Ortensia already had one queen that ruled with fear and greed; the people deserved more. The land itself deserved better. It wasn’t like the Isles or Fogoya, at least not in the most part. Our deserts stretched for hundreds of miles, yet with magic, people adapted and life thrived.
Some towns had gardens so unusual they became hubs for magical remedies and tourist attractions. And although I was mistreated and abused within our court, I knew not all of Ortensia was like that—only those close enough to be infected by my mother’s malevolence. Yet as much as I cravedmy old home to thrive and reach its potential, I also didn’t want that burden.
Even so, life had a way of bulldozing through my wants and needs, forcing me down paths I would never choose. I just hoped this wasn’t one of those times.
‘We need to talk about this, Willow.’
My sister snickered. ‘Tell me, Ava, what makes you think there’s anything to discuss?’
Clearing my throat, I kept my tone calm and steady. ‘It’s supposed to be a mutual decision, so there is a reason to discuss it.’
Willow came closer as Alec raised his hands in surrender and left the foyer. Coward.
‘You literally do not have water powers. Did you forget that? More than half of our population are halflings… Why wouldn’t they just leave for the Water Kingdom if you take the throne?’
Perhaps if the corrupted ones left, the kingdom could finally breathe. Some things had to change. ‘Need I remind you that you currently have no powers?’
‘It’s recovering, slowly but surely.’ Raising her hand to my line of sight, she covered it in droplets of water. ‘What do you have to offer Ortensia?’
Nothing.
That kingdom was prepared to take my power, my will, and dignity, offering nothing in return. I already lost too much of myself there; whether it was selfish or not, I would cling to whatever I had left. ‘What do you have to offer it?’
Her proud posture quivered as her shoulders slumped slightly before she argued, ‘A queen that the people relate to. Your fire makes you… undesirable among water wielders; it’s just a fact.’
At least she wasn’t hiding how she felt. ‘Yes, we both know how desirable you are among all the males in our lands. Quite the queen material.’
A vein in her forehead protruded more as she squinted before shooting me down. ‘So I’m unfit to rule because I am not a prude? Neither of the two species that make either of us tend to be as restrained as you are. Maybe you need to look into that instead of commenting on my choices.’
‘We both know that I view intimacy differently, though that’s beside the point–’
‘You brought it up. You think you can dish out, and I’ll just let you have it?’ Willow snorted before doubling down. ‘Grow up. We all went through shit; you’re the only one who keeps wallowing and allowing self-pity to take your life over.’
My mind went blank. ‘Excuse me?’
‘That’s just the kind of person you are, you get burned once and you stop altogether. You think you’d make a good queen? You’re not fit for the throne; you are too passive and weak.’
Fire erupted from my hands, covering me at her mention of weakness. ‘Maybe the throne should go to someone else. A volunteer.’
She blanched, then covered it with a smirk. Her eyes glistened with a challenge. ‘What will you do? Burn me?’
‘Sometimes I wonder if the world would be better if I had had this fire when I was younger and burned you all when you mistreated me,’ I said, gritting my teeth and holding tight reins on the flames.
‘Mistreated you…’ Willow whispered, looking intrigued. ‘How exactly have I done that? You didn’t bother to have a relationship with me, we barely even spent time together.’
Lies. ‘We couldn’t have had a good relationship, you antagonised me my whole life.’
‘No, I didn't, and don’t pin this on me. Even when I was kind to you, you remained trapped in your silly delusions. Nothing in the court was ever as black and white as you make it,’ she argued, crossing her arms over her chest.The top of her shoe kept tapping on the ground as if my recollection bothered her, and she awaited some sort of explanation.
‘Oh, really? So you’re saying I made up years of abuse at our mother’s hands? Or that I deserved it?’
‘Did Lilian and I deserve it more than you did?’ she seethed, and the lie burned through me.
After everything that had happened, years of physical and emotional torment, she belittled what I’d been through, like they always have.
‘Cut the crap, Willow!’ I screamed. ‘She never abused you the way she abused me. She fucking cursed me so I couldn’t leave that Gods-damned kingdom!’
Ice shone in her blue eyes. ‘Oh, boohoo, poor Avari. She let you do as you pleased. You had no responsibilities beyond sleeping well and staying put. Cry me a river about your terrible life.’
