Page 129 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
Twenty-Seven
ELIAS
My boots brushedagainst the rubble where the castle once stood. I could still smell the death of all those who’d perished here. It was as if I could hear the echo of their final screams.
The castle was meant to be a refuge for those still recovering from their imprisonment in the human realm. Instead, it’d served as their tomb.How?How had they been able to destroy the completely defenseless of our realm? Past my grief was my absolute fury. I wanted to kill in response.
“As do I,”Nalari had roared when I’d said those words on my walk.
When would we be able to perform the farewell ceremony? To grieve without fear?
Snowflakes fell around me as the audience I’d called drew closer. While citizens from all over Niev had come for my announcement, I also had the communicator device Evander had given me that would allow everyone in my kingdom to hear me, from those in the mountains of Pahadeen to the Isles of Sola. Many of the fae cast worried glances at the humanswhile the humans huddled together as far from the fae as they could.
At least the younglings were safe in Bon and Koa’s home, where they would stay until later that evening.
I sighed, not knowing how to bring us all together. Maybe I couldn’t. Perhaps everyone was better off if humans went back to their realm with the shifters.
Voices died down when I cleared my throat and pressed a button on my communicator so everyone could hear me.
“A lot has happened in the past few days, and I know emotions are still high.” I shook my head. “I imagine emotions will remain high for a long time. I’ll try to keep this short so as not to interrupt your day further.”
George and Everly moved to stand behind me while Teddy took her place at my side. Normally, having my closest friends by my side would help ease some tension, but all it did this time was remind me of the fracture in George’s and my friendship. Throughout the years, we’d fought plenty, but we’d always come back together in the end. Not this time.
His anger with me grew like an open flame. While he’d continue to serve as the kingdom’s commander, he barely spoke to me, keeping whatever he needed to say direct and short. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the sacrifices I made for Donnie or because of the pain of losing Jasmine and Juanita.
I’d felt his anguish when I told him Javier knew the truth and no longer wanted George around the girls. He’d accepted it with a quiet resoluteness I knew he didn’t feel. And when he’d changed the subject to update me on our prisoners, I didn’t bother trying to speak about anything else.
It felt like I’d betrayed him, though. Not about my decision to tie my life to Teddy’s—that was my choice to makeregardless of my status as Niev’s king—but in telling Javier the truth about his father. That night, I’d tried to lay the blame at my feet where it belonged. I was the one who’d ordered his father’s death, so his death sat solely on my shoulders.
Teddy wrapped her pinky finger around mine, bringing me back to the audience that awaited me.
Typically, a gathering such as this would require Teddy and me to wear our crowns and address our people more formally, but I wanted to speak to them as one fae to another.
I pointed at the debris where the Elder dragon’s statue had once stood. “The Elder who we commemorated on this very ground lied to all of us. My parents and uncle lied to all of us.”
I was quick to explain the lies, wanting to get it over with while not glossing over every important aspect. While I expected outrage, I was instead met with silence. Slowly, the audience started murmuring to one another, those murmurs growing to shouts and accusations.
How could they know I hadn’t known all along?
Why was I telling them now when I should’ve told them months ago?
What other lies was I keeping from them?
Teddy squeezed my hand in reassurance. It did nothing to settle the rapid beat of my heart. Overhead, I heard the familiar sound of Nalari’s wings, and while I wanted to steal a glance at her, I kept my attention on the crowd.
When I held my hand up, many quieted. I projected my voice so that I could be heard over the yelling. “On the day our military school and castle were bombed, I lost my magic.”
This brought on a new wave of silence that made my skin crawl.
“How?” Although the single word was whispered, I heard it as if they’d shouted it in my ear.
I was certain human ears hadn’t heard her, but I answered anyway. “It doesn’t matter how. I simply didn’t want to keep this from anyone and felt the people of Niev deserved to know.”
Behind me, George tensed. My shoulders went rigid when he let out a low growl. I turned to face him and felt my power rise when I noted the way his eyes had gone completely black. His canines slipped between his lips, and when he fisted his hands, I felt it as if he’d squeezed my heart.
Was he really going to challenge me in front of my people?
As if he’d heard me, he shook his head, his eyes lightening to their natural brown color. His nostrils flared, and tension vibrated off him, but he was able to restrain his primal instincts.
