From the Ashes: A Dragons & Phoenixes Novel (The Phoenix Wars Book 1) Read online

  "Of course," I agreed smoothly, bowing slightly at the polite dismissal.

  Then I turned and walked out of the chambers. One foot in front of the other. That was all I had to do. I felt like I was wrapped in a thick bolt of fabric, everything somewhat muffled around me. I didn't know how to feel. I hadn’t known what to expect from our new king.

  I had seen Sven around the palace many times in my position as Liaison. It had me frequenting the palace over the last few years, even though Emberich didn’t often pay attention to the concerns that were brought to him. One of the reasons why I was given the job in the first place. Nobody wanted a job with no real power to influence anything and the potential to anger a king known for his often cruel retaliation. I was assigned to it simply because I was a neutral choice, one that didn't come from a flock in the king's inner circle but also didn't have ties to any of those flock's rivals.

  I'd taken the job when I was offered it, not knowing a polite—and safe—way to refuse. But I'd soon realized how important the position was, even without Emberich's support. I'd learned to find creative ways to help address the concerns various flocks came to me with. I'd been successful enough that more and more of them slowly started coming to me with more concerns, seeing that they didn't fall on deaf ears. It was a difficult job. A stressful, often thankless one. One Emberich didn’t care much about as he didn’t worry himself over such matters. Or any matters that didn't directly concern himself or those who made sure to stay within his inner circle.

  That was the benchmark I found myself comparing Sven to. He had been Emberich's right-hand man in many ways, after all.

  Though I had seen Sven many times and had shallow encounters with him, I hadn’t spend a lot of meaningful time around him. So I had no reason to expect him to have any interest in what I had to say. And I wasn’t accustomed to the king showing any kind of interest in any case.

  As I stepped past the guard, Igna, and walked down the hall, I found myself in the unexpected position of being uncertain of the future. Completely at a loss. I had fully prepared myself for the termination of my position.

  I had even started planning for a future that didn’t involve working at the palace. I was going to go back to my flock and help rebuild it, make myself useful. But now, if Sven truly cared like he said he did, this was the best position to be in to help my flock. But also to help all of the others that needed it. I couldn’t in good conscience resign. I didn't trust Blaise or anyone else to be in the position, not when I'd seen how quickly people in power could be corrupted.

  I hardly noticed the familiar surroundings as I walked, too absorbed by this surprising turn. However, there was really only one thing to do. I had no decision to make. I had to continue my work and hope that something would come of it. Something good. Something necessary.

  But I would continue to reserve judgment on Sven. If I had learned anything in my time under Emberich, it was that talk was cheap.

  So I'd wait and see.

  Along with everyone else.

  Chapter Two

  It didn't take much effort to hear people's concerns. It would have been more difficult to try to block them out.

  "We're completely out of water!"

  "Everything has been burned down! The children are still sleeping outside in tents!"

  "At least you have tents!"

  I rubbed my forehead as the bickering started with a vengeance. This was an organizational nightmare. But I needed to get it done.

  I took a deep breath and paused a moment to gather my thoughts. Every flock had sent contingents to the king's flock because they had need of help.

  And they had a multitude of complaints—which I understood. But we couldn't accomplish anything without some semblance of order. I finally held up my hands after the din in the room Sven had assigned to me grew to a level where I couldn't even hear myself think.

  "One at a time!" I called out in a raised voice so that it could carry over the noise. "I can't take anything to the king if I cannot hear it," I added as the noise slowly decreased. I waited another minute for it to fade completely. A couple of them were still glaring at each other, but since that wasn't a loud action, I was fine with it. "Okay," I said, letting out a huff of breath. "Now. I'm going to go in order of severity. Who has need of food and water?"

  Seven hands went up.

  "I'm going to note each flock, and I want you to tell me how many people you have that are in need."

  I called on the first one.

  "Nine hundred."

  Then the next.

  "Three thousand."

  And the next.

  "Twenty-five hundred."

  The numbers were grim, but we were making progress now that I'd been able to force some order on the crowd. I quickly got through food and water. Not wasting time, I moved on.

  "Who needs medical assistance?"

  Twelve hands went up this time.

  I went through the same routine, noting flocks and numbers on my tablet.

  "How many of you are in need of shelter?"

  More hands shot up.

  As I went through the list of basic necessities, I couldn't help thinking that I was just scratching the surface of what actually needed to happen.

  This was just how to deal with the present problems, how to ensure we didn't have even more casualties that could be prevented. And that was important, very important.

  But it didn't address the long-term outlook. The rebuilding we needed to do for the future.

  It struck me anew how ostentatious and gaudy this palace actually was. And how it juxtaposed so harshly with the ruin of many of our flocks' cities. I thought about that as I got through everyone's concerns and complaints after I opened up the floor. How corruption at the top resulted in a skewed allocation of resources.

  But I couldn't dwell on it as opinions flew out rapidly, with some insisting they needed to be prioritized more than others despite my assurance that I was going to help those most in need first. I couldn't blame them for being skeptical. We'd seen how Emberich doled out favors to his political allies. Even I was still skeptical.

  I hoped I wasn't feeding them a lie by saying they were going to get the help they needed. I hoped Sven was not all talk. It was difficult to pick through what was actually happening with the back-and-forth among the crowd itself, but I managed to get the pertinent information out of them by the end. It took hours, and a lot of a balancing of personalities. But I was able to push through with the no-nonsense attitude I'd learned to adopt in this position early on.

  Though I'd never had to deal with anything on this scale before, that attitude was more necessary than ever. If they saw me sweat, they'd tear me apart. We were a race who valued strength. This was not the arena to show I was feeling overwhelmed. Even if that was how I felt.

  After everyone had their say, they didn't leave immediately, taking time to mingle and speak to each other.

  I heard multiple representatives offering what aid they could. That was what we needed, to come together, not fight and push each other away. It gave me hope, hope that we'd figure out a way to move forward together.

  Movement caught my eye, a sure stride in the middle of the milling crowd. I focused on the statuesque redhead, her eyes on me. It was Morgan. Not the person I wanted to see right now.

  I didn't know why she disliked me, but I'd come to the conclusion that you couldn't please everyone. This was going to be brutal.

  "I know you know what we already need," Morgan stated as she got within earshot.

  As she was a representative for my own flock, she was correct.

  "Yes," I said shortly. "I'm going to submit our requests just like I'm going to submit everybody else's."

  Then I saw David, Elsa, and Sheen coming up behind her. Wonderful. The whole gang was here.

  "You need to tell your king that he needs to fix the destruction he's responsible for," David asserted before he even said hello.

  I resisted the urge to tell hi
m he wasn't just my king. I had no desire to enter into a useless argument.

  "We do not have the resources to fix this ourselves," Elsa added in a more conciliatory tone.

  "I know," I agreed, tamping down on my irritation. I knew as much as any of them how much we needed the aid. My flock was never a fan of Emberich's. When I was first chosen for this job, I felt the immediate judgment coming from some members of my own flock. It was as if I'd immediately become lumped in with Emberich, never mind that I was trying my best to help everyone else. Sometimes you had to deal with not-so-pleasant realities if you wanted to get things done.

  Over time, many had come around, seeing that I wasn't Emberich's flunky but had the people's interest at heart. But some never let go of their initial reaction. Morgan and David were among the more obvious hold-outs. The fact that they were coming to me now, with that attitude, did not endear them to me. But reacting in frustration and irritation wouldn't help.

  Even if slapping Morgan across the face would, no doubt, be therapeutic.

  They just wanted what was best for our flock. I wanted that too. I gripped that knowledge tight, using it to bolster my patience.

  "I will bring it up when I see him next," I agreed after I'd calmed down a bit. "I will make sure we get the help we need," I reassured them.

  Morgan nodded once, though I could see the skepticism behind her eyes. I was sure she wanted me to see it. The others nodded, though I could see they were reluctant to believe it as well. I couldn't blame them for it. They weren't wrong.

  We had no idea how Sven was going to behave when action was required. The Crown didn't exactly have a stellar record thus far. Not in our lifetime. With resources stretched so thin...

  I felt my stomach give twist with anxiety. I really hoped that I hadn't just lied to my flock.

  And everyone else.

  Chapter Three

  I stared at Igna. This time, he was full-on glowering at me. I wanted to tell him this wasn't a picnic for me either, but I didn't think he'd care.

  "You were not summoned today," he announced when I didn't react to his expression. He crossed his arms, his biceps bulging where his armor left his arms bare. I wondered if he practiced the gesture in the mirror. "The king is very busy, as I am certain you are aware. You must make an appointment to see him."

  Give some people a little bit of power and it went straight to their heads. I'd seen it happen over and over again. Good thing my flock was there to make sure mine never ballooned past a reasonable cranium size.

  "What I have to say is very important," I explained. Not that I had a lot of hope it would get me anywhere. "I have a meeting scheduled with him for tomorrow. But the matter is too urgent to wait even that long. Can you please let him know that I need to speak with him?"

  Never mind the fact that I had already emailed his point of contact. When I'd seen it was Blaise, my hopes were not high that my message would ever reach him. When I didn't receive a reply in a reasonable amount of time, I knew the only way to avoid being ignored was to show up in person.

  So here I was. Back in front of Igna.

  Joy of joys.

  Igna glared at me, as if I had committed an offense of the highest order.

  Like I had shown up with an I Hate Sven shirt on. If only it was so easy to identify one's enemies. Perhaps I should send Morgan an I Hate Adara shirt.

  "If you do not have a meeting scheduled, I cannot help you," he informed me, enunciating the words clearly.

  As if the problem was I was too stupid to understand what he was trying to say. I loved being condescended to.

  Okay, time to try a different tactic.

  "If he doesn't hear what I have to say, guess whose head is going to roll first?" I warned.

  He only glared at me harder, not impressed.

  "I would caution you to think about it," I prodded. "If you like your new job."

  I had no weight to throw around, of course, but I was hoping he didn't realize that.

  "I am not an idiot." Could have fooled me. "And just because King Sven entertained you yesterday does not mean that he is at your beck and call," he sneered. "Now—"

  He was interrupted by one of the doors cracking open behind him and Arie poking her head out.

  She took in Igna's aggressive stance first before her eyes slid over to me. There may have been a tinge of amusement in her gaze, there and gone.

  "The king will see you now, Adara. And thank you, Igna."

  His jaw clenched at the interruption, but he nodded at her and took a step back. An improvement. I tried not to gloat as I swept passed him into the chamber. Better not to alienate him more than I already had. It would only make my life more difficult if he stayed on as the guard here. Though my real concern was the flocks, not one guard's sensitive ego.

  I took a step inside. I had to pause at the sight that greeted me.

  Arie went ahead to take her seat next to Sven and Joash, throwing me a questioning look as I lagged behind.

  But they weren't the ones that had me slowing my gait. It was the group seated in front of them. The sight of Emberich's brownnosers was not a foreign one to me. Unfortunately.

  Almost as one, all five of them turned to look at me. Their gazes immediately turned dismissive. Not surprising. They were a stellar group.

  My smile was thin as I continued into the room, my steps more sure now that the surprise of seeing them had faded. But my stomach had dropped.

  King Sven—somehow, it was easier to think of him that way with this company—nodded at me as the five of them turned back to him, Navarro not halting his speech the entire time.

  "...and we all know that you do only have the best interests of your people in mind," he said in that simpering voice that I'd heard so much of in the Throne Room.

  His round face was just as plump as always, the woefully unflattering black wig he always wore firmly in place.

  "Yes," Eli agreed, gesturing broadly. He always did, even if he didn't have room for his arms to extend that far. I'd seen more than one person dodging those large hands. "We know that you will do exactly what is in the best interest of the phoenixes as a whole," he agreed. He continued on in a feigned delicate voice that immediately grated on my nerves. "Of course, our flocks combined hold a good portion of the wealth that we have as a kingdom. We are certain you'll keep that in mind as well," he added.

  The implication was clear. They expected special treatment and were willing to flaunt their wealth to incentivize—or threaten, depending how you looked at it—him to give them that treatment.

  How...sadly expected.

  Sven's eyes narrowed.

  "We are sure you know that we...had the previous king's ear," Cates rushed to interject, shooting Eli a quelling glance as she tried to smooth things over. "We also know you did not see eye-to-eye with...him." I almost wished she'd just say Emberich's name. It felt more glaring that she was trying to refer to him without using it. Like she'd be drawing more attention to the fact that they were close to and worked with the king that Sven helped overthrow. "Rest assured, all of us only want what is best for the phoenixes' future." She spread her hands apart in a much smaller gesture. "We are practical. We know we must work with whichever king is on the throne. I am sure you understand that."

  Practical, huh? I couldn't argue with that. I couldn't say the same for the rest of the bullshit she just spewed. If there was one thing I knew for sure about this group, it was that they had one priority.

  Themselves.

  They'd easily stab even each other in the back if needed.

  "Hmmm," Sven replied.

  I'd come to a stop a few feet behind their chairs, clasping my hands behind my back as I listened to the case they continued to make. It was an odd combination of flattery and subtle threats.

  Interesting.

  They thought they had enough of an upper hand to be able to manipulate Sven at least partly with threats in order to get what they wanted.

  They never used that pa
rticular tactic with Emberich. Of course, Emberich had cemented his power, or so we'd thought. I suppose it wasn't as stable as we'd thought.

  Sven continued to make noises and nod, his eyes on his desk as he shuffled through papers while they spoke, but he was clearly listening. How much of this poison was going to seep into him? I had the urge to muzzle the lot of them. But they weren't the problem if he was influenced. I sank into my own head, considering the ramifications of this meeting. And whether I needed to change tactics as well.

  The ones they were using weren't ones I could stomach, which was why I'd never used them. But if they worked, did I owe it to my people and the other flocks to use whatever tools I had to accomplish what I needed to? For their sake? For all of our sake?

  "Adara?"

  I jerked my eyes up from where they had settled on the back of Navarro's purchased head of thick hair.

  "Yes?" I asked, meeting Sven's eyes.

  What did I miss?

  "Sorry to keep you waiting," he said with a slight smile.

  It was clear I had drifted off. I tried to fight off the blush, but knew I wasn't successful when his smile widened a touch.

  "Uh—it's quite all right," I said after a brief pause. I'm sure I was making an excellent impression.

  "Can I ask you a question, Adara?" he asked, a subtle glimmer of mirth in his eyes. It put me little on edge. What was he going to ask? And was he laughing at me?

  "Yes, of course," I agreed a little warily.

  "Do you have a rough estimate of how much of the communal wealth was shared with the flocks of these fine subjects?" he asked in a steady voice.

  I glanced over at the group. All of their shoulders had stiffened, as they turned to stare at Sven.

  And then they glanced at me, one by one, their eyes narrowing. Their attention didn't bother me.

  The question actually centered me. I knew the subject all too well.

  "About seventy percent of the excess in taxes was funneled to their flocks," I said in a clear voice, meeting each of their eyes in turn. If they thought a little glaring would be enough to back me down, they should have been paying more attention.