Chapter 31 #2
“Our friend there, Ean’s a bit of a bookworm. He’ll be able to translate for us.” Isahn tried to change the subject.
Solaelia’s disbelieving gaze flicked back and forth between Isahn and Hildy. “I thought you said that was Villa Senone.”
“Sometimes, Lia, cities have more than one house.” Aiming for humor while guilt gnawed at his gut was a risk, but he took it.
She pierced him with a flat look. “Psh. Whatever you say. I don’t know what you’re involved in, but I’m here to help, however you need. And don’t worry, honestly, I’ll write to the king about Peros’s unexpected and unfortunate demise after breaking and entering the house.”
“Thank you,” Isahn mumbled gratefully. He hoped she knew it was an expansive “thank you,” one meant to capture the breadth of his gratitude for trusting him while he was so clearly holding back.
She killed a man for them—for Domos—and she didn’t even have half the facts.
Solaelia was the best sort of person, and Isahn couldn’t wait until he could bring her into the fold and tell her about the fae.
He needed to speak with George first, get permission to share state secrets, then he’d make good with his sister.
“Could you maybe leave me out of your correspondence?” Hildy requested with a grimace. “Or, if I’m included, perhaps call me Mel Hill, from Newand.”
Solaelia nodded, golden curls bouncing in the morning light. Her hair, with its puffiness on top, almost looked ablaze. Fitting, for a firebearer who’d protected her estate.
“Lia, can I talk to you about something else, too?” It was time.
“Anything...” She trailed off, visibly wary of the intensity in his tone.
Hildy cleared her throat, fidgeting her feet beneath the table, like she was debating getting up to go or maybe worried about what he planned to say.
Shooting Hildy a look meant to encourage her to stay put, he turned back to his sister. “I hate asking you to go back down there, but, would you meet me in the vault?”
“Absolutely.” Lia plucked a scone off the table of untouched food before slipping from the room.
When the door clicked closed, Isahn faced Hildy. “This isn’t about any forbidden topic. It’s personal.”
“About you and George?” She smirked before biting into a crunchy strip of bacon.
Isahn grimaced, not because of the George thing, because the sight of nearly charred, curled-up flesh roiled his stomach. He didn’t think he’d want to eat meat for quite some time. “Kind of.”
“Do we leave tomorrow, for home?” she asked.
“I think so. Yes.”
“I’ll write to Wynnie now. Should I include anything from you to George? It’ll need to be cryptic.”
“However you can manage it, just say I’m coming home, too.”
Hildy grinned as Isahn left the room.
Lia was just down the corridor, walking slowly with her scone in hand. “I thought we were meeting downstairs?” she asked after a bite.
“My chat with Hildy was quick.”
Her stare penetrated the side of his face, even as he tried to look ahead. “Is this about the princess?”
“Vault. I want to talk in private.”
She rolled her eyes. “Everyone in this house knows every bit of our business, just as we know every bit of theirs.”
He chuckled, smiling at the truth in her statement.
“I wanted to talk about you first,” he began, his deflection pretty damned obvious.
“I’m fine, honestly. Isahn—” Lia stopped them at the top of the stairs, taking both of his hands and squeezing.
“I would do anything for you. You’re my big brother.
Peros was awful and plagued us for years.
He murdered our parents. I won’t lose a wink of sleep over what I had to do last night, and you shouldn’t either.
It was for us, it was for Staridge and the earldom, it was for our people—and Domos too. There’s nothing for me to regret.”
Tension sluiced off him as her words rained down, rinsing away his apprehensions. Lia was strong, a capable and passionate leader, and she was going to be all right. She excelled at this.
As they passed the spot where Peros fell, he avoided looking at the floor, but the charred carpet was unavoidable, extending out in front of the vault door.
“Do you know this combination?” Isahn asked.
“You changed it when you became earl.”
“I know. Come, look.”
Lia peered over his shoulder as he twisted the dials on the lock until a latch clicked and they could push open the door. “Got it?”
“Yes.”
Solaelia lit the sconces as he made for his mother’s collection, lifting lids on inlaid boxes until he found what he was looking for. “I need to ask you something.”
“I know.” Her tone was soft, understanding. “Don’t take the carnelian and sapphire ring. It’s part of a set, and I have the other pieces.”
With a smirk, he turned and showed her his choice.
“Mum loved that one.” Lia smiled at him, her pale eyes shining with unshed tears. “It hasn’t been long, though, has it?”
“No, but it’s been intense. I love her, and I want to spend my life supporting her. I need to be there.”
“Isahn—”
“I’m sorry, Lia. I know you didn’t ask for this, but I need to abdicate. Will you take the earldom, officially?”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Of course it is. I love Staridge. Go get your woman.” Her smile was luminous as her tears spilled free. “I’m going to miss you, but I’m so, so happy for you. And I do need to meet the illustrious Princess George.”
“She’ll be queen soon.”
“And you’ll be king,” Lia retorted, bracing him by the shoulders and laughing at whatever horrified expression he made.
“You’re better at this than I ever was—”
“You can’t abdicate a kingship to me.”
He snorted. “I mean leadership, taking control.”
“You chased our uncle hundreds and hundreds of miles, Isahn. You were taken captive. You not only won over your captors, but befriended them—”
“Fell in love with one.”
“Exactly. Then you left to chase Peros again, for the good of others before yourself. And now you’re abdicating for love and the future you deserve. What part of that is not ‘taking control’?”
She had a point.
Their ensuing hug was fierce, and after Solaelia put in a special order for him in town, they stayed up late crafting the perfect letter to King Ehmet and Queen Hevva. In the morning, with Lia’s promise to visit soon echoing in his ears, Isahn and Hildy left for the north.