I got even angrier, and I felt my grandfather’s hands grow smaller on my shoulders as my legs lengthened.
Oh, shit. I was shifting.
People shouted, and footsteps retreated away from us.
“Eddie, get these people out of here!” Cassiel shouted.
I felt a powerful wave of magic yank my power away from me. I collapsed to the floor, suddenly feeling very weak. I hit the marble hard. The burning in my throat subsided, and I realized the scales on my arms were gone.
The room spun around me, and it took me a moment to find my bearings. I shakily pushed myself upright. “What just happened?”
“You were about to shift into a dragon that is far too big to fit inside this area of the palace,” Cassiel said. “You would’ve killed half a dozen people. I siphoned the magic inside of you for my own, before you could hurt anyone.”
“I didn’t know you could do that,” I admitted as he helped me to my feet.
“There’s a reason I’m the Emperor,” he reminded me.
My grandfather wasn’t a demigod, but he was certainly a talented Elf.
I furrowed my brow. “You didn’t shift, though. How can you control it and I can’t?”
“Because I don’t allow my emotions to control me,” he said. “I was hoping to mentor you in Elf magic, beginning thisafternoon. It appears we should start immediately. Come with me, Charlie.”
My grandfather led me away from the dining room and through a twist of hallways. Footsteps followed us, and I realized it was his guards, though they kept a distance behind us to give us our privacy. We stepped outside, and his guards remained stationed near the doors.
The air was warm, and a light breeze touched my face. I heard the sound of a trickling fountain nearby, and my Earth magic tingled. The scent of lavender filled my nose, and something soft brushed against my skin as I walked by it. I reached my hand out to feel velvety flower petals all around us. He’d taken me to one of the palace gardens.
My grandfather stopped at the edge of the fountain. “Sit,” he instructed.
I remained firmly planted in place. “I’m not doing anything until you answer my question. How could you let my father marry his guard?”
“I did not,” Cassiel said. “Your father never consulted me, and frankly, he didn’t need to. I did not approve of the relationship at first, but over time, I’ve come to accept it. Drea loves your father deeply, and he loves her. It is not my place to get in the middle of that.”
“Even though it’s wrong?” I demanded.
“Who are we to say it’s wrong?” Cassiel asked. “The world isn’t black and white. There are gray areas that we must learn to navigate, especially if you’re going to be leading the Elves.”
“Oh, believe me,” I said. “I’m more than familiar with gray areas.”
“And yet you have much to learn,” Cassiel stated. “Now, sit.”
This time, I did as I was told and sat on the edge of the fountain.
Cassiel sat beside me. “As you know, the Elves have long been involved in criminal activity to ensure our survival. We’ve been known to cheat and steal, though not without purpose. We engage in these activities as a means to better our society, and to right wrongs. People think that as criminals, we are driven by our rage, but that cannot be further from the truth. The reason we’re so good at what we do is because weunderstandour anger, and we know how to utilize it to our advantage. As prince, you’re going to be heading all kinds of questionable operations. You cannot lead effectively if you let your anger get the best of you.”
“I don’t get it,” I said. “Are we the good guys, or the bad guys?”
“Who says therearegood guys and bad guys?” Cassiel questioned. “Perhaps there are justpeoplewho are all doing their best. The difference is, who’s better at what they do?”
I smirked. Here I was, thinking my grandfather was going to lecture me on shoving my emotions aside, but as it turned out, he reallygotme. I was liking him more and more.
“The reason our lineage has continued on after every war and genocide is not because our family is somehow virtuous and good,” Cassiel said. “It’s because we know how to utilize situations to our advantage. We may not have the numbers the other supernaturals have, but we know how to work with what we’ve got. And we’ve got a hell of a lot of trauma and anger. Anger is a tool, and just like every Elven Emperor who came before you, you must learn how to master it. And if you do, you can restore our people to a good standing in the supernatural world, and our community can thrive.”
I liked the sound of that. “How do I utilize it?”
“You must first understand it,” Cassiel said. “It’s like your illusion magic. Allow me to demonstrate. Since you can create solid illusions, why don’t we try… a gun?”
I wasn’t surprised that a gun was the first thing to come to my grandfather’s mind. He was, after all, the leader of the greatest crime lords in supernatural history.
