Chapter 48

The death toll from the attack had passed a hundred. With the help of the witches they were able to free a lot of Phoenix yet there were just too few witches in comparison to the amount of lives that needed saving. They were lucky to not lose another royal Phoenix, many of them were able to fight the Myth Hunter and Demons invading their minds on their own. Jace choose to believe it was because of Zebedaios help but he couldn’t be sure.

The death of one royal Phoenix had a huge impact. Its ripples would shake up the entire mythical world. Now that the Myth Hunters knew that they could kill a royal Phoenix there was no stopping them in targeting any other myth with their weaponised demons. After all, it had worked on Phoenix, the myth designed to destroy demons. Other myths not so well equipped were seriously in danger.

Any previous safety the Phoenix had felt was now shattered. Their palace was no longer a safe space for them, they needed to move elsewhere. A completely heartbreaking choice as their history and culture was all based around their location high up within the coldest region of the world. Their palace was painted to tell the history of their people, it lived and breathed Phoenix yet it was ruptured.

Rushed plans and meetings were made trying to find a new location to begin building a new palace. It was so unbreaking to operate a featured court with not only the King dead but the head of research and the library also dead, not to mention friends and family of the court. Everyone was so completely heart broken. Fierce debate broke out over the location. Nikita had to step up into the role of the King, she seemed so stressed having the responsibility fall to her before she was ready and before she had even had all of her training. It was not time yet the most unexpected thing had happened. The court felt so broken and it seemed decisions were a lot harder.

Jace wandered out of a meeting with Lynn by his side. The palace looked a little dishevelled around him, paintings had been blasted with light and blood smeared.

He collapsed onto a lounge set up by a window and stared out into the darkness. His eyes were so vacant as was the darkness he stared into.

Lynn sat down beside him, equally as exhausted by the whole situation. They were supposed to be breaking to get lunch but neither of them felt particularly hungry. She watched her brother carefully, not knowing where to start or how to put into words the loss she felt.

“Do you blame me?” Jace asked, his voice was barely a whisper.

“No, not at all,” Lynn said quickly, “Why would you say that?”

“I had allowed a demon into the palace,” Jace’s words seemed to lack his soul, as if it truly had been stolen by a Demon.

Lynn frowned, “Do you think that demon had a part in this?”

“No. He didn’t, he had nothing to do with it. He was helping us, he freed the Queen. But do you think that because I allowed the Demon in I caused all of this?” Jace asked pointedly.

“I trust your judgement Jace, do you?”

Jace didn’t respond right away, he looked into the darkness. The death of his Father, the King despite everything he knew he couldn’t help but feel the guilt under his skin building. That when he allowed the Demon back into the palace that just maybe he had given an opening for the Demons and Myth Hunters to come into the palace.

“I don’t know anymore,” Jace’s voice was filled with the haunting guilt.

Lynn put her hand on his shoulder. “What I do know is that this secret needs to stay between us.”

Jace looked up into his sister’s now purple eyes and the guilt gripped him harder. “Do you think so?”

“I believe what you say about the kindness and goodness of this Demon Zebedaios but I don’t think the rest of the Phoenix will. Admitting this to anyone is going to be a dangerous game, right now especially. You will likely be blamed for this whole situation just to be completely honest with you.”

Jace nodded understanding his sister’s words. After just coming out of such a tedious argument he knew that he would be quickly blamed.

Jace sighed. “I don’t know where he is or if he’s even still alive.”

Lynn hugged him. “I know you really liked him. But right now it's for the best, everyone is on high alert. We might have restored the barriers but who knows when they will try again.”

Jace nodded yet he really needed the Demon. Zebedaios had shown up when he was most in need and his absence during the past few days Jace had felt more than anything. That teal smile he missed the most. He just wanted the Demon to reassure him, to ease some of the horrible guilt that builded within him.

“I hope he is ok.”

Lynn smiled grimly. “Where do you think we should move?”

Jace was a little surprised by the change of subject but perhaps it was what he needed. “Somewhere less isolated. I know we are here for a defence purpose among others but it’s clear the Myth Hunters will chase us no matter where we go. We need some form of backup that is close by. Sure there is the Fujimura pack but they are still quite a journey away. We also could be helping out more in this war with the Myth Hunters rather than just hiding up here in the arctic.”

“I completely agree, we need to spread the word of this new danger as well.”

“It’s going to be my responsibility in a few years so this new location will be the location of my reign,” Jace said.

His future was increasingly horrifying. He would have Queen Pearl around for a few more years yet when she passed everything would be falling onto him. He felt so ill prepared to be facing what was becoming a war with the Myth Hunters. Yet Nikita was already forced into this position. Who was he to fear it?

“You should fight more for your opinion to be heard,” Lynn said, looking back at the court members who were already started to gather.

“I’m quite sick of fighting,” said Jace.

“Me too but decisions are being made Jace.”

Jace sighed and they both rose and walked toward the rest of the court.

Jace was glad to have his sister by his side. Thariel looked over at him, offering him an exhausted smile. Jace couldn’t lose them. Now that it seemed entirely possible for a royal Phoenix to be killed it was important that they made the correct choices for the breadth of his reign. It was time for him to step up and become the future King that he needed to be.

So he stepped into that room with his head held high and a mask of confidence welded to his face.