeness, the fun, the danger, the having-my-back no matter what, no matter when. The wing guards are a flash of glowing feathers in my periphery, and I keep my head low, unable to find the courage to watch them circle the war room like Rim and Sol and Fyrestar used to. I’ll miss the rest of the warbirds too. My phoenixes will miss them more.
“Let’s go,” I say roughly, my throat a tangle of tears. It’s a long way to Bloodwold, but I’m pretty sure we can get a good start on the journey before the sunrise forces me inside.
We take off, and Bale’s lips part on a sharp breath I hear all too clearly now with my heightened senses as we sweep past him, speed across the cavern, and soar into the night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
IDALLIA
I sit on my throne, Rannigan’s decomposing head on a spike next to me. It stinks and oozes, but I keep it there as a reminder. Don’t fuck with me.
I killed all his advisors. His courtiers fled, so at least I didn’t have to put their heads on spikes. My outer walls are already covered with them.
