Windburn

“My heir will be my youngest daughter, Briar.”

The crowd cheered and it felt as though the weight of the Wretched Peaks had crawled onto my shoulders. There was only one thing I could do.

I held up my hand. “Stop.”

A gasp rippled through the crowd, followed closely by my name.

“I have evidence that you are not in your right mind, that Cassava and Blackbird have stripped you of your ability to rule, to make the best choices for this family.”

I approached and held the paper out to Bella. “Bella, read this, please.”

She did, her voice stumbling until she got to the part about me being named heir. Her eyes shot to mine and she grinned. “By your own hand, Father, you have named Larkspur your heir and rightful ruler to your throne.”

By law, there was nothing he could do. The letter pre-dated his naming of Vetch as heir.

His face paled, and from behind him I saw a glimmer of my mother. Whether it was her spirit or the mother goddess come to watch the game, I didn’t know and didn’t care. She placed a hand on him. I looked around; no one else was looking at her.

Spirit whispered through me, and I knew Spirit was the reason only I could see her.

“I will not recant,” my father whispered, his eyes locking on mine. “I . . . name Larkspur as the heir to my throne and the next queen of the Rim.”

The crowd went to their knees around me.

How easy would it be to take the throne? I looked at Ash and Cactus. I could have them both.

I glanced at Briar, who looked relieved, and then to Bella. She nodded. “Take it, Lark. I will stand with you in this.”

But I was not the best one for the job. I was a half-breed. A Terraling needed to be on the throne of the Rim. A place I no longer belonged.

“I refuse.”

My father’s eyes widened even as Bella’s closed. “Excuse me?”

The mother goddess shook her head and spoke directly to me. “I will let you suffer his madness if you do not accept this. I want you here, on the throne, Larkspur.”

Again with the machinations. “Bella is the best choice. She is trained as a diplomat, she is trained as a Princess. I am trained as an Ender, and I would serve her as my queen. It would be my honor to place her life above my own.” I went to one knee and bowed my head to Bella.

“You would give up your right to the throne?” My father’s voice was incredulous.

A calm surety flowed through me, Spirit calming me. “Yes. Bella is the best choice. If you choose Briar, I will force your hand as your spoken heir.”

Again the crowd gasped. I dared to lift my eyes. My father stared at me with little emotion on his face. Fern and his child were gone, killed by Cassava. He had no other heirs awaiting him besides his three daughters.

“Belladonna.” He held a hand out to her. “Will you take this responsibility your sister so thoughtlessly casts aside?”

She placed her hand in his, but not before looking at me. Her eyes were troubled. Perhaps she didn’t like the thought of being chosen last. Yet I felt the certainty of my choice the same as I’d felt when I’d named Samara as heir. Belladonna was the one who should rule.

“Yes. It would be my honor.” She spoke clearly, so all could hear her.

The mother goddess backed away, and as she released my father, his eyes snapped to me, flickering with anger.

“You chose to use a Tracker. You broke our laws. You defiled the Eyrie, earning yourself the name Destroyer. You killed Sylphs. You’ve killed Salamanders. You’ve killed Terralings and Undines.”

I swallowed hard, knowing what was coming. “I have. And I would do it again to protect those I love.”

“That is one law too many broken. Your death awaits.” There was no malice in him, only a deep sadness and confusion that permeated the air.

“Then so be it,” I whispered, staying where I was.

Cactus pushed forward. “No. I called on the Tracker. I broke that rule. One less to punish her with, then. You cannot kill her.”

I didn’t gasp, I wasn’t surprised he would try to take the punishment from me. That was Cactus through and through. “Cactus, don’t—”

“No.” He went to his knees beside me. “No. You are not doing this without me.”

My father stepped down from the platform. “You are both hereby banished. You are no longer of the Rim. You are no longer of our family. I cast you out to wander the desert, Larkspur. That is your home. Cactus, I cast you out to the north. You will not be together.”

Cactus’s eyes bugged and I knew what he was thinking. He’d finally found a way to be with me without Ash. Except Cactus would not survive banishment.

Beside me, Peta let out a wail, her pain echoing through me. I crouched and put my arms around her, whispering in her ear. “This is not forever, Peta. I will survive this too. You know if Talan survived banishment, so can I. Do what you can to learn, go to the families and search out their secrets, weaknesses. The mother goddess plays a deep game, and I aim to uncover it.”

She put her head against mine. “Please, do not leave me again.”

“For a little while, my Nepeta. Only a little while.” I stroked her head. “Shazer. Take her, and don’t irritate each other too much.”

The Pegasus shook his head. “This is wrong.”

“For all those deaths?” It was my turn to shake my head. “I think I got off lightly.”

There was no saying goodbye for me, not for anyone other than my two familiars. Bella tried, as did Cactus and Ash. They were held back and I didn’t fight the guards who hustled me to the eastern edge of the Rim.