The Wish Granter (Ravenspire #2)(111)
“We should make this quick before Sebastian runs for the door,” Ari said under her breath as her brother took her elbow and gently steered the two of them toward the stage that usually held the musicians for a ball.
“I heard that,” Sebastian said.
“Is she wrong?” Thad asked.
Sebastian treated them both to a mock glare and then muttered, “No.”
Moments later, the crowd of nobility was seated in the chairs that had been placed in rows before the stage, and Thad was listing all Sebastian’s recent accomplishments while Sebastian looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him.
Thad turned to Sebastian, his eyes gleaming with emotion, and said in a husky voice, “And finally, the throne recognizes your incredible act of selfless bravery, which saved the life of the princess and rid our kingdom of the threat of Alistair Teague.”
Ari’s throat swelled as Thad reached for the parchment that was lying on a table beside him. She still missed her mother and Cleo, and part of her always would. But there were things to be grateful for too. She had her brother back. The kingdom was on the mend. And Sebastian—the boy who’d sacrificed everything for her—was going to be recognized for the true hero that he was.
Thad held up the parchment and said in his most regal voice, “In reward for your acts of heroism, I, Thaddeus Glavan, do hereby promote you to the status of Lord Sebastian Vaughn, Duke of Kosim Thalas, and confer upon you all of the privileges that come with the title.”
The crowd applauded. Thad smiled. And Sebastian, looking like he was three seconds from bolting, gave a little awkward bow to the king and then looked to Ari for rescue.
An hour later, when they’d greeted everyone in the room and sampled two pieces of pie each, Sebastian said, “How long do I have to stay?”
Ari grinned. “You’re Lord Vaughn now. Unless specifically ordered to by the king, you can come and go as you please.”
He raised a brow at her. “Then I believe you mentioned something about a surprise?”
They ducked out of a side exit, and Ari shivered as the winter sea breeze whipped her hair.
“Where are we going?” Sebastian asked as he wrapped his coat around her shoulders.
“You’ll see.” She snuggled into his warmth and led him south, through the garden, past the arena and the stables, and then eventually to the south field, where the land ended and the sea began.
They walked past the empty stone barn and neared the cliff’s edge when Ari pulled him into a circle of newly planted cypress trees. In the center of the circle were three white stones, each with a name carved into its surface.
RADA GLAVAN: PRECIOUS MOTHER
CLEO TOLES: CHERISHED DAUGHTER AND FRIEND
PARRISH VAUGHN: BELOVED BROTHER
He let go of her and moved to stand beside Parrish’s grave, one hand reaching out to rest against the polished stone.
“The cypress trees symbolize sacrifice. I thought that was fitting. Rada is my mother—you probably figured that out—and I don’t actually have her body, but this will give Thad and me a place to go when we want to remember her.” She took a step closer to him, but he remained silently turned away.
A tiny thread of worry moved through her, and she said, “I kept the headstone that was on Parrish’s grave in the pauper’s cemetery. I’m sure it means something to you, and we can use it here if you’d rather. I can destroy this one. They don’t have to match.”
She was babbling, but he wasn’t moving. Wasn’t speaking. And for once, she had no idea what his silence meant.
“I . . . Sebastian, if I should’ve asked you before moving Parrish, I’m sorry. I thought . . . It doesn’t matter what I thought. He’s your brother. I should’ve—”
“Ari.” He turned, took three long steps, and pulled her against his chest. Burying his face in her hair, he whispered, “Thank you.”
She held him close, listening to the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat while the pale winter sun gleamed overhead and seabirds cawed over the sound of the Chrysós crashing against the shore.
After a long moment, he said, “This is a good surprise.”
She smiled. “This is only part of the surprise.”
He pulled back and arched a brow at her. “You really are remarkably sneaky when you want to be.”
She grinned and turned him to face the western coastline. “See that cliff with the huge, solitary oak tree? The one just past the edge of the palace’s property. Not there”—she reached up and adjusted the direction he was facing—“there.”
“I see it. Did you bury someone there too?”
She snorted. “Not yet, but you should stay on my good side.”
He leaned down and kissed her, gentle and sweet. Her stomach spun in warm, lazy circles, and she clung to him as he slowly broke the kiss. “Still on your good side?”
“Stop distracting me.” She swept him with a look. “But hold that thought because you’re going to want to kiss me again in a second.”
“Am I?” He gave her the arched brow again.
“The property that contains the cliff with the oak tree was recently purchased. By Thad.” She paused for effect, but he just frowned at her. She leaned closer and watched his face. “As a gift for the newest member of the nobility.”