Another good point. I said as much.
I don’t know, he finished. I’ve had firsthand dealings with them. So has Vlad. So have you. I’m sure Darius has more opinions than he is sharing. He sees the folly in allowing the vampires or Lucifer to sit on the throne, but he hasn’t weighed in on what he thinks you should do, right?
“No,” I answered, and it was amazing that he hadn’t. Usually, Darius would talk me through a situation much more thoroughly than I’d like, going through the possible ramifications of every decision, but I got the feeling that he was letting me fully captain this ship. While he’d made it clear he would fight by my side, he didn’t plan to point me in any particular direction.
I wondered about that. Maybe this situation had gotten too big for even him, and he wanted to see which way the wind would blow before making a call. Or maybe the days of manipulating me were long since done.
I was not sure I believed either of those.
Regardless, it was becoming increasingly apparent that no one knew what was best. Roger and the fae didn’t understand what they were up against. The king and queen’s enablers weren’t about to out themselves as bad guys, so a lot of them would end up back in positions of power. And where was the representation of the other creatures in the Realm if only the elves ruled? Shifters didn’t even have proper representation now, and they’d all worked dutifully for the crown. Had for many, many years.
I rubbed my temples. The whole thing was giving me a headache, but this time I couldn’t just shove the mess aside and go hunt something. This time I was all in.
So what did I really want in this game?
I wanted to be able to come and go to the Underworld, a right that Lucifer had granted me, and to learn enough that I could help him rule. For that to happen, the Realm had to be stable. The dragons and other creatures needed to be able to roam freely. Royalty should once again visit one another across world lines, and they should share ideas.
“Why does this all rest on my shoulders?” I was ashamed that my tone came pretty close to a whine.
Because you’re a power player now.
“I don’t know that I will fight my father.”
It doesn’t seem like he has any interest in fighting you. He has a grudge match with the elves, same as you. Same as the elves do with him. No one is innocent in this, not even me.
I laughed without humor. “You made an illusion, Emery. Give me a break. Lucifer’s castle is full of them. For funsies.”
Different strokes, he thought.
Different strokes was right.
We’ve said it before, but I believe you’re overthinking all this. I think you need to handle things the way you usually do.
Show up and kick ass.
“I have to grow up sometime.”
Maybe. But when there is no right answer…
“Stop making good points. It’s getting annoying.”
He chuckled as I clued in to our surroundings. I recognized the rock area near the vampire lair, full of big boulders and wandering rock beings. We flew over the path that wound from it, our trip drastically shorter thanks to the dragons.
My stomach curdled as I saw the figures zooming through the lands, headed in the direction of the nearest Underworld entrance. Vlad’s people, it must be, and they were on the move. The sheer number of them was enough to push my heart up into my throat.
“We’ve run out of time,” I yelled, leaning forward to push Archion a little faster. Ahead, Saphira had put on the jets too, meaning Darius had also noticed the exodus.
We soared along the path that led to the unicorns, passing the waters that held flesh-eating serpents. Last time I’d been this way, Darius thought it odd there weren’t any sentries. I didn’t know if it was odd or not now, but they were equally absent.
Warm light rained down on the unicorn lands up ahead, not actual sunlight but close enough. The small island, surrounded by swampy water, was covered in lush greenery, from leafy trees to wide meadows. They weren’t natural, those too-green trees, but created from magic. It was something I hadn’t noticed the first time I was here, since the illusion was done so well.
Saphira circled, and we followed, Cahal behind us. Great, regal beasts herded together below, silky-smooth fur catching the soft light from the faux-sun. One neighed, shaking its head and white mane before rising on its rear hooves. The gilded horn sparkled.
“Wow,” Emery said with a release of breath.
I’d have to agree. They were lovely in the way the dragons were magnificent. Imagine riding into battle on one of those beauties: your enemy would stop with a dopey smile that wouldn’t leave their face until your unicorn friend plunged that beautiful horn into their middle.