“I think you need more lemonade,” I suggested lightly, glancing up at my Guardian.
He didn’t move.
“Right,” I murmured. “Well. Thank you all for coming.”
I wasn’t sure what else to say, so I kept to the formalities of thanking the royals for attending the ascension. I’d learned from Cyrus that Constantine had reached out to the other realms to tell them about Aflora, and had requested assistance. Claire had been the only one to respond, the other fae kingdoms telling him to handle his own mess.
I suspected the Hell Fae King had something to do with those refusals. I couldn’t say why; it was more of an instinct that I picked up from Shade.
Keep rummaging in my head and you’ll lose yourself, he warned now, picking up on my thoughts.
Shouldn’t have mated me then,I tossed back.
Wouldn’t change it for the world, he admitted, flashing me a quick grin before refocusing on Tadmir. He’d been in the middle of providing an update on Ajax, something about him taking a new position with Zen. I hadn’t quite followed, but intended to ask about it after the ceremony.
Especially since whatever Tadmir was saying about Ajax seemed to have Kyros’s full interest as well, something I gathered might not be common for the Paradox Fae.
Aflora stepped out of Sol’s embrace and squeezed in between me and Zeph, her arm going around his waist as her head rested on my shoulder.
Where’s Zakkai?I asked her.
With Zen and Laki, she replied on a sigh. They’re talking with your dad about how to move forward.
Is that where you were? I wondered, feeling bad for interrupting such an important discussion.
Yes.
Do you need to go back?
No, I’m tired of discussing politics,she replied. I would much rather act as a barrier between you and Sol’s fist.
I snorted. I can handle myself.
You can. But I want to be the only one who draws blood from you.She shifted to kiss my jaw while the Earth Fae watched.
He clearly didn’t approve, but a nudge from his queen had him relaxing marginally.
Titus had taken Cyrus’s drink from him, his fascination over the flames evident as he created several of his own to dance with the embers. Meanwhile, Cyrus had lowered his focus to the neckline of Claire’s dress, which he clearly found more intriguing than the lemonade in Titus’s hand.
What an odd little circle we all made.
Exos and Vox were off talking philosophy with Chern, who Aflora stated wasn’t under a spell at all. The Sangré Blood Councilman had never outwardly displayed emotion or preference, marking him as a Midnight Fae to watch. However, I suspected he approved of Aflora’s ascension because he’d told her sincerely that it was a logical choice.
Tray and Ella were nowhere to be seen, having run into each other’s arms shortly after the wand ceremony. I had a pretty good idea of what they were up to, but didn’t want to go searching to find out. I would share a private moment with my twin later. For now, I was satisfied knowing my twin was healthy and alive.
Everyone else seemed to be tentatively conversing, several fae having not seen old friends for over a thousand years, and younger Midnight Fae softly asking Quandary Bloods questions about their paradigms and how they’d been hiding.
The sky above was bleeding with color, the sun rising to overtake the moon.
Our evening ascension was slowly coming to an end, the LethaForest preparing itself to return to its usual protective antics.
With Constantine’s tree lingering at the center of it all, the twisted black branches littered with flames.
It was a sight to behold, one I never could have imagined.
There were so many lives lost. Friends, family, innocent fae.
But as Aflora said, where there was life, there was death.