4. Apollo #2
Although Apollo had yet to be officially crowned king, he still had more power than the council.
In the Magnificent North, a prince could not become king until he wed.
But that law, like his upcoming coronation, was mostly for show.
Royal events like coronations and Nocte Neverending endeared princes to their people and filled kingdoms with hope and love.
That said, the Council of Great Houses was not entirely powerless. They couldn’t stop Apollo from naming a new Great House, but they could fight him over it and, in the process, dig up dangerous truths that Apollo didn’t want to risk anyone discovering.
The last thing he needed was the kingdom to learn that the legendary Valors had returned from the dead and were now posing as House Vale.
He’d been dead only a few weeks, but the world believed the Valors had been dead for hundreds of years.
Apollo was still struggling to wrap his mind around the fact that the tales of the Valory had been true and that the Valors had been locked away inside it.
He hated to imagine what kind of fuss the kingdom would make if they found out.
And he didn’t even want to think about the questions Evangeline would ask if she discovered that she had been the one to unlock the Valory Arch.
It seemed his brother, Tiberius, had been right about what she would do all along.
Apollo only hoped that Tiberius was wrong about what would happen after the arch was opened.
“Lord Vale and his family were there when I returned from the dead,” Apollo explained smoothly, as this was actually partially the truth.
Honora Valor, Wolfric’s wife, had cured him from the Archer’s curse and the mirror curse.
He truly felt indebted to her, making it easy to say earnestly, “Without this family, I might not be here today. As a reward, I’ve decided to make them a Great House and gift them lands where they might care for others in the same manner they cared for me. ”
For a moment the entire council was quiet. Apollo could see that even though the members had been drawn toward Wolfric earlier, they were uncertain about this bear of a man, and even more nervous about Apollo’s proclamation.
Apollo had never bestowed the honor of Great House upon a family, nor had his father before him or his father’s father before him. It was fairly simple to do but once it was done, it was very difficult to undo. To give power was a far easier thing than to take it away.
Although Apollo could sense that each council member feared this declaration had taken power away from them.
He could almost see the questions on the tips of their tongues: You’ve only just come back from the dead. Are you certain this is wise? Are you planning to make other Great Houses? How do you know this house is truly deserving to be Great—to be one of us?
“My family is grateful for your generosity, Your Highness. It is truly an honor to be on this council among so many fine men and women.” Wolfric’s voice was mild, but his gaze was firm and unwavering as he looked around the council.
One by one, he met the eyes of each member, and more than a few appeared to hold their breath.
As a boy, Apollo had been told countless stories of this man.
It was said that Wolfric Valor could fell entire armies with one battle cry and rip off the heads of enemies with his bare hands.
He’d united the fighting Northern clans to form a kingdom and built Wolf Hall as a wedding gift for his wife after stealing her away from another.
On the surface the man before him didn’t appear as forbidding as the stories claimed. Apollo was taller and dressed in clothes far finer. Yet Wolfric possessed that indefinable more his father had always spoken of. Wolfric embodied everything that Apollo had never attempted to be.
The council didn’t speak a word until finally Wolfric released them from his gaze.
It was Lord Byron Belleflower who spoke up then. “Welcome to the council, Lord Vale. I hope you’ve already been apprised of all recent kingdom matters. There are a few other important issues that must be discussed today.”
Belleflower turned toward Apollo. Unlike nearly everyone else in the castle who had looked upon the prince since he’d made his dramatic return from the dead, Byron Belleflower did not gaze upon Apollo with wonder or awe.
He and Apollo had not gotten along for years, and it appeared from the young man’s derisive gaze that Byron had become even more disagreeable during the time Apollo had been away from his throne.
There were rumors Belleflower’s paramour had died, though Apollo wouldn’t have been surprised to learn she’d faked her death to get away from him.
“Now,” Belleflower droned loudly, before pausing dramatically to make sure that everyone else at the large table was looking his way.