Page 274 of Of Masks and Fury

“Brutal keeps them alive.” Maddox’s voice held pride. “I’m teaching them what I learned during the Rite the hard way, that strength isn’t about individual victory. It’s about the people who stand with you.”

Mae appeared at his side, slipping her hand into his. The gesture was casual and spoke of something that had grown between them over the past months.

“Leo won’t stop talking about your training sessions,” she told him. “He wants to be just like you when he grows up.”

Maddox’s ears went red, but he squeezed her hand back. “He’ll be better. Already is, if I’m being honest.”

Kira stood near the throne dais, managing to look both elegant and dangerous in a pale-yellow gown. Her death adder companion coiled around her healed upper arm like living jewelry, its blood-red scales gleaming in the faelight as we approached.

“My queen.” She inclined her head in respect that felt genuine if not warm.

“Kira.” I matched her formal tone. “I hear you’ve been busy.”

“Head of Intelligence now.” A pleased smile curved her lips. “I’m quite good at rooting out conspiracies.”

Trew had promoted her six weeks ago, recognizing that her cunning and ruthlessness served better in intelligence than as an advisor. She’d taken to the role with enthusiasm, dismantling the remaining pockets of resistance with an efficiency I admired.

“Any threats I should know about?” I asked.

“Nothing immediate. A few nobles in both kingdoms don’t like the changes, but they’re smart enough to complain quietly rather than plot.” She paused, her expression shifting. “There are rumors of similar treaties being discussed in Noctvale and Emberkeep. Word of what you’ve accomplished here is spreading.”

What we’d created had rippled outward. Other kingdoms were watching and wondering if they too could choose to set aside their fear of magical abilities and join in the Rite.

“You’ve done well,” Trew told Kira. “The intelligence network you’re building will help protect what we’ve gained.”

She acknowledged the praise with a slight nod, then turned to me. Her green eyes held something I’d never seen there before. Respect. Recognition of an equal.

“You’re good for him,” she said quietly, leaning close. “Better than I would’ve been.”

The admission couldn’t have been easy. Kira didn’t surrender ground gracefully.

“You would’ve been formidable,” I told her honestly. “But I don’t think either of you would’ve been happy.”

“No.” She glanced at Trew, then back to me. “He needs someone who challenges him. Who refuses to let him carry everything alone. Someone who’ll stab him when he’s being an ass.”

“I only stabbed him once.”

“You should do it again sometime. It might keep him humble.” Her smile held genuine amusement now.

“Hey,” he said, and we all laughed.

We talked for a few minutes, discussing intelligence reports and border security, professional conversation between colleagues who were no longer rivals. When she excused herself, I was almost sad to see her go.

Growth came in strange forms sometimes.

Grayson joined us next, his weathered face split in a smile. The eye twitch that had haunted him for months had finally disappeared, a symptom of the slow poisoning Coralee had inflicted on him over the past years.

Three months of treatment under Meren’s care had cured him.

“He’s reorganized the entire council structure,” Trew told me in a low voice as Grayson left to speak with two other advisors I recognized from recent meetings. “There are multiple layers of oversight now. No single person can make decisions that affect the whole kingdom without consultation.”

Grayson raised his glass our way and lifted his voice. “To competent advisors and to kings who actually listen to them.”

“I always listened,” Trew called out with a low laugh.

“You heard us. You acted on what we said.” Grayson’s smile took any sting from the words. “Though I’ll admit, you’ve improved since marrying someone who refuses to let you be stubborn.”

“I’m not stubborn.”