A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(66)

“But these are special circumstances.” Rubia smiled, then moved toward Draven so smoothly, I wasn’t sure her feet were even touching the floor. “And Eritopia needs leaders who are capable of restoring its balance and order.”

“Leaders who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the wellbeing of others.” Safira joined her.

“Leaders who will stop at nothing to keep the people safe and thriving,” Chana added.

One by one, the Daughters gathered in a circle around Draven. Viola and Nova joined them, as the Druid stared, his eyes flickering black, apparently unsure of what to say or do next.

“Leaders who love this world and every single creature in it,” said Ruelle.

“Leaders who are righteous, kind, and patient,” Effissa chimed in.

“Leaders who are open to change, progress, and tolerance,” Nibel spoke, then looked at Nova.

“Leaders who are wise beyond their years, good beyond their means, and righteous beyond the very laws they swear to uphold,” the little Daughter said, her voice trembling with emotion.

I was surprised to see how quickly she’d come into her own, after just a few hours in the company of her sisters. My heart swelled with pride when Viola then took a step toward Draven, wearing her warm, signature smile.

“In other words, Eritopia needs leaders who can uphold its laws, both written and unwritten, and can also go beyond the boundary lines if needed to keep the people safe and happy,” she said gently. “For that, Draven, son of Almus and Genevieve and savior of Eritopia, we would like to offer you the Seal of Calliope, and allow you the freedom of nominating the nineteen Master Druids needed to rule Eritopia with you.”

Tears spilled down Serena’s cheeks as she watched the impromptu ceremony. I fought back some of my own and nodded slowly, catching a glimpse of the others in the process. They all agreed, smiling broadly with a twinkle in their eyes, as Draven was offered the position of Master Druid of Calliope.

“You have already done your mother proud, Draven,” Viola continued. “I say this on behalf of the Daughters of Eritopia: Calliope would be most fortunate to have you as its Master Druid. Will you accept the honor?”

Several seconds passed before Draven was able to formulate a response. He took a deep breath, then looked around at all of us—the alliance he’d put together, the unlikely friends he’d made along the way. I was proud to consider myself one of them. My sister loved him, and he was head over heels in love with her too. I could tell from the way they looked at each other that in recent days, they’d taken their relationship to a higher, deeper level.

Sure, I’d have to have that stern talk with him at some point and warn him that if he so much as made my sister cry, I would break every bone in his body... but that talk could wait. This was Draven’s moment, and, after all the years he’d spent in isolation, hidden beneath the protective shield of the mansion, deprived of family and friends, he deserved the recognition and appreciation of the world he was willing to die for.

“I accept,” he finally said, his voice thick with emotion.

Viola beamed at him in response, and took out a large gold seal from the folds of her colorful silk layers, handing it to Draven. He held it with trembling fingers, turning it over a few times. It was a beautiful sculpture cast in gold, in the form of a serpent eating its own tail, adorned with ancient runes and dozens of small diamonds along the length of its body. It reminded me of the Oroboros, part of earthly lore.

“The Nathairos,” he muttered, unable to take his eyes off it.

“The Nathairos, known as the Seal, is a symbol of the Druids,” Rubia said, recognizing the curious looks on our faces. “Each of Eritopia’s planets has one as a sigil, adorned with its representative gemstone. Calliope’s is a diamond.”

“Persea’s is a sapphire,” Draven explained briefly. “The ruby represents Purgaris, and so on. The Nathairos is a sigil given to the Master Druid of a planet. It stays with him until the end of his reign, and it is then passed on to his successor.”

Viola nodded, then came back to my side. I held her close, dropping a kiss on her temple. She had this way of switching so fast from the innocent and fragile ingénue to the godlike creature that was able to change entire species and save my friends’ lives. I was truly in awe of her.

Serena waited quietly next to us as Draven looked up, his gaze meeting hers.

He smiled, then came forward and took her in his arms. He kissed her intensely, then paused to look at her, his forehead leaning against hers. Love flowed between them like an endless stream, and I knew, then and there, that Serena had found her soulmate.

“I have you to thank for this… For all of this…” he breathed.

“Well, yeah, I did help a little.” She gave him a playful smile, making him chuckle.

It was the first time I was seeing Draven thoroughly happy, and I had to admit, it looked good on him. Rubia then cleared her throat, demanding our attention once again.

“Peace in Eritopia has now been restored,” she said. “And in part it was thanks to strangers from out of this world, who had no business here or reason to help, other than defending themselves from a mad Druid who sought to abuse them.”

She focused on me, Serena, Aida, Vita, Jovi, and Field as she spoke.

“You were brought here by force,” Rubia continued. “Others would have looked for ways out, running away without looking back or, worse, hiding somewhere and hoping that it would all pass. And you would have been right to do so. This wasn’t your war. And yet, you all stood up. You came together; you were one of the primary forces behind this alliance of the free nations, and you fought for Eritopia as if it were your own. The least we can do in return is make sure that your families and friends back home in The Shade get to remember and see you again.”