Chapter 34

CHAPTER34

“We’ve brought a third group in,” Beauty said, her eyes scanning over the paperwork in her hands as she read through all the names and occupations. “A better group than the last time. We’ve even got a few people with a medical background, four farmers, and three soldiers who will be quite helpful. The rest are the same old peasantry, but they will learn quickly. Just like the others.”

Lore leaned back on the log, turning her attention up toward the dark canopy above their head. She’d seen Lindon’s sylph up there yesterday, wheeling around and getting some exercise while its colors had cast rainbows above it. “That’s good.”

“And of course, the Baron and his people were quite pleased that we’ve gotten so many people out of Margaret’s clutches. He’s actually coming around to the idea of an elf leading us, you know. Had a compliment for you yesterday.”

“What was it?”

“That you look quite pretty when you bathe.” Lore could almost hear the wince in Beauty’s voice. “It’s not a delicate thing to say, but I suppose it is still a compliment and we should be glad that he’s not outwardly mocking you anymore.”

“I should have sewed his mouth shut when I had the chance.”

“I don’t think that would have won you any favors from the rest of them.” The sound of shuffling papers echoed through the clearing before Beauty slumped onto the log beside Lore. “It’s all a lot to keep track of, but I think we’re doing remarkably well.”

Rolling her head to the side, she watched Beauty’s profile as the young woman stared into the forest. The awkwardness between them was still there. Stretching as it did, pulling and tugging at both of their hearts until Lore finally sighed.

“Have you forgiven me yet?” Lore asked. “I did all I could, you know.”

“You didn’t have to be so cold about it.”

“I did. If I went in angry, then I would have done so much worse.” Lore shook her head. “I already left a mound of bodies for Margaret to find, and a cell full of elves that I left there to rot. They could still be there, you know. Starving. No one deserves that. But every time I think about them and the choice I made, I don’t feel like going back to save them. I’m all right with their end and knowing that those deaths are on my shoulders because Zephyr is here. Safe and sound.”

Beauty nodded, her breath catching in her throat. “I know that. I do. I just don’t know how you can be so calm about all of it.”

Because if she wasn’t calm, then Lore would set the entire Gloaming on fire. She’d turn this world into a mess of darkness and death and she would laugh as it happened because that was what they all deserved. She would ruin this entire kingdom with a glut of power and control.

Lore couldn’t tell Beauty any of that, though. She didn’t want her friends to be afraid of what happened and she certainly didn’t want them to believe, for an instant, that she was evil or just as bad as Margaret. She was... Just herself. Just Lore, their friend, the woman who had helped them for years now.

Sighing, she shook her head and resumed staring up at the canopy above them. “There was nothing I could do, Beauty. My hands were tied just as much as yours were, and I would not go back and change how I addressed it. Zephyr is safe and alive right now because we waited. He’s with us because we waited and I know how difficult that was for all of us to do, but it was still the right choice.”

“You aren’t getting it.” Beauty finally looked at her, leaning down to stare into Lore’s eyes. “I know why you did it, Lore. I understand that there was no other choice. I’m angry at you because you did it so coldly. Nothing that you did affected you. You weren’t angry or sad or even confident! You were just cold and numb, and that scared me.”

Ah.

Well.

She supposed that made sense. Lore had to be a little different right now because otherwise she would lose control. She’d lose herself.

Slowly sitting up, she laced her fingers together in her lap. Her spine curved in on herself, as though making herself smaller might somehow make her feel better. She knew it wouldn’t.

“It’s...” Lore struggled to find the words. “I have to be cold about it, Beauty. I cannot make these decisions with my heart or anything else. I have to do the right thing and I have to do it without emotions leading me in one way or another.”

“But why?”

Because she’d end the world. Because she’d tear it apart and laugh as it bled into her mouth.

“Because it’s the right thing to do.” She stared into Beauty’s eyes, willing her friend to see her. “Umbra deserves someone who isn’t making decisions for themselves. It deserves a ruler who can see the good and the bad and somehow bring it all together with a positive attitude and hope.”

“I don’t think that person is you,” Beauty whispered.

“Neither do I.” And for once, they saw eye to eye on something. “But here I am. The most powerful person in the kingdom with a prophecy over my head saying I have to fix this. And I’m doing it whatever way possible because I don’t think I’m the right person for this.”

Beauty bit her lip and nodded. She clapped her hands onto her knees and stood, her troubled gaze on something in the forest. “All right. I’ll take that answer and we can talk more about it later.”

“Is this done between us?” Lore asked, because she damn well hoped it was. “I don’t want to be at odds with you, Beauty. Not because your father is helpful in this or because I need more mortal friends. You mean something to me. You always have.”

Beauty sighed. “Of course this is over. I don’t enjoy fighting with you, Lore.”

“Good. Then maybe we won’t have to fight again for a while, yet.”

The way Beauty’s lips twisted to the side made Lore feel rather silly for even saying it. But then Beauty added, “I’m not the only one who wishes to talk with you today, Lore. Unfortunately, I think you might be in for another argument.”

Lore’s eyes trailed over to where Beauty had been looking, only to see Zephyr standing there. His tall form almost blurred in her memory, turning into that of a shadowy king who had haunted her dreams for far too long now. He looked so much like his brother, it hurt sometimes.

“It’s a talking day, I see,” she muttered before standing. “Apparently, I cannot get away from the lot of you.”

“Unlikely to get away from us now that you’ve saved so many humans.” Beauty did at least clap her on the back, though. A sign that perhaps their argument was well and truly over. “He’ll be nicer than me, though.”

“He always is.”

And wasn’t that the beauty of Zephyr? The reason why so many people loved him and looked up to him even when they did not know him?

Zephyr even had a smile for her as she walked toward him. A smile for the woman who had made his life a nightmare after yanking him out of relative safety where his mother had hidden him. Lore was the reason he’d been tortured for months when she could have come home and saved him earlier. And he’d never once held that over her head.

She didn’t deserve the amount of kindness and love he had in his heart. But then again, who did? Who was good enough to deserve all that?

“Lore,” he said quietly, his bright beaming smile dimming into one of softness. “Do you mind if we talk?”

“Not at all.” She gestured back toward her log, only to pause when he shook his head.

“Not here. I’d rather... I’d rather no one overheard what I have to say, if you don’t mind.”

So it was a very serious conversation then, and one that she wasn’t certain she wanted to have. Lore ducked her head though, tilting it low and nodding for him to walk ahead of her. Mostly because she wanted to see if he could do so. The Ashen Deep had been working hard on the curses, and he was finally making significant progress.

He strode ahead of her like a man who had never been cursed or tortured. His shoulders straight, his spine stiff, his legs strong and powerful once again. Perhaps a little shaky when he had to go over stones, but certainly not enough to make her grab for his arm and help him.

He looked better. A lot better, and very quickly at that.

“You seem more like yourself,” she said as she stepped over another fallen log and into a clearing with him. The moss underneath their feet was less squishy here, and there were more beams of sunlight than she’d expected. It turned the entire area into one of bright emerald colors, with yellow pollen and dust motes floating all around them, catching in the light.

“The Ashen Deep said there’s only one more curse to undo, and that you could have the honors if you’d like.” He swallowed hard. “They said to tell you it’s just one hard tug and that will be the end of it.”

Really? How curious.

Lore frowned at him and extended her power, prodding around his body until she found it. The last one wasn’t tangled like the others had been. The curse wasn’t wrapped around his heart or lungs or even anything important. It was wrapped around his neck, though, and must have been uncomfortable.

She gave it the hard tug they’d wanted from her and watched as it slithered off his form. The spell landed on the ground and left a small black smudge in the moss, a terrible reminder of what elves could do if they wished.

Zephyr sighed in relief, rubbing his hand over the skin there. “That’s much better. Thank you.”

“I did very little of the work. Don’t thank me, but I can help you find something that the Ashen Deep will enjoy.” Perhaps a little more elfweed. Certainly that deepmonger had found it nearby, or someone was a growing stash that she had yet to sniff out.

He chuckled, “Yes, well, you would know more of what they like than I do. I’ll admit, it’s been a relief to be around so many humans of late. Being surrounded by elves makes me a bit... twitchy these days.”

“Understandably so. At least the Ashen Deep are nothing like the rest of us.” In more ways than one. She narrowed her gaze on him as Zephyr started kicking his foot at the moss and looking anywhere but at her. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Uh, the... The humans have been... Well, you see, they’ve been talking. And it’s nothing against you. They just aren’t comfortable with elves either, or any magical creature, and I know the dragons are coming as well.” He’d started babbling like he always did when he was uncomfortable. “They think that... Well, it’s easier for them to talk with me, you understand? I know that’s strange to think, but they tell me more than they should. And they keep talking to me like I’m making decisions, and I’m not. You are. You’re the only person who I want to make decisions, too. I trust you, you know—”

Lore held up her hand for silence, and Zephyr nearly bit his tongue in his haste to shut up. “You’re rambling, Zeph. Just tell me what you came out here to say. You will not insult me.”

He took a deep breath, and she felt all the tension leak out of him as he blurted out, “The humans want me to take the throne when all of this is done, and the Baron has been rather vocal that they will not accept anyone but a mortal on that throne. And I would like you to take the throne instead.”

Sucking in a deep breath, she repeated to be sure, “You want me to take the throne when all of this is done?”

He nodded firmly. “It makes the most sense. You are the most qualified for the position and I think you would make a very good queen. I trust you and Abraxas.”

Oh. All the breath wheezed out of her lungs and Lore wished they had stayed next to her log because she would very much like to sit down. “No,” she finally said.

“What?”

“No,” she repeated, although the temptation lingered. “I will not take the throne.”

“But you have earned it. You came back from the dead, Lore! You have saved all of us countless times, and this throne was made for you.” He threw his hands up in the air. “There’s a prophecy and everything! You’re supposed to be on that throne, and I will not stand in your way. Neither will I ever align myself with people who do not see you for who you are.”

“Oh, you sweet young man.” Lore felt all the power in her vibrating, and she knew she had to share with him the struggles she faced. Lore let it out, showing him the glimmer of moon magic that had always turned her skin to diamonds and how it had changed. How her skin no longer glowed with moonlight but with a darkness that had an edge, a rippling power that was black and red like poison. “If I took the throne, you would have an avenging goddess ruling this kingdom. I wasn’t lying when I said it. I am undying and so powerful that I could wipe all of Umbra clean. I would rule over a vast and barren world, for power always corrupts.”

“Not you,” he denied her words. “You would never be corrupted.”

“I already have been,” she whispered, and the power flowed out of her again. “My path is not goddess or queen. What Umbra needs is a kind and giving ruler who sees the good in everyone that they meet. Someone with patience, who hasn’t had hope stamped out of their very soul. They need someone who will give them the time to grow, and will nourish them with happiness and light. This kingdom does not need a goddess, Zephyr.” She stepped close to him and put her hand on his shoulder. “This kingdom needs you.”

He gaped at her, his mouth moving like he was trying to speak, but couldn’t get the words out. Until he wheezed, “I am not fit to be king.”

“Because you believe that, Zephyr, I am certain that you are very much fit to be king.”

And it felt right. It all clicked into place so perfectly and she knew what to do after all this was said and done.

She squeezed his shoulder. “You will rule Umbra as you should have after the death of your brother. You will have advisors from all walks of life, and you will listen to them as no one else ever has. You will prove to the magical creatures that you care about their wellbeing and you will work to make their lives better. And the mortals will see you do that, a king that they stand by, and they will follow in your footsteps.”

He swallowed hard. “I am afraid.”

“We all are. But you will never be alone, Zephyr. I will always be here with you, but I cannot and will not take that throne. I give it to you, Zephyr. So you can lead this kingdom into the light.”

And though she knew it terrified him, he looked up at her and she saw the change. She saw the hope build in his chest and when he nodded, she knew this was the right step.

The right way forward for them all.