Chapter 47
forty-seven
. . .
Aten
Ican’t see what Ever and my mother are doing, but I can sense Ever’s eyes on me. There’s no way in Zuns that I’m taking mine off Kamari.
“You conspired with Fenix Hart. You conspired with the Usher to overthrow the Orders, and seek to what? Rule over Kirrians? The details are a little vague, but I know you were the one to betray Aslendrix and the Maker and allow the plundering of our library. You lied, coerced, and you pinned it on my father to garner more support. All the while knowing why he’s been so preoccupied with protecting Kirrasia: because of your complicit dealings, your scheming.
” I lay the accusations at her feet, stacking one after the other.
“I just can’t work out the why. What you thought you’d get in return.
You wouldn’t be in a position of power at the end, not siding with them, so what was in it for you? ”
The crowd that has gathered slowly turns a darker shade as more and more Warriors flood in from outside the gate.
I relax, the weight of the sword suddenly becoming too much for me, and as I lower it, the iron grip of fear that had hung around me lifts, but… I don’t trust it. Almost as if—
“Stop it. Kamari. Do not touch my son.” My mother’s voice rings out, cutting through the air as if wielding her own weapon.
I take a step back and strengthen my hold on my sword, the need to cling to it—to defend—raging back through my bloodstream.
I turn to look at my mother and see Ever helping her to stand strong.
She’s fighting. Even now, she’s fighting for me.
“Are you that desperate, Kamari? That in front of all of these witnesses, you’d try to manipulate me?” The urge to run her through with this blade gnaws away at me, but there’s been too much bloodshed already. We need a confession for the truth to come out.
“Your son seems to think he’s above the rules of Kirrasia. We banished him, yet here he stands.” Kamari falls back on the only facts she can rely on.
“Enough!” Ever shouts over everyone, and we all stop to look at her.
She helps my mother to my father before she comes to stand by my side.
“Enough.” She nods to me, then stands at the edge of the steps, looking out at the Kirrians who have gathered.
“Most of you only know me as that name—the Fifth that came from Estereah and nothing more. You’ll have heard whispers, been frightened about what it means to have a powerful Kirrian with a magic so few know about.
That’s because we have all been lied to.
All of us. Time and time again.” She pulls her gaze directly at Kamari.
“All in the name of power. All in the name of keeping the people with power at the top. Nobody is innocent, and everyone has accusations to throw. You are the lucky ones. Standing here after many have died.” Grumbles and talk stir from her audience.
“There is only one person who knows the truth. The whole truth. And it’s only she that should be listened to.
Everyone else has too much to lose to be believed. ”
Kamari edges backwards, as more people rush out from the smaller door to the Tower—and Rowan is at the front.
He charges, drawing his sword as if we are all his enemy. Azur and Ravi are among the others he’s drafted to attack.
“Ever!” I shout, already backing up to her.
The crowd responds, screaming and crying at the new threat, with the Warriors moving to surround the people.
Kamari retreats, her Guards circling her in an instant.
And I’m next to Ever, pulling her away from the charge.
As I tuck her behind my back, I turn to face the Custodian, knowing full well he’ll be vying for her, but my father’s frame lunges forward, his own sword catching Rowan’s and pushing him back.
My father’s strength overpowers Rowan’s in only a few strokes. “You dare raise a blade against my son!” he bellows at his past commander.
Rowan’s sword skitters out of his hand and skids over the stones.
He pulls back his arms, and I recognise the move. He’s going to kill him.
“Wait!” I shout. “Don’t kill him. There’s no benefit in more death.” Rowan’s attack was foolish and rash, but if more die before we have the full picture, the full extent of who betrayed us, we’ll never be able to move forward.
My father pulls his sword, but then, with his other arm, swings his fist and punches Rowan in the face, sending him to the floor. He goes down hard before turning over and getting to his knees.
He looks right at Ever. “You should be dead. That was what they asked for, and I made sure the right people were in the right places to see to it.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
I reach for her hand, unable to believe she’s fine and unharmed, wrestling to keep my panic from rising again.
The Warriors contain the rest of his band of would-be attackers, and I stare directly at Azur and Ravi. Both of their faces are filled with rage, promising that this won’t be over.
After everything, they still see Ever as a symbol to rise against because she has power, and others don’t. Only she doesn’t. Not now.
She’s alive, but neither of us has our magic.
His stare—his hatred—reminds me that it’s not safe, and I’m done risking our lives. We’ve done enough.
We must have done enough.
“Rigel. We need to get back to the apartments. Mother, it’s not safe. We need to take you somewhere safe.” My insistence draws everyone’s attention, including my father’s.
“Of course, Master Ciro.” Rigel starts to lead her back towards the main doors into the Tower.
“She will go nowhere with you.” My father lets my mother and Rigel pass, but blocks my retreat with Ever.
“I won’t have this fight with you, Father. She is coming inside.”
“She is dangerous. It was Aerith, her power that turned Elex, and it cost him. He caused all this destruction.”
“Ever isn’t to blame!” I bawl at him. “Do you know everything we’ve done to protect Kirrasia? You are so trapped in the past, and the lies you’ve built in the name of never letting it happen again—can’t you see that?” My voice howls over him, over everyone. “Let us pass!”
The courtyard distils into quiet over the chaos, but as I pant through my anger, the intimidating rhythm of a stick striking the cobbles rings out around us.
Everyone in Kirrasia recognises that noise.
Ever pulls her hand from mine and turns towards the courtyard.
“Ever?” People part slowly, making way for the Maker, accompanied by her Triune.
Behind them, General Aster and two other Warriors provide the escort. Calix, Lyle, Kyra, Raiden, and Capella follow behind them. All of them safe.
Ever drops to her knees and smothers her hand over her mouth at the sight of her friends.
Her family. I watch Calix and make sure I give him a nod before reaching for Ever and pulling her against my chest to hold her.
My own relief takes over, strengthening my hold on her so much that I fear I might break her.
“The fighting is over. You will all lay down your weapons and be silent.”
The Maker’s voice rings inside all our minds, judging by the wide eyes and sudden quiet over everyone.
She continues her journey up the steps, and Ever twists in my hold to watch. The Maker pauses before the top step and looks down at Ever. Her hand reaches out and brushes her cheek before carrying on to the top.
The three strikes of her staff amplify around us.
General Aster takes a fleeting glance in our direction before heading towards my father, as his two companions, other Officers of the Warriors, head to Kamari and Rowan.
“There are many questions to be answered. Many wrongs to put right. Balance must be restored. This is her way.” Her voice echoes with a power that can only be from Aslendrix. And the people gathered know it.
“Kamari and Rowan will be escorted to Amenest prison for crimes against our Goddess.”
Ever shoots her gaze to me. “I didn’t know Kirrasia had a prison.”
“It’s not customary to use it,” I say before I ask the Maker what of my father.
“He has only ever acted in Aslendrix and Kirrasia’s best interest. That may have been hard to see, Aten Ciro. But he will not be punished harshly for that. He has already suffered.”
Suffered. I shake my head.
“Who else is there?” Ever asks. “At the prison.”
“I don’t know. But I bet my father will.”
“What about the Fifth?” someone shouts. “What’s her punishment?” The call goes up.
I move to defend Ever, but as I move, so does Calix, heading to intercept the Guard who voiced his thoughts. The rest of our friends push forward to us at the steps.
“Punishment?” Lyle shouts as she follows Calix through the crowd, Calix cutting a path for her. “Punishment for what? What has she done to you?” Lyle is as protective as I hoped she would be. The meek woman at the cottage, now galvanised in support of her daughter.
“She is dangerous.”
“To someone with little power, anyone can seem dangerous. Kamari, Orion, Portia, or Darien. Calix is dangerous.”
“But—”
“But nothing,” Calix’s intimidation shuts the speaker up.
And we wait. For someone else to speak, for something from the Maker.
“That’s it? That’s not enough. There has to be a change. Something must change,” Ever whispers to me.
“The library will be opened. Accounts corroborated, and truths told. The Elementals will see to it.”
“And?” Ever pushes. “We can’t have done all of this for nothing.”
Kyra, Raiden, and Capella stand as a barrier to the people around us and Ever.
“She’s right. That isn’t enough,” Raiden backs her up.
“Be careful—both of you. You’re challenging the Maker,” I warn.
“I’ve challenged Aslendrix. So have you. I’m not backing down now.” She stands and looks at the Maker.
They are locked in a staring war, the tension only growing, but there’s no communication, no voice from the Maker. I doubt their war is silent, though.
Finally, Ever shakes her head.
“Ten, take me out of here. Please.”