Page 77 of The First Spark
Groaning, Kalie dropped her head to her hands.
Uncle Jerran hummed knowingly. “I passed her on the way up here. You shouldn’t be so cruel to Caira. Whether you like her or not, you need her to convince your father to fight.”
“As if! She always hated Aunt Calida.Always. If anything, Father will have to convince her.”
“Kalista…” Uncle Jerran sighed, massaging his temples. “Your mother has treated you poorly in the past, yes, but clinging to your resentment of her blinds you. She did love your aunt, and your aunt loved her. Their relationship was complicated, made all the worse by your father, but at the end of the day, your mother will do what it takes to avenge Calida.”
Cycles of Mother’s unending scorn and cruel insults for Aunt Calida suggested otherwise, but arguing with Uncle Jerran was pointless.
Vale gestured to the portable holoprojector he’d set up on the sofa table between them. “The security protocols?”
“Yes, of course…”
Kalie paid attention to the simulated projection long enough to get the basics. Her coronation procession would gather at the palace end of the Bridge of Destiny at exactly six forty-six, as the sun rose. As she crossed the crystal bridge to Azura’s Cathedral, she and the priestesses would be flanked by guards. There would be more guards in Skyforce warplanes hovering alongside the bridge, in the event of an air attack.
“Why not use the actual Skyforce?”
Vale grimaced. “Given your history with Baron Ryker, I thought it was best not to take chances with your safety. Better to use loyal guards sworn to your service.”
“I trust Julian with my life,” she said, but gestured for him to continue.
The bridge, and the stone platforms on either end, would be surrounded by top-of-the-line forcefields. No one would get in or out. There was a control box on either end of the platform. The forcefields would go down exactly twice—once to let her onto the palace’s stone platform, and once after the coronation, when she left the bridge and proceeded into Azura’s Cathedral as the new Duchissa.
Kalie wiped her clammy palms on her skirt. Sweat dripped down her face.
They walked her through every contingency, drilling evacuation routes and protocols into her. Most of her guards would be equipped with jetpacks, in case the unthinkable happened and the centuries-old Bridge of Destiny shattered.
If no one caught her, it would be a long drop into the waterfalls below.
They made her repeat every scenario back to them, correcting her until she had it perfect. She was used to this; wherever they traveled, Ariah had drilled her on the contingencies over and over again. Gods, she missed Ariah.
She should’ve been here. She would’ve been marching in front of her at the coronation, running point among the guards, teasing her to lighten the mood.
This wasn’t a ceremony she wanted to face without her.
But Ariah wasn’t here, and she would make sure her sacrifice wasn’t in vain.
Finally, they left. She sucked in a hitching breath and rested her throbbing head against the back of the couch.
She hadn’t wanted Mother and Selene to stay, but with the exception of Uncle Jerran, she wouldn’t have any family attending her coronation next week. Father wouldn’t care enough to come. Theron would tow the family line. Danae was too timid to ask Father for permission, and since Rian had been raised on Renan, he was asestranged from the family as her. Without all the ones she’d lost, withoutAriah… gods, she’d never been so alone.
She didn’t letherself cry, but fighting the swollen lump in her throat, the moisture stinging her eyes, and the tremors wobbling her lip and chin was exhausting. The battle felt like it lasted hours, but it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes before the door creaked open.
Raising her head, Kalie wiped her face.
Mylis stood in the doorway, with his eyes averted from the sad spectacle she presented.
She sniffed. “Is there something I can do for you?”
“No. Um…” He scuffed his boot on the thick silk rug. “I just wanted to say I get it. I have a lot of experience with screwed-up family stuff, you know.”
“I suppose you do.” Kalie pressed a hand to her runny nose, and a tissue appeared in front of her.
Mylis stood there, frowning. “You okay?”
“Fine,” she mumbled, seizing the tissue.
“That didn’t sound convincing. Do you have hot chocolate?”
