Elias taking his exile in stride was a single brick stacked in the foundation of the kingdom we rebuilt. It felt small in thegrand scheme of things. It was just one more item to check off our list, but making a decision and seeing it through gave me hope that we could do the same with others.
The next morning, I saw Elias to the Eastern Gate. Charon had taken to flying over the city daily. I’d wondered more than once if he considered this part of his duty, similar to how Scarlett circled Ciril. Only, here, he was welcomed into the castle every night. He’d stopped sleeping at the foot of the tower once he’d decided no assassins would sneak in to kill Ember. I quite enjoyed that he’d created a nest for himself in the throne room. We left the charred remains of the throne there, a symbol of our feelings on absolute authority over Kavios, although we still worked together to determine what shape the new power structure would take.
“The Oldwood doesn’t feel quite as eerie as it used to, does it?” Elias asked, pulling me from my thoughts as he glanced through the gates at the path.
I shook my head. “No, not so much. Feel free to tell that to anyone you meet on your travels.”
He turned his gaze to the hill, to the castle he’d called home for hundreds of years. “I’m sure people will flock to the kingdom when they hear of all you’re doing here.” He offered his hand. “Good luck, brother.”
I clasped it, unsure what to feel about this moment. Sadness at the thought of losing another chance to get to know him? Anger at the choices he made while seated at Father’s side? Resignation at the one choice that I had—sending him away? “Good luck, brother.”
With a final nod, he turned to the Oldwood Path. I watched him walk away for minutes, maybe longer, until Ember’s gentle touch caressed my arm. Her hand slid into mine, and she twisted our fingers together. I had told hernot to interrupt her work to be here, but she must have seen me through Alaric’s workshop windows.
“We knew picking up the pieces wouldn’t be easy,” she said.
We had known that. I gripped her fingers tighter and turned to face the city. “We’d better get back to work, then.”
She stood on her toes and pulled my mouth to hers. A soft, lingering press of her lips to mine was exactly the reassurance I needed. This was never going to be easy. We had thousands of citizens depending on us. I wrapped my hands around her waist and brought her body flush against my own. Her tongue slid against mine with an almost lazy reassurance.
Fucking Chaos, this woman was everything I needed. I soaked in the taste of her, the feel of her, knowing I wouldn’t have her back in my bed for hours yet.
She broke the kiss with a small smile. “Keep thinking what you’re thinking.”
The smoky taste of her lust hit the tip of my tongue. “I couldn’t change my thoughts if I tried, Chaos.”
45
Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, she must decide.
— ALARIC SARE’S LETTERS TO ISABELLE ARKOVA
I’d never worked harder than the weeks after dethroning Rodric. While the Feared did most of the heavy lifting to confront any remaining Blessed and confiscate adamas gems, I had another task: education. The city had believed Rodric’s lie. The story he’d crafted about the Blessed and their adamas wasn’t a loose thread to pull free. It was a tangled ball of yarn that took time and patience to unwind.
We started in town halls. Members of the Feared and the Storm shared their stories. Those willing did demonstrations both with and without the gem. We had to unweave the narrative that there was something inherently different about the Blessed. We did everything to ensure that no one consideredthe Blessed as such anymore. They were human without adamas, like the rest of us.
Well … notus, I guessed. Hart and I were truly unique in the kingdom, maybe even the continent.
Rumor of my ability to channel fire spread. We explained it the best we could. It was a connection forged against all odds, and one that stayed with us. I considered the ability to sense each other’s emotions a gift. I told myself we deserved this because of everything the goddesses put us through. It was a reward for the curse Hart had borne for hundreds of years. It was a reward for being treated as little more than pawns by the sisters.
The thoughts rang false in my head. Eris had said the connection was our own. And I had no reason to believe she’d lie. We hadn’t seen her or Themis since the throne room. Charon commented that balance was maintained in the city—whatever that meant.
What did their game truly accomplish?
I couldn’t focus on those questions too much. Without the influence of Rodric’s calming magic, both the ex-Blessed and the humans in the city were experiencing strong emotions. Each person dealt with the upheaval differently. We put as much energy as we could into allowing humans to file complaints against the Blessed who’d wronged them. We held trials, sentenced labor and incarceration, and allowed others to leave. I sent Lucinda and Blair updates on those who left, as Linia would be the first kingdom they reached. A part of me hoped that without the power of adamas, a fresh start would set them right, but I knew hope wasn’t a strategy.
Charon seemed made for Glanmore Castle, and I guessed he was. Or, rather, it had been made for him. He lounged in the hallways during the morning and evenings and flew over the kingdom in the late afternoon. He considered himselfboth a beacon of our rebellion and a defender of the kingdom we built.
When not educating the people, we spent our time designing a new power structure for Kavios. We sought citizens’ feedback on new ways of governing. Over time, we decided on a council of advisors, each representing a district within the city, to govern alongside the elected rulers.
Charon and I waited in the throne room for the results of the kingdom’s first election. I couldn’t believe we had organized and executed it within mere weeks.
“I can’t believe you’re accepting a vote. You two earned leadership over this kingdom.”
I laughed. “We agreed that we didn’t want it if the citizens didn’t want us.”
And we had. Hart and I were happy to help establish someone else as the elected ruler if that’s what the kingdom wanted.
“Unbelievable.”His tail flicked up and down in front of the entrance to the throne room. It created a guillotine-like obstacle for anyone seeking entry.
