The Book of Glass

Long Live (21)

"I know what the contract says." Shay's words were bitter. "No trade." A pause, and Emory felt Aila tense up beside her. "You're dooming the people, Evander."

"They doomed their own when they decided to kill Prince Orion. He was a good man. I wish he had never left."

"I can't blame him. Lyra was young."

"Just a year younger than my own daughter."

Shay let out a short laugh. "She, by the way, is a character."

At that, Briar huffed. "I've had enough of this eavesdropping." With that, she rushed into the Throne Room, lightning crackling in the palms of her hands.

"Briar," Evander said with surprise. He looked down to Shay, who was sitting in the throne itself. She looked small compared to it, and sat up with bright eyes when she saw everyone walk in behind the witch. "I wasn't expecting you to show up."

Emory lifted her sword towards Evander. "Step away from her."

"We've come to an agreement, Emory. Shay is fine on her own. It's not your job to protect her." Evander started forward, looking back to where Aila and Cassius stood. Then, he focused on his granddaughter. "Really, put the sword down. You act like you'll hurt me with that."

"You're really going to question that?" Emory smiled and stepped closer, the tip of her sword pressing against Evander's chest.

Evander looked over to Briar, whose lightning had faded away. "She still doesn't know?"

Briar said nothing but grabbed Emory's sword and pushed it away from her father. "She doesn't."

Evander clapped his hands together with a smile. "Twenty years is a long time to be ignorant, Emory." Emory said nothing as Evander reached into his pocket. "Shay and I have a contract. Why don't you skim it?" He handed it to her, but continued talking anyway. "Once Shay is at the age of Ascension, she will be crowned Queen of Eden. Until then, I will be her Royal Advisor as I have for the past two kings, and as her older half-sister you will finally assume your rightful spot as the Prophet of Rosalind."

"Half-sister?" Emory looked up to Shay, who didn't seem surprised by the news.

"Emory," Briar turned to her unknowing daughter and grabbed her shoulders. "I didn't want you to find out this way, but..." she paused, a small smile appearing on her face. "I'm Evander's daughter, and when I was young I fell in love with Alaric. He was still a prince then and at some point I became pregnant with you. I wanted to tell people but... Lyra stopped me. She said it wasn't Rosalind's way." Briar watched her daughter with desperate eyes, but Emory was motionless. "I gave birth to you, and he," Briar spun on Evander. "He took you away. I didn't know what to do and-"

"You killed her."

"What?"

"Ezekiel always told me it wasn't Evander who had killed the queen. He said it was someone who was jealous. Someone who only ever thought of their self." Emory pulled herself away from the woman claiming to be her mother. "This whole time you said you were running away from men, but this is all you meant. You were running away from murdering Shay's parents." Tears were welling up in Emory's eyes. Not only was it someone she trusted, but it was someone she had wondered about her entire life. It was someone she almost saw as a mother at one point.

"I never wanted Alaric dead," Briar said as she tried to reach for Emory. "I promise, he was the love of my life. I just wanted you to have what you deserved. I wanted..." She was crying now. "You weren't supposed to find out."

Emory dropped her sword and backed a few steps away. She could see Shay quietly approaching Evander from behind, but said nothing. She backed away, until she felt Cassius slip in front of her with his sword raised. Shay went unnoticed, as all eyes were on Emory, the Holy Child. The Prophet.

Just as Evander was turning away from his crying children, the dagger in Shay's hand met his stomach. She tugged upwards, and Evander looked down, eyes wide with pain. Shay wrenched the dagger out of his body and let him fall to the ground.

"There goes the plan," Cassius muttered. Briar fell to her knees, hands covering her face. "What now?" He looked between Shay and Emory, the knowledge of everything finally in the air.

"Now, it's over." Shay said with a shaky voice. She had done a lot the past week or so, but she still wasn't used to the feeling of killing. "My contract with Evander is done. Aila, trade can resume. We'll just need some time to sort things out if you can't tell."

Aila simply nodded, but looked over to Briar. The woman looked up at the princess with a wet face. "What about me?"

Shay looked over to Emory. "Emory can decide. If it were up to me you'd be dead, but I'm not going to stoop to your level." With that, Shay turned back to the throne and took a seat. Everyone looked at Emory expectantly and she just closed her eyes.

"That's it? Put me at the mercy of my daughter?"

"I'm not your daughter," Emory said as she gathered herself.

Briar stood, coming a few feet away from Emory. "I'll remember that." With that, dark clouds swirled around her. Cassius and Aila pulled Emory away, and they all watched as Briar disappeared before their eyes.

As the clouds cleared, Emory met eyes with Shay as she sat on the throne.