Page 84 of A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty

“I’m sorry,” we both said at the same time. My eyes stung, and Demos sat down next to me, close enough to touch.

“No, Prisca. Listen.”

The name lay between us like a dead animal, and I opened my mouth, but he was already speaking.

“I talked to Tibris. Not just today, but while we were traveling. I was…desperate for stories about you. And he was kind enough to tell me what it was like growing up with you. I listened to what he said, and I listened to what he didn’t say.”

My mouth had turned dry. “And?”

“And I’d never really thought about what it was like for you—to be shown so clearly what it meant to use your power publicly. And then to need to use that power to save so many lives. I’d assumed that after what you did that night in the castle, you’d conquered any fears or reservations you might have had. But that’s not how grief and terror work.”

“You spent two years in a dungeon, Demos.”

He pinned me with a hard stare. “And before that, I understood who and what I was. I knew about the king’s lies, and after our parents died, I was brought up in relative safety with other hybrids.”

Demos took my hand. I shook my head. “I don’t think I can be who you need. I’m trying. I swear I am. But—”

“Stop. I never want you to feel like you’re not enough for me. Gods, you were enough the moment you took my hand in that dungeon while Tibris was healing me. You’re all heart. You’d die for the people you love, and in your mind, you’re helping our people more by stepping down. I understand that, even if I don’t agree with it.”

Something fluttered in my chest. Something that felt a lot like hope. But I didn’t trust it yet. “So, where do we go from here?”

“I’m your brother, and I’ll always love you. I’m also your general, and that means I’m looking out for the best interests of our people. I believeyou’rein our people’s best interest. But when all this ends, and our people are finally home, if you want to step down, I’ll support you.”

The lump in my throat was so large, I could barely breathe. “You will?”

His jaw was tight, but he nodded. “I’m planning to show you that you can be an incredible queen,” he warned me. “But if we get to the end of all this and you still want a quiet life, I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen for you.”

My mouth opened, but I couldn’t make a sound. Demos pulled me into his arms. “It will work out,” he told me.

I let out a shuddering breath, and something inside me settled. “I’ll do everything I can,” I promised, my voice muffled. “No matter what it takes, we’ll kill Regner.”

“I know.”

I pulled back and wiped at my face. This was the first time I’d been alone with Demos since I’d arrived. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”

“They should be training together, Demos. The hybrids and the fae.”

He nodded. “Agreed.”

I hadn’t expected that. But Demos was a constant surprise.

“And living together,” I said.

He gave a rueful shake of his head. “That’s unlikely to happen.”

I angled my head. “When I met Lorian and the others, I thought they were vicious mercenaries. Living and traveling with them allowed me to see them as real people. I got to see Rythos’s gentleness, Marth’s humor, Galon’s bravery. I’ve seen the way the fae and hybrids interact. They look past one another, as if the others don’t exist.”

“And you think forcing them to spend more time together will help?” Demos looked unimpressed, but Iknewthis was a good idea.

“Fae and hybrids who aren’t in a family group are currently sharing tents with someone around the same age, is that right?”

“Yes.”

“I want them sharing tents with one another.”

Demos raised an eyebrow. “It’s not going to go well.”

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