The Way We Fall

Chapter 184 (Tigris)

Tigris and her brother held Kai between them as Roche, Leinos, and Verita flitted about in the front of the library. It was the largest unoccupied, private space in the castle that they could perform the ritual in.

"You're sure about this?" Aodh murmured, watching Leinos and Verita lock and seal the doors as they had when Finn had taken over the library. A vacuum seal formed around the exit as Roche began moving in a wide circle, chanting. Aodh watched her through slitted eyes and added, "Are you sure about her?"

"I'm sure," Tigris muttered, carefully pulling Kai's limp body closer to her chest. "She's the only inkblood I'd trust to do this."

Aodh shook his head, huffing slightly. When Tigris turned to him, there was a faint smile on his face. "What?" she demanded.

"This whole time," Aodh chuckled, "We were looking for the Ala and she was right under our noses the whole time. Father would have blown a vessel if he'd found out, the prophecy terrified him."

Tigris snorted. "He'd blow a vessel if he saw everything I've done as queen. Knighting commoners left and right. Marrying a servant. Fraternising with an inkblood." Tigris shook her head, "He'd be disappointed."

"Maybe," Aodh agreed, meeting her eyes gravely. "But we disagreed with him when he was alive too. I've always known that your rule would be wildly different from his. That's not a bad thing."

"I know," Tigris sighed, "If he had his way, Roche would be dead."

Aodh's eyes darkened. "He had his way. Many innocent people died. Innocent inkbloods, I suppose." he replied, stammering over the last words. He hesitated for a beat before adding, "Finn wasn't wrong when he accused Father. Inkblood, it appears, is not inherently evil."

Tigris shot her brother an impressed look. "You figured that out quicker than I did."

Aodh smirked. "Look, if Roche has inkblood, then it can't be so terrible. She's obnoxious, clumsy, and very whiny, but she's not evil."

"That she isn't," Tigris agreed, peering at the inkblood that stopped chanting to stare at her perfect, floating ring of inkblood. Roche leaned back with a satisfied sigh, and then managed to trip over nothing with a barked curse. Tigris smirked. "She's got me thinking, though. We've been relying on her for the protection and wellbeing of our kingdom without realising it. We need a more robust system that doesn't depend on one woman."

Aodh lifted his brows. "But that would mean..."

Tigris nodded, meeting Aodh's wide eyes. She shrugged. "You and I have always tried to be kinder and fairer to our people than our Father. This is the one matter that we've sorely neglected as rulers. We must be better."

Aodh hesitated for a moment. His eyes darted to Roche quickly, then back to Tigris' face. He searched her gaze for several moments before he nodded slowly. "I think we're in agreement."

Relief bloomed in Tigris' chest. She shifted Kai's weight to one arm and leaned forward to clap her brother on the shoulder. "Good. I'll need your help convincing Father's court."

"I'll begin as soon as we're done here," Aodh promised, narrowing his ice blue eyes at Roche. He barked out a laugh as Roche stumbled again. "You'd think the Ala would have a bit more control over her limbs."

"Oh, I'd like to see you doing all this without tripping!" Roche snapped as she got closer. Her ire faded as she neared, her eyes drifting to Kai's slack face. She nodded at Tigris. "It's time."

"Right," Tigris cleared her throat, nodding back. "Should we wake him?"

"Just a moment," Roche murmured. She closed her eyes, waving a hand up and down in the air between them. Aodh snickered at the sight as Roche's lips moved wordlessly.