One of them had Syde in cuffs.
As I stowed my daggers away with a flick of magic, I smiled inwardly, realizing now the full extent of what had happened.
The Basilisk people had gotten word of this Septna attack and alerted the Guardian Movement in a bid to protect me.
Ryker gave orders for Norla and the assassins to be taken into custody.
Then he stepped up to me and smiled, a glint in his eye. “Nicely handled.” He slapped a hand to his leather pants. “Now, are you ready to handle all of this?” he asked, gesturing out at the crowds of my people.
It had come about earlier than I’d intended, and not in the way I’d intended. I’d been aiming for a much smoother transition for their benefit.
But Norla had ruined that tonight.
It didn’t matter. I was nothing if not highly adaptable.
And my people’s belief in me wasn’t unfounded.
I knew well what to do.
I could see to this.
I smiled out at Ryker. “Without a doubt.”
That was as far as the conversation got before my loves were rushing to me, all over me in the next moment.
Cheers and more whistling rang out from the crowds.
I turned, taking them all in, registering the sheer magnitude of it all.
Their support.
The beginning of a brighter day.
My loves wrapped around me.
And I smiled.
24
~Winter~
Pops always said that Grandpa was abadass motherfucker.
And here he was now proving it yet again.
For the good of everyone.
Standing down the barrel of a whole lot more than a loaded gun.
Dad.
Dad invoking Risen Reckoning.
On the living.
Well, if what we’d put into place worked, it wouldn’t do shit.
If it worked.
