You feel guilty, Alaric spoke into my mind.
Yes.
Good. The moment you stop sympathizing with your enemies will be the moment you stop being the woman we need to wield the Trinity Star. Keep your heart open, Vervain. Love has always been your greatest gift, even before you held the magic. That is what makes you special; your heart.
Thank you, Alaric.
You're welcome. Now, let go of your guilt and celebrate your victory. You deserve it.
“Let's get another drink,” I said to my guys. “I think it's time for a toast.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
The next morning, I woke up early. I hadn't slept well; the events of the day before kept me tossing and turning all night. I needed my home back. Then maybe I could start to heal. I crept out of bed after untangling myself from Trevor's arms and snuck downstairs. As I reached the bottom step, the scent of coffee tickled my nose and lured me into the kitchen.
Kirill was at the industrial-sized coffee pot Re had made for us with territory magic. He finished pouring a cup from the tap and then gave me a sideways smile and held it out to me. My heart did a little jump. He looked so damn good standing there in jeans and a T-shirt, his eyes still sleep-softened and hair slipping free of its braid.
“I was trying to sneak away,” I admitted as I took the cup. “But your coffee proved my undoing.”
“You're going to rebuild palace vithout us?” Kirill asked with a lifted brow as he poured another cup.
“I thought it would be nice if everyone could just trace home as if nothing had happened.” I fixed my coffee with cream and sugar and took a sip. Not as good as tea, but it would do.
“Da, zat vould be good,” he agreed and headed out to the dining room with me.
“But?”
“But you should have us vith you.” Kirill pulled out a chair for me before taking the one beside it.
“How about just you?” I bargained.
“You don't zink Viper vould vant to see you rebuild a palace vith only magic?” He countered. “And vhat about Luke and Intare? Vhat about God Squad and Froekn? Zey don't get to see such zings often.”
“Damn it, Kirill,” I whined. “You're ruining my plan.”
“Better zan you coming back here to find disappointed family.”
“Fair enough,” I conceded.
“Good. Now, drink coffee. I make breakfast. Lesya vill be awake soon.”
I sat back and watched Kirill head into the kitchen, smiling at the way he liked to take care of me and what a good father he was. But I couldn't stay put. Not when I could be in the kitchen with him. I got up and went back into the kitchen to lean against a counter and steal bites of food while Kirill cooked. We laughed and talked and teased each other until that tight knot in my chest eased open and I started to let go of Sin's betrayal. That's when I knew I had done the right thing. If I had killed Sin, I wouldn't be able to let go of the pain so easily. I would have spent weeks wallowing in memories of him. Just as I told Ninkasi, Sin would have haunted me if I had killed him. Letting him go had freed us both.
Fifteen minutes later, Trevor came downstairs with Vero and Lesya, and the rest of the men joined us shortly afterward. Most of our guests had gone back to their territories the night before so we texted our closest family and friends while we were eating. It was just as Kirill predicted; they all wanted to witness the restoration of Pride Palace.
After we were fed, my family and I headed over to Pride Territory. It was rough to face the destruction again, but at least we'd dealt with the bodies, burning them all to cinders before we left. If we hadn't, I would have gone back first to clean up; I didn't want my children seeing any of that. Even without the gore, Lesya, Vero, and Zariel stared sadly around themselves at the chaos that used to be their home.
“I'm going to fix it right now,” I said to them. “Just wait; you're going to love this.”
“Okay, Mama,” Lesya grinned bravely as she held her brother's hand.
“Fix it,” Vero ordered with a scowl.
I laughed as I stepped forward and closed my eyes. I had a large audience; the Intare were all there, of course, but there were also the Froekn, the God Squad, the Horsemen, and Luke. The Devil had even brought a date—his wife Holly—and Fenrir had brought Emma. Oh, and Pan had brought a plus-one too; Athena. He was hoping it might make up for her being left out of the battle with the Finnish Gods.
I reached for the magic of my territory and then commanded it to be what it once was. I pictured my home in vivid detail. I saw the grasslands full of African animals and Trevor's cabin in the valley. The farm with its livestock and Kirill's secret waterfall. I envisioned the palace in all its Cinderella glory. I saw the pool and the moat, the dragon statues posed to the sides of the veranda steps, the training yard, the lake with the longboat Odin had built me (which had miraculously survived the Mesopotamian invasion), the castle playground, the lion graveyard, and the memorial to those who had died before I became Tima. And, of course, everything within the palace that had to be left behind. I wanted it all back; every little thing.
I heard sharp intakes of breath and the delighted squeals of children, but I didn't dare lose focus. I had a feeling that if I pictured it
