Page 61 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

“It is Silas,” Larg said, looking out of the tower window where a winged Olympian was pacing back and forth, observing the ground below for intruders. “I would not be surprised if he did have someone to read it.”

“What if it was not Silas?” Mal murmured half unconscious. He’d propped his feet on the table and laid back on the chair, sleeping.

Atlas shot to his feet, tripping on his long robes as he rushed to sit near Mal. “W-what would you mean?”

My brother peeled his swollen, blood red eyes open and said, “Don’t you think there was too much noise for how Silas usually works? Why would he need to distract us with the fires to get the diary? We would have never expected someone to steal that while he is searching for sceptre pieces. Why would he need something he cannot read? And why did it so conveniently land right in the hands of someone who can read it?”

“You’re not wrong,” I said, taking a seat.

“Never been before,” he boasted with a big yawn before shutting his eyes again.

Atlas put down the book to look at me. “I-If the queen could read it, we could find out if there is something more there.”

“Have her read them,” Mal said. “Or are you too afraid that she might want to rain down fire on the heavens, too, if she can reach them.”

“If Snow wanted to burn the heavens, she would have. Without that book,” Nia said, coming inside the tower room.

Unlike other times, her demeanour was colder. No shadows in sight, her hackles raised and ready for strike. I had to ask her about Driada’s necklace, but Mal didn’t know anything about it yet. And until I figured what it exactly was and how it would harm Driada, I was not going to worry him. Not in the state he was.

“Here to steal my mother away again?” Mal asked boredly.

“We all have our loyalties, Mal. Mine were born and will die with her.” She turned to me. “Alaric wants you present at a meeting with the tribe leaders.”

I’d met with him a few times, but this was a first. “And Snow?”

“It doesn’t matter. Alaric has a big say in her court and not to mention you practically are an uncrowned king of Olympia. Few tribes are acknowledging you as such already. If the majority overruled Snow on the decision, you’d be king of Olympia. Which by marriage rights you are. These are the Olympian rules and even Snow has to work around them sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes.”

I raised a brow. “Nia, I won’t go against her wishes.” Snow must be hating this.

“It’s a big deal, you know. Olympians only wed once in their lifetimes. Marriage is sacred. To them, whatever is between you is sacred.”

“Cursed. It is what Snow would say.”

Nia’s mouth parted to speak, several times. As if she couldn't find the words. “If you tell her—”

“Nothing will change, if not, all will be worse. Please forget what you have read in my letters.”

“How can I?” she harshly whispered, looking at the others as if it was a secret to keep. “What you are doing now is no less wrong than what you did in Isjord.”

“I know.”

“Then why do it?”

“Because she needs me to be this.” She needs a villain and I would gladly be it no matter the cost.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand you. The way that you are.”

“Does being infatuated spur this extolling side of you?” She blushed. Her shadows did too, and it brought a smile to my face. “So, am I to know who this infatuation is?”

She crossed her arms. “No.”

“Keep that up,” I said, pointing to her shadows. “And I’ll know pretty soon.”

She frowned and looked around the room at the rest. “Don’t read my shadows.”

“Stop making them available for me to read, Helenia Drava.” Offering a hand, I said, “Fade us there. Show me that I’ve taught you well.”

With a sigh, Mal shot to his feet. “I’ll take this meeting to be dismissed?”