34. Rain

Chapter 34

Rain

"I don't like it," Mother was saying. It wasn't the first time she'd said it. Or the tenth. I didn't actually know how many times she'd complained about it.

Uncle Cove was looking at her, unimpressed, leaning back in a chair in the sitting area between their bedrooms. It was the only time I'd ever seen him give her that look, in fact, like if she decided to do something about her "not liking it," he'd side against her.

Indeed, he turned to me, his lips curving into a smile as he did so. "I think he's perfect, Rain. And as you're an adult, I also think you're free to make your own decisions about your personal life. If you want to marry Adair Courtwright, you should."

I'd been home less than a day, and most of that day had involved the four of us—me, Adair, Char, and Tempest, relaying what had happened that last day at Gloombringer Castle. The murder of Oberon Gloombringer.

And it was a murder. It was all over the news, and thanks to our quick statements, as well as one from Caspian, and the ones from the castle staff, the whole of the Summerlands knew what Huxley Dawnchaser had done.

Titania had made a public statement condemning Dawnchaser for the murder of her brother, and said that he hadn't, in fact, gotten what he'd been after. There, right on public television, she'd proceeded to hold up the heart sapphire for everyone to see.

Adair had nearly broken down at the sight, the relief that Verelle hadn't been somehow destroyed so great that he'd actually teared up. I could hardly blame him.

"She came to me when Dawnchaser murdered my brother," she announced. "He tried to steal her from my brother's body, but it's not quite that easy to steal someone like Verelle." Then she'd looked directly into the camera, eyes harder than I'd ever seen them during our visit, entirely sober and serious. "So come for me next time, Huxley. See if I'm as easy a target as my brother."

It had been less than a week, so we weren't entirely sure what came next. Massive crimes were occasionally sentenced by all four families working together, but that hadn't happened in years. Certainly, one family leader hadn't been sentenced by the other three before, but one had never murdered another either. And something had to happen, didn't it?

Huxley Dawnchaser had to be brought to justice.

"He abandoned the Gloombringer to die," Mother pointed out, and for perhaps the first time ever, I saw up close what people meant when they said that Mother was cold and calculating. Cruel, even.

I cleared my throat. "Adair doesn't know how to duel, Mother. "

"And that's supposed to make me happy? Maybe next he'll leave you to die." She growled in frustration and shoved herself into a chair, smacking her arms down on the armrests. "I already have to decide what to do about Huxley Dawnchaser. I don't have time to worry about this little romance of yours. Another time, Rain. Another boy. There are always other boys."

I sat in the chair nearest Uncle Cove and looked at her, gaze flat. "No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no." I leaned forward and met her eye. "And while we're at it, we should discuss what comes next. I don't expect you or Uncle Cove to step down or anything, but this farce about choosing an heir is done."

"You don't get a say in that, young man. Frankly, given this behavior, it's quite clear you're not even leader material. I don't know why you'd think otherwise, let alone be so...so arrogant about it. You go to your room. I'll handle the Gloombringer boy."

I rolled my eyes, and when I looked at him, Uncle Cove was doing the same.

Huh.

" I'd think otherwise , because Iri resonated with me ten years ago, Mother. You don't get to choose that, and you can't control it. I'm the heir unless you want Iri going to someone other than the Moonstriker heir. I'd be happy to take her off to a boat in the South Sea if you don't want my future husband and I around. Sim is here for it."

She gasped, staring at me in shock, and I wasn't sure why. Did she not know Iri had bonded me? Was it because I wasn't just bowing down and doing what she wished for a change ?

She was...hells, she was a control freak, like she'd always been, and like I'd spent my life accepting and glossing over.

She doesn't know , Iri confirmed. Or she didn't till now. You always did have a little of that Gloombringer drama in you, little one. Good job .

"This boy," Mother tried again, and this time I entirely cut her off.

"Man. He's a man, just like I am. We're both adults, and we chose each other. You don't get to choose him or anyone else for me any more than your parents chose my father. And if they did, I really don't want to know, because that's weird and gross."

Next to me, Uncle Cove choked, and took a drink of water to cover it up. When Mother just stared at me, dumbfounded, he cleared his throat. "I think it'll be up to me to handle the Dawnchaser. I'll get permission from Sunrunner and the new Lady Gloombringer?—"

"Duskbringer," I corrected. "She's going to change it back. She told Adair on the phone last night."

Instead of looking annoyed with me for interrupting as Mother had, Uncle Cove paused and looked at me for a moment, then nodded. "Good. That sounds like an excellent choice."

"She's also going to affirm your ban on dueling, Mother," I said, turning back to my mother, who was staring at me, wide-eyed. "So duels will be forbidden in half the Summerlands."

"I always knew she'd be the better family leader," Uncle Cove said with an affirming nod. "But yes, I'll contact her and Dane, and get their permission to handle Huxley myself. He can't be allowed to get away with this, even if Oberon Gloombringer was an insufferable ass. If we were allowed to murder people because they're annoying, he'd have been dead decades ago. Likely everyone in the entire tower would be dead but you, Rain."

He leaned back in his chair, and for a long time, he and Mother stared at each other. She shook her head as though answering a question, and he pursed his lips disapprovingly.

Again, I was astounded. Mother had always, always been the one in charge. She'd been the decision maker. Why was Uncle Cove suddenly the one telling her how it was going to be?

She finally slumped back in her chair, looking sad and . . . old.

Uncle Cove looked to me. "It seems as though you've a wedding to plan, Rain. After that, it seems reasonable to your mother and me for you to start acting as a third family leader. I think it's quite clear you're ready, and frankly, I'd like to retire someday. A boat in the South Sea sounds lovely. Sorry you won't be escaping to one just yet. I recommend adopting early and often."

I inclined my head to him, then to Mother, who remained silent, staring at Uncle Cove like he was something strange and foreign.

You know , Iri told me as we walked out, your uncle always seemed a little...quiet to me. Annoyingly quiet, you know? I have long conversations with you and your mom and other people I've bonded with, but him? Never. I guess I never thought before maybe...maybe I was missing out.

I didn't laugh, but it was a close thing. Meanwhile, Adair was waiting right outside for me, biting his lip. "She really hates me, huh? I'm sorry if it's going to be a problem. You're not?—"

"It's her problem," I told him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "She's not ready for me to be a grownup and make my own choices, and she forgets other people are allowed to want lives she wouldn't choose for them."

"Makes me sound like I drive a motorcycle and go around the world breaking hearts," he mumbled, slightly dissatisfied with my mother's lukewarm reception.

"Sounds hot," I said, and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "She'll get used to it. Maybe it's time for Mother to do some growing up and realize she isn't always going to get her way. Meanwhile, Uncle Cove adores you. He recommended we start planning a wedding right away."

That, finally, made some of the tension fall away from Adair's shoulders. "Really? He seems so...scary."

"He's quiet, but he likes you. But that doesn't really matter either. We have a wedding to plan. Not for them. For us."