Page 298 of Burn of the Everflame

I gave her a gentle squeeze, fighting a primal urge to drag her somewhere safe and lock her away. “At least our plans won’t be for nothing. We’ll march south, have our battle, defeat him, and then we can get back to the rest of our lives.”

Her eyes opened, then rose to the space above my head. “I wish I had my magic so I could give you some kind of crown as King.”

“The only Crown that matters is yours. The Kindred chose you.”

“Was it a choice if they had no other option? If Ophiucae had other children, they could have picked someone better.” She looked away. “Someone who doesn’t hesitate to kill when she’s given a chance.”

I took her by the shoulders and turned her toward the camp so she could see the patchwork of groups who had arrived over the weeks and the way the lines had blurred between them, the discrete factions slowly becoming one. “The kind of person who doesn’t hesitate to kill could not have made this happen.”

I pointed toward Runa and Enness’s group. “Killing Ophiucae would not have freed them from the Fortos prisons.” My finger swung to the Ignios camp. “Killing would not have convinced them to live with mortals.” I pointed at the Guardians. “I was there when your mother asked them to join you. They were angry at her for even suggesting it. Then I told them what you did in Sophos—how you could have killed Vance and his men, but you let them go, because you couldn’t stand to kill a mortal unless you had no other choice. That’s what convinced them, Diem. If you hadn’t hesitated to kill then, they would still be in hiding, still fugitives, still voiceless. The mortals would not have a vote on the council for anyone but you. Half-mortals are home because of you. You’re right, Diem. You were the only choice. Ophiucae could have had a thousand heirs to pick from, and you would still have been the only choice.”

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her back against me, needing the respite, however fleeting, of knowing she was safe in my arms. “The same way you know that aura is Ophiucae’s because you’re connected to him, I’m connected to Blessed Lumnos. I know why she gave you her Crown. It wasn’t to make you an assassin. It was to make you a Queen.”

“I envy your faith in her,” Diem said. “I want to believe there’s some greater force who intends to see me alive when all this ends.”

Something flickered in the air—a flash of heat, or the surge of an aura. Diem shivered.

“What was that?” I asked.

She glanced at me over her shoulder. “You felt it, too?”

Voices rang out from the parlor, surprising us both given that dawn was hours away. A mid-argument group of Zalaric, Taran, and my sister abruptly barreled onto the terrace.

“There you are!” Lily exclaimed.

“You all should be asleep,” I said sternly.

“Tell that to him,” Taran muttered, jerking a thumb at Zalaric. He yawned and shuffled to Diem’s room, flopping on her bed face-first.

“I woke up and felt . . . something,” Zalaric said. “We ran into Lily while searching for you.”

His eyebrows rose, his question unspoken but acutely understood: Is it him?

I carefully restrained any answer from my face. “Why are you awake?” I asked Lily instead.

She grabbed one of my hands and one of Diem’s and tugged us toward the door. “You have to come see. It’s Teller⁠—”

Diem tensed. “Is he hurt?”

Lily shook her head. “He couldn’t sleep last night. He wanted to make more of the flameroot paste in case you needed it to stop Ophiucae, so I stayed up to help him, but then he got an idea, and he—well, I don’t want to ruin the surprise.” She yanked impatiently at our arms, then huffed and let us go. “Come on,” she yelled, running for the door. “This could change everything!”

Diem left to join her, and Zalaric caught me by the arm. “The aura,” he said quietly. “It’s Ophiucae, isn’t it? She was right. He’s coming for us.”

“Go back to sleep,” I said. “Get rest while you can. We leave at dawn.” I started to go, but when I spotted Taran curled up in a ball on Diem’s bed, hugging her pillow and snoring, I turned back to Zalaric. “Taran is a good man to have beside you in battle. He’ll risk anything to keep you out of harm’s way. For a long time, I thought he believed he was invincible. Then I realized he just thinks everyone else’s life is worth more than his.” I frowned. “I know I don’t have to tell you to watch his back, but . . .”

“Luther, may I be blunt?” Zalaric asked. “I was one of the most successful ring fighters in the Umbros markets. I can keep myself safe. If I can keep Taran with me, I can keep him safe, too. But if he sees you or Diem in danger . . .” He shook his head. “If you want Taran to survive, the best thing you can do is take care of your mate and stay far away from mine.”

“Understood,” I said.

“Good. You people are far too willing to die for each other. What the people you love want is for you to live.”

He sauntered toward Taran and tried to nudge him awake. Taran mumbled, nuzzling his face deeper into the bedsheets. Zalaric picked up a carafe of water from Diem’s bedside table, then emptied it over Taran’s face.

“Hello?” Taran sputtered.

“Luther, hurry up,” Lily shouted from the corridor. I walked out to see her practically dragging Diem down the hall. “Don’t get too excited yet—we’re not sure it works. Well, Teller and Alixe aren’t sure. I’m sure. If Teller made it, it’ll work.”

“What will work?” I called out.