by Amelia Shaw
I almost clapped my hands together I was so happy. “Then let’s do that! I can marry whoever I want, and be your daughter, and we don’t have to worry about anything else!”
Plus, if they elected another heir, my sisters would be safe. They wouldn’t be seen as a threat... hopefully. I didn’t want to bring them up sooner than required.
Maybe they could organize some sort of official document passing on the idea of being the heir. Bella would sign it in a heartbeat. Courtney... probably, although I wasn’t as sure about her the way I was about Bella.
Tavlor grabbed my hand, and my attention.
“Ava, do you know what you’re saying?” he asked, tilting his head to the side, his eyes intense as they scanned mine.
I glanced from my father, back to my lover.
“Yes, of course. Don’t you agree with me?” I asked. “I mean, isn’t it the perfect solution? I can just be a normal girl. I don’t have to worry about stepping into power or having the Council breathing down my neck and pointing out everything I screw up, because I’m pretty sure I’d screw up a lot.”
He didn’t look convinced. His lips were turned down and there was a sadness in his eyes I didn’t understand.
“What’s the problem?” I asked, my voice tentative. I pulled back from him, but only slightly. “I mean... this means we can be together. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Or was there another reason Tavlor wanted to be with me?
“Unless... did you want to be the next High Warlock or something?” I asked. I hated myself for even thinking it, but I couldn’t help it. Why else would he be disappointed?
More than that, it would make a lot of sense considering his background, and his breeding. Was he wanting the connections and the power that came with the role? To get back at those who had made him feel like he was nothing, worthless?
Tavlor’s eyes widened.
“Are you seriously asking me that?” His tone sounded offended, but his eyes were filled with hurt.
“Well, why else would you want me to take on the role. I can’t see any advantages, and only disadvantages,” I said quickly, ignoring the guilt pooling into my stomach.
Tavlor shook his head. “The Council will never accept me as anything other than a guard,” he pointed out. “If you decide to marry me, you will never be High Warlock, Ava. Never. This has nothing to do with what I want, and everything to do with what is the right thing for you. And your family.”
I swallowed hard. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”
I still wasn’t convinced that he didn’t want the position, but that may be my extremely compromised and stressed out brain talking.
I chewed my bottom lip, unsure where we went from here. I knew what I wanted, but I couldn’t help but think Tavlor had a point as well. I just wasn’t sure what that was.
“So, what are you saying?” I finally decided to ask.
“I’m saying that you don’t know what you’re giving up.” Tavlor’s voice was gentle, even understanding, which bothered me more than I wanted to admit. “The High Warlock has a beautiful house, money, power, and influence. But the main role of the High Warlock is to affect change, moderate the Council. If you step away and they elect one of their own children...”
He trailed off and a feeling of dread washed over me.
“What would happen then?” I asked. I already knew the answer, but I was compelled to hear it from them.
“Well, anything,” Tavlor said. “Truly anything. They could change laws overnight. Imprison the Fae, the Shifters. Their power and influence would be unlimited, and they would have someone whose strings they would successfully pull, not someone like Matlock who knows when to fight and when to concede.”
“But the Fae and Shifters wouldn’t handle that, would they?” I asked. “They wouldn’t just let the Council lock them away for no reason?”
He shook his head with a sad smile. “No, they wouldn’t. So there would be a revolt. Wars. Death. And all because the Council’s new puppet is as evil as they are.”
I let my head drop forward and I closed my eyes. Was he serious? The happiness and safety of half the Universe was now on my shoulders?
I lifted my head and stared at him. “So you’d rather me choose to serve the community and spend the rest of my life fighting the Council over marrying you and being a daughter to my father? Even if it means I have to marry... and have sex with a man I don’t even know! To have children with him the Council can use as pawns in their sick, twisted game?”
Tavlor grimaced, then he clenched his jaw.
“You don’t even know what you’re doing,” he pointed out. Though his tone was soft, his words were harsh. “You haven’t lived here. You haven’t seen the oppression of the people. Watched your father fight for the rights they currently have. The Council will destroy everyone if there isn’t someone there to stop them.”
“But why does it have to be me?” I cried, throwing my arms out.
This wasn’t fair. All I’d ever wanted was a father. My father.
I’d never asked to be Queen of the Universe.
My father walked over to us and put a hand out to each of us, touching both my arm and Tavlor’s at the same time.
For some reason, magical or other, it had a calming effect on me. And from the way Tavlor’s face relaxed, it seemed to affect him in a similar way.
“Both of you are upset, and I can understand why,” my father said, his voice surprisingly soothing. “I grew up knowing that I would have an arranged marriage, and yet it still felt truly terrible when I had to walk away from Genevieve, who I cared deeply for. I can’t imagine what it must feel like for you, Ava... Or you, Tavlor. You started your relationship, I assume, not thinking that it may come down to a choice like this.”
I glanced up at Tavlor.
“I don’t think either of us meant to start anything... it just kinda happened,” I admitted.
Tavlor stayed silent, but I could feel his hurt. His anger.
I sighed heavily and pulled away from my father’s influence.
“I don’t know what to do, or say,” I continued, looking down at my hands. “It’s true... I don’t know what I’m giving up. I know nothing about your role, Dad. Not really. And to be honest, I never wanted it. I wasn’t bred for it. I have no... reference...”
I shrugged, feeling overwhelmed.
My father said, “Well perhaps that is what needs to happen.”
I frowned at him. “What do you mean?”
There was a loud knock at the door, then it opened and Thomas and the Council all poured in.
I inhaled a deep breath and faced them, standing next to my father. At this point, I was confused about what I wanted. The same thing happened with the possibility of being pregnant and now the necessity of being High Warlock.
And this is why you shouldn’t rush into things without figuring that out, a voice that sounded suspiciously like my mother pointed out.
I let out a breath. My father had a plan, hopefully, so I was leaving it to him. Maybe then I could try and figure out what I wanted with my life. What the best decision was.
Thomas came forward, smiling, the smug bastard. “What is Ava’s decision?”
My father stepped forward and I hung back, making sure to stand straight, shoulders back and eye forward. I wouldn’t let them see how confused, how angry, how unsure I was about everything. They’d already won, and they knew it, too. I wouldn’t give them any more opportunity to feel good about the win.
I was strong. I was unruffled. I was going to get through this one way or another.
“Firstly,” my father began, “we need it in writing, that irrespective of Ava’s decision, all charges against her and I, are withdrawn. Settled. Never to be brought up again.”
Thomas’s lips pursed together like he’d sucked on a lemon and the sight gave me a small amount of happiness.
So, they’d been hoping to hold onto that threat to push me to do what they wanted, had they?<
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Thomas glanced behind him, and multiple people nodded.
He turned back. “Yes, we agree to that.”
“So, whether Ava decides to sign the contract, or step back and abdicate, she is free,” my father clarified, just in case they were looking for loopholes, which I was certain they were.
Thomas nodded. “Yes.”
He brought out his wand and tapped his hand, a new scroll appearing in his grasp.
He turned to me and handed the scroll over.
I snatched it a little too quickly and unrolled the scroll, walking over to Tavlor for confirmation.
Tavlor did a quick screen and said to my father, “This is only Ava’s, Matlock. You will need one also.”
My father’s back straightened. “Do I need one?” He tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “Against myself?”
I couldn’t see his face, but from the look on the Council, he was angry.
“We will... organize something for you. For all future reference,” Thomas said in a hurry.
I wanted to laugh, but I knew I shouldn’t.
Thomas leaned forward, as though he couldn’t wait to ask once again.
“So, what is Ava’s decision?” he pressed. His eyes rested on me, joy dancing in them.
I wanted to punch him in the face, if only to feel the joy for myself.
My father turned around and looked at me. Then he smiled, as though he was taking the moment to enjoy torturing them.
I smiled back. How could I not?
Then he turned back around and said, “Ava hasn’t decided either way, and as she has at least six months before the scheduled wedding, we believe asking for a three-day thinking period is reasonable.”
I agree!
I let out a breath in a way that ensured they wouldn’t hear it.
Charity rushed forward, through the crowd until she was standing next to Thomas.
I bit down on my lip so I didn’t smirk. I knew that cow couldn’t stay in the background for long.
“A thinking period? What the hell does that mean, Matlock?” she spat. She shook her head. “You have got to be kidding me. A thinking period? To think about what, exactly? Your options are before you. You should be lucky we’ve been so considerate thus far!”
Considerate?
My father seemed to get taller as he bristled, his spine straightening. “It means exactly what I said,” he snapped. “My daughter has had enough shit thrown at her in the past month to last a lifetime, and I won’t have you forcing her into a life, and a marriage, that she doesn’t want.”
Charity crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back, and grinned as though she’d won. “Then she must relinquish the rights to be your heir, and we will choose the next successor.”
From the way they were saying it...they already had.
Chapter 10.
WHO COULD IT BE?
It had to be a male, of course. Maybe it was the guy they wanted me to marry?
I shouldn’t care who it was because, in the end, it wasn’t Tavlor. He was the only person who meant the world to me, the only one I wanted to settle down with and have a family with. If it wasn’t him, what did I care?
What would the Council’s chosen champion be like? Malleable and weak? Or super confident and have a supremacy complex?
A lapdog, who wanted nothing more than to make the Council happy, no matter what the cost?
I shuddered at the idea of being married to either sort of man. Any man that wasn’t Tavlor wasn’t good enough for me, in my book.
“My daughter,” my father said again and this time I couldn’t stop the smile that sprung to my face. It truly sounded like he was enjoying using the word. To be able to use it freely around this sort of company. He wasn’t ashamed. He didn’t hesitate. It was everything I’d longed to hear.
“She has no idea what she will be giving up if she relinquishes her right to the High Warlock position. In all our history, we have never had an heir abdicate, and I think Ava deserves to know.”
“Then what are you suggesting, exactly?” Thomas asked, narrowing his eyes between the two of us.
“Simple,” my father said, spreading out his hands. “A three-day reprieve until she has to give her final answer. I will show her the realms, introduce her to some of the politics, and school her in our laws. After that, she can make an educated decision about what she would like to do.”
“I’d also like to meet the man you want me to marry,” I burst out with.
Everyone turned to me, even my father and Tavlor.
I didn’t flinch but I could feel my cheeks burning up with a blush. I cleared my throat.
“I think that’s fair,” I added, though my voice wasn’t as confident as I wanted it to be. I avoided even glancing in Tavlor’s direction. I didn’t want him to think I was considering being with someone other than him, but I needed to know who they wanted to pair me with.
In truth, no matter what my father showed me, I wasn’t agreeing to be ‘bred’ with anyone other than Tavlor.
But if my intuition was correct, this was the man they would replace me with, as High Warlock. And I wanted to suss out my competition, as Courtney liked to say.
Who did they want as their puppet.
My father turned back to Thomas.
“Do we have a deal?” he asked, arching a brow. The fact that my father posed no argument to my suggestion must mean that it was a reasonable request.
Thomas tapped Charity on the arm.
“Give us a moment,” he said.
They receded back into their army and I hurried forward to regroup with Tavlor and my father. I looked between the two of them, hoping to find out if them discussing our request was a good sign or if we had shot ourselves in the foot.
Tavlor raised one eyebrow, but he didn’t say anything.
“What?” I said.
My father chuckled.
“Wanna meet the potential husband, do you?” he teased, his eyes lighting up.
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. Of course they would think that. They couldn’t possibly try and see it from my point of view, how it was important to understand who would succeed my father if I were to abdicate.
“You guys are too literal,” I insisted. “I don’t even remember his name!”
“Then why...” my father began, but let his voice trail off. He tilted his head to the side.
“Because they will need to replace me with a High Warlock of their choosing, according to you, and it makes sense to me, that they’ve already chosen someone,” I said. “Someone they are trying to get into the bloodlines... someone who may be super malleable...”
My father grinned. “You think they will name Cedric High Warlock, irrespective of whether you agree to the marriage or not.”
“Yes, I think they want him in,” I said. “Either way. So, I want to know who they’ve chosen, and why. I want to know who my potential husband and competition is, to see what sort of man Cedric is before I’m able to make an informed decision about everything.”
Tavlor made a grunting, approval sort of noise. “Smart thinking, Ava.”
I shrugged.
“Not just a pretty face,” I said before sticking out my tongue and giving him a wink.
We turned back to the Council group, who had gone quiet, obviously having made a decision. They were looking at us, waiting. I hoped they weren’t trying to listen in on our discussion. I didn’t think that was allowed, but then again, when did the Council ever respect rules, even ones they, themselves, had put into place?
My father joined Thomas in the middle of the room, and Charity hung back, looking pouty, arms crossed over her chest, a hip jutted out.
Thomas put out a hand as though asking my father to shake it. “We agree with the terms,” he said with a nod. “Your daughter has three days to decide, then we will go ahead with our plans, whether she wants to partake in them or not.”
I shuddered. Our plans. That sounded ominous.
I wished I could read their minds and see what those plans actually were, but I didn’t want to cross any lines and I definitely didn’t want anyone doing it on my behalf. Any reason to reject me and they would, especially if that meant throwing me in jail.
My father shook Thomas’s hand, then walked back to us.
“Make sure you have the contracts, Ava, then let’s go back to my office,” my father instructed without looking at me.
I clung to the two contracts I had. The one that set me free, and the other that had every intention of locking me into a gilded cage. Which one I would sign, I still wasn’t sure.
Tavlor led the way, and we went through the portal doors, until we were back in my father’s offices. My shoulders sagged in relief. Carrying the contracts, though they were two innocuous pieces of parchment, was like carrying a heavy burden I had to shoulder alone.
I collapsed onto the couch and put the contracts on the coffee table between the two couches. I eyed them warily, looking at both of them like handcuffs painted different colors. It was my job to select the lesser of two evils, but what was that, exactly?
Tavlor didn’t sit down. Instead, he stood by the door, looking very much like the guard he was hired to be. His mouth set in a grim line. His shoulders were rigid. Despite the fact that he clearly understood why I might want to choose to inherit the role of High Warlock, he wasn’t happy about what I had to do, which was marry someone else. I was just glad to see some emotion on his face since he was usually so reserved, I couldn’t even tell what he was thinking most of the time.
“Oh, my God.” I threw my arms up in frustration. “I can’t believe they want me to choose between loving Tavlor and being your heir. That’s just... so selfish of them.”
My father sat on the couch next to me, looking relaxed and smiling. “We had a win, getting the extra time,” he said, bypassing over my marriage concerns. “Now we can formulate a plan.”
A smile lifted my lips. “You have a plan?” I didn’t want to get too hopeful, but I couldn’t exactly help it. If there was a way I didn’t have to marry someone and still inherit...
He sat up straighter and tugged on his robes. “No. But between us, I’m sure we can come up with something.”