Page 69 of Burn of the Everflame

His cheeks flushed, but his grin returned in earnest. “I see you didn’t lose your sense of humor.”

My smile strained. I felt like I had. This was more like playing a part—being the old Diem I knew they wanted to see.

“It’s so good to see you,” Eleanor gushed, her tight curls bouncing on her shoulders. She moved in to embrace me, and Luther raised a hand to keep her back. Her rosy lips popped open. “Oh, um—I’m sorry, I . . .” She bit her lip. “We all missed you so much.”

“Your Crown looks different,” Lily said, gazing at it with wonder. “There’s more peaks . . .”

“Nine,” Teller offered.

Her brows slammed downward. “I can count.”

Teller shoved his hands in his pockets, staring unhappily into the distance. Their reunion had clearly not gone well.

“Did Remis do anything I should know about?” I asked.

Lily shook her head emphatically. “Father did everything you asked. He was on his very best behavior!”

Eleanor’s pursed lips said she didn’t entirely agree, but she didn’t deny it, either. “Everything stayed the same until the Crowns arrived. That’s when the problems started.”

My mood darkened. “They won’t be a problem anymore.”

“It’s true, then?” Lily asked. “You’re the new Queen of everything?”

“Queen of Emarion,” Luther said. He touched a hand to his chest. “Long may she reign.”

Lily dropped into a curtsey. Eleanor laughed at Lily’s overzealous gesture, but when I said nothing to stop it, her smile disappeared and she quickly bowed her head.

I looked at Teller. “You were with Mother the whole time?”

His flat expression twitched with some reaction he was trying to keep hidden. “I was.”

I frowned. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you reunited.”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t your fault.”

There it was again—that sharpness, so unlike him.

My eyes raked over him. His body had also undergone changes in the weeks we’d been apart. He was more muscular now, with a broader back and hard-set shoulders. Even the lines of his face seemed more finely honed. Though I’d teased him for it, the copper hair that covered his jaw erased any trace of boyish youth. This was not the baby brother I’d left behind.

“Look at this,” Taran boomed. “The whole family, together again.” He strode toward us, Alixe walking beside him and Zalaric clamped protectively—and somewhat unwillingly, it appeared—to his hip.

“The Crowns—the former Crowns,” Alixe corrected herself, “would like to speak with you.” She gave a wry smile. “I think they’ve changed their minds about taking your offer.”

“Wonderful,” Eleanor exclaimed. “If the Crowns acknowledge you as their Queen, the Twenty Houses will have do the same.”

“And if they don’t, we’ll call in the Embers,” Taran said, elbowing her with a grin.

“Who are the Embers?” I asked.

Eleanor’s cheeks flushed bright pink. “Nothing yet, really. Something I’ve been working on while you were gone.”

“Ellie here’s been starting a revolution,” Taran said. “She recruited Descended in every House.”

“Mostly the younger ones, around our age,” she cut in. “Descended who aren’t in the ruling families of their Houses. They see how unfair things are and want them to change.”

Taran’s chest expanded proudly. “The name was my idea. Eleanor’s Embers . . . get it?” His grin turned wicked. “Because we’re gonna burn this place down.”

“They aren’t mine, Taran. The Embers belong to Diem.” Eleanor gave me a bashful smile. “They don’t have much influence, but they’re willing to support you as Queen.”