Page 192 of Once the Skies Fade

“Oh, shit.” The words fell from Matthias atop a heavy sigh, and he downed the last of his brandy before pointing to the message in Isa’s hand. “Is that from Connor?”

Isa nodded, and though she offered it to Matthias, she relayed its message to me. “He died a couple days ago, while we were on Dolobare. Message was delivered this afternoon just before we arrived. The burial is at the end of the week, and?—”

“I need to be there,” Matthias said, refolding the message and tucking it into his pocket. Isa nodded slowly, and Matthias squeezed my hand. “I missed Brennan’s, and I can’t do that to Connor again.”

My chest tightened at the sound of Brennan’s name, though not as strongly as it once would have. “We will be there for him,” I said.

Isa glanced to Phillip for a second, nodded, and turned back to Matthias and me. “That means we’ll need to leave in two days, giving us little time?—”

“Little time for what?” I asked. Had I missed something? I hadn’t taken more than a sip of my brandy, so it couldn’t be the drink’s fault for my confusion.

Isa drew in a deep breath. “We still need to announce the winner of the tournament. Given all that has transpired, I would like to forego the final trial if that is acceptable to all of you.” She glanced around at each of us, and we nodded in turn. “As Phillip did not complete the third trial, his points remain at one hundred. Matthias found the correct antidote, and even though he didn’t have enough left to actually heal you, Calla, I think this warrants granting him at least ten points, making him the winner.”

Phillip didn’t balk at this pronouncement, but smiled genuinely at Matthias, who cocked his head, his brows knitting together. “Thank you, general. But can I ask why the official announcement requires time? Don’t you simply draw up a memo or declaration of some sort?”

Leaning forward, Isa dropped her forearms to her knees. “Given all of the…drama…over the last few weeks and months, it may be best to do so publicly.”

“How long would it take to inform the villages?” Matthias asked.

Isa noted, “Not long for the closer villages, but the further ones would never be able to travel in time to attend.”

“Would those further away feel slighted if we were to send a declaration instead of an invitation?” I asked, looking to Isa, but Phillip chimed in first.

“If I may…” he started, waiting for me to invite him to continue. “As a citizen and not someone on the royal staff, I recommend inviting who you can. The distant villages willunderstand, especially if you were to explain all that has happened and why your presence is required in Emeryn on such short notice. Despite what you might fear, we aren’t all so hardhearted.”

The three of us all stared in silence at the male for several breaths after he finished speaking.

“What?” he asked, shifting nervously under our scrutiny.

Matthias pursed his lips and cast a sideways look my way. “Does Arenysen have an official order of succession for royal appointments?”

Isa was already shaking her head, so I didn’t bother answering him with more than a slight smile before I turned back to Phillip.

“While you came here vying for the crown,” I said, “I wonder if you might consider accepting a different position, Phillip.”

“You mean, like on the Assembly?” he asked, his brow collapsing low over his eyes, which lowered to the ground immediately. “I’d never considered it, but perhaps?—”

“Think bigger, friend,” Matthias whispered across the sitting area, and Phillip’s eyes darted up to meet his.

Before he could misunderstand again, I asked more directly. “Would you be willing to serve as royal advisor? While you’d be a part of the Assembly, you’d permanently live here at the castle and work directly for?—”

“Yes,” Phillip interrupted, his face reddening as if he realized a moment too late that he had interrupted his queen. “Of course, Your Majesty. I’d be honored.”

Nodding, I smiled. “In that case, your first order of business will be to help Isa draft the necessary messages to the villages and get those sent out as soon as possible.”

Chapter 97

Matthias

Two days later, I followed Calla onto the dais in the Great Hall with Isa and Phillip on either side of me.

Given the short notice, we had expected the crowd to be lighter than typical citizens’ forums, but Calla’s disappointment flowed freely across the bond. She shot a look over her shoulder at me, and I offered as reassuring a smile as I could muster, relieved when her nerves calmed. Turning back to the crowd, she folded her hands lightly in front of her and lifted her chin.

“Our kingdom has suffered much this past year,” Calla said, her voice strong and unwavering. “The killing of first our king and queen and then my husband”—she paused briefly, inhaling slowly before she continued—“left us deep in grief, uncertain about our future, and—at least for me—in search of answers. Some of those answers have recently been uncovered, and while they have brought some much-needed peace and healing, they have also left us with some unexpected vacancies to fill here at the castle. Today, before you all, we will be announcing the successors for two of these prominent roles.”

Whispers spread among the gathered fae, but it was impossible to determine how they were receiving her words. Sheushered Isa forward, and I swallowed hard, as if my heart had actually leapt into my throat. Isa’s head slowly swiveled as she gazed out at the crowd, one hand held behind her back while the other rested on her sword. Every fae in the room lifted their eyes to her, leaning forward as if her words were a whisper instead of the natural boom of a leader.

“As you all know, these past weeks we have hosted a tournament to select our next king. Despite the risks of these games, twelve males from both Arenysen and Emeryn stepped forward to test their strength, courage, and wisdom. Two proved their abilities to act both swiftly and admirably, showing not only the fortitude to rule but also the heart to do what is right when others wouldn’t. Of those twelve, two consistently displayed the necessary qualities, placing them at the top of the ranks. In the end, though, only one could be crowned the victor and the new king. That male is General Matthias Orelian of Emeryn!”

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