Empire of Lies and Flames (Ruins of Power #1)

Chapter 37

RENéE

Ellie twirled in front of me, the green princess dress puffing out as she spun. She was all giggles and excitement, her bright brown eyes sparkling like stars. “Do I look like Fiona, Renée?” she asked, clutching the hem of her dress with her tiny fingers.

I crouched down to her level, adjusting the small plastic tiara nestled in her curly hair. “You look even better, Ellie. Fiona’s got nothing on you.”

She beamed at that, practically skipping beside me as I walked her to the dining hall. Over the past month, I’d become a regular face here. Javier had started showing up too, enough that the kids now called him a regular. I was pretty sure he came by to see me, but over time, he’d started to genuinely enjoy spending time with the kids.

The dining hall was a burst of color—balloons of every shade hugged the walls, streamers hung from the ceiling, and the long table in the middle was draped with a white tablecloth and scattered with confetti. The smell of cake and candles filled the air, and the kids were already buzzing with excitement, voices overlapping in laughter and chatter.

As soon as we stepped in, all eyes turned to Ellie. Javier, leaning casually against a wall, straightened up the second he saw us. He made his way over, his lips curving into a warm smile.

“Ellie, you look absolutely stunning,” he said, crouching down to meet her height.

Ellie tilted her head, narrowing her eyes like she was testing him. “Like Fiona?”

Javier chuckled, his deep laugh making her grin grow even wider. “Prettier than Fiona. Way prettier. You’re the star of the day, Princess Ellie.”

Ellie clapped her hands in delight and grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the table. “Come on! I want to see my cake!”

Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile as Javier let himself be dragged along. When she finally saw the cake, her jaw dropped.

Three tiers of perfection, each one adorned with Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and little green swirls that matched her dress. The kids let out collective “oohs” and “aahs,” and Ellie’s face lit up brighter than the candles already sitting on top.

“It’s Shrek ! My cake is Shrek!” she squealed, practically vibrating with excitement.

“It sure is,” Javier said, his hand still holding hers. “And it’s all for you. But you’ve got to make a wish before you cut it.”

Ellie nodded solemnly, then glanced around the table. She paused, eyes on Javier, and then pointed at him. “You have to be next to me! Pick me up!”

Javier’s eyebrows raised in surprise, but he didn’t hesitate. He scooped her up, holding her steady as the room burst into a heartfelt rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Ellie sang along with everyone, giggling between verses.

When the song ended, Ellie leaned down to blow out the candles, her face scrunched up in concentration as if her wish depended on how hard she puffed. The candles flickered out, and the room erupted in cheers.

“Time to cut it!” Ellie announced. Javier helped guide her hand with the knife, and the first slice went to her, of course.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of cake, laughter, and chaos. Olivia ran around with a chocolate-smeared face, leading a group of kids in an impromptu game of tag. Meanwhile, Javier had somehow ended up at the head of the arts and crafts table, showing two boys how to fold paper airplanes.

I leaned against the wall, watching him with the kids. There was something so natural about the way he interacted with them—patient, kind, and genuinely enjoying himself. He didn’t seem like the type, but here he was, grinning as Olivia climbed onto his lap to show him her latest masterpiece: a glitter-covered mess that vaguely resembled a castle.

My chest ached but in the best way. It wasn’t lost on me how much these moments meant—to the kids, to Javier, to me. For a second, I let myself imagine more days like this.

I felt a small tug on my dress and glanced down to find Marco looking up at me with his big green eyes, his face as serious as only a six-year-old could manage.

“What is it, little superhero?” I crouched down, meeting him at eye level, and gently ruffled his messy brown hair.

He hesitated for a second, shuffling his feet before asking, “Are we gonna celebrate my birthday like this too?”

My heart squeezed. Of course, he’d wonder. “Your birthday’s coming up, isn’t it?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

He nodded eagerly. “In two weeks!”

I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a warm smile. “Of course, we will, Marco. What kind of cake do you want?”

His eyes lit up as if he’d been waiting for this question. “A Batman cake! With Batman, Robin, and the Batmobile!”

“A Batman cake it is,” I said, making an invisible checkmark in the air. “I promise you’ll have the coolest superhero party. I even made sure to get a list of all your birthdays so we can celebrate every single one.”

Marco’s face practically glowed with excitement, but then he glanced over at Olivia, who was busy chasing a balloon across the room. His expression softened, and he asked quietly, “But… we don’t know Olivia’s birthday. When will we celebrate her?”

His innocent words hit me like a blow, twisting something deep inside my chest. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “You know what, Marco?” I said gently, patting his head. “We’ll pick a day—just for Olivia. A special day that’s all about her, and we’ll celebrate just like we would for you or Ellie or anyone else.”

His little brows furrowed as he considered my answer, and then he gave a small nod of approval. “Okay. But it has to be a good day. Like when the sun’s out and stuff.”

I chuckled softly, pulling him into a quick hug. “Deal. A sunny, perfect day for our Olivia.”

Marco grinned up at me, satisfied, before running off to join the other kids, already shouting about Batman and party hats.

I stayed crouched there for a moment, watching him go. The joy in their little lives was so precious, so fragile. And while I couldn’t fix everything, I could give them moments like this—a Batman cake, a sunny day for Olivia, and the certainty that someone cared enough to remember.

Fifteen minutes later, I found myself in a game. The game began like most things with children—innocently, chaotically, and completely on their terms. Ellie, draped in a glittery makeshift crown, declared herself Queen of the Realm. Marco was her King, wielding a spatula as his royal scepter, while Olivia had knighted herself with a wooden spoon.

As for me? I was the unwilling damsel locked in an “imaginary cell,” which, for reasons only they understood, was the playpen dragged to the center of the room.

“You’ll never escape, Princess Renée!” Ellie proclaimed dramatically, pointing at me.

“Oh no, whatever shall I do?” I played along, holding onto the invisible bars. “Who will save me?”

“Prince Javier!” Marco called, waving Javier over from where he was conveniently lingering near the snack table.

Javier chuckled, setting down his plate and sauntering toward the group. “A rescue mission, huh? Sounds dangerous.”

“Very,” Olivia said, stepping forward with her wooden spoon. “But don’t worry, I’ll help you, Your Highness.”

Javier grinned. “Glad to have a knight by my side.”

With Olivia leading the way, Javier approached the “cell,” dodging imaginary traps Ellie enthusiastically described: “Lava here! Watch out for the flying dragons!”

Javier played along, leaping over “lava” and shielding himself from invisible fire. The kids shrieked with laughter as he made exaggerated sound effects.

Finally, he reached the cell, where I sat with an unimpressed look. “Took you long enough,” I teased.

“I had to fight off dragons,” he replied with mock indignation. “It’s not every day I rescue a princess.”

“Well, get on with it, then,” I said, motioning for him to open the “cell.”

Ellie piped up, “Wait! You can’t just let her out!”

Javier raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And why not?”

“The princess is under a spell!” Marco explained, looking very serious.

“She won’t wake up unless…” Ellie paused for dramatic effect.

“Unless?” Javier prompted, clearly amused.

“Unless the prince kisses her!” Ellie declared, clapping her hands.

“What?” I sputtered, shooting Javier a look. “No one mentioned this part!”

“Rules are rules,” Javier said with an exaggerated shrug, stepping closer.

The kids cheered, urging him on as he crouched in front of me. “You ready, Princess?” he asked softly, his eyes meeting mine with a glint of mischief.

“Don’t you dare,” I warned.

But, of course, he dared. Leaning in, he pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. It was quick, but it left me wanting more. It’d been a while since I let him even come near me.

“She’s awake!” Olivia shouted, running to Queen Ellie. “The spell is broken!”

Ellie beamed. “Good! Now they can get married!”

“What?” I asked.

“It’s part of the story,” Marco explained matter-of-factly. “The prince and princess always get married after he saves her.”

“Well, there you have it,” Javier said, smirking.

We stood facing each other, the paper tiara perched awkwardly on my head, and a scarf draped like a makeshift veil over my shoulders. In my hands, I held a sad little bouquet of crumpled paper flowers that Ellie had painstakingly crafted. Javier stood across from me, his expression torn between amusement and something far heavier. The kids were gathered around us, their faces glowing with excitement, completely oblivious to the tension simmering between the two “adults” in this farce of a wedding.

“Dearly beloved,” Marco began, wielding a wooden spoon as a pretend microphone. “We are gathered here today—”

“Let’s skip to the good part!” Ellie interrupted, clapping her hands.

“Yeah! The ‘I do’s!” Olivia chimed in, bouncing on her heels.

My lips flattened into a hard line as I locked eyes with Javier, the tension between us sharp enough to slice through steel.

He leaned in slightly, his voice dipping into a low, careful whisper. “Renée, I—”

“Don’t,” I snapped, cutting him off before he could dig into whatever apology he had lined up.

His jaw tightened, and for a second, I thought he’d back down. But this was Javier; retreat wasn’t in his vocabulary. “I’m sorry,” he said, the words raw like they’d been clawed out of him. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I need you to—”

“You’re barely surviving without me,” I hissed, keeping my voice low enough that the kids nearby wouldn’t catch on. “Yeah, I’ve heard that one. You miss me. You want me close. Javier, you’ve said a lot of things, like how I deserve better, how you’re not enough. Does that ring a bell? Or are you too busy scouting for the man who is worthy of me?”

The muscle in his jaw ticked, and his hands flexed at his sides, clenching and unclenching. “Please,” he said through gritted teeth, his tone dangerously low, “don’t talk about another man like it’s nothing.”

I blinked, the audacity of his words hitting me like a slap. “ You started it. You’re the one who shoved that narrative down my throat. You’re the one who said I deserved better.”

His eyes darkened, frustration and something far more desperate flashing across his face. “I was wrong.”

I tilted my head, arching a brow. “Oh, you don’t say?”

“Renée,” he said again, softer this time, stepping closer. “I’m trying. Every damn day, I’m trying to undo the damage I caused. I know I hurt you. I know I don’t deserve to stand here, to even look at you, let alone ask for another chance. But I’m asking anyway.”

He paused, his voice dropping to a level that seemed to bypass my ears and go straight to my heart. “Because I love you. I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you, and I’ll keep loving you, even if you don’t believe me. Even if it takes a lifetime to prove it. I’ll make myself better. I’ll become the man you deserve. And when I do...” His voice faltered for just a beat before he pushed forward. “...you can say it back.”

The words hit me like a wrecking ball, knocking the wind out of me. My anger faltered, cracking under the weight of his honesty.

I opened my mouth to fire back, to push him away again, but nothing came out. His eyes were locked on mine, and the intensity there burned away every ounce of my anger.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, the softness in his voice undoing me completely. “I just needed you to know.”

Something about his tone, the vulnerability that lingered in it, shattered the last of my defenses. Without thinking, I closed the gap between us and kissed him.

It wasn’t a kiss full of fire and anger, but something quieter, something truer. A surrender to the truth I wasn’t ready to admit out loud. Yet.

Around us, the kids erupted into cheers, their voices breaking the heavy silence we’d created.

“She said yes!” Ellie squealed, clapping her hands like we’d just announced an engagement.

“We’re not even close to the ‘yes’ part!” Marco shouted, his grin stretched wide across his face.

Javier pulled back, just far enough to look at me. His lips curved into a small, almost disbelieving smile, one that made my heart twist in ways I wasn’t prepared for. “So, does this mean I have a chance?”

I smirked, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Don’t push your luck, Your Highness.”