The Silver Siren (Iron Butterfly, #3)(89)

We stepped out the side entrance and headed across the courtyard to the training field. Bearen yelled loudly to a young soldier as he corrected his stance and the swing of his sword. At least, on the battle field with the soldiers in training, he could fight with a smile. Life in the castle was another story entirely. Bearen and Portia turned out to be mortal enemies. He spent most of his days ranting about how terrible the woman is and how she was secretly trying to kill him with all her etiquette lessons. So he avoids the castle as often as possible, preferring the company of warriors to women. Or so he says.

Even though he adores and spoils his granddaughter.

With Bearen’s leadership qualities it wasn’t long before he was installed as the new leader of the Elite.

“Do you regret not training them?” I asked Kael as we watched my father fighting.

“No. It feels right. Sirens being trained by their own. Besides, I have my hands full protecting you two.”

I smiled.

Bearen caught sight of us and raised his hand to wave at his granddaughter who happily whooped and yelled back. We stayed that way, watching my father for a few moments before we headed back inside.

I couldn’t help but think of Hemi whenever I saw my father. Hemi and Fanny had married. They now spend their free time tracking down the any remaining iron butterfly machines and dismantling them. They’ve found three others over the years and more copies of the journals, which were all summarily destroyed.

As we stepped out of the sunlight into the cool air of the great hall, a young page approached us.

“Milady, we’ve just received word that Joss Jesai and Darren Hamdin will be arriving in a few days’ time.”

“Thank you. Will you run and tell the others to prepare their rooms for them?” The boy bowed his head and ran off, his skinny legs flying behind him.

Joss had never been quite the same after the war. He was a little slow to smile, though when he did, his dimple still remained. His eyes still twinkled, though not as often as I would like. At first I thought it was because he couldn’t handle the thought that I had chosen Kael, but that didn’t seem to bother him. It was the loss of his sister Tenya during the war. He won’t speak of what happened, but apparently it was enough to shake him to the core.

Many times since then, he has come up to me and apologized for not understanding fully what happened to me when I was taken by the Raven. He found it hard to look me in the eye and not be reminded of what happened to him and his sister.

I had hoped he would marry and settle down, but it seems that he has taken after Darren and enjoys the rover lifestyle. He feels most himself when he is on the road, traveling to new and distant lands. When he comes home he is reminded of Tenya’s absence. And when he comes to visit me, he is constantly reminded of the Raven. Which is the other reason he apologizes so much.

Kael and I had come full circle and were back in the great hall filled with tapestries. Kael put Lisanne down and she ran across the room to play with a small kitten that had made its home in a basket by the corner. Gwen moved to silently stand in the shadows near our daughter.

Kael recognized my thoughtful gaze and pulled me into another embrace. “Lost in the past or future?” he asked.

“Mmm, past,” I answered. “I feel like all of the answers to the future are in the past. If only we look hard enough.”

“Well, that’s what Kambel is good for. Let him do the studying.” Kael grabbed my chin and placed a kiss on the tip of my nose. “You need to remind yourself to look to the future for your answers.” He looked to the tapestry beside us, and I was reminded of all that we had accomplished in the last five years. It had taken many council meetings and that many years of networking and planning. I was promoting a more council-led form of leadership for Sinnendor, similar to Calandry.

New maps had to be commissioned, borders redrawn, clan lands extended. The royal crest was no longer a lone wolf, but now included white horse. And everyone had agreed that since the two countries were now officially one, under new leadership, it was my right as the queen to choose the new name.

Even now, Kael pointed out the beautiful script of our new country’s name on the tapestry right above a white horse and grey wolf in expansive forest.

“Any regrets?” He tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face as he pointed to the name.

“None whatsoever,” I answered confidently. “And you shouldn’t complain. If you don’t want to live in the country of Faraway, then I suggest go you live somewhere far away.”

“See what I mean? No one is going to take you seriously as the Queen of Faraway.”

“I told you. I don’t want to be queen in a castle. I’d rather live—”

“Faraway. I know.” Kael chuckled and squeezed my hand.



The End