Page 190 of The First Spark
Kalie grinned. Judging by the crowds packed onto the mountain ledges and the veritable armada of boats in the lake below, every Dalian on the planet had come to watch her coronation.
A priestess placed Aunt Calida’s crown on her head. The aged woman stepped back, and as Kalie thrust a replica of Azura’s Scepter high into the air, light glinted off her violet ring. Another raucous cheer rang out as confetti rained down on her. Laughing, she batted it away and smoothed her sapphire cloak, brushing her fingers across the white embroidery.
Behind her, her family crowded around the gleaming throne. A miniature Heredem’s coronet was perched on Lida’s head, and as Theron and Sadini held their daughter, a rare smile curved at Theron’s lips. Rian lingered off to the side, with Danae beaming in his shadow. Mother stood between Father and Uncle Jerran. Her fingers were pressed to her lips, and her teary eyes hovered on Kalie’s crown.
Kalie smiled at her.
Selene had gone crawling back to Etov, but the news that Mother had disowned her and sentenced her to exile had quickly splashed through the tabloids.
“I didn’t tell them who your allies were,”Selene had said in a desperate voicemail afterwards, as if that made it better, as if her betrayal hadn’t cost the lives of thousands and put Mylis through hours of agony. Kalie hadn’t spoken to her since.
Drawing in a deep breath, she strode to the edge of the stone platform.
“Before we conclude this ceremony, I have two awards to bestow.” Passing the scepter to a priestess, she raised a gold medallion. “I’m honored to present Azura’s Medal of Honor, for loyalty and bravery of the highest order, to Mylis Grant, newly restored Count of Oakwood.”
Mylis’s hoverchair hummed across the platform. Deep purple bags ringed his bloodshot eyes, but he flashed her a shaky grin.
Kalie’s lips twitched into a weak smile. It would take some time to chase away the memory of the pulser and his betrayal—but it hadn’t really been a betrayal at all. Her investigators had confirmed that. Fixing that thought firmly in mind, she let the hard edges of her smile soften into something a little kinder. He had suffered more than any of them. They could heal from this, together.
He clenched his jaw, pushed himself up, and sank to his knees at her feet. His face crumpled, and he hunched forward.
Kalie winced. He should’ve stayed in the hoverchair.
He bowed his head, and she hung the gold medallion around his neck. She’d done the same for Julian days ago at the ceremony promoting him to Vice Admiral, and she’d given Calla’s Order of Valor to Haeden at Ariah’s bedside.
Gazing down at the gold medal, Mylis brushed his fingers across the ribbon in awe.
“Guardsman Grant, in light of your service, I’m proud to swear you in as the Lieutenant of my Azurian Guard. Please repeat after me. I, Mylis Grant…”
He echoed the oath of service, and Kalie fixed a pin to the collar of his uniform.
“You may rise.”
Mylis pushed himself to his feet and collapsed into his hoverchair. Sweat trickled down his strained features.
Kalie bit back a sigh. His doctors would have strong words for him later.
“I now present Lieutenant Mylis Grant, Count of Oakwood!”
As the countryside erupted into cheers, Mylis shook his head. “I can’t believe… This is crazy. Thank you, Kalie. Thank you.”
Kalie covered her microphone. “I should be thanking you.”
A flash of a pulser ripped through her mind, bringing with it soul-chilling fear, then she swallowed and replaced those memories with his broken confession. Her eyes landed on a livid red scar peeking out from his collar, and the doubts whispering in the back of her mind vanished.
“You deserve all of it.”
Mylis’s grin broadened. He guided his hoverchair back to his spot in the line of guards, and for the first time since she’d met him, he seemed free.
Of course, he and Ariah would both need months of therapy to fully recover.
Kalie’s smile slipped away. The doctors hadn’t let her see Ariah since she woke up. She was hallucinating, they said, and approachingher was dangerous. Her room was a few doors from Mylis’s, though, and as soon as the doctors cleared it, she’d start morning visits to both of them. Maybe she’d properly introduce them, so they could keep each other company.
Especially if one dance with Ariah had left enough of an impression that Mylis still remembered it, five cycles later.
A priestess cleared her throat, snapping her out of her daze. As she met Zane’s eyes, warmth spread across her cheeks.
“I’m also honored to present Azura’s Medal of Honor to Zander Wells, Baron of Avington.”
