Page 20 of Kingdom of Spirits

Tahlia had to talk to Marius. He needed to know she’d seen Ophelia in the commander’s chambers. That Ophelia had somehow, in some Fae trickster way, lied about not being able to enter her father’s rooms. Granted, that deceit didn’t mean she’d killed him… After all, Commander Gaius was Ophelia’s father. He had cared for her. She didn’t have any reason to murder him. Did she? Could she truly be that unhinged about Marius and the breaking of their engagement? And even if she was, why would she take that out on her father, the male who had respected herenough to ask Tahlia and Marius to hold off on their relationship just for Ophelia’s sake?

Tahlia tried to meet Marius’s eyes, but he had a crowd around him—Healers, Bloodworkers, Remus, Maiwenn, Ewan, Titus… Everyone wanted to give their condolences and needed his input on what would happen next.

Fara scowled at the crowd mulling around Marius. “He should have announced the new commander. It would have been in the death documents sealed in Commander Gaius’s lock box.”

Tahlia’s mind whirled. She climbed onto a boulder embedded in the courtyard lawn to get a better look at Marius.

Who would lead the Mist Knights now? The most sensible choice would be Marius. Tahlia thought of her lock box and how empty it was. She had one small note that whatever money she left when she died would be split evenly between Fara’s and Tahlia’s mothers, but that was it. She had no grand declarations to include and seal up with wax as the notary watched on. That part of her becoming a Mist Knight had been comically simple and quick.

“It’ll be Marius as the next commander,” Tahlia said, more to herself than anyone else.

Ophelia’s blue-green hair appeared in the crowd. A chill wrapped around Tahlia’s body. Stone-faced, Ophelia approached Marius, Titus, Maiwenn, and Ewan—all the unit captains.

Maiwenn’s eyebrows rose at Ophelia’s approach, but why? Was it because Ophelia wasn’t showing grief? But Ophelia was a Mist Knight, a trained warrior who could most likely hold back emotions until she was granted privacy. Also, she was a cold hag who probably only ever wept for herself.

Ewan crossed his arms, face unreadable. His dark skin was a stark contrast to Maiwenn’s pale complexion. He leaned towardTitus, who had fisted one of his big hands over his mouth, assumably to keep anyone from reading his lips.

Ophelia spoke to the small group of leaders, holding out a slip of parchment.

Marius stiffened and blinked as if surprised by the parchment’s contents. His lips tightened into a line and he nodded once, curtly, before stepping back and letting Ophelia stand in front of him to face the gathering.

Titus, Maiwenn, and Ewan moved away, whispering among themselves, their gazes tied to Ophelia.

Ophelia folded the parchment and tucked it inside the pocket of her vest. She raised her arms to call for attention. Conversation halted and everyone—riders, squires, and castle staff—stilled and went silent. The only sounds were the distant growls and mewling of young dragons that carried on the wind from the stables.

“We will mourn my great father at dawn,” she said, her voice nearly as powerful as Marius’s. “Mist Knights, I am your new commander.”

A shiver ran down Tahlia’s back and she gripped her sword’s hilt. This was the worst outcome possible.

“Surely this is a mistake,” Tahlia whispered to Fara. “Marius should be next in line.”

Fara’s gaze cut to the knights around them and she took Tahlia’s hand in the way she did when she wanted Tahlia to hush.

“Meet at the southern barbican one hour before dawn, Mist Knights. Wear your best. My father deserves your respect.”

The knights raised whatever weapons they had on hand. Bows, daggers, and swords were lifted high and shouts went up. “Hail, Commander Gaius! Hail, Commander Ophelia!”

Tahlia unsheathed her gladius and joined in belatedly, sweat beading along her upper lip. With Ophelia in charge, she wouldhave to be very careful about talking to Marius concerning Ophelia’s presence earlier in the commander’s chambers.

When the chant died down, Tahlia dragged Fara beyond the courtyard and into the arena.

“What are you doing? Don’t you need to talk to the High Captain?” Fara asked, tugging at Tahlia’s hold on her arm.

Once behind the arena wall, Tahlia checked that no one was within earshot and pulled Fara close.

Then she told her everything—about Ophelia sneaking around, about the dagger in her hand, and how it didn’t fit with the story of how Ophelia had been barred from Gaius’s rooms.

Fara chewed her thumbnail. “If you falsely accuse a commander publicly, you’ll be back in front of that death sentence dragon again before you can say ‘I’m new here.’”

When Tahlia had first arrived to compete for a place in the order, her half-human blood had set her on a path to death by dragon fire. There was an old Green-flanked Terror whose job it was to end the lives of riders who committed serious crimes. Tahlia shuddered, recalling the dragon’s dead eyes. With the help of the king and queen, as well as Marius, Tahlia had barely escaped that fiery fate.

“I’ll just tell Marius,” Tahlia said. “Do you really think Gaius named his daughter as the next commander?”

“It’s an unusual choice, but I suppose it’s possible. It would be a tough thing for Ophelia to fake that he had chosen her, seeing as the other captains would have to approve the sealed death document written in Gaius’s hand.”

There were plenty of ways to deceive without directly lying.

Fara’s gaze intensified. “I do not like that look, Tahlia. Seriously, even if they don’t put you to death for the accusation, they will banish you from the mountain and you’ll be cut off from your dragon.”

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