Page 134 of Ship of Shadows
The ship sailed closer, and Bastian shouted out orders as it slowed, allowing the crew to dock it while boys reached down and mothers reached up.
More and more people began streaming in from the markets, from their homes, curious about the commotion, then realizing exactly what was happening. Soon, it felt like the entire population of Apolis was crowded on the boardwalk and beach as boys jumped from the side and down onto the dock. Others used their magic and rode onto the beach on waves.
Everyone was crying, hugging, laughing.
“You did it,” Leoni said from next to me.
“We did it,” I said.
“Damnit, I’m crying.” Driscoll wiped a tear from his eye, and I just laughed.
“You know that it’s okay to cry?” I asked him as cheers rang out along our shore.
“Not when it makes my face all puffy and red.” He frowned down to me. “Your complexion is puffy and red all the time, so you don’t understand how devastating that can be to someone like me who has skin as smooth as a baby’s bottom.”
Leoni leaned over. “Everything that we’ve been through and still not a drop of humility. Truly amazing.”
My mother recovered and ran the length of the dock as Lochlan and Mal climbed down the rope ladder. She crashed into them, sobbing.
They brought their arms around her, and I stretched a leg over the side of the ship, glancing back at Bastian as he stared at me and gave a nod. I nodded back and climbed down the side of the ship, joining my family and savoring this moment of happiness before we had to break my mother’s heart all over again.
Hours later,I finished telling my mother everything that had happened on our journey to the shadow court, Mal, Lochlan, and Bastian interjecting when necessary, while Leoni and Driscoll mostly stayed silent.
My mother sat back, hands steepled, brows furrowed.
We sat at a large round table in our great hall, where we often held important meetings with other court leaders or our priestesses and council members.
Bastian squeezed my hand under the table, while Leoni and Driscoll kept shooting nervous glances from me to my mother, who sat across from us, Mal and Lochlan on either side of her.
She’d teared up at the news that my father and all the men he took were dead but remained composed. I guessed she’d already grieved him so much that there wasn’t a lot left to mourn.
The crown gleamed on her head in the sun that shone through the windows.
“That’s... unbelievable,” my mother said. “Everything. All those poor boys still stuck there.”
“We’re going to work on a plan to save them,” I said, squeezing Bastian’s hand back.
My mother frowned. “Save some human boys?” She shook her head. “I feel sorry for them, I do, but we have much more to focus on than their well-being.” She placed her hand on Lochlan’s shoulder. “We need to get your brother’s shadow back first and foremost. That is the priority.”
“I agree, Mother,” I said.
Her lips flattened when her gaze landed on Bastian. “And I appreciate the pirate lord’s help. I am sorry for everything he’s gone through, and he will be handsomely rewarded for his efforts, but it’s time to move on, Gabrielle. You will be crowned queen and we’ll find you a suitable husband that will bolster our reputation and give our people hope. That you can have strong heirs with to lead our people into the future.”
Leoni looked over to me, and I bit my lip, knowing I could no longer run from this. I’d told Bastian my plan early this morning, and even though he was in pain and exhausted, he said he’d support me in whatever decision I made. Now, he tensed beside me, realizing what I was about to do.
I took a deep breath as everyone waited for my response. “Actually, Mother, there’s something I need to say.”
“Maybe now’s not the right time, love,” Bastian whispered, but I shook him off and stood.
“I’m relinquishing my right to the crown.”
My mother gasped, opening her mouth to speak, but I cut her off.
“I’m not made to be queen. I don’t want to rule, and our people deserve better. They deserve someone whose heart doesn’t belong elsewhere.” I looked down at Bastian, and he lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. My mother’s lip curled. “My entire life I tried to do the right thing, to train to be queen, even though I didn’t want to be.” My heart pounded as I spoke. “I planned to run away from all of this because I was so afraid to face the truth. But after all I’ve been through, I’m not afraid anymore. Our boys are back. Our princes are back. We don’t need to be strong again. We’re already strong. We will rise from the ashes of those lost and show our continent, our world, who we really are. I will be there every step of the way, cheering Apolis on. I will do everything in my power to aid Apolis and findout what’s stirring in the shadow court, what this shadow king is planning. But I will not do it as queen.”
My mother’s cheeks reddened, and she looked away from me. “You disappoint me, daughter,” she said.
“For that, I’m sorry.” I raised my chin. “Actually, I’m not. I’m doing what’s best for me, and in doing so, I’m doing what’s best for our people.”
