Antebellum Awakening (The Network Series #2)(83)

“Come in,” he said, scooting over to make room for me. “Let’s talk.”

The Dragon Throne was wide enough to fit both of us side by side. Carved scales ran along the legs and claws supported the bottom. The back of it resembled the long neck of a forest dragon, with shiny black scales that looked like a bruised blue and black at the same time. An angular head roared at the top, teeth bared. The gruesome thing made me shudder. I slid onto the seat next to Papa and we sat in the silence for a few minutes. He smelled like peppermint and it comforted me.

“I’m not sure how I feel about doing this,” he said, gesturing to the throne and looking at me with one eyebrow lifted.

“It’s too late to back out now. They’ve already made your favorite desserts in the kitchen.”

He chuckled at my poor attempt at humor.

“Yes. Fina wouldn’t be happy.”

For the first time since I made the vow with the High Priestess, I wondered if lying to Papa had been for the best. If I failed to defeat Miss Mabel, would he be able to move on knowing that I’d given myself up for him?

“How did this happen, B?” he asked, finally looking at me. I wanted to reach out and smooth the wrinkles around his eyes away, but I didn’t have that power. This kind of constant pressure and stress would be his life from now on. Papa would serve the Network until death took him.

“You’ll be great, Papa,” I said in a breezy tone, as if this kind of thing happened all the time. “You’re the best man to lead this Network through the war and on to victory.”

He didn’t seem convinced. The uncertainty in his eyes made him seem too human, too breakable, and I wanted to look away and tell him to stop. I’d never seen Papa like this, and I didn’t want to ever again.

“The Council doesn’t want me in this position,” he said, although his tone was more musing than fearful. I thought back to Clive’s rally, to the witches in Chatham City protesting his Empowerment. Would the Central Network ever know peace again?

“Do you want this position?”

“Would anyone?” he shot back.

“No,” I murmured. “I guess not. Are you scared?”

He thought about it for a minute, his eyes tired.

“Yes,” he said. “I’d be a fool not to be.”

“Do you think everything is going to be okay with the Council?”

“Eventually, yes. They’ll accept it because they have to. Don’t worry about them, B. You let me take care of that.”

But I would worry about it. I’d worry about it every time the Council voted. If I lived long enough, I’d worry about it every time Papa made a decision.

“I think they just want someone to blame because they’re scared,” I said in an attempt to make myself feel better. “And they’ve chosen you because you’re so strong.”

His eyes lit up for just a second.

“That’s an incredibly adult thing to say,” he said in a quiet tone. “Are you sure you’re not turning thirty today?”

“Don’t put me there yet,” I said, forcing a wry smile to put him at ease. “I’m not officially seventeen until 11:54 tonight.”

The clock seemed to tick all the louder in the background, calling back to mind how little time I had left. I would miss Papa more than anything. Or would I? What happened after death? Mama and Grandmother believed we continued on. I hoped they were right.

“I’m sorry your birthday has to culminate on a ball,” he said, pulling me from my thoughts. “You should celebrate by playing in the mud. That sounds more like you.”

I tilted my head back and laughed.

“Only if I can rub your face in it.”

“I don’t want to drown out the excitement of turning seventeen with something as boring as politics. This is the first birthday you’re free,” he said, his expression sober. “You should enjoy it.”

I’m never free, Papa. Never.

“Boring?” I giggled. “Papa, you’re making history. Mama would have been so proud of you today.”

He smiled with a warm undertone that brought me comfort.

“You’re just like your mother, B. Marie wanted nothing but adventure wherever she could get it.”

While it wounded my heart to hear her name, it healed another ache I didn’t know I had.

So many little bruises. How will they all ever heal?

“She also loved going barefoot and the smell of rain,” I said, recalling the memories with perfect clarity. “She told me every night that her biggest adventure started the day she met you.”

Papa chuckled under his breath.

“Do you remember the time we found a cave and your mother wanted to go inside? It was early summer, I think, and we were walking through Letum Wood in the north of the Network, near Newberry.”

The memory flittered back through my mind.

“Yes!” I cried. “She went in and then came running back out, chased by a couple of small bear cubs.”

Papa let out a hoot of laughter.

“You weren’t laughing then!” I poked him in the arm. “You were terrified that the mother bear was going to attack. I had to transport back home.”

“Well, you were just a cub yourself. I had no choice. Your mother would have taken the bear home as a pet.”