Who could it be?
It had to be a male, of course. Maybe it was the guy they wanted me to marry?
I shouldn’t care who it was because, in the end, it wasn’t Tavlor. He was the only person who meant the world to me, the only one I wanted to settle down with and have a family with. If it wasn’t him, what did I care?
What would the Council’s chosen champion be like? Malleable and weak? Or super confident and have a supremacy complex?
A lapdog, who wanted nothing more than to make the Council happy, no matter what the cost?
I shuddered at the idea of being married to either sort of man. Any man that wasn’t Tavlor wasn’t good enough for me, in my book.
“My daughter,” my father said again and this time I couldn’t stop the smile that sprung to my face. It truly sounded like he was enjoying using the word. To be able to use it freely around this sort of company. He wasn’t ashamed. He didn’t hesitate. It was everything I’d longed to hear.
“She has no idea what she will be giving up if she relinquishes her right to the High Warlock position. In all our history, we have never had an heir abdicate, and I think Ava deserves to know.”
“Then what are you suggesting, exactly?” Thomas asked, narrowing his eyes between the two of us.
“Simple,” my father said, spreading out his hands. “A three-day reprieve until she has to give her final answer. I will show her the realms, introduce her to some of the politics, and school her in our laws. After that, she can make an educated decision about what she would like to do.”
“I’d also like to meet the man you want me to marry,” I burst out with.
Everyone turned to me, even my father and Tavlor.
I didn’t flinch but I could feel my cheeks burning up with a blush. I cleared my throat.
“I think that’s fair,” I added, though my voice wasn’t as confident as I wanted it to be. I avoided even glancing in Tavlor’s direction. I didn’t want him to think I was considering being with someone other than him, but I needed to know who they wanted to pair me with.
In truth, no matter what my father showed me, I wasn’t agreeing to be ‘bred’ with anyone other than Tavlor.
But if my intuition was correct, this was the man they would replace me with, as High Warlock. And I wanted to suss out my competition, as Courtney liked to say.
Who did they want as their puppet?
My father turned back to Thomas.
“Do we have a deal?” he asked, arching a brow. The fact that my father posed no argument to my suggestion must mean that it was a reasonable request.
Thomas tapped Charity on the arm.
“Give us a moment,” he said.
They receded back into their army and I hurried forward to regroup with Tavlor and my father. I looked between the two of them, hoping to find out if them discussing our request was a good sign or if we had shot ourselves in the foot.
Tavlor raised one eyebrow, but he didn’t say anything.
“What?” I said.
My father chuckled.
“Wanna meet the potential husband, do you?” he teased, his eyes lighting up.
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. Of course, they would think that. They couldn’t possibly try and see it from my point of view, how it was important to understand who would succeed my father if I were to abdicate.
“You guys are too literal,” I insisted. “I don’t even remember his name!”
“Then why…” my father began, but let his voice trail off. He tilted his head to the side.
“Because they will need to replace me with a High Warlock of their choosing, according to you, and it makes sense to me, that they’ve already chosen someone,” I said. “Someone they are trying to get into the bloodlines… someone who may be super malleable…”
My father grinned. “You think they will name Cedric High Warlock, irrespective of whether you agree to the marriage or not.”
“Yes, I think they want him in,” I said. “Either way. So, I want to know who they’ve chosen, and why. I want to know who my potential husband and competition is, to see what sort of man Cedric is before I’m able to make an informed decision about everything.”
Tavlor made a grunting, approval sort of noise. “Smart thinking, Ava.”
I shrugged.
“Not just a pretty face,” I said before sticking out my tongue and giving him a wink.
We turned back to the Council group, who had gone quiet, obviously having made a decision. They were looking at us, waiting. I hoped they weren’t trying to listen in on our discussion. I didn’t think that was allowed, but then again, when did the Council ever respect rules, even ones they, themselves, had put into place?
My father joined Thomas in the middle of the room, and Charity hung back, looking pouty, arms crossed over her chest, a hip jutted out.
Thomas put out a hand as though asking my father to shake it. “We agree with the terms,” he said with a nod. “Your daughter has three days to decide, then we will go ahead with our plans, whether she wants to partake in them or not.”
I shuddered. Our plans. That sounded ominous. I wished I could read their minds and see what those plans actually were, but I didn’t want to cross any lines and I definitely didn’t want anyone doing it on my behalf. Any reason to reject me and they would, especially if that meant throwing me in jail.
My father shook Thomas’s hand, then walked back to us.
“Make sure you have the contracts, Ava, then let’s go back to my office,” my father instructed without looking at me.
I clung to the two contracts I had. The one that set me free, and the other that had every intention of locking me into a gilded cage. Which one I would sign, I still wasn’t sure.
Tavlor led the way, and we went through the portal doors, until we were back in my father’s offices. My shoulders sagged in relief. Carrying the contracts, though they were two innocuous pieces of parchment, was like carrying a heavy burden I had to shoulder alone.
I collapsed onto the couch and put the contracts on the coffee table between the two couches. I eyed them warily, looking at both of them like handcuffs painted different colors. It was my job to select the lesser of two evils, but what was that, exactly?
Tavlor didn’t sit down. Instead, he stood by the door, looking very much like the guard he was hired to be. His mouth set in a grim line. His shoulders were rigid. Despite the fact that he clearly understood why I might want to choose to inherit the role of High Warlock, he wasn’t happy about what I had to do, which was marry someone else. I was just glad to see some emotion on his face since he was usually so reserved, I couldn’t even tell what he was thinking most of the time.
“Oh, my God.” I threw my arms up in frustration. “I can’t believe they want me to choose between loving Tavlor and being your heir. That’s just… so selfish of them.”
My father sat on the couch next to me, looking relaxed and smiling. “We had a win, getting the extra time,” he said, bypassing over my marriage concerns. “Now we can formulate a plan.”
A smile lifted my lips. “You have a plan?” I didn’t want to get too hopeful, but I couldn’t exactly help it. If there was a way I didn’t have to marry someone and still inherit…
He sat up straighter and tugged on his robes. “No. But between us, I’m sure we can come up with something.”
I stared at him for a while, trying to work out what he was really saying. “What sort of… compromise are you planning on?”
The hope that had been building up vanished just as instantly.
He chuckled. “I’m not planning on anything, but I can tell you, I don’t want you compromising at all. I want you to have everything.”
“As in…”
“Tavlor… and to be my heir.”
I sat up. He was going against the Council? “You expect us to be able to win on all fronts?”
My father’s eyebrows dropped as he narrowed his eyes at me. “Don’t you want to?”
His question had me shuffling in my seat. I didn’t know what I truly wanted, and that was scary. And confronting. What should have been an easy question was much harder to understand than I initially believed. I knew without a doubt I wanted Tavlor, but did I want everything else?
“I… don’t know anything about your role. And everything I’ve been told… doesn’t make me want to fight for it,” I admitted.
He coughed strangely, clearing his throat. “Then what are we fighting for?”
“Ah…” God, I was an idiot. How did I explain it? “All I ever wanted was to find you. Be your daughter… I didn’t know that would come with all this responsibility. I’m not sure that I’m built for it, to be honest.”
My father smiled suddenly and leaned back against the couch. “Not built for it? You’re the strongest Witch the Council has seen in too many generations to count. You’re my daughter. You’re your mother’s daughter…” He began to laugh. “If anything, you’re too strong. Too powerful. They would never have let me have a child with a woman as strong, and independent and powerful as your mother. You would never be able to be controlled. You’re their worst nightmare.”
He continued to chuckle, crossing his arms and running a hand over his mouth as though to stifle the noise, but not being able to. I bit my lip to keep from joining in.
I turned towards Tavlor. “What do you think?”
He cocked his head, seeming to be surprised I would ask him at all. “About what?”
I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer to the question, but it had to be asked. “Do you think I can do it?”
Tavlor toddled forward, his gaze on my face as though assessing me.
I kept his gaze, but couldn’t help the way saliva pooled in my mouth and how I had to swallow hard against the need to look away.
What was he trying to determine? My strength? My abilities? If he thought I could do the job my ancestors had been born to for so long?
I didn’t know why this suddenly mattered to me, but hearing it from Tavlor, from someone who was raised within the Council and not my father was important to me.
Tavlor put his hand out and I took it.
He dragged me to my feet and held onto me like his life depended on it.
“Ava. You can do anything you want to do, and I mean that in every sense. You are kind and so smart, you empathize with every person, and are unforgiving to those who are evil. You are a rare creature, and I know, no matter what you choose, you will be successful.”
I grabbed onto him, hard. “But can I do… this.” I gestured with my hand, but I didn’t think I explained myself the way I intended to. I needed to clarify. “Lead people. Have them look up to me. Take on all this responsibility and do it well?”
He nodded, his eyes locked into mine. “Of course, you can. Didn’t you hear your father? You are more powerful than any High Warlock before you, because they couldn’t control your breeding. Your mother’s will. If you decide to do this… then you will bring the change they fear. You will bring peace. I know you will.”
I closed my eyes and dropped my head onto his chest. His heartbeat steadied my own and I took a deep breath, trying to figure this out. What I wanted didn’t exactly align with what the right thing to do was.
What did I know about running a household, let alone a planet? How was I going to do this?
I lifted my head and took a deep breath.
“Well, it sounds like I’ve got a lot to learn before any of that happens,” I said slowly.
Tavlor kissed me on the forehead, his lips feeling like goodbye.
I pulled back and glared up at him. “Hey, don’t you dare give up on me,” I told him. I clenched my teeth to make sure my voice didn’t shake. “I’m not marrying some stranger, I can tell you. And they have no right to take my birth right away from me either, not unless I… you know, decide I don’t want it.”
My father laughed and patted the seat next to him. “Come here, Ava.”
I left Tavlor and moved over to my father, my chest tight and my eyes burning with unshed tears.
“What’s up?” I asked, my tone flippant, trying to lighten the mood. Trying to make myself feel better.
Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t working.
“I want you to know, that you’re my daughter.”
I laughed, glancing at Tavlor, then back at my dad. “I know… isn’t that the point of all this drama and trouble?”
My father reached over and took my hand, squeezing my fingers tight.
“Ava.”
“Yes… dad.” I swallowed hard at the look in his eyes. It was intense, heart-felt. As though I could feel his soul, know his intentions.
And they were more than I could cope with.
“Hear me,” he said, his tone serious. “You’re my daughter, no matter what. If you decide that you don’t want my… job, then that is more than your right, that is your obligation. To make the right choice for you. Always. I just want you to know that that will not change the relationship between you and me. Nothing will.”
I squeezed his hand back. “Thank you, dad.”
“But I want you to know something else.”
I arched a brow. “What’s that?”
“I want you to know… that I think you would be an amazing High Warlock,” he said. I wanted to cut in, make some sort of sarcastic remark, but he sounded genuine. “And you would do things for our community. For this realm, all the realms in fact… that I don’t have the courage to do.”
I inhaled sharply.
“I’m not sure if you’re right, but I appreciate the vote of confidence,” I said. It was all I could muster, given the swirling emotions inside of me.
My father smiled and let go of my hands. “Now, what is it you need from us, to help you decide?”
I took a moment to think about it, but the answer was pretty simple. “I need to know more about what you… do. I want to meet some of the people, I want to hear what they need from me… I just…”
“Wanna do some research?”
I nodded. “Yeah, pretty much. I mean, if research could sound so simple, I’m willing to do it.”
My father nodded. “Done. Let’s organize a full day tomorrow. We’ll speak to the leaders of the Shifters and the Fae. You can ask whatever you want.”
“That sounds great.” I sat back, relieved. The plan did sound good. I hoped it would be informative. I hoped it would make things clearer for me in order to help me make the most informed decision I could.
My father turned to Tavlor and they began to talk about which realm to go to, who to speak to, and what to tell them.
I sat back and felt the wind on my face, like being on a rollercoaster ascending the first hill.
I was on the ride, and irrespective of what was about to happen, I couldn’t get off now.