Page 74 of Crown of Wrath

Casimir shakes his head. “You don’t understand. All you see is what happened, not what was happening in the background. You weren’t there, so there’s no way you—or Cole, for that matter—understandwhyI did what I did. Gethin believed that the Conduits—the ones who are connected to the Thrones—were becoming too weak, and we were. We’ve been the Conduits of Nyth for too long, and all of us were…strugglingin our own ways. Roderic refused to see anyone, viewing everyone as a threat to himself and his House. He locked the doors to the Keep of Earth almost a hundred years ago. Brenna was so focused on finding some kind of book that she simply stopped ruling herHouse. Gethin… well, Gethin decided he was the only one fit to rule.”

“And you?” I ask.

Casimir looks down at the table. “I focused on the simplest path. You’re right that it was the wrong one, but I couldn’t see beyond it. Fighting is always so simple, and the House of Shadows were no match for us, while the House of Steel would have easily eliminated us. Flames always seek to survive, even if they have to burn the world down around them. It’s our curse as much as shadows seek to eat away at your connection to this world.”

I could criticize him more, but he seems to have already accepted his mistakes. Instead of focusing on something that won’t get us anywhere, I shift the conversation back to the original topic. “But why? Why was everyone struggling so much?” It doesn’t make any sense, and when I reach out to Casimir with my power, I’m sure he’s telling the truth.

He sighs softly and looks at the door. “Because we’re too old. We’ve sat on the Thrones for too long, and too much of the power of our Houses has flowed through us. It’s one of the things that we were all taught early on. Immortals can live forever, but the ones who sit on the Thrones can’t. They have to do as the dragons did and become a part of the Throne they sat on so that the next person can rule.”

I struggle to put the pieces together. “But why? Why not just let Cole sit on the Throne?”

He shakes his head slowly. “That’s not the way it works. Everyone else in the world thinks that the strongest of the House can claim the Throne and the Painted Crown. That’s a rumor that someone started, but it’s not true. You have to claim the Throne. The first person within a Great House who sits on the Throne after the last Conduit dies faces their dragon. If they survive, they become the new King or Queen of their House untilthey give themselves to the Throne as their predecessors have. Death is the only way to give up your claim to the Throne.”

“And Gethin doesn’t want to give up his Crown?”

Casimir huffs. “He blames Rhion and says that he’s too weak since he has yet to best Cole in combat, but the truth is that he just can’t imagine anyone doing as well as himself. Except that the proof of his failing is obvious. The Nightforged steel is failing. It won’t be long until other enchantments begin to fail as well.”

“Wait,” I say. “Are you saying that even if someone is sitting on the Throne, the magic from their Throne can fail?”

He nods emphatically. “It’s simple. The Throne is the Anchor which generates the magic that the world depends on. Each Throne creates a different piece of the magical world. Earth feeds the world, plants, and the magical creatures. Shadow creates the link between the void and Immortals, which allows Immortal children to be born. Steel gives magic stability and allows for enchantment. And Flames, well, the power of Flames allows Immortals to wield their magic.”

He continues, and I sit in rapt attention as someone finally explains things simply. “The ones who sit on the Thrones offer their body as a Conduit for that power. We aren’t dragons, though, and our bodies, minds, and even souls aren’t strong enough to maintain that connection forever. The dragons knew this, and that is why Calyr is still here. I was there when my mother gave up her power and Calyr brought her soul to rest inside the Throne along with Inni the Destroyer, the dragon who gave her life to create the House of Flames. No one’s power has been affected yet because I’m the youngest of this generation of rulers. Gethin is the oldest, though, and that’s why his connection is faltering first.”

The pieces are sliding into place and make sense.

I ask, “And he thinks that by giving a member of the House of Steel one of the House’s relics, they can become a part of that House long enough to claim a Throne?” Casimir nods again. “Will that work? How could a relic let someone from another House become the Conduit for the House of Flames? Aren’t their powers or bloodline too different? Wouldn’t the Throne reject them?”

Casimir shrugs. “Maybe it will work. No one’s tried, and Gethin is anything but stupid. If he believes it strongly enough to wager the fate of the world on, then there’s a very real possibility that it’ll work. Honestly, at this point, it might be for the best. It’s not like there are plenty of people in each House anymore. After this war… I wonder if there will even be enough Immortals left to rule.”

My nails dig into the table. “No. There will be plenty of Immortals left. We’re going to fix things, Casimir. That’s the only possibility.” Now it’s my turn to stare at the wall and try to put the pieces of the future together instead of the past. “Tomorrow, you’re going to fight with Cole and me. You’re going to do what you’ve always done so well. Cause pain and destruction. Then, after we’re done eliminating the threat, we will move onto saving Nyth, but nothing can come before we save tomorrow.”

He nods, and I stand up. He raises his hand, and I immediately pull shadows to me to protect against what looks so similar to an attack. But no flames appear. He seems surprised at the action, but doesn’t mention it. “Do you think he’ll forgive me?” is all he asks.

Will Cole forgive his father? I think about the man who has become the center of my world. He is so many things. Clever and loyal. Strong and fierce. He is the shoulders upon which the world has rested too many times to count. But is he forgiving?

“Would you forgive yourself if you were him?” I ask.

His shoulder sag in answer. “Good night, Queen Maeve. Thank you for the conversation, and I will fight as an ally tomorrow.”

He stands up and walks to his bed, each step looking more labored than the last, and when he lays down, I turn to leave.

Does Casimir’s story seem to be the truth? Yes. Did he do what he set out to? Absolutely. Is the world better off for it? It would seem so. But does he deserve his son’s loyalty or appreciation? I can’t answer that.

Only Cole can decide how he’ll react to his father. Only Cole can forgive the first person to crack that obsidian tower, and the one who turned his mental landscape into a place of torture and misery.

All I know is that I hope Calyr does not give me the task of making my child as hard as Cole.

Chapter 39

A steel collar is the best way to contain a magical being. Whether their power comes from a god or dragons, only the House of Steel is immune to a steel collar’s effects.

~Sir Alistair Hawking, Magical Combat for Humans

Maeve

We’ve been busy teaching Alistair how to train his men to fight Immortals. Darian’sstillworking with their engineers to create tools that will keep the fragile humans safe while also providing a threat to Immortals.

Our part of this is done for the day, though. We have other issues.

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