Page 145 of Spark of the Everflame

“You may not know this Diem, but I have quite a bit of experience with the royal family. King Ulther often called on me when tensions rose between the Descended and the mortals.”

I frowned slightly. I hadn’t known that. Neither he nor Mother ever spoke of it, and Luther had never mentioned my father’s name.

“For nearly two decades, I’ve worked with the King and his advisors to keep the peace here in Lumnos. I’ve helped him stop many uprisings with the rebels, and I spoke in his favor when there was discontent in Mortal City.”

Your father belongs to them, Diem. He’s a Descended puppet. He does whatever they tell him to.

“And in all of that time, I was never allowed any further into the palace than a sitting room. I was never invited to dine there or offered the services of their staff. And I was certainly never, ever received as anovernight guest.”

I started to speak, and he raised a hand to cut me off, then pulled an envelope from his shirt pocket.

“So imagine my surprise,” he said, his voice growing louder and angrier with every word, “when I received a letter, hand-written from Prince Luther himself, telling me that my daughter was recovering in hispersonalcare and assuring me he would see to it that she would receive the ‘very best treatment Emarion has to offer.’”

“He was only being kind—”

“Luther Corbois is many things, but kind is not one of them.”

An irrational urge to defend Luther shot through me, and I had to bite my tongue to keep the words in. “Perhaps the royals only wanted to repay your serv—”

“I’m not finished,” Father snapped.

My lips pressed closed.

He ripped the letter from the envelope and held it up to read. “The Prince went on to commend me for raising a daughter who was, in his words, ‘so courageous and so selfless that she ran into a burning building to save the lives of two guards mere seconds before its collapse.’” He slapped the paper down and leaned forward, his palms curling into fists. “You told me you were going there to heal the injured.”

“I was—I did.”

“What part of healing involves running into burning buildings?”

I couldn’t tell him the truth—that I had saved those guards because of guilt, not courage. That I’d nearly let myself burn alongside them for the same reason.

“The guards were injured,” I said quickly. “They needed help to get out.”

“Andyouwere the only one who could help them? A mortal, who could have died in a thousand different ways?”

“I’m fine now, aren’t I?”

His dark walnut eyes narrowed on me. “If only that had been the end of the letter.”

Dread began to take root. I cleared my throat, squirming uneasily in my chair.

“The Prince also mentioned what a great debt he owes to you—” I closed my eyes, knowing the damning words coming next. “—for saving Lilian’s life in your work as the new palace healer.”

My head fell back to rest against the hard wooden spine of the chair.Luther, you fool.

“Are you out of your Flamingmind? I hardly know what to yell at you for first!”

“We could put them all in a hat, and you could pick one,” I muttered.

I jumped at the crack of his hand crashing into the table. “This isn’t a joke, Diem.”

My eyes flew open, my spine straightening. “No, Father, it’s not a joke. It’s my life.Mylife—not yours.”

“Your mother and I have made great sacrifices to protect you from those people all these years, and you’ve thrown it all away.”

“I never should have been protected. Why should I be spared while every other mortal in the realm suffers?”

“So now you wish to suffer?”

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