Then I lay beside my father’s dead body, and I let the tears come.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Ididn’t know how long I lay there like that, tears falling, eyes swollen, but I couldn’t manage to tear myself away from my father. I’d lost him twice now, and this second time almost seemed worse than the first.
I was angry with him for the things he’d admitted to me, for the lies and the greed and the selfishness, but he was still my father. He was still the man who’d sung me to sleep at night when I was little, who’d been there when I woke screaming from nightmares, who took me on adventures in every corner of our court. I couldn’t quite reconcile the two men: the father I’d known and the power-hungry king he’d revealed himself to be, but I also hadn’t been ready to say goodbye. Not again.
I dragged myself to a stand and promised my father I would be back for him. For now, I had to go to Gabrielle. She’d told me to leave and never come back, but I needed to speak with her. Needed her help.
One final time.
I heardthe clang of swords before I saw her. Outside her castle, in a circle dug into the rocks and filled with sand, Gabrielle whirled and jumped, jabbing her sword at Leoni, blocking her guard’s attack. Leoni forced out her hand, balls of water flying toward Gabrielle like rocks. She ducked, the water missing her head by inches.
Leoni saw me and stopped, right as Gabrielle elbowed her in the jaw and flipped her onto her back. Gabrielle had her sword pointed at Leoni’s throat when she laid her eyes on me and stood, sword dropping to the ground.
“I thought I told you to leave.”
“My father is dead,” I said. “Again.”
Gabrielle swallowed but didn’t speak.
“Your Majesty.” Leoni came to stand beside her. “She disobeyed your orders. She needs to be taught a lesson.”
“No.” My fists curled at my sides.
“No?” Gabrielle asked.
“You cannot throw me into your dungeons. My court needs me. You were wrong, Gabrielle.”
Gabrielle crossed her arms. “About what?”
“You said I wouldn’t make a good queen, that I wouldn’t be a good leader for the earth court, but that’s not true. When you said those words, it struck a chord because I’d been questioning the same thing about myself for so long.” I stepped forward. “What I did was wrong. I should never have lied to you, never should have stolen that weapon. And my father paid the price formy actions. I made a mistake, but that does not define who I am, who I would be as queen.”
A gust of briny wind pushed past us, blowing strands of my hair into my face. I brushed them aside. Gabrielle still didn’t speak.
“My father did a lot of bad things. Things that I don’t have time to get into right now. He started a war, he lied to the other courts, he put his needs first, and that’s how I know I’ll be a good queen. Because I’ve done the opposite ever since I escaped that prison. All I’ve thought about was my court, my people. I did things I didn’t want to do, things that made me uncomfortable, things that pushed me and challenged me. And I do believe I’m a better person for it, even if the methods weren’t the best.” I took a step forward, and Leoni’s hand tensed over her sword.
“I watched you, you know. I watched how you were with your people. You love them. You know them. You know their needs, you know their worries, their fears, and you do everything you can for them. You didn’t want to throw that ball, but you did, and you did it for them.” I spread my hand out to her court, scattered down below along the sea. “You’re a good queen, and I will be too. But you have to let me go so I can fight my stepmother and take back what’s mine. So I can rectify the mistakes my father made and build a better future for my people.” I took another step forward. “I don’t want to be your enemy,” I said. “I understand if you want nothing to do with me or my court moving forward, but I want to work together. Once I’ve set things right, I want to find your brothers and get their shadows back. I want to figure out what Sorrengard is planning and stop them. But mostly, I want my friend back. When you’re ready. If you think you can.”
Gabrielle stared at me for a full minute, not saying a single word. I was about to turn and leave when she said, “I’m not a good queen.”
Leoni’s head snapped to her.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You were willing to go to the ends of the earth for your people, and what have I done for mine? I’ve sat here, hiding away, keeping anyone from coming or going. I never should’ve said what I did to you. You shouldn’t have lied to me, but... but I understand. You did what you had to for your people, and that is admirable, Liliath. I’m sorry about your father. We’ll ensure his body is brought back to the earth court.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes.
“Go save your people,” she said. “I’ll be here waiting when you’re done.”
Relief flooded me, then I straightened. “Um, Penn? Has he...?”
Gabrielle looked at Leoni, who shook her head.
“He stole one of our ships and fled.”
Right. So he was gone. I didn’t know how to feel about that, but I didn’t have time to think on it. It would be a long journey back to the earth court, and I’d have to go through Gilraeth to get there, then somehow get to my castle without being detected.
