Page 151 of Glow of the Everflame

After my fight with our father this morning, I’d been wrestling with how my mortal family fit into this new life. I wanted them close by, but with that came consequences. For them, for me, and for the realm.

Sometimes I thought about cutting them off altogether. Though it would destroy me, it would liberate them—let them live out the rest of their days in anonymity without the burden of my Crown hanging over them, too.

But then I thought of my mother, and Luther’s promise to bring her home by year end. Her loss had fractured our family, put us each on our own separate paths, with distance both real and emotional pushing us apart. But maybe, once she was home again—if I could survive that long—we could find our way through this.

There was nothing the Bellators couldn’t take on, as long as the four of us were together.

“...you should have seen it, the Hanoverres were awful, making all of these horrible accusations, and Diem went all angry Queen on them and she was all, ‘Do you dare challenge me?’ and they were all, ‘No, Your Majesty, we would never’ and they got scared and ran away, and then...”

Teller arched an eyebrow at me, and I subtly shook my head. We both grinned at the silent understanding that Lily’s retelling had taken on some dramatic embellishment.

“...oh, and there were Descended from the other realms there, and they all gave her these fascinating gifts. There was an orb from Sophos that can answer any question, and—”

Teller perked up. “The Sophos Descended were there? Are they still in Lumnos?”

Lily nodded eagerly. “And they know about you! They even said you can come st—”

“Lily,” I snapped. She pursed her lips, cringing under my hard stare.

Teller looked between the two of us and frowned. “They knew about me?”

“It’s nothing.” I played with a loose thread to avoid meeting his eyes. “They just wanted to scare me by mentioning you. But I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

Neither of them responded.

I let out a harsh sigh. “Can we talk about something other than the ball?”

Teller’s eyes darted around my face as he tried to work out what I wasn’t telling him. “How did the House Reception go?”

“Fine.” I continued to tug absently at my sleeve. “Father resigned as my advisor. He says I’m selfish.”

“That doesn’t sound like him,” Teller said, his frown curving deeper. “I know you two have had your problems lately, but Father would do anything for you.”

“Apparently not,” I muttered. The wound from my father’s disapproval was still too raw, too painful. I shot Teller a rueful smile. “I’ll be grateful for the day when you’re done with school and you can join my Council.”

He sat up straighter. “You would make me an advisor?”

Lily gasped and grabbed his arm. “Oh Teller, that would be perfect for you! You would besucha good advisor. You always know everything, and you never share secrets. Oh, and then you could come live here in the palace!” Her cheeks turned bright pink. “If... if you want to, that is.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. Our house in Mortal City... that’s my home.” Lily looked a little crestfallen, and Teller reached out to clasp her hand as a matching blush rose to his face. “It would be nice to not have to sneak in to see you, though.”

“How do you get him in here, anyway?” I asked Lily. “I should probably have my High General executed for his dreadful security.”

Lily grinned at my empty threat. “There’s an underground canal that runs to a boat dock under the palace. The door to it is just across the hall from the entrance to the dungeon.”

Memories of my failed Guardians mission sprang to mind. I had been attempting to sneak into that same secret dock when Luther had trapped me, effectively ending my tenure as palace healer.

“And there are no guards along this canal?” I asked.

“There’s two of them, but they’re easy to distract.”

“Too easy,” Teller agreed, shooting me a displeased look. “Half the time, they’re asleep.”

“But the door in the canal has a bloodlock,” Lily added. “It only opens for royal family blood.”

“Aren’t there hundreds of Corbois?” I asked. “If any of them can open it, that doesn’t seem very secure.”

“Not anymore. The Bellators are the real royal family now, so only you and Teller can unlock it.”

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