Chapter 34 #2
While everyone spoke—their stories filling in a few of the gaps of what he’d felt and experienced, given that he could only sense the volcanic activity—Daemon kept an eye on the harbor.
The maybe-sails became definitely-sails, and he felt Nik and Elianne drawing ever closer too.
They were, as Perla had said, traveling fast in a lava stream, back into Helviti.
“Let’s pause there,” he said after Laila’s friend had added her report. “Nik and Elianne are back in the mountain and should be joining us in minutes.”
“The queen is in Reykstoll as well.” Laila angled toward the door. “She seems to be heading straight for the harbor.”
“Then let’s meet her there.” Daemon nodded to the scribe to pause the recording and led the way out the doors, not saying anything when Perla found her way to his side again.
She probably shouldn’t have been sitting in on a meeting of their unofficial High Council, but whatever.
Let it be the two hundred eighteenth infraction.
They all knew Kyrja wasn’t going to send her back to Daryatla for anything short of a knife in the back.
They strode through the palace, out the doors, down to the harbor along the path that Stefanos had taken to get here from his trireme five days ago.
Nik and Elianne hadn’t caught up with them yet, but he’d just as soon not let the Ellesians roam the harbor before Kyrja reached them, so he made their aim the massive ship.
Running footsteps behind them had him glancing back to see his two missing Aflame slipping into their numbers as they reached the docks. Elianne paused beside Ember, but Nik continued toward Daemon.
Daemon greeted him with a nod. “Impressive work, youngling.”
Nik snorted a laugh. “You know how you kept saying I had to stretch to find my limits? I think I found them.”
Daemon laughed too, low in his throat. “I wouldn’t exactly call forming a new mountain a limit.”
“I couldn’t have managed it without your help. Thanks for jumping in so fast.”
Daemon clapped a hand to Nik’s shoulder. “We’re Aflame. That’s what we do.” He glanced back, caught Elianne’s gaze. “You too, Elianne. Good work.”
She straightened, shoulders rolling back. And for perhaps the first time in their decades together, she didn’t see fit to argue—perhaps because it was the first time he didn’t criticize. “Thank you, Dae. Apparently, when my son is at risk, I’m more capable than I knew.”
Daemon’s lips curved. “I always said it was a matter of motivation. I suppose I just didn’t know what yours should be.
” But he saw it now. Saw her. That she’d never been meant to be just another member of their clan, but she’d also never been meant to be his.
Not like he’d thought. She already had her purpose.
And that purpose stood with a straight spine, confidence in his eyes, and something more too. Something that said he wouldn’t be relegated to the shadows of Below.
Fodur’s words filled his mind again. It was always going to be Nik here, now. Nik beside his queen. Nik as the first Aflame king of Fjordlandi.
It was fitting. It was right. Even if that meant Daemon’s place was…what? Where? In the shadows as a mentor—as if Nik needed him for that? Standing awkwardly beside Elianne, hoping she’d forget all the expectations he’d tried to force on her?
Maybe elsewhere. In another volcano in the Ring of Flames. Alone again, like he was at the start. Sorting out who he was, now that he knew what he was.
“Isn’t this a touching reunion.” Stefanos’s voice sliced through the air. He stood on the deck of the trireme while his men lowered a gangway. His gaze scanned the crowd. “And my runaway bride?”
Nik stood tall without going stiff. Certainly without his veins going hot. The control he’d found beyond his grasp on their first meeting with the king now seemed to rest easily in his hands. Which made sense, given all he’d done today. “The queen will join us shortly.”
Stefanos strode down the plank, his logade marching in time behind him, fanning out as soon as they reached the dock.
Nik held up a hand to stop their progress before Daemon could. “That’s quite close enough, friends. One twitch of your fingers and you’ll find those boards under you have turned to ash and you’ll all be taking a swim in the delightful waters of Reykstoll Harbor.”
Daemon smothered a smile. His newest pupil had definitely graduated early.
Stefanos tilted his head, studying Nik like he was a book.
“Interesting. Was it you, then, building a new volcano? I rather assumed only your primal had such power.” He flicked a glance to Daemon, then back to Nik.
“Interesting indeed. It seems there is much I haven’t yet learned about the people of Fjordlandi.
I look forward to many long conversations with my bride. ”
Nik gave the king a smile Daemon wouldn’t have expected to find on the young man’s lips before. Not exactly cold, but far from warm. Not exactly cunning, but far from na?ve. “I think you’d better wait until Queen Valkyrja arrives before we reopen negotiations.”
They didn’t have long to wait. A crowd had formed, and even now a shout went up. The queen was nearly there.