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“No,” Sana said, too quickly, standing so fast she startled Merle from the couch. He lopped away grumpily, shooting her an irritated look and swishing his tail at her as he left. “Thank you, but no. I must be going I think.”

Fey watched her escape, Sana’s face beet red, and smiled even wider.

Chapter 65

They didn’t wear their uniforms when they came to the palace to stand before the council. There were no more Queen’s Blades. And now that there would be no more Queens, there never would be another group of Queen’s Blades again.

Instead, the three of them had dressed like civilians. Fey supposed that’s what they were, now.

The council had set up in the palace throne room, though they had made some changes. The blood and bodies had been removed, and the walls were so clean you might be tempted to believe all the violence and bloodshed had been nothing but a bad dream.

The dais and the thrones that sat atop it at the far wall of the room had all been removed. In their place, a large wooden table had been added, and though the chairs that lined one side of the table were ornate and well-made, no one would be tempted to call them thrones.

They arrived at the palace early—Alice leading them, Joy and Fey at her back. Early enough that the council itself hadn’t yet convened.

Sana rushed forward to greet them when they entered the throne room. Only she and the other three High Priestesses of the remaining covens were present. They stood on the other side of that wide wooden table, and Fey couldn’t help but meet their eyes one by one. Leandra, embracing her new powers, had added a stripe of blue representing the Water Coven and a stripe of yellow for the Air Coven to her red Fire shawl. She gave Fey a small nod when their eyes met.

Claudia, High Priestess of the Earth coven, looked as though she’d aged thirty years since the last time Fey had seen her. The tragedy of the Queen’s betrayal had taken years off her life, and when she met Fey’s eyes she looked as though she may cry.

It was Linh, High Priestess of the Air Coven, who gave Fey pause. Ancient and wrinkled, she looked no different than before. But the sneering smile she gave Fey was all venom.

One Priestess, at least, had no interest in making this a pleasant experience for them.

“Thank you for coming,” Sana said as she approached, taking Alice’s hands in her own and smiling at the three of them.

Fey had argued against their coming, even after they’d agreed to it. There was nothing they could tell the council that they didn’t already know. And this—all of this—felt far too much like a trial for her liking.

But Alice had insisted, and Joy had readily agreed with her. A new government had risen, she said. And if they wanted the citizens of the city to respect this new council, respect the laws that they would enforce, they had to show that same respect and deference themselves. They had to set an example for the realm. Especially now that the realm knew who they were.

At least they had one trick up their sleeves, if necessary. Fey hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but something in Linh’s face made her reconsider.

“Of course,” Alice said to Sana, mirroring her smile in answer.

“The others will be convening in just a moment,” Sana explained. “And each council member will be allowed to ask whatever questions they believe relevant. Just tell the truth, as it happened, and everything will be fine.”

Fey did not find her nervousness terribly reassuring, but before she could argue, before she could raise the idea of leaving with Alice again, the herald spoke.

“Introducing the representative of the Shifter Faction, Kellos, of the Lion Order,” she said, her voice crisp and carried by Air to fill the entire room. Fey recognized her as the same herald that Queen Edelin had used and was pleased to see she hadn’t suddenly found herself unemployed in the new regime.

Or killed, during the violence of the Blood Moon.

Behind the wooden table, where the thrones had once stood, a door opened and Kellos entered.

Fey had expected that the Shifters would elect a representative from amongst their strongest, their most powerful, and found herself a little surprised at the male they’d chosen instead.

Kellos was older than she expected, well into his sixties, and well past his prime fighting age. He wore his hair long, and it grew in heavy, golden white curls, around his face, like a mane. His face was heavy with lines, but above his thick beard his eyes were sharp. When he looked at the three of them, meeting their gaze one by one, Fey saw a deep wisdom in those eyes. A calm, intelligent leader.

So, the Shifters had gone for wisdom and experience over strength. Something about the choice gave her a small semblance of comfort. It was a smart choice. Maybe she’d underestimated them.

Salvatore deSanguine was announced next.

Now that she knew their relationship, the resemblance between him and his son was unmistakable. It was a wonder Fey had never seen it before. The same strong face, the same angry eyes, the same almost painful masculine beauty.

Like Kellos, deSanguine met each of their eyes in turn. Not in anger, or in challenge, Fey was surprised to find, but in respect. When he met her gaze, he inclined his head ever so slightly to Fey.

“Introducing the representative of the Witch Faction, the former Princess and heir to the Crown, Amalia Goddess Blessed.”

Fey swallowed hard when Amalia entered, her head bowed low. She had been hidden by her handmaids that night when the fighting started, kept safe and far from harm, and Fey had been glad of it. Had she been in this room, with her mother and father that night, Fey wasn’t sure she would have left that room alive.