Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
She strokes her hands in a soothing movement along my sides. “You don’t need to have all the answers right now. I don’t think anyone expects that. You just have to take it one day at a time.”
I don’t ask her if she understands the gravity of what she is telling me to do. She does. Out of anyone, Grace understands taking it one day at a time means moving into the future instead of dwelling on the past. Which makes what I’ve done to her all the worse. “I shouldn’t have pushed you the other night. I sure as fuck shouldn’t have thrown your mother’s death in your face. I’m sorry.”
She gives a choked laugh. “It seems like we’re always going to be apologizing to each other. You were right; in a way, we are reflections of each other. Which can be a great comfort, but it also means we know exactly what to say or do to hurt the other. Something to keep in mind for the future.” She gives me one last squeeze. “My entire family is dead, too. They didn’t go out together, and not every one of the deaths was violent, but they’re gone all the same. I don’t have a kingdom to rule, but my family has something of a legacy that I’m supposed to fulfill. That my . . . children . . . are supposed to continue to fulfill. Maybe that should give me purpose, but the only thing I feel is exhaustion. I’m so damned tired of fighting.”
“What if . . .” I speak slowly, feeling my way. “What if instead of fighting, we started to build something?” She tenses slightly, and I realize I’m not communicating properly. “I don’t mean a family. I won’t pretend that I don’t want that, just like I won’t pretend that the idea of starting one with you isn’t attractive in a way I was never prepared to experience. But it’s been a couple of weeks. It’s too soon to make that jump.”
“A week and a half ago, you were raring and ready to put a baby in my belly.”
As much as I want to keep holding her, I think it’s best we’re able to see each other properly for this conversation. I slowly take a step back. Grace’s eyes shine in the shadows of the cave, and her energy is a thick gray of worry, but otherwise she looks okay.
“Ultimately, I don’t think a child will fix my current problems.” It’s such a relief to say that out loud, I let loose a breathless laugh. “A child won’t fix my problems.”
She’s staring at me strangely. “You made a demon deal for the possibility of a child, and you were so desperate for it that you were willing to gamble your kingdom.”
“Yes. I was. But things change.” I beat my wings slowly, reveling in this new lack of burden. Rationally, I know it’s not actually physical, but it feels that way. “I know that I can be stubborn and infuriating, but I do listen when you speak. You’ve been thinking for the last week and a half while you wandered the castle. I have, too. If I don’t fix things as they are now, all I’m going to be doing is passing along my burdens to any children I have.” The enormity of what will be required threatens to prick my good mood, but I set that aside for now. There will be plenty of time to stress about anything and everything later.
Grace crosses her arms over her chest. A little light green feathers through the gray of her worry. I’ve got her. Once her curiosity takes hold, she won’t stop until she has answers. “I suspect you’re right. But I’m going to need you to tell me a whole lot more about this change.”
“It’s time to fix things. Or at least start to fix things.” I hold out my arms. “Would you like to come with me?”
“Where we going?” Grace takes a cautious step toward me.
I swing her up into my arms and launch into the air. “We’re going to call the council.”
20
GRACE
From how dramatic his declaration was, I half expected Bram to somehow summon his people with magic. In reality, it turns out that calling the council involves a whole lot of paperwork. There’s not much I can do to help, but he seems to find my presence supportive, so I perch on the edge of his desk and watch him write up several summons.
“What if they don’t come?”
“They will.” He finishes a letter and waits for the ink to dry before he carefully folds it up and seals it with wax. “If they don’t, I will strip them of their land and titles.”
I blink. “You can do that?”
“Technically, yes. It hasn’t been done in generations, but I need them to take me seriously. As much as I don’t relish using their fear against them, it’s necessary to ensure they obey.”