Page 36 of A Wrecking of Salt and Fire

“It is,” Kohl said.

Ember looked at Ajax. He’d remained quiet since he arrived in the study. His brow was kept furrowed and his warm brown eyes paced back and forth along the floors. “You understand what this means, Ember?”

“What this means? This means we have to delay the Acknowledgement. Send them all home. Tell them she’s sick. What this means, Ajax, is that we have to find her. Now!” Ember just about lost it. She wasn’t ready for what he was about to ask. She was barely ready for the position she was supposed to take at the Acknowledgement, let alone assume Katrin’s in her place. No, that would not happen. She could not let it happen.

“Ember,” her mother looked at her, “this isn’t up for debate.”

“If Katrin doesn’t return by tomorrow, you need to enact the Wrecking and volunteer yourself to ascend to the throne,” Ajax’s voice was crisp as he said the words. His hands were gripped firmly together in front of him. This was not a time to be concerned for a friend or a princess he protected. This was a time to be a commander, to make difficult decisions.

She knew that Ajax did not think she was ready either. She’d barely started any training with an actual weapon. Yes, Ember was improving, but she was nothing compared to the people she might have to go against. The best case scenario would be no one challenged her. The worst case scenario was Nexos.

“Why can’t you just stay queen until we are able to rescue Katrin?” Ember pleaded with her mother.

“Oh, my darling, it is not that simple. Things have already been set in motion. I must leave tomorrow morning for Cyther, before the Acknowledgement. It’s how it always has been and how it always will be.”

Her mother’s eyes softened. Kora stroked Ember’s hair, pulling her into an embrace.

“Everything will work out, my darling Ember. You will see.”

Her mother’s voice was like honey, soothing her to her very bones. But she knew it was a lie. Everything would not work out. Not without Katrin. Not with the fate of Alentus in her hands.

The morning came quickly. After Ajax basically said she needed to be ready to fight King Nikolaos himself to protect the throne, Ember stalked back to her room and drank a sleeping tonic. Otherwise, there was no way she would have been able to fall asleep.

In the days she was training she did not even manage to complete a strike on Ajax, and she knew he was going easy on her. If she needed to go up against a true soldier, not even the heaviest of shields would protect her.

Outside, the skies were a deep gray and fog seeped onto the shores from the sea. The water was a haunting green, waves capped with white foam. Flowers and trees leaked droplets of water from a storm that came through in the night. The air hung heavy from the winds and the rain that whipped along the coast.

A knock came from her door. Ember snatched her cotton robe from the chair beside her bed, tying the sash tight around her waist before heading to see who was there.

She unlocked the door, peeking out before unlatching the final chain that crossed along the top. One could not be too careful with everything that was happening.

“Trying to keep me out, are you?” Ajax’s voice slipped through the crack in the door.

“Just being cautious,” Ember whispered back as she opened the door. “What are you doing here? We aren’t training before the Acknowledgement are we?” she grumbled. Ember did not have the drive to endure another practice. Not this close to what she might have to do. It would only show her yet again how unprepared she was for the Wrecking. For becoming Prytan. Unless somehow, someway, they were able to delay the inevitable.

“No, not today. You may need to keep your strength.”

Ajax tread over to the chaise lounge in her living room carrying a rather large box. As he sat down, the commander’s eyes raked over her, over the lacey nightgown showing through the thinly veiled fabric. Ember squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose, attempting to shield the parts of her body she desperately dreamed of him seeing. The way he might burrow his lips into her neck, pulling her hair back as he trailed up to her ear. Images that would only come in her dreams. Never a reality. Not now. “Keep your eyes to yourself, Commander.”

He let out a soft chuckle. “I can’t help it if you're standing right there. You did let me into the room in the first place.”

Ember could not help the butterflies that formed in her stomach as she took in his perfectly coiffed dirty blonde hair. The way he looked in his dress clothes rather than the usual guard attire. The golden jacket fit tightly against his muscular build, a white shirt protruding just slightly from the top with a slight vee down his chest. Turquoise stitching went along the collar and cuffs of the jacket, matching the color of his pants, which were snug in all the worst possible places for her to be staring.

“Well I haven’t picked out which gown I am going to wear yet. My mother had two made for me—” Ember’s voice trailed off as she thought of her mother. Kora would have begun her sail to Cyther at dawn, unable to say goodbye to her children or friends. The laws around the Grechi were clear, especially for their leader. Kora must return to the sacred isle and relinquish her power back to the earth to be reborn into the new generation.

“You aren’t wearing a gown, Ember. The future Prytan must represent the Spartanis in their own garb.” Ajax’s voice was forceful, but kind—always kind.

Ember looked over at him, a scowl across her face. She just began to get used to wearing pants and that was only for her training lessons, then she would promptly change into a dress she saw more fitting for her delicate build. “So I’m supposed to match you? That is an outfit for a man, not a princess.”

She looked young enough already, but she would look like a small boy in the style of jacket and pants Ajax wore.

“No, not this, Ember. Although I am sure you’d look endearing in my clothes.” He winked at her. Her whole body heated at the thought, mind wandering to her dream of the commander’s room, her curled up next to him in bed wearing nothing but his linen button up. His gaze never left her as she fell asleep in his arms. It was torture.

“So that is what the box you are holding is for then?”

“Yes, that’s what this is for.”

Ajax handed her the large brown box. She almost dropped it, not expecting the weight in her hands.

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