Kazia’s new crown isn’t ready yet, and he wears a plain gold circlet. Strands of gold thread weave through his long lavender braid. He’s too small for the throne, but he sits like he owns it, with one leg tucked up on the seat.
Lucien is still holding Kazia’s hand. He can’t help it, and kisses the delicate knuckles again.
“You’re just in time,” Kazia says. “Whisper’s making his farewells.”
Lucien reluctantly pulls himself away and leans against the throne. The consort’s seat was rather worse for wear after the fight, and the replacement is pending. It’s not essential, as Lucien is happy to hover closer to Kazia instead.
“Julien will be ecstatic to see you,” Lucien says.
Whisper smiles the way he does whenever anyone mentions Julien. “Me, yes. The rest of my report? Who knows.”
Kazia gestures for his herald. “Before you leave, I had something for you personally.”
Hyda hands a slim wooden box to Whisper. The box is far lighter than the secrets it contains.
“For what should I thank you, Your Majesty?” Whisper asks, not opening the box.
Kazia shifts, switching which leg curls up on the throne. “You probably shouldn’t thank me.”
He hesitates, and Lucien wants to grab his hand, but they’ve talked about this. Kazia has to appear strong on the throne. If he needs reassurance, he’ll reach for it.
Lucien does want to order cushions. Kazia is too bony for such unforgiving stone.
“Herald Bretka brought this information to me,” Kazia says. “Nearly nineteen years ago, two birth guides attended Queen Aliza in her labors. The birth was premature, but mother and child survived thanks to the birth guides’ skill. When they performed the usual tests for magic, they discovered the child was a grail.”
Herald Bretka recovered after a full night of healing. Lucien hadn’t expected what good fortune that would be. As Imrik’s chief herald, her loyalty bought with force, she knows where all the bodies are buried—often literally.
Many of her revelations are unpleasant.
“The birth guides were a married couple, and they had a young child of their own,” Lucien says. “To hide that Kazia was a grail, Imrik hired an assassin from the Kennel to kill all three.”
Whisper’s lips part. He appears calm, but his hands are tight around the box. “Were the bodies found?”
Lucien is no stranger to grief, but he has no idea how he would grieve people he doesn’t remember. “They vanished. The box holds everything Bretka could find of them. We’re not certain they were your parents,” he adds, as if he needs to temper Whisper’s expectations.
Whisper looks away. “Maybe they were, maybe they weren’t. But if it’s them, they brought life into this world instead of death. I think I like that.” Whisper straightens with a slight, sad smile. “Since Lucien is no longer in chains, my mission here is over. I’m due back in Greenhaven.”
“You’ll have safe passage to the border,” Kazia says.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Whisper turns to Lucien, his grin widening. “I assume I’ll be traveling alone.”
Lucien meets a nervous glance from Kazia, then jumps from the dais. “Unless you’re taking someone else with you. Could you convey my resignation to Queen Margot?”
“I’ll make Julien or Audric have that conversation.” Whisper clasps Lucien’s arm. His violet eyes are bright. “Funny how things turn out sometimes.”
The irony isn’t lost on Lucien. Just a few years ago, he distrusted Whisper because of his clear Draskoran origin. “You’re not fucking wrong.”
With a final bow to Kazia, Whisper leaves the room, the new clue to his past in his hands.
Lucien had thought resigning from his post would be more difficult. He spent years dreaming of a Silaisan dragon corps, then more years building one. But Rakos and Bellamy can run the Skyguard just fine without him. That’s all part of Lucien’s past—the life he built around an enemy he’s already vanquished. Now it’s time to build something new.
Silaise doesn’t need him. Kazia and Tezurit do. And maybe he can leave his mark on all of Draskora, too.
“Did you really think I might leave?” Lucien asks.
Kazia wrinkles his nose. “Don’t be absurd. I would lock you up first.”
“Kinky,” Lucien says, and Kazia covers his reddening face. He’s still so fun to tease, though Lucien will go easy on him right now. All the guards and servants are still listening, after all.
