Chapter 94
KALLIE
While the capital continued to smolder days after the battle, the famed impenetrable Frenzian castle remained standing. Although its stone walls were intact, the front yard was a wasteland, the battle’s destruction evident.
The chains that had been used to restrain Graeson sat in an ominous heap beside the castle steps, the metal glowing from the nearby flames. They had tried to burn them at Graeson’s request, but the metal wouldn’t melt.
Although when Graeson mentioned to Terin, Kallie, and a few others that his father confirmed there were other demi-gods out there, an unspoken exchange passed between them. If there were other dragons out there, who knew if they would all be friendly?
With no other option but to put them back in the dungeon, the chains would stay there for now.
After the smoke had settled, they abandoned the camp outside the capital.
When they traversed through the capital before reaching the castle, Kallie could practically see the to-do list in Rian’s head growing longer with every step and every destroyed building they passed.
Rian nearly combusted when he found the castle steps destroyed.
Kallie had intended to leave Graeson’s name out of it, but Graeson had other plans, happily admitting to the deed just to piss off Rian.
As if the king wasn’t already enraged enough after seeing his kingdom nearly razed.
Even now, Rian couldn’t help but tally off the items on his ever-growing list: resources that needed to be allocated from other kingdoms, buildings that needed to be rebuilt, interrogating the guards who had fought on Sebastian’s side, questioning his mother who had been locked in the castle.
He hadn’t stopped debating which item should take priority since the battle had ended.
"Perhaps we should save the to-do list for another day?" Laurince suggested, sitting on the bench beside Rian.
Rian’s hand fell from his hair and landed on the table with a smack. "If we do not discuss what should be a priority, then we will never—"
Laurince patted him on the back, the force of the smack jerking Rian forward. Rian’s mug slipped from his hand and crashed on the ground, shattering into pieces.
"Great! Let’s add new dishes to the list as well while we’re at it." Rian groaned and pushed himself off the bench. He knelt on the ground and started picking up the broken pieces.
Further down, Ellie leaned forward from her seat, her hair falling over her shoulder. "You know, now that I think of it, I think you’re missing something else from that list."
Rian glanced up, a horrified expression widening his eyes. "What else did I forget?"
"A statue."
"Another? Of whom?" he asked, aghast.
"You," Ellie stated with a wicked smirk.
Waving his hand dismissively, Rian returned to his task, plucking the ceramic pieces from the grass. "I don’t need another statue of myself."
Amusement wrinkled the corners of Ellie’s eyes. "But how else will we remember you on your knees? It’s a good look, don’t you think?"
Broken shards fell from Rian’s hands as his mouth parted. Kallie couldn’t tell if he was horrified or embarrassed.
Ellie clapped her hands. "Yes! Just like that! I think it would look lovely as an adornment in the new gardens." She looked around the table. "Don’t you all agree?"
As an argument spurred to life between the pair, Kallie rose to her feet and strolled over to the pyre.
Her gaze trailed up it, watching the smoke and embers whip around the night sky.
With no river nearby for a proper send-off, a pyre had been built in the front yard of the castle.
Its flames bounced off the stone walls and lit the faces of those gathered.
There was much to do, but for one night, everyone put those tasks to the side to celebrate their victory and honor the fallen. Those who lost friends and family threw in any belongings they had left to give. A favored clothing item, a piece of armor, a favorite flower.
Kallie looked out toward the table, taking in the group of people who sat around it.
Ellie barked out a laugh, her head tipping toward the night sky, her cheeks glowing in the fire’s light. Rian spun on his heel and stormed away, his fists curled in frustration.
Myra sat beside Laurince, her head resting against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and tucked her closer to his side, rubbing warmth into her arm. His wings were spread out behind him as if to shield her from the breeze that beat at their backs.
Across from them, Sylvia and Moris sat, passing a pint of ale back and forth. They held it out to Terin, but he shook his head and returned his attention to the bundle in his arms. Smiling, Terin tucked the blanket tighter around the newborn.
Kallie couldn’t help but smile. There was so much loss, pain, and death around them. Yet this small group of people with the new tiny addition was living proof of the light that would come soon.
Someone nudged her in the side, and Kallie already knew who it was before he spoke.
"You know you’re allowed to hold her."
Kallie shifted on her feet. "So everyone keeps saying. I’m just…" She peered up at Graeson, knowing he would understand.
"Scared?" Graeson asked.
Kallie nodded, incapable of lying to him.
She wasn’t even sure what she was scared of.
The child couldn’t hurt her. But when she thought of holding the baby, her limbs wouldn’t move.
Kallie’s actions had torn the child’s family apart once already.
The little girl was too precious, too fragile.
What if something happened when the baby was in her arms?
What if the moment she was in Kallie’s arms, the child cried and thrashed?
What if Kallie accidentally dropped her?
Kallie did not know how to take care of a baby. She had never been around many—hardly any, actually.
And in truth, Kallie didn’t know if she could handle it if the child rejected her. Because how couldn’t she? Kallie was the reason she was fatherless.
Just then, the child started crying, and Terin groaned, tossing his head back.
"I give her to you for less than five minutes, Ter, for a single moment of peace. You really can’t keep her from crying before I even finish my meal?" Dani said, standing and reaching for the child. A gold necklace hung from her neck, and a dainty ring weighed the chain down.
"I did nothing! I didn’t even move!" Terin held up the baby, turning her this way and that as if trying to figure out what was wrong with her.
"Just give her to me," Dani said, reaching for her daughter. "I’ll just eat when she can walk, I suppose. For your sake, you better hope Finnley’s a fast learner like me and not her father."
Terin handed the bundle over to Dani, who cradled her. She ran her knuckle across Finnley’s round cheek. Rocking her, Dani whispered something Kallie couldn’t hear.
Graeson leaned toward Kallie. "You can’t be any worse than Terin. He hasn’t been able to hold her for over five minutes."
A small smile cracked at the corner of Kallie’s mouth, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
"Maybe one day," she said after a moment.
Graeson wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him. Understanding she didn’t want to talk about it, Graeson changed the subject. "Have you decided yet about what you want to do?"
Kallie shook her head. She had been avoiding that question since the battle had ended.
She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do or where she wanted to go.
Terin had approached her when the first group of Pontians were leaving and extended the invitation for Kallie to return home with them.
Kallie, however, declined. But Terin left the offer open.
The rest would head back once Dani was ready.
Even with Helena staying behind, Dani still needed time to heal.
Her body was sore, but she was slowly regaining her strength.
Kallie’s mind drifted to the soldiers returning to Pontia under Dani’s father’s command with Kage in tow.
Terin had proposed imprisoning Kage in Pontia, where they would had the resources to ensure his permanent imprisonment.
With no better suggestion, Kallie had agreed.
Rian already had his hands full. Frenzia’s dungeons were a mess.
Sebastian had wrongfully imprisoned countless people, falsely accusing them of treachery.
Some had been injected with a faulty serum.
As soon as they were let out, the soldiers rushed them to the infirmary.
It turned out Sebastian had rushed the production of the serum when the first battle began.
Once the wrongfully accused were transported to the hospital ward, prisoners filled the cells, waiting to be questioned.
"You don’t have to choose now," Graeson reminded her.
Kallie turned to look at him. His silver eyes instantly met hers. "Have you decided where you’ll go?"
Graeson placed his hand on her face, caressing her cheek. His thumb brushed across her jaw. "I thought we were past the point of asking silly questions like that?"
Pursing her lips, Kallie shrugged. "I don’t know. Maybe we are. But I just…I don’t know if I’m ready to go back to Pontia yet. I still haven’t quite figured things out."
"And like I said, you don’t have to choose now. You don’t even have to know what you wish to do a week or a month from now. If you decide you want to go to Pontia after they leave, we’ll go. If you decide you want to stay here and help Rian rebuild, we’ll stay."
"Really?" Kallie asked.
Graeson nodded. "We can go anywhere you want," he said, weaving his fingers into her hair. "Even Ardentol."
Kallie’s lips parted.
"You think I don’t realize that the people of Ardentol are also on your mind? You’ve lived there for most of your life. That kingdom is as much of your home as Pontia is."
Kallie stared up at him in shock. "You would really come with me?"
With no hesitation, Graeson nodded.
"But what about your friends and family?"
He lifted her hand in the space between them.
In the light of the fire, the gold ring on her finger sparkled as if a fire lived within the metal.
He placed a light kiss on the amethyst stone.
Laying her hand on his shoulder, he slid his hand behind her back, resting it on her lower back.
He stepped closer, leaving only a few inches between them as his gaze darted across her face.
"I’m a dragon, Kal, remember? They’re only a flight away." He smiled at her. "Wherever you go, I go. I’ve waited my entire life for you. I’m not giving you up that easily. When it comes to you, no one else matters."