Page 45 of The First Spark (Dynasty of Fire #1)

Kalie’s hands trembled as she seized her gold chalice. The uncle she loved never would’ve let his innocent niece rot in prison. Mother had to be lying, but why? She gained nothing from acknowledging Iliana’s story was real.

If Uncle Jerran could do that, what else was he capable of? He never would’ve hurt Aunt Calida, but Grandmother Madeleine…

“Did Uncle Jerran kill your mother?”

“I don’t believe it, no.” Mother plucked at her napkin. “I think my mother took the coward’s way out and killed herself. ”

Zane flinched.

“There were rumors surrounding her death.” Though Mother’s voice remained clinical, a tremor ran underneath. “Iliana’s not the first to tell this story, nor will she be the last. I can’t tell you either way. All I know is her death ended the war.”

“She wasn’t murdered?”

“I don’t know,” Mother snapped. “I told you what I think. She was a weak-willed fool who killed herself. The people who claim otherwise are just trying to stir up trouble.”

Kalie drew her lip between her teeth. Iliana had accused her of killing Aunt Calida, which was ridiculous. She’d captured Uncle Jerran and stolen the crown. She was the enemy. Nothing she said could be trusted.

“And Iliana is hardly an innocent victim.”

She narrowed her eyes. Deflection usually meant guilt, and judging by Mother’s shifting gaze, she was hiding something.

“What do you mean?” Theron asked.

“That trap Jerran pulled on her? She got the story backwards. She played that trap on us. Iliana contacted Calida towards the end of the war. She said she wanted to help Lida’s cause and arranged a meeting.

” Mother shuffled her untouched food around her plate.

“We didn’t know our mother had made her a deal: if she captured Lida, she would name Iliana her heir.

So, like fools, we went to meet with her. Myself, Lida, and Jerran.”

Aunt Calida had never mentioned that meeting.

Aunt Calida had never told her about Iliana, either.

“When we got there, my half-sister greeted us. She led us inside. And there was my mother’s lover Kain, waiting with his troops.”

“Your mother was pregnant with you at the time,” Father said, scowling, “but she hadn’t seen the need to inform me.”

Like you would’ve cared if she’d died .

The thought caught Kalie off guard, but it was followed by another, one that plunged a pit into her stomach. If that trap had killed Mother, she never would’ve been born.

Mother stared into the distance. “Jerran was still able to fight. He told us to run. We barely escaped. Kain shot me, and I… I nearly died.”

Some of the candles had burned down to the last of their wicks, and as the hum of the air conditioner fired up, a gust of air swept the flames out.

Those still burning cast an orange glow over her siblings and their mostly untouched plates, no longer steaming.

Shadows lurked by the walls, shrouding the edges of the burgundy room in darkness.

“After that, we attacked Ashton. And from there… You know what my mother did. We caught Iliana on her way to Shobe, where she was planning to raise a revolt against Lida.” Mother turned her nose up. “She couldn’t be trusted, so we sent her to Titan. I won’t apologize for it.”

“If you hadn’t imprisoned her, she might’ve rebelled.”

Mother nodded.

They’d never seen eye to eye, even over trivial matters, but this… this, she understood. It was strange, this sense that she’d managed to peel back one of Mother’s defenses and see a glimmer of truth underneath. It was truth. That, she had no doubt about.

Iliana was lying about all of it. Her story was horrific, and her imprisonment had surely been terrible, but if Uncle Jerran hadn’t betrayed her, her accusation of murder was another lie, designed to discredit him so she could take the crown.

If Iliana and Carik thought they were dealing with a clueless princess, someone who’d roll over without a fight, they were in for a rude awakening.

Maybe she wasn’t as strong as Mira, or as brave as Ariah, or as charming as Aunt Calida; maybe she didn’t have Uncle Jerran’s connections, maybe she wasn’t ready to be the Duchissa, but she was done being helpless.

Kalie drew in a deep breath. Released it.

“I won’t let her steal my throne. I’m not going down without a fight.”

“And how do you propose to fight?” Selene sneered. “You got everything handed to you, and you screwed it all up. How exactly do you think you’ll get it back?”

Kalie risked a glance at Zane. He was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. “Only with the support of my people.”

A frown tugged at Zane’s lips.

“I need a holoprojector, Father. A holocomm would do as well.”

With a snap of his fingers, Father sent a servant running.

The man returned with a miniature projector, which he placed on the table between two phoenix statuettes.

Kalie made a few gestures. The motion-activated commands pulled up a three-dimensional map of the Federation.

A holographic keypad appeared in a shimmering projection above the candles, and she typed in Dali.

“Aside from each county’s private militia, the crown’s military support comes from four major Skyforce bases.” Kalie spread her palms to flatten the Dalian map. “Oakwood, Stafford, Shofield, and Alexandria. They all have ties to the Silver faction.”

“I’d hardly classify Hewlett as Silver.” Mother took a sip of wine. “The man has been Jerran’s loyal pawn since the war.”

“I think he’s behind the coup. When Iliana appeared, everyone else was shocked, but he smiled.

If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have suspected him, but sometimes pawns rebel against their leaders.

” Kalie shivered at the memory of Mylis’s trembling pulser.

“Especially when they have good reasons to bear grudges.”

Mother’s eyes flitted to Father. His jaw tightened, and Theron shot her a warning look, so Kalie rushed on.

“Stafford will align with Oakwood, and Shofield isn’t a likely ally either, since their count hates Uncle Jerran. I think Alexandria is our best shot at peaceful cooperation.”

Theron’s lips flattened. “So all you have are vague possibilities.”

Praying to Azura for patience, Kalie breathed in deeply.

“No. If it comes to more aggressive action, we can disable the warships in Alexandria and Stafford.” Kalie motioned to the two expansive counties on Alexandria’s southern border.

“We could use Westvale and Rivershire as a staging ground for an assault on the Alexandrian base. The heir to both counties is an officer in the Alexandrian fleet and my… old friend.”

Selene smirked. “Would this be the friend you left on one knee?”

Kalie swallowed hard. Zane’s stare bore into her .

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Poor Julian,” Selene simpered, twirling her hair. “I was consoling him at the ball. It’s so awful, that such a handsome, loving man was humiliated by the woman he?—”

“Enough.” Kalie thumped her fist against the table, and the silverware rattled.

“I’ve made mistakes, yes. We both did. But we want the best for Dali.

If I ask him to stand with me, he might agree to disable the fleet stationed there.

We could do the same for Stafford, if we use Arcdon as a staging ground and move south.

The people there have always been loyal to you, Mother. ”

“And the other two?” Theron gestured to the map.

“You don’t have a staging ground anywhere near Shofield.

Aerial assaults out of Avington would work temporarily, but these bases are equipped with state-of-the-art missiles.

Your ships would be blasted out of the sky.

And Oakwood—correct me if I’m wrong, Father, but that was the only county you couldn’t breach during the war, right? ”

Father’s lips pressed together. “We did take it. Briefly. But your brother is right. Attacking the Skyforce base in Oakwood presents a challenge.”

“Which is why I need the support of the people. The nobles wear the titles, but if the people rise up against them, they can inflict heavy damage. Shofield’s count drove his people into starvation in the last war.

They hate him. The citizens in Oakwood love Hewlett, but his nepotism infuriates the Skyforce officers in charge of those fleets. They might turn on him.”

Aside from Selene, who glared at her with open contempt, the faces of the others were blank. It was impossible to tell what they were thinking.

“I’m not saying it’s the best plan, but I won’t rain war down on Dali unless the people desire it. Otherwise, my rule is doomed from the start.”

“That’s your idea?” Selene picked at her cuticles. “Wait and see? Stake everything on the decisions of your people?”

“Yes. Because without the support of my people, I have no right to wear the crown.” Kalie looked at Mother, who was toying with a ring. “Having a title doesn’t earn me respect. ”

Mother raised her thin eyebrows.

Her warning from that day in the solar flitted through Kalie’s mind. Perhaps Mother was thinking of it, too.

She should’ve listened.

Father motioned for a servant to refill his wine. “When do you propose to do this?”

“We’ll strike fast. I don’t want to put my people through a drawn-out war. If we can’t sway the Skyforce bases to stand with us against Iliana, we’ll neutralize the ships. I have a spy in the palace. She could subdue Iliana.” Zane’s eyes narrowed, and Kalie added, “If need be.”

“Attacking an ordained monarch gives the Federation cause to intervene,” Theron said, and Kalie scoffed at the irony. “What will you do when Carik arrives with a fleet?”

“Ideally, we’d have an Etovian fleet in orbit until my warships are back in commission. If Carik brings the fight to us, we’ll strike back with full force. But if he doesn’t…”

Revenge for my family or safety for my people?

Kalie cleared her throat. “If he doesn’t, my court will decide where to go from there.”

Father’s face gave away nothing, and she had nothing more to say. Theron rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

“Dali is my birthright,” Mother murmured. “We fought for Renan. We should?—”

“Quiet, woman,” Father growled.

Kalie bristled. Theron tensed beside her, but held his tongue.

Father sighed. “If you can set this plan into action, the Empire’s fleets will support you.”

Her mouth fell open. Eight planets fought under the banner of the Etovian Empire, and Father’s fleets outnumbered any other sovereign in Sector Four. She’d hoped for one fleet, maybe two, but the full weight of the Empire…

Rising to her feet, Kalie bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesties.”

Mother’s lips twitched upwards.

By daring to speak up, Mother had tipped the scales in her favor. Mother had made this happen.

Pushing back twenty cycles of anger and rejection, Kalie mustered up a smile. Mother didn’t mirror it, but a rare spark of light reached her eyes.

“Father, you can’t seriously mean to go to war for her throne.”

Kalie scowled. Of course Selene wanted to argue.

Father frowned. “I can, and I will. Why does it bother you?”

“Because she’s the fool who lost it in the first place!” Selene cried. Mother laid a hand on her arm, but she flung it aside. “Iliana is backed by the Federation. Our fleets will be crushed by their forces!”

Kalie chewed on her lip as she sank into her seat. She didn’t want to admit it, but Selene was right. Carik had hundreds of planets following him, and even with Father’s support in overthrowing Iliana, it would hardly be enough to hold out against Carik’s strength.

Father folded his arms. “Your sister is not a fool. Nor am I. I’m aware of Carik’s capabilities, Selene, and I will be prepared for them.”

Selene lurched to her feet, flinging her napkin onto the table. “You’re going to risk our safety for her throne? If you get involved, you’ll be bringing Carik’s wrath down on all of us!”

“Enough!” Father’s fist clenched around the stem of his chalice, and his nostrils flared.

Kalie shivered. She’d seen him lose his temper before, usually with Mother. This was how it always started, and it always got ugly.

“I will not have my teenage daughter questioning my decisions. We will fight for Kalista’s throne, regardless of the Federation or whatever obstacles stand in the way. She’s a Hannover, and an attack on her is an attack on us.”

Kalie gaped at him.

“Mother, tell him this is madness,” Selene huffed.

Mother’s icy eyes hovered on Kalie, then she breathed in and turned to Selene. “This is out of your hands. Your father is right. They attacked us the moment they attacked her, and I want to see the throne restored to our family.”

Family . A family that included her. Kalie could hardly believe what she was hearing, but Mother had said it, and she ducked her head to hide the smile that stretched across her lips.

Selene shoved her chair under the table. “I see my opinion isn’t valued here. If anyone has the sense to back out of this ridiculous scheme, I’ll be in my study.”

The door slammed shut behind her.

“There is another way,” Mother mused, twirling her chalice between her fingers. “A way to settle the dispute for the throne with minimal bloodshed, without crippling Dali’s defense by sabotaging your warships.”

“A peace treaty?” Zane asked, sitting straighter.

Mother shook her head. “It’s an ancient tradition known as Fallé di Azura.”

“No!” Kalie lurched out of her seat. Baffled faces stared back at her. Her knees weakened, and she sagged into her chair. “Absolutely not.”

Mother raised her eyebrows. “Do you have a better idea?”

No, she didn’t, but anything was better than that.

Zane’s brow furrowed. “Fallé… what?”

Kalie breathed in deeply. “The Test of Faith is an ancient tradition. Each claimant puts forward a champion with noble blood, and if they have the Speaker’s blessing, they duel to the death.

Whichever warrior wins earns Azura’s blessing, and the victor is awarded the crown. ” She pursed her lips. “I won’t do it.”

He shrugged. “It’s a good idea.”

“I’m not risking everything in one duel!”

“Think about it.” Zane’s face was alive with wild energy. “At most, one person would die for you, not entire armies. We could settle this all with a duel, and I?—”

Father slammed his goblet down. “Whichever royal claimant loses is put to death. I won’t allow it.”

A dangerous gleam had appeared in Zane’s eyes.

“I agree with Father. The duel is too risky. If it fails…” Kalie shivered.

“I’ll send messages to the nobles I trust, but I’ll need you to assemble our allies, Father.

Arrosa, Nadar, Gar and Akron, all of them.

We have a lot of planning to do. And Zane…

” She took a deep breath. “I need you to teach me to fight.”