Chapter Forty-Six
Bellamy
C alista was already in my Haven manor when I arrived, running her fingers across the kitchen countertops. She had always loved this space. It was more hers than mine.
“I miss it. Life here was so lovely,” she murmured, her tone wistful. My nod was curt, my mind not wishing to remember the days before Haven was destroyed. Not when that came with the horrifying memories of all the dead as we burned their bodies and buried their ashes.
“Why did you stay?” I asked without thinking, my mouth moving quicker than my thoughts. She turned towards me, her violet eyes sharp and her short black hair sticking to her face from the sea water. “In Haven, I mean. You could have been portaled back to the open sea.”
Of all the things I had expected her to say, it was not what she chose. “Have you ever wished you could be someone else?”
“Daily before I met Ash,” I admitted.
“Well, I remember wishing that back then. When King Adbeel first put up The Mist, many sirens died. We watched the odd red cloud wash over the water, diving into it and coating our friends or loved ones. Their screams still echo in my nightmares sometimes,” she said, her voice strained. Tortured. It seemed all of us were these days. “By the time we even considered going on land, the king had declared the war over. We thought our chances better here than with the fae.”
“That makes sense. Did you ever consider trying to find any of your kind on the other side?”
“You were the first to welcome us with open arms, Bellamy. Before you, we were ostracized. In the minds of demons, a siren belonged with the beasts in the Forest of Tragedies. We are born of the God of Death and Creation after all.” I thought of the black blood that poured out of Captain Harligold’s siren and how it burned Ranbir. Yes, they were Padon’s creations. Raw versions without Asta’s magic to stifle them. “Plus, we have made a home here in the waters of Haven. Some even used to live in the village if you remember. From what we know of, we are the only sirens in existence. None live beyond The Mist.”
“I saw one not long ago. She is part of a pirate’s crew. She has your violet eyes.”
“Interesting. I guess I should have thought of going to look for others. I was never good at leading. Being thrust into the role was never my desire. My sister was queen for a reason, and she deserved more than death at the hands of The Mist.” She choked on a soft sob as she opened a drawer, toying with the cutlery inside.
I let my mind wander for a while, our silence comfortable. But soon, as a storm seemed to approach, I was forced to ask the question I had been avoiding. “Will you fight with us, Calista?”
“Of course we will. My sweet and wicked Stormy would have. My sister’s will is mine, even if it is just the memory of it.”
***
“Must everything be black?” Noe asked, throwing the stack of papers in her hand to the ground in her normal dramatic fashion.
Adbeel chuckled, completely unphased by her interruption or her outburst. He leaned back in his chair, hands relaxed where they rested across his stomach. His obsidian crown sat crooked on top of his curls and his full mouth was stretched in a smile. He had been unbearably happy since Asher had been spending time with him. Even after he came back with less than enthusiastic reactions from the realm in regards to the news of Asher’s future ascension and our impending marriage, he still smiled nonstop.
While I had expected him to love me less with the prospect of a granddaughter, it had been the exact opposite. Adbeel doted on us both, so unbelievably excited that he could not contain himself. It was wonderful to have everyone together, but also terribly draining. I just wanted to hide in my room with Ash and fuck her for hours on end. Was that too much to ask for?
“Why is my shirt of any concern to you?” I asked Noe, laying my head on my hand. My elbow was pressed firmly into the wood of Adbeel’s desk, a breeze coming in from the open window that smelled of salt water and fading autumn heat. I was far too content, which was why we were running on less and less time to plan the wedding. We needed to take advantage of the rare peace before everything crashed down around us.
“You are so fucking annoying, do you know that? Adbeel, tell him he is annoying and that he must wear a color other than black or red!” She was whining, her voice pitched so high that it hurt my ears. Adbeel only laughed, slapping me on the back.
“You heard her, wear something else,” he conceded, smirking at me like he was having the time of his life.
“Just wait until she starts dressing you, old demon.” He gasped in mock outrage, straightening his white tunic as if it were a precious piece.
“Speaking of old, I do have something to ask you. Noe, would you give us a moment?” Noe’s gaze was wide as it flicked between us. Nosy little vermin. I flicked my hand, signaling for her to get out of there. With a slight stomp of her foot she pivoted, her long mane of golden-brown hair hitting me in the face as she left.
A soft click came as the door shut, and then we were alone. I turned to Adbeel, waiting to hear what he could possibly have to ask. Nerves stretched his face as he seemed to contemplate how best to say whatever it was that held his thoughts.
“Oh how bad can it be? I literally told you that I had been keeping your long-lost granddaughter from you. It cannot be worse than that, right?”
Glaring at me as if I had just reminded him of how much he despised me, Adbeel sat up straight and placed his clasped hands upon his desk. More silence was all I was offered. Fine then, far be it for me to ignore good food. I grabbed a chocolate scone and took a bite, reaching for my coffee to wash it down. Just as I took a drink, Adbeel finally spoke. “I want you and Asher to ascend.”
Delicately, like the royal I was, I promptly spit out the hot coffee. Adbeel watched the dark liquid spray his sun-bleached floors with an unamused expression. He looked like someone who had suffered greatly at the hands of his enemies. Really it was just me, being a little shit in his eyes. How wonderfully domestic.
“When?” I finally said through gasping breaths. My dark brown shoe had coffee on it, and I found myself staring at the spot instead of looking at him.
“We will do a ceremony immediately following your vows.”
So soon. Would Asher want that? How would she feel about immediately ruling over creatures she once thought her enemies? Was everything still too new?
Asher had spent a lifetime choosing everyone but herself, I feared what putting a crown on her head would do now that she had finally learned to prioritize her own feelings and wants.
“I do not know if she is ready,” I finally admitted, looking at him. He gave nothing away with his face, but his tapping foot and tightly clenched hands told me he was on edge. Adbeel had said before that he wanted the crown off his head. He was tired. I could understand that. “We are in a volatile time, do you think now is the best opportunity to challenge the status quo?”
“Asher is the strongest demon we have seen in millennia, our subjects will see that for what it is: hope and destiny.”
“Fine, I will ask her and get right back to you.”
“Excellent. I will have Solei’s old crown fitted for her.” Adbeel beamed, twisting in his chair to look out at the sea beyond The Royal City.
“Of course you will,” I sighed in defeat.
***
“What if we restored Haven?” I asked as I massaged Asher’s head with my hand not covered in paint. The others straightened, our group larger than it had ever been as we sat outside while the sun slowly crawled towards the horizon, nearly tucked behind the mountains. Even Stassi was there, stuck to Sterling’s side like glue. I had caught Asher looking their way with a frown more than once, especially as Stassi seemed to soothe a pain in Sterling’s hand. Something had changed between them the other day after he returned with his sister.
Geneveive had agreed to spend time with us as well, though she spent most of it insulting Henry. He was becoming obsessive with his love for her, and it seemed he had begun to wear her down. She was curled up against him, his hand absently playing with her curls before she reached up and swatted it away.
“What would be the point?” Lian asked from her spot next to Damon, who was looking longingly at Noe. My spymaster was uninterested in anything but her plans for my attire at my wedding. Putting down my paintbrush, I looked at Lian.
“The sirens could live in it. Maybe you all could too. It was our primary home for so long, and I feel like it is special enough to deserve more love.” Asher’s head adjusted against me, and I looked down in time to catch her curious gaze. Was she listening to my thoughts? I did not feel her there, but I rarely did these days. She was even stronger, somehow.
“Nona would have liked that,” Ranbir whispered. To his left, Cyprus nodded vacantly.
“Luca, too.”
Their names had me picking up my paintbrush again, their portraits coming together slowly. We would need them for the wedding. Luca’s blonde hair was giving me trouble, but I was making gradual progress.
“I wish you would let me put you in navy blue, I think it would look so good with your complexion,” Noe mumbled before scribbling upon the paper she was inspecting.
“Asher is wearing white, I need to be more subtle so she can shine. It is her special day after all.”
“It is more your special day than mine, you desperate demon. Plus, I will look fantastic regardless, thank you very much.”
“Blue goes great with white!” Noe shouted.
“Just put me in black, please. You can wear blue instead,” I scoffed. No way was I wearing the color of fucking Maliha.
“I am not the groom, dumbass! You are so, so annoying, Bell.”
“I will toast to that,” Damon shouted with a snort. Soon, everyone—even Asher—was raising their glasses before dumping them back.
Stories began, and I was lost in the sounds, my focus solely on the canvas before me. That was, until Asher reached up and grabbed my hand, placing a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth that was still swollen from her affection earlier. I noted the new tattoo on her wrist, my heart breaking at the meaning behind it. Sterling had an exact replica on his left wrist, the two of them having snuck off to see Shah the other night. Together they made a particularly fucked up pair.
Then again, so did we all.
“I love you,” I whispered against her lips after turning my head.
Laughing, she mumbled, “I love you more.”