Chapter 16

Rhosyn stared down the line of her friends and family, pride blooming in her chest. To her right stood Contessa, resplendent in silver silk, although when she looked closely, she could see it wasn't nipped in as close at the waist as usual. Nate hovered off her shoulder, unable to look away from his wife, even as King Byron stood before his throne, thanking them for serving King and Country.

Rhosyn snuck a glance to her left, looking past Ansel to Scarlett and Benedict. She nearly chuckled at the pair they made, Benedict's charming smile a perfect contrast to Scarlett's perpetual scowling at all the pomp, made even fiercer by the knot of scar tissue on the side of her head where one of her ears should be.

Ansel's shoulder bumped against hers, and he shot her an amused glance as if saying to her, "You only get inducted into the Royal Order once."

Rhosyn returned her attention to the King's words, but as he thanked each of them for their fearless actions to foil the plot against the crown, her mind kept drifting to Ansel's warmth at her side.

The week following the fight on the train had been a whirlwind, but Ansel stood by her through it all. Despite the bandage on his nose and the dark circles of bruises under his eyes, he sat with her through Mr. Gower's trial, squeezing her hand before she took the stand to testify against him.

Although Rhosyn had put many criminals behind bars in her life, no guilty verdict had given her as much satisfaction as Mr. Gower's. As they dragged him away, he hissed and spat that King Byron had ruined this city by allowing the Talented to run free—that he should be removed from power for ending the Inquiries.

As the Royal Police hauled him past the box where Contessa sat, he had momentarily pulled free to spit in her face.

"You're no better than your father," he snarled, turning purple under his impressive mustache.

Everybody surrounding Contessa froze at that, and Nate nearly leaped out of the box and strangled Mr. Gower where he stood. But Contessa had stayed him with a hand on his wrist. Instead, Contessa stood and stalked to the front of the box, somehow towering over him despite her slight stature, as always, her poise making her larger than life.

"I am not my father, and I know this because I am willing to change course when something I've done is being used for evil. My father let the Inquiries, which were meant to protect his people, warp London into a place of hatred and fear. You tried to abuse the Talented through their sponsorships, but I won't let the work I've done in protection of the city be twisted into something violent and hateful. I will stand up for what is right, and I won't let you abuse the Talented of this city any longer."

She watched with ice in her gaze as he was dragged off to prison, where he would await execution for high treason. Anybody who heard of the display at the trial would think twice before challenging the king's advisor and bodyguard.

A search of Mr. Gower's study had also uncovered his co-conspirators, and although more trials would come, the evidence would allow King Byron to rip out the dissent against his support for the Talented by the roots. At last, the future of the Talented in London seemed bright. The King had even pardoned all the Talented Mr. Gower had sponsored for their involvement in the assassination, knowing they hadn't acted of their own free will. When the groom died, it was as if they had woken up from a trance, and they all immediately dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Scarlett had used her network of whispers to track down the groom's son at a hidden house in the country and bring him back to the city. Rhosyn sat in Nate's old office next to Contessa as she drew up papers for him to be adopted to a couple who wanted nothing more than to raise a child.

Her eyes were glassy as she stamped the paper with the King's seal.

"I hope this is the last orphan of Talented parents."

Rhosyn squeezed her friend's hand and sat with her late into the night.

In the past week, Rhosyn had also not returned to her rented room, staying in Ansel's bed with him at the Foxes' safe house. They didn't need to hide anymore, given that King Byron had personally exonerated them of any crimes, given their involvement in saving him. Still, she didn't feel like she could go back to her old room and her old life like nothing had changed.

Not to mention, knowing that time in bed meant being wrapped in Ansel's arms helped her get more sleep than she ever had in the past.

Now, she puffed out her chest proudly as King Byron pinned a medal to her jacket, smiling at her kindly before moving on to do the same to Ansel. She had come a long way from a rough and tumble Lion to having bestowed upon her the highest personal honor that royalty could award.

The audience behind them roared, and as the six of them turned to smile at the crowd, Ansel slipped his hand in hers. He didn't let go even as they walked down into the audience to receive their congratulations.

So many people shook Rhosyn's hand and patted her on the back that she stopped recognizing faces or remembering names until a familiar voice drew her from the haze of celebration.

"Officer Walsh." Joseph stuck out a hand.

Hesitantly, Rhosyn took it, but his smile was warm as he clasped it back.

"You don't have to look at me like I'm going to discipline you. I'm proud," he admitted.

"You are?" Rhosyn asked. She may have saved the King's life, but she certainly hadn't been following protocol when she did it.

He smiled, something softer and less tired in his gaze than it had been the last time she had been in his office. Rhosyn briefly wondered if it had something to do with the way Benedict's sister, Lottie, had been hanging on his elbow during the ceremony.

"You know, when I inherited the Royal Police, they may have followed the law, but they certainly weren't good. Even though something isn't perfect, and may never be, doesn't mean it isn't worth fighting to make it better. And you always fight to make things better," Joseph smiled wryly, "even if you tend to break a few rules along the way."

"Well, thank you," Rhosyn struggled for words. "I didn't think you'd want me back on the force after the things I did."

"I would always want to have somebody like you in my corner, but I think you would be whether you wear a uniform or not," Joseph admitted. "The question is, do you want to come back to the Royal Police? It would seem to me you might be looking for a…change in pace."

A smile crept across Rhosyn's face as she turned to look at Ansel—he was eyeing her curiously. Mischief twinkled in his eyes as her smile grew into an unrestrained grin.

"I've always wanted to run away and join the circus."