Page 166 of Fate and Flame
I twisted the new band on my finger that replaced Oravan’s ring. “Is this what you want? Do you want to go north?”
She kissed the hand she held. “I want you to be happy. I want you to find peace. To heal your own heart. I’m not sure where I want to be, but I know it’s with you.”
“Nadra, the moment I married you, I was healed.”
I thought back to the small ceremony on the beach just days after we’d arrived home. The smile on her freckled face as she looked at only me when Rhogan walked her down the aisle. She fumbled her vows, and her giggle was the first anyone had heard since the world turned upside down. And I was so grateful for the birth of something new.
Later, we walked the streets of the city with Rhogan. His single wing a constant reminder that he would never fly again, and I couldn’t heal that truth, nor could I grow a wing with magic. Still, he was chipper and took it in stride as we entered the rebellion’s tinkering shop. I found Roe, still mourning the loss of Iva, and insisted he sit with us. We pushed ourselves to the back and sat in the seats as Murtad stood and surveyed the crowd. His eyes lingering on me before he turned to the Weaver and nodded. She joined him on the stage moments later.
“The king has asked us for our opinion. What shall be done with the rest of the fae who fought beside Autus and lived? They cannot remain locked up forever. What say you?”
The voices in the crowd were low murmurs to start, but they grew quickly as the words hanged, burned, and kill filled the room.
The Weaver raised her hands to silence the crowd.“Before we subject them to a fate we were all condemned to at one time, let us remember that many, many lives have already been lost. Let us remember that we also could have been prisoners of war. The fae population has been impacted so heavily. And now we have humans who live in this world, who will continue to live here. They reproduce at a much quicker rate than we do. Our world will become filled with another species most of us know nothing about. I am of the mind that we do not kill these enemies. That we educate them, we give them honest jobs, and we learn to grow together. Charging our king to govern them all carefully. Our world will forever be changed, and these moments right now will decide how. Starting with disbanding the rebellion.”
“Disbanding?” someone shouted from the crowd.
“To truly erase the divide in our world, we must stand as one. We can demand a voice, but we have to trust the king. And he is worthy.” She took her leave from the stage.
Murtad stood, shoved his hands in his pocket, and smiled.“This will be our final meeting. I’ll see you all at the tavern.”With that, he stepped down from the stage. We watched as he limped into his office, grabbed his bottle of ale and walked out.
That was it. The rebels had won. We had won.
Fenlas heard the desires of the Weaver during the council meeting. He’d already considered the growth of the humans and their sensitivity to strong climates. He’d assigned a group of southern fae to travel with them to the lands that were once the Marsh Court. They could build their lives there, and he would keep them safe because that’s what Ara had promised the God of Death.
The captives were sent back to the north. Ragal, who had saved the king’s life during the battle, was charged with governing them. Brax was to join him and would stay to report to the king and help Ragal rebuild. I think he also did it to remember Greywolf. To honor him by going north, just as Greywolf had come south.
“Temir,” River shouted as he jumped into my waiting arms from the hall after the meeting. “Is this where you live?” His jaw was near the floor as he looked around the castle.
“It is,” I answered, ruffling his hair.
“Can you show me?”
“Thank you for coming,” Fenlas said to Alavon as he strode up behind me. “I’ll show you where the work is to be done.”
The glassmaker bowed low, and River struggled from my hands until I put him down. He turned his face to something like an imitation of Alavon and also bowed low to the king. I smiled down at him and felt a pang of sorrow that Gaea couldn’t be here to witness it.
“Where’s Greeve?” River asked. His face became sad as his thoughts surely aligned with my own. But of course, she would have introduced the two of them.
“He’s in his room,” I said.
“He’s sad, isn’t he?”
I looked to Fen and nodded.
“Will you take me to him?”
Fen squeezed his shoulder. “I don’t think now’s a good time, buddy.”
“Oh,” he answered, eyes falling to the floor.
Greeve appeared in front of River in a rush of wind. River’s eyes lit up as he reached for him. The draconian bent down, grabbed the boy, and off they went. Alavon didn’t react at all. I’d been so caught up with the rest of the world, I hadn’t made time to see him, but of course Gaea had. Of course, she’d insured a bond between her mate and the boy. Her favorite boy.
I felt Nadra tug on our bond and tilt her head toward our room. We left Fen to speak with Alavon and stepped away. She closed the door gently, stepping to her tiptoes and kissed me.
“I’m so happy to be here with you, Temir. I know we have to help the dust settle, but this is it for me. This is home now.”
“So we stay?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow.
