26

IT IS JUST BEFORE ELEVEN in the morning on Everleigh’s seventeenth birthday. She is alone in Halfreda’s room, looking beautiful in her dress but feeling more upset and anxious than she has ever felt before. This is more frightening than when she thought about being sacrificed; this is unknown. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will live? Who will die? Too many questions and no answers.

She hadn’t wanted Archer to leave her, even though she knew he had to. And when Will and Ginata followed Halfreda out, she cried for a long time before pulling herself together.

She sits and watches the fire, trying to stay calm and controlled as she waits for what seems like an eternity to meet her destiny.

She pulls out the prophecy again and traces her finger over the glowing words. Words that say she will live; words that say she will rule.

Macsen tried to kill her and failed; she is meant to live. She wants so badly to live. With new friends and old, her father’s memory to preserve and a Realm that needs a better ruler than her brother, she has a lot to live for. She just wishes she wasn’t feeling so sick about it.

***

MACSEN IS DRESSED LIKE a King, in ermine and fur, a sword at his side, jewels on his fingers. He walks slowly to the dais, taking in the sights and sounds of his coronation. It is all worth it to him to be so close to the power and authority he has always craved.

Halfreda watches him climb up the stairs. He waves at the crowd, as though his father didn’t just die, as though his sister didn’t just die, as though he isn’t responsible for any of it.

The crowd roar their approval; a fickle bunch. They don’t really care who is King, they grieve briefly for the old one and then happily welcome the new one.

Millard and Addyson are already sitting on the dais, watching the events unfold. Addyson is still in a fog and Halfreda is worried about what their deception has done to her. She fears she may go mad, like her mother and her brother, and that she will not be around to help.

Millard looks relaxed and happy. He has his arm around Addyson’s shoulder, and when Macsen gets to the centre of the stage Millard jumps up and claps him on the back, before settling next to Addyson again.

Macsen smiles out at the crowd; his people.