Page 168 of Kingdom of Embers and Ruin

For Herrick, she would try.

“Last time I saw you, you were running, like the coward I always knew you were,” the King said to Maude, a knowing glint in his eye.

He was baiting her, and she knew it.

Breathe, she reminded herself.

“Never a coward, father, just sick of your bullshit.”

Maude watched as her words landed. Her father’s eyes became violent as the temperature in the room increased. To anyone else, it would have become uncomfortably hot, but lucky for Maude, she always burned.

“Speak with respect toward your father, the man who raised you,” he growled.

“I will speak with respect when my father deserves it,” she shouted back.

They glared at each other, the temperature continuing to rise. At her side, some of the furniture began to smoke, the coils of gray rising to theceiling in escape from their confrontation. The air grew thicker, the smoke creating a hazy film over everything.

Cooling her anger and remembering Herrick’s words, Maude took a deep breath in and spoke again, “You will never earn my respect, Father, so we might as well cut the crap and move on to why we are here.”

He watched her, the image of his once obedient and innocent daughter crumbling before his eyes. Good.

“I see you’ve spent some time with the rabble as your once flawless etiquette is now destroyed,” he murmured, the light tone taking its place once more.

She ignored the comment, choosing to switch tactics. She needed him to attack first so she could disable him. She wouldn’t draw thedalkr Helauntil she had to.

“I am not the same girl who ran from you all those years ago,” she said quietly but not weakly. “Your reign must end, Father. You are killing the people of Logi.Galderis starting to protest the restrictions we have placed on it.”

On those three days that Maude had ridden to Logi, she had thought about all the things she had learned aboutgalderthese last few weeks. How the gods had left a message warning them about the upheaval that was to come if they did not change their ways.

Galderwas rebelling because they had restricted its flow with the laws of the Treaty. After The Elemental Wars, the people of Ahland needed to find peace. The kingdoms became separated, the elements, and thegalderthat fueled them, were separated. Now, two hundred years later, the elements andgalderwere fighting back.

The child with firegalderin a family of farmers, the rune left by the gods in Amsbrook, the strange way hergalderreacted to Herrick’s— all of it led back to the Treaty and its restrictions. Maude’s fate was Herrick, a manfrom another kingdom with differentgalderfrom her own. The Treaty needed to be absolved, and that would never happen as long as her father still breathed.

“If we don’t align the kingdoms once more and undo the restrictions ongalder, our world will perish. The gods will act; they’ve already warned us about it.”

Maude tried to plead with her father about it, but she could see how her words were not affecting him. There was a long silence.

“And who is going to align these kingdoms and rule them both?” her father asked, humor dancing in his eyes. “You?”

“Of course not. The kingdoms will remain, but the power system needs to be dismantled once and for all,” she replied quickly. “The Treaty needs to be lifted. The restrictions on who can wed and procreate need to be lifted, or we willallsuffer.”

Her father laughed. Helaughed.

“You’re choosing poorly,” she ground out as her father continued his sinister laughter.

“Dóttir,the Treaty will not be lifted because you want to be with your General of Rivers.”

Maude stiffened, failing to veil her true emotions. Her father knew her better than anyone else, though, and could see right through her. Fast as lightning, the air around her restricted, and Maude found herself unable to move.

“You think that I did not know of your feelings for the General of Rivers?” he asked, standing and moving toward where she stood immobilized. “You think that I have not watched you all these years as you pretended to carve a living out under my nose?”

Bitter betrayal washed through her. Bryn. She had foolishly trusted her and came here alone because of that trust. Maude should never havebelieved her, as Bryn had to be working with her father. What else should Maude have expected? She had left Bryn here on her own all those years ago. Maude swallowed the betrayal and kept herself neutral.

Maude closed her eyes as her father moved to stand behind her. His bitter ash scent made her eyes water as he enveloped her space.

“You think I did not see that you grew into the woman I always knew you would become?” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. “You are my mirror, Maude. My creation.”

Maude exhaled as the rage in her heart burned brighter. The air around her from her father’sgalderfueled her flames until the restrictions on her limbs disappeared.

---