A flash of blue.

One of coral.

And…

Silence.

Marian noted vaguely it was snowing again.

Not snow.

No.

A heavy downfall of black ash.

As her vision faded, she watched the Beast in the form of a beast drop to his knees into the snow, murmuring, “Sister.”

Her eyes closed.

They opened on hearing him snarl and the hair of the Firenz woman was dragged from sight. She heard a terrible ripping noise, saw a spurt of crimson desecrate the white.

And her eyes did not close again.

But they could see no longer.

King Cassius

Upper Hall, Sky Citadel, Sky Bay

AIREN

He stood, ignoring the boom of fireworks above, the sounds of celebrations that rose up from the bottom gate, and stared at Reginald standing before him.

“I have situated her in the room she had before, but she shall be moved at your direction, if this is your requirement. As ever, your orders will be carried out to the letter,” Reginald said.

Cassius said nothing.

When he did not, Reginald did.

“If you wish my bars, sire, I will give them to you,” he declared. “My watch. My responsibility. And as I’ve failed it, not only with this, but also not knowing communications were getting through my guard, if you intend to relieve me of it, this is something I will not argue.”

Cassius continued to say nothing.

“I am sorry, my king, that my failure in my duties has put a pall on such a triumphant day,” Reginald muttered. “I am also sorry for your loss.”

“What did you say?” Cassius asked.

Reginald studied him a moment before asking, “Which part?”

“What did you call me?”

“Um…my king?” Reginald queried, as if Cassius’s confirmation was needed to state he did, or did not, call him that.

“Fuck, I am,” Cassius said.

“Sorry, sire?”

Cassius snapped into the conversation.

“Your king,” he said. “I’m your king.”

“Well, yes, uh, since, you see, the other one is rather…um…dead,” Reginald replied.

Cass studied his uncomfortable warden.

Then he made his decision.

“We have spoken of the other,” Cassius began. “I understand feeling responsible for the entirety of your men. I would have no man in your position who didn’t. But no one is all-knowing and all-seeing. The men who are responsible have been identified and dealt with. And that is all that needs said about that.”

Reginald inclined his head.

“And he ordered today’s nonsense through his council, Reginald,” Cassius told the man. “One hundred and fifty-seven Airenzian men are dead today because of him. A stand they should not have taken that could never have been won, ordered by a king who was no longer in the position to put his people in the path of harm. I would have had to take his head, Reginald. Through sheer obstinacy, he is responsible for what befell my citizens today. For even if they stood against the changes I’ve made, they’re still Airenzian. So, it’s rather fortunate that Horatia saved me from needing to order the execution of my father.”