“How would you know?” Charlie asked. “You always had parents who loved you. How could you know how I feel?”
His accusations didn’t bother me. I knew he wasn’t in control of his feelings right now.
“Because I’m the shitty family member,” I admitted quietly. “I’m the one who makes bad choices.”
“No, you’re not,” Charlie objected. “You care about everyone.”
“You can love someone and still do terrible things to them,” I reminded Charlie. “My parents were good, but I was bad. They loved me and did everything they could to support me, and I turned my back on them more times than I can count. Sometimes, I didn’t even mean to. I just did. And it was never to hurt anyone. I didn’t want to cause my parents pain. I just… couldn’t stop the darkness inside of me.”
“You were a child. My dad’s an adult,” Charlie said fiercely. “He could’ve chosen better.”
“Maybe he wasn’t capable of it.” I wiped away more tears with the sleeve of my robe, which was starting to become soaked.
“He could’ve tried for me.”
“He tried the only way he knew how.”
I felt like this was my fault, and I was the one causing Charlie so much pain. If we hadn’t been looking for the keys, we never would’ve found this city, or his dad. I hated myself for putting him through this.
“I know what you’re thinking. You can’t blame yourself,” Charlie said with a shudder. “I would’ve met my dad eventually. Maybe it’s better this way, that I met him now instead of later.”
I felt wrecked on the inside. “My prophecy led to all this.”
“Your prophecy is tied to me, too,” Charlie choked out. “Don’t you realize how closely the Elven prophecy and yours are worded?The emperor’s legacy will return, and bring light to a new dawn.Yours literally says,The balance between the light and the dark will be brought together by the light of the new dawn.It’s talking about you and me Ava, together. Everything we do is intertwined, whether we want it to be or not. It’s like we can’t avoid it, and it’s too much to handle.”
My heart hollowed out. I didn’t want Charlie to feel like this— that our fate was too overwhelming. It was breaking him right now. It seemed like it was going to crush me, too.
“Whatever destiny decides, it’s led us here,” I insisted. “And finding Forevermore isn’t a bad thing. Even though it seems like it right now. We thought the Elves were wiped out, but they’re still alive. That gives the supernatural world hope that things aren’t as bad as they seem.”
“I’m not even a real Elf. I’m more Elementai than anything,” he mumbled.
“Youarean Elf, Charlie. As difficult as it is to face, you’ve got so much Elven blood in you,” I began. “You’re gifted at singing and music. You’re intelligent, and cunning, and let’s be honest, you’re a damn good criminal. Those are all Elven traits. You had your people living in you all along, and you didn’t even know it. You were never truly alone.”
“I spent my entire life living as a street rat, and now I’m the heir to a royal throne,” Charlie said bitterly. “How can I be an emperor? It’s not me.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing,” I said gently. “You understand suffering. You didn’t lead the pampered life of a prince, so you know how it feels to struggle. You can help your people so much easier, because you’ve been there, and you understand how they feel. If anything, that makes you a better candidate for the job, not a worse one.”
Charlie took a moment to ponder this. His tears dried. He sat up before he said, “But I don’t want any of this. I’m tired of being the criminal. I want tohuntbad guys now, not be one of them. And now my grandpa wants me to be the boss of the biggest crime family in the supernatural world.”
“The Elves don’t really do that anymore. They can’t. They’re in hiding,” I pointed out. “You could just… rule the city and keep everything quiet, like it has been for a hundred years, then lead them on to heaven like you’re supposed to. No crime involved.”
“What about you?” Charlie asked. “What do you think of all of this?”
I put my hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “I could be a mob boss’s wife.”
Charlie’s lips twitched. “You saidwife.”
“Why not? I think the title of Empress suits me perfectly.” I could waltz around the palace with a crown and a big pink dress. It’d be brilliant.
“You know that’s not all of what the job entails.”
“So? I can do it.” My heart pounded wildly. I couldn’t believe I was considering having Charlie’s heir, and furthering the royal Elven line. I wasn’t even sure if Iwantedkids, before this moment, but it was like my mind had been made up for me. It was so much to consider so fast, but I was a ride-or-die kind of chick. Whatever Charlie needed me for, I was here.
His lips tilted downward. “What about your duty to the Water tribe as chieftess? You’re a firstborn. You’re obligated to lead the Toaqua tribe after your father steps down.”
My heart fell. I was torn between the two options— I couldn’t have, or do, both. I’d be forced to choose— my own people, or Charlie’s.
Which meant I could be pressured someday to become chieftess, or give Charlie up. He needed an Empress by his side… and it couldn’t be me if I had other duties.
