Chapter XX

  As the Citadel healers predicted, Edwar Grunly did not make it through the night, passing away not long after midnight. Under any other circumstances, the death of a Master would have rattled the Citadel far more than his did, but given the events that led to his passing, it merely felt like another drop in an already overflowing bucket. After all, the Queen and Korrei-Tarr Vice Captain had both been murdered while the King was barely being kept alive. It was all the result of a bold assault on the white tower, led by remnants of the Kosah-Rei in an attempt to break Rickori Keskivaara free—an attempt that was unfortunately successful. The sighting of Sartella down in the city led many to believe that she freed Keskivaara the same way she once freed Uma Miyon from the depths of Castle Saientia. She almost certainly used her magic to infiltrate the building, slip down to the dungeons, and retrieve the People’s Mind. Many were assuming that was how the King and Queen got marked, but that wasn’t a perfect explanation.

  Nakoma Taurus sighed as he conducted yet another attempt to make sense of it all. I just can’t buy that Sartella was able to trick them. It doesn’t add up. A man with the power that Markreas has would have noticed it the second his fire magic was manipulated. And Tora… Well, I refuse to believe Sartella could have ever tricked a woman as clever and intelligent as her. She would have known she was being deceived… But then, how was she marked?

  His body trembled as he sat all alone in his quarters, his hands grasping his hair and on the verge of tearing it out. He couldn’t remember the last time he had cried, but ever since he and Piura sprinted to the throne room and he saw the charred corpse of Toranei Iiji lying amidst the rubble, everything inside him shattered to pieces. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing—couldn’t accept that it was actually reality. Nakoma used magic to jump down into the ruins and rush to her body, but even though she was clearly gone, he tried to flood her with healing magic, praying that she somehow managed to find a way to live.

  But it was no use.

  Toranei was dead.

  That fact alone would have left him in a horrible state for weeks, but when he was finally able to drag himself away from her body, he was met with reports detailing Markreas’s combustion, Reigious’s near-death, the sacrifices of Edwar Grunly, and the battle with Keskivaara down in the city that resulted in Alharo meeting his end.

  You’re kidding me! You’ve gotta be kidding me! Markreas and Alharo, too? That’s not fair! How could this have happened?! We won, didn’t we?! We defeated the Kosah-Rei, we executed their leadership, yet they’re still capable of pulling off something like this?! There’s just no way… There’s gotta be a trick, something they set up to make this happen… I mean, if it were so easy to take down Markreas and Toranei, then why did they wait so long to do it?! Something changed, something gave them this opportunity. Was Ankalla part of the plan? Was the trap we feared laying in wait for us at that fortress triggered only now? I don’t understand… I don’t fucking understand!

  The cherry on top of it all was that it took place during the already contentious situation regarding Abigail Reiner. In fact, from what he was told, Nigreos returned from Omaruo in the middle of the chaos. The Citadel had already been in disarray because of it, with the gap between them and Ilirianna growing even wider as her lies came to the light. Nakoma and Toranei had both been appalled that Ilirianna had not only broken such a sacred law, but had done so years ago and had been lying all this time. They’d wanted to speak with her, to make another attempt as a replacement for their failed dinner many weeks ago. Toranei had even called out to her daughter after the trial in the Chambers, but Ilirianna hadn’t so much as looked at her. Nakoma wondered what was said between them in the minutes before Toranei was killed. Ilirianna had been there for it, so she had witnessed that tragedy with her own eyes.

  I know she began to loathe us, so how could she possibly be feeling now? Liri’s not heartless, after all, so she must be in mourning to some extent. Right?

  Nakoma wanted to reach out to her, to do what he and Toranei had not been able to, but he was afraid of causing even more damage to their relationship. He was certain she would not forget his decision to vote in favor of incarcerating Ryokumo, so he found himself afraid to approach his daughter.

  But is it not my duty to try? I may be the only person alive who knows it, but I am her father, and it’s a father’s responsibility to be there for his children… What kind of person would I be if I didn’t at least remind her that I’m here if she needs me?

  However, it was easier said than done, and as the days began to pass, Nakoma Taurus always found a way to avoid taking that step. Funeral preparations were being put in place not only for the Queen of Ijiria, but also for Alharo and Grunly. Normally, the passing of such significant figures would become an event for the entirety of Erika as the people were given their time to remember those who were now gone, but with so much going on, nobody really felt like organizing a memorial service for the city.

  In Alharo’s case, his family specifically requested it be something personal and small, with them inviting Nakoma and Koroha as the only non-familial guests to the service. The two Masters kept to themselves, though, having chosen a spot in the back of the funeral home so as to not bother anybody. Koroha, especially, seemed afraid of being blamed for Alharo’s death since she was present when it took place, so the Master of Wind kept her head down and remained silent. Nakoma tried to offer her comfort by placing a hand on her shoulder, and while she leaned into him for a time, he didn’t think he was that helpful. The one silver lining was that, after the service, Alharo’s wife came over to them, then began to profusely thank them for being her husband’s friends and for trying to save him.

  “He spoke so very highly of you two,” she told them. “Not a day went by that he didn’t tell me a story from his time on the royal team, or make mention of you. He missed you, Master Taurus, and he was grateful you still had dinner with him, Master Rhitta. I’m sure that, wherever he is now, he’s happy to know you two survived that dreadful night.”

  Nakoma couldn’t deny the guilty feeling that erupted in his chest, leaving him wishing he had spent more time with Alharo over the last few years. Time had simply gotten away from him, with his duties as Master of Fire being so demanding that before he knew it, years had passed. But at the very least, he was happy to have gotten to catch up with his old friend on their trip to Ankalla.

  “Well, Nakoma? You have the same duties as Koro, so why haven’t you come to visit me? My wife and kids would love to meet the famous Nakoma Taurus, after all! But you can’t even be bothered to join me for a mere dinner?!”

  “I’m here now, aren’t I?”

  “Yes! For business! Are you telling me you only have need of me when it benefits you?! Come now, we were roommates once—the best of friends! Why must you treat me like this? I am frail of heart, you know?”

  Nakoma smiled sadly as he recalled that interaction. At the time, he had considered it mere banter between friends, but now, he couldn’t help wondering if Alharo had actually been disappointed by his failure to reach out.

  Sorry, my friend. I wish I could have been better to you… I wish I could have been better to a lot of people…

  Upon their departure, Nakoma and Koroha hailed a carriage and began their trip back to the Citadel. The Master of Wind remained untalkative, and though Nakoma desperately wanted to inquire about her battle with Keskivaara, he continued to respect her obvious desire to not talk about it. Yet, around halfway to the white tower, she suddenly said something that stunned him.

  “I think the Kosah-Rei had a mind mage.”

  Nakoma furrowed his brow, questioning whether he heard her correctly. “W-what? A mind mage? What makes you think that?”

  “During my battle with Keskivaara,” she murmured, talking almost to herself. “I found myself fighting a ghost. It was him, but somehow, it wasn’t. I had been battling him in a tavern, only to find out he was outside with Alharo. I hallucinated him…twice… When Keksivaara escaped on Sartella, I didn’t even notice the dragon until it was already in the sky. I was too focused on Keskivaara himself…but he wasn’t even there.” Koroha shook her head, her lips drawing tight with an emotion Nakoma couldn’t quite identify, be it rage or perhaps self-loathing. “The other day, I asked Seiras about it, and he confirmed that there were plenty of mind spells that could screw with your perception. He said that it sounded like mind magic, but he didn’t seem like he believed me much, so…”

  “I see…” Nakoma clenched his fists with frustration at yet another Kosah-Rei twist. “But I don't get it… We had so much information on the cult, and never once did we hear anything about a mind mage being among them. Could Firrik and Sartella have picked somebody up within the last month…or was this mage just that well hidden?”

  Koroha gave a soft shrug. “Who knows. But you know what, Nakoma? I’m going to find out… This investigation of mine is only getting started. I’ll find Keskivaara, I’ll find this mind mage, and I’ll avenge our friends. I swear it. In the memory of Alharo and Toranei, I swear it…”

  There was a dark tone within Koroha’s voice, one he had never heard from the woman. It made him sad to think that such a kind and gentle person was being broken so thoroughly, but Nakoma supposed he was no different. There was rage inside of him, too, and if ever given the chance to face Keskivaara in combat, he would do everything in his power to make the People’s Mind suffer even more than he had in those dungeons.

  There wasn’t a chance in hell that he would let Toranei and Alharo go unavenged.

  He didn’t say as much to Koroha, but the two Masters of Ijiria made a pact in that carriage, one that didn’t require words to form.

  When they reached the Citadel, they parted ways with Koroha mumbling something about going to visit Markreas before leaving Nakoma standing awkwardly near the entrance. He thought about going with her, but decided that he didn’t want to overwhelm the King with visitors and that he could easily stop by later. Markreas was far from in good shape, with the healers already declaring him mentally disabled, but they at least believed his life could be saved. From what Nakoma knew, there was a heated debate among the Iiji siblings as to whether it would be a mercy to let Markreas die, or whether they should do everything they could to keep him alive. It seemed Ilirianna was most in favor of sparing him the pain of his current condition while Reigious wanted him to live. In the end, it would probably come down to Piura to break that stalemate, but Nakoma couldn’t even begin to guess which side she would take.

  Personally, I don’t think Markreas would consider his current state as living, but who am I to decide what to do with him?

  Nakoma let out a long breath before turning and heading towards a lift that then took him to the residential corridors. Alharo’s funeral left him mentally exhausted, but this wasn’t even close to over. They still needed to announce to the country that Toranei was dead and that Markreas was no longer able to serve. As he thought about that, even more guilt wracked through his body, for these conditions meant that within the coming weeks, Ilirianna would ascend to the throne. A woman who was not an Iiji would take the helm of Ijiria, potentially severing that family from its blood right. Nakoma’s lies, as well as his disloyalty to his King and friend, had usurped the Ijirian throne from the Iijis, the greatest betrayal he could have ever dealt Markreas. Every loyal bone in his body urged him to come clean, or to at least try and convince Ilirianna to step aside, but his cowardice stopped his conscience from winning out. Especially now that Toranei was dead, he couldn’t bring himself to sully her legacy, and he was afraid of the repercussions that would be dealt to him.

  Nakoma shook his head as he stepped from the lift and began heading towards his quarters. Once the announcement was made, they would hold Toranei’s funeral, and while he wanted nothing more than honor and remember the person she was, he wasn't sure he could emotionally endure such a thing.

  He couldn't believe she was dead.

  It just didn’t feel real.

  The Master of Fire was moving mostly on autopilot, paying very little attention to his surroundings, so he didn’t notice the approaching footsteps and their sudden stop until the person in the corridor with him came into his periphery. He absently glanced up, only for his posture to straighten and his eyes to go wide as he realized Ilirianna was standing just a few feet in front of him. Her expression was neutral, lacking her typical disgust for him but also far from feeling positive. He hadn’t expected her to be down on the residential levels, so his brain shut down for a few seconds as he and his daughter just stared at one another.

  “L-Liri?” he stammered, somehow finding his voice before she could decide to walk away. “I, er, what are you doing down here? I figured you’d be up in the royal suite with Reigious and Piura?”

  She looked away, directing her eyes towards the floor as if debating whether she was even going to answer him. “I was just collecting some of Grunly’s things from his quarters.” Ilirianna gently patted a bag wrapped around her torso. “I had nothing to do anyway, so I thought it’d distract me. How was the service for Alharo?”

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Shocked that she asked a follow-up question, Nakoma ensured he was quick to respond before she could change her mind. “It was a nice way to remember him, but it was hard. Glad to have Koro there with me though. I don’t think I could have prevented myself from breaking down if I’d been alone. So um,” he swiftly went on. “How are you holding up? I, uh, have been trying to talk to you the last few days, but with all of the chaos, I wasn’t able to. I know you were there when your mother, well… Look, if you need anything, let me know! I’ll always be here for you, Liri.”

  He couldn’t help cringing at the awkward way in which he sputtered out his thoughts, but at that point, he figured he’d rather say it like a fool than not say it at all. No matter what, he needed his daughter to know she didn’t have to be alone—that she could rely on him, and lean on him, if she wanted to. He just had to hope that his votes during Ryokumo’s trial hadn’t completely burned whatever was left of the bridge between them.

  Ilirianna still didn’t look at him, and the slight twitching of her face left him uncertain what emotion she was trying to fight back. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “R-right…” Nakoma muttered. “Um, well… Are you free right now? We could head down to the entertainment levels for some lunch, and I could—”

  “Sorry, I’m busy. Another time, maybe.”

  Shutting him down, Ilirianna immediately began to walk away, taking long strides down the hall as she put distance between herself and the stunned Nakoma. His mouth opened and closed as he desperately tried to find the words he wanted to say, but he had nothing. However, as her father, he felt he would never forgive himself if he stood there in silence, so he spun around and frantically called out,

  “Please, I just want to help you! I’m sorry for whatever your mother and I did to make you angry, but you’re important to me, Liri! You’re…” He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “You’re like the daughter I never had. I want to be there for you, to help you get past this! Your mother was murdered, for god's sake, right in front of you! I simply can't imagine you’re alright. Especially not with the throne suddenly being hoisted onto your shoulders. Just let me—”

  “You want to help me?” she suddenly growled, her head slowly tilting so that she could gaze back at him with a cold malice that caused a shiver to run down his spine. “Then don’t oppose me, Taurus.”

  “Uh…? I…?”

  Ilirianna clicked her tongue, then spun back around and stalked away, leaving Nakoma lingering in that corridor, utterly baffled. Don’t oppose her? That implies she’s going to do something she doesn’t think I’ll approve of… But… What on earth could that be?

  ***

  Not but a week ago, Ilirianna Iiji stood at the front of this very table, facing the King, Queen, and Masters as she desperately tried to defend her actions and convince them to spare Abigail Reiner. In addition to that, she’d been frantically trying to convince them not to lock Ryokumo away, something that she only barely managed because Nyx convinced Sinna to see reason. She could not spare Abi, and she spared Ryokumo by a hair, leaving her livid every time she thought about these Masters. So how amusing would it have been to listen to their private thoughts as she sat in Markreas’s throne, gazing around the table at the seven people she was now in charge of? Many weren’t even trying to hide their displeasure, with Sinna, Nigreos, and Album looking especially uncomfortable. This person they opposed, who they fought against and tried to undermine, was now their Queen. She was in charge, and it was utterly satisfying to watch them squirm.

  She would not forget those that stood against her.

  She would not forget the Masters who tried to shove her in a corner and make her concede.

  Nigreos, Album, Sinna, Nakoma… The four of you are on my list, and I will always remember that…

  Only Nyx and Seiras had refrained from vocally opposing her, while Koroha wasn’t present to make a stance. Those three were the only ones she would be lenient with for the moment, but that wasn’t to say she wasn’t prepared for them to turn on her the very second she inconvenienced them. That’s just who the Masters of Ijiria were at heart. They were loyal only so long as being loyal got them what they desired. The second that was no longer true, they would burn everything to get their way.

  But unfortunately, it seems I’ve become no different…and I hate that. I utterly despise the fact that I had to become them to beat them. Yet, I did beat them. Markreas may not be dead, but he can’t rule from his bed. Therefore, the law dictates that this seat is mine, regardless of what the Masters want. I’m sure many of them would love to point out that my breaking of the Oralian Isolation Act should disqualify me from ruling, but that’s just not how it works. Only Markreas could have taken away this right, and he failed to do so. There’s nothing these fuckers can do to rid themselves of me.

  Ilirianna grinned internally, more than excited for the meeting that was about to take place. She was nearly certain that all of them would be horrified by what she was going to announce, and that was exactly what she wanted. She wanted them to bear witness to what her rule would look like, and this was the first step towards achieving that.

  “Alright, thank you for that,” she began, ending the moment of silence she had requested in Edwar Grunly’s memory. “I know the situation with Grunly became complicated in the end, but as my father said the other day, his decades and decades of loyal service should not be forgotten merely due to one incident in the end. But even if it could have been, he gave his life desperately trying to save our King. Markreas lives because of Edwar Grunly’s actions, so as far as I’m concerned, he deserves all the love and respect befitting the Master of Nature.”

  There was a murmur of agreement among them, though none spoke out vocally, as if they weren’t quite sure how to approach this situation either.

  “Now, I understand that things are going to be different now, and I will do my best to serve this empire in my father’s place,” Ilirianna went on. “King Markreas taught me everything he knows, so I can say with confidence that we will make it through this. I’ve called this meeting for a number of reasons, so here’s a little look at the agenda. We need to discuss my mother’s funeral, as well as when we will make the announcement to the populace and the Great Cities. We’ll also discuss what to do about Keskivaara and Sartella, who very clearly need to be hunted immediately and without mercy. Are there any questions about that?”

  She went silent then, eyeing each Master in turn as she wondered which one of them would be the one to ask the obvious question. Nigreos was barely failing to repress a glare he was directing her way, Album had her head lowered to avoid eye contact, Nakoma seemed antsy, Koroha and Nyx were stoic, Sinna seemed as angry as she normally was, and Seiras was just smiling to himself. She raised her eyebrows expectantly, and to her smug satisfaction, it was Nigreos who asked her desired question.

  “And what of Grunly’s replacement? King Markreas decreed that he would no longer be allowed to select his successor, but did Markreas ever actually get a chance to choose somebody?”

  Ilirianna slowly shook her head, staring the Master of Darkness dead in the eyes as she said, “No, he did not. Therefore that responsibility falls to me, as well.”

  “Now hang on just a second,” Sinna cut in with narrowed eyes. “I understand why you’re taking on the role of Queen, but is Markeas truly so brain-dead that he cannot make that selection himself. My Princess, you are a stand-in for him, but you are not yet Queen, so I don’t think that is your decision to make.”

  “Well it’s a good thing I don’t give a fuck what you think, Sinna, so sit there and shut up.”

  Ilirianna silenced bluntly and mercilessly, deciding she would be setting her expectations immediately. Sinna Cartus loved to voice her unsolicited opinions, but where Markreas never once told her to keep quiet, Ilirianna was not going to allow her to do as she pleased. The Master of Rock was stunned by her response, as was almost everybody else at the table.

  “E-excuse me?” Sinna breathed, to which Ilirianna snapped back,

  “You’re excused. Feel free to walk out if you don’t like it. I’m not forcing you to be here.”

  “I-Ilirianna…” Nakoma stammered, only to be silenced by a fierce glare from the Princess.

  “Anyway, are you planning to stay?” she inquired, turning back to face Sinna with a challenging stare. When the Master of Rock failed to answer immediately, Ilirianna continued. “Let’s make something clear, alright? I’m aware that the situation is unique, that Markreas is alive and has yet to officially step down as King, but at least in practice, I am the Queen of Ijiria. Therefore, I will do as a Queen should. Markreas decided to usurp the authority to name the Master of Nature, and since he was unable to, that falls to me. If any of you disagree, then what are you going to do about it, hmm?”

  Sinna was trembling with rage, looking like she might very well jump onto that table and attack Ilirianna—a threat the Princess welcomed. She was baiting them, trying to get one of them to do something she could have them arrested for. She needed better Masters, so if Sinna Cartus wanted to give her a reason to arrest her, Ilirianna would gladly do so and find a Master of Rock more deserving of the position.

  Unfortunately, Sinna was not stupid. As much as the Empire was far from the monarchy it once was, the Queen still held far more power than anybody else, especially over the Masters. If she truly wanted to, Sinna could oppose Ilirianna’s ascension, but if she did so, she was unlikely to succeed. Most of these Masters wouldn’t side with her even if they were appalled by what Ilirianna was doing, and as it stood, Reigious and Piura had both accepted this result. Sinna did not have the power or influence to stop this, and that was another reason Ilirianna felt comfortable being as bold as she was.

  “That’s what I thought. Then, to answer your question, Nigreos,” Ilirianna said as she turned back to address yet another fuming Master. “I rescinded my father’s order, told Grunly before he passed that he was allowed to choose, and got the paperwork filled out and personally signed by him. Therefore, a Master of Nature has already been appointed.”

  “You’re joking,” Nakoma muttered. “Was it Mackia then?”

  “Oh no.” Ilirianna laughed. “No, it was not. As it so happens, Grunly was able to fulfil his longtime wish before his death, a gift from us Iijis to him for saving our father.” She then raised her voice, prepped for the coming show, then called out, “Come on in! I’ve had you lingering in the shadows long enough!”

  There was a small entryroom between the Chamber’s front door and their current space, which was where the new Master of Nature had been standing ever since the meeting began. This was not the normal way new Masters were introduced, but because Ilirianna wanted a chance to address them before what was sure to be a contentious situation, she requested that Abigail arrive last, then wait for her signal before entering the room. This was clearly the correct move, for the stunned reactions that immediately spread throughout those gathered at the table was obvious. Nigreos bolted to his feet, Nakoma turned to stare at Ilirianna as if she had lost her mind, and the others merely gaped at Abi. It felt like the air in the room grew ten times as heavy, with no sound but the footsteps of the Master of Nature reaching their ears.

  Abigail walked forward, her features neutral and polite as she moved to the head of the table, lowered her head in a bow, and said, “I look forward to working alongside you all. Thank you for this honor, My Queen.”

  Ilirianna smiled at her, the two women sharing an unspoken amusement. “I look forward to having you, Master Abigail Reiner. Welcome to the Masters of Ijiria.”

  With that, Abi moved to take her seat in the Master of Nature’s chair, between Nyx and Seiras, before she folded her hands on the table and patiently waited for the conversation to progress. Ilirianna chuckled to herself, slowly eyeing each Master with expectation as she internally made bets on who would speak out first. She lost that bet, for she was fully expecting it to be either Sinna or Nigreos, but instead it was Nakoma who slowly shook his head and broke the silence.

  “Liri, you can’t,” he insisted. “This isn’t appropriate! This isn’t right! She’s a criminal! She broke the—”

  “She’s been given a full pardon,” Ilirianna interrupted. “As Queen of Ijiria, I have that authority, so she was forgiven of all crimes before Grunly appointed her. As such, she is a perfectly valid candidate to be the successor to the Master of Nature.”

  “You—”

  “What did I tell you, Taurus? Do. Not. Oppose me.”

  The Master of Fire’s mouth opened and closed as he failed to find the words to respond. It truly was unfortunate that this was sure to be her dynamic with the Masters, but it seemed that would have to be a necessary evil, for she was not going to let them continue with their pompous behavior.

  “The succession of a Master is a conversation that should only include the outgoing Master, the candidate, and the ruling Iiji,” Ilirianna went on. “So unfortunately, I don’t give a damn what any of you think of this. Grunly appointed Abi, end of story, end of discussion.”

  “With all due respect, My Princess,” Koroha began, her tone cautious and respectful, yet clearly on the cusp of being defiant. “Does this not feel like a conflict of interest? You’re biased in Abigail’s favor. You, too, broke the Oralian Isolation Act, so I do not feel it’s appropriate either that you get the authority to pardon her, then accept her as Master.”

  Ilirianna leaned forward, staring Koroha dead in the eyes as she growled, “Master Rhitta, you and Nakoma were both on my father’s royal team, and somehow you ended up as Masters? Coincidence? I don’t think so. Who’s to say whether either of you were truly best for the job. I guess we’ll never know, but I think of all the people here, you have the least ground to stand on if you want to utter the words ‘conflict of interest’.”

  “That’s not…” Koroha’s lip twitched, a very rare show of anger from the otherwise composed woman. “How dare you?”

  Ilirianna shrugged dismissively as she leaned back in the throne, placed her arms on the rests, then smirked. “Just an observation, is all. But let’s not pretend like Markreas didn’t play favorites. Besides, even if I were to allow Anna or Reigious the right to pardon her in my stead, after she saved my little brother’s life, I think they would reach the same conclusions I did. Now, anybody else want to complain? Nyx, Seiras, Nigreos, Album? Anything to add?”

  “No, nothing,” Nyx answered almost immediately, as if not wanting any attention drawn to her past that one comment. “I respect your decision, as I respect Grunly’s.”

  Seiras nodded his agreement, his blue eyes sparkling with an odd excitement. “Yes, as do I. In fact, I more than support Ms Reiner’s appointment. I think she’ll be an excellent Master.”

  Pleased that two of them were respectful enough to keep their whining to themselves, Ilirianna slowly turned to regard the final two who had yet to speak, that being Nigreos and Album. The former was still on his feet, but when her attention shifted to him, he seemed to snap out of whatever haze had overtaken him before lowering back into his chair.

  “I, uh…” Nigreos stammered. “I don’t feel I need to comment.”

  “Nor do I,” Album grunted, her eyes never once looking at either Ilirianna or Abi.

  “Brilliant.”

  Ilirianna reveled in the tension surrounding her, for it was already sinking in with the Masters that things were about to be very different under her rule. Perhaps, in another time, they could have gotten along. Perhaps Ilirianna wouldn’t have felt the need to command them with an iron fist, but that possibility had been crushed into dust when Abigail Reiner was dragged back to Ijiria.

  And if they wanted Abi back in Ijiria, well, then here she is, sitting right beside them at the table of the Masters.

  She would remember those who voted against her.

  She would not forgive those who betrayed her.

  Retribution was an inevitability, and perhaps her desire for it would bring about her downfall. But at this point, she could hardly bring herself to care. She had an agenda, and one she would not be able to accomplish by playing it nice.

  The Masters of Ijiria would bend the knee.

  The Great Cities would bend the knee.

  And if they didn’t, then Queen Ilirianna Iiji would burn them all to the ground.