Page 18 of Lies That Blemish (The Ember War #3)

Aisling

I was on a happy high from my night with Kohen, hardly able to believe I’d just become his wife in secret. But nothing had felt more right. I didn’t deserve his forgiveness after everything I’d done, everything my father had done—to him and his people. But he gave it, and not just that— he bound himself to me for eternity.

‘I’m happy for you,’ Liana said again.

I smiled, the wind whipping against my face. ‘Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me my father was a bad person,’ I told her.

Reaching up, I touched the necklace at my throat with a smile, fingering the ring there. I had no idea how this would work when I could tell people, but… being Kohen’s wife, having peace between our nations. It was the only way I could stay true to myself.

‘Land at the front gates of the Wilds. I want to check in,’ I told her.

My mind was running wild, trying to keep all the things in line that had to be done. I had cadets in the Wilds, I had the training center ready to start up another boot camp, I had my sisters to protect, the peace treaty with Imbria to draft, and Luska to keep an eye on, especially after we tore down part of the Wall. It felt like too many moving pieces.

When Liana began to descend over the gates, I saw there were already dozens of cadets with creatures outside, getting triaged in the medical tent. Hopefully for minor injuries.

It was the morning of the third day. Most should be making it out by now. I’d expected more than this. Maybe they’d already been bused back to the capital.

‘Look up,’ Liana told me.

I snapped my head up and gasped.

At first I pulled for my magic, thinking what I was seeing was a Luskin assault. But when I recognized Charlene, I grinned.

Charlene and over three dozen others were riding Talanagi.

“Empress!” Charlene screamed over the wind. She rode a black-feathered griffin with blue ember marks. She had a large claw mark gash on her left arm and was covered in dirt.

I laughed in shock as the troop of cadets flew around me in circles. Dragons, winged lions, griffins, so many flying Talanagi. It was incredible.

Our plan had worked. We now had a force to properly fight Luska with.

I flew in circles with the other cadets, who were whooping and yelling into the sky with excitement and joy lifted in my chest. Things were looking up. This peace that Valor spoke about, that she thought might be impossible in her lifetime, seemed just within reach to me now.

After checking in with the guards at the gate and congratulating the cadets who had made it out, I flew home.

By the time I got home in the late morning, the girls and Elaine had already left to head back to Sky Reach.

“You just missed them,” Tetra told me as she stroked Ariyel’s fur. They were both curled on the couch. “I told them you were checking in at the Wilds.”

Dang . I hadn’t meant to be gone so long. “I’ll see them tonight. And I was checking in at the Wilds,” I told her.

She grinned devilishly. “You look different.”

I smiled, trying not to. “What are you talking about? No, I don’t.”

I couldn’t stop smiling.

“Aisling Everhart, you’re madly in love. Tell me everything. What did Kohen say?”

If I couldn’t trust my best friend, who could I trust? I sat down next to her.

Pulling out my necklace, I slid the ring off and slipped it onto my ring finger.

She gasped. “You’re engaged to Kohen! You went to apologize for your dad pinning a terrorist attack on his father and killing him… and you got engaged?”

I shook my head, and her face fell in confusion.

“I kind of actually married him?”

“WHAT!” she shrieked, and I laughed.

“It was like a spur-of-the-moment thing. But it feels so right.”

“Aisling, that is so unlike you. I’m loving this rebellious empress.” She pulled the ring closer and looked at it. “It’s beautiful.”

“It was his mother’s,” I told her. “We had the best night. He had a priest waiting there, and it was… perfect. Just us two.”

Tetra pouted. “I mean, I’m kinda mad you didn’t wait for me. Can we have a big party to celebrate or something?”

My face fell. “I don’t know when we can actually tell people about this, Tetra. Amersea thinks Kohen’s dad caused the Great Blackout and that he killed my father. I can’t tell them I’ve married him.”

“Then tell them your dad did it and clear the Badshah name and all of the hate against Imbrians.”

Her plea tore at my heart. “Then they will think I come from bad stock, and the Everhart name will be tarnished.” But even as I said it, I felt selfish.

Tetra frowned. “Well, you at least have to tell the admirals. You can’t let them go on thinking Imbria is our enemy, or that Kohen is. Not if you love him, you won’t.”

Her last sentence stung as if she was judging me for not calling an emergency meeting right now to clear Kohen’s name with the higher military officials.

“Okay, you’re right. I will. Geeze,” I told her, shame coloring my cheeks.

“Sorry, I just… feel bad that this entire time we’ve judged Imbria for something they never did.”

I did, too. I actually felt sick about it if I focused on it too long. “You’re right, though. I shouldn’t care about my family name more than I should care about the truth.”

She pulled me into a side hug. “This is hard stuff. Be gentle with yourself.”

I nodded. Tetra was the best. So understanding and supportive. Even if I was scared of the outcome, I had to do what was right.

“Did you have sex?” she asked casually, and I pulled away from her, laughing.

“What? You’re married. You totally had sex! What’s it like? Was it good? Did it hurt?” Her rapid-fire questions caused my cheeks to go hot. I really needed to call a meeting with the admirals, but ten more minutes with my bestie wouldn’t matter, right?

Tetra’s face fell then as if she’d just realized something.

“What?” I asked.

“What are you going to tell Alek?”

Oh crap. Out of everything that happened the last twenty-four hours, I’d forgotten about sweet Alek.