House of Winter

Chapter 41, Part 2

Lumi realised they had an audience. Ari and Katja were behind Tom, and behind them was Queen Lisbet and Osvald, staring in shock at Virani. And there was King Matthias Stone, riding his falcon. They were all here.

Tom was standing with the glowing pink stone in his hand. The salt rock. The magic of air.

Tom took a deep breath. "Now I know why it called to me," he said. "I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to accept it as my responsibility. But now that I see what you've become, I know what I must do."

"Tom," Lumi murmured.

Tom glanced at her, and he smiled. It was a small, apologetic smile, but it seemed to say so much. She saw the lump in his throat bob as he swallowed, and then he turned, to face Matthias Stone.

"Father," Tomas Wilder called out, and his voice carried like magic. "I accept my charge as your heir."

Tom held the stone in his palm and it glowed, and then the wind stopped.

Lumi hadn't realised just how loud it had been until it was gone. The storm of snow that had been hurtling around them suddenly fell harmlessly to the ground, in utter silence. Lumi could hear the sound of her own breath.

She looked back at her aunt, who had stopped moving. "No," Virani said. "You can't be."

"I am King Matthias's son," Tom said. "I am an air starrling."

Warrah the dragon let out a screech, and Ari cried out in Vastien to calm the dragon.

"I know, Warrah," Tom said soothingly. "I don't like it either."

"I will be prince and heir to the Lombardian throne, as you have commanded. I take my place on the condition that Lombardia withdraws its army from Vastien shores," Tom said loudly. "And clears Ariane Domez of any wrongdoing. You heard Tai. He tortured that dragon, and trained it to attack all air starrlings. It's why Warrah hated me so much. Tai used the salt rock to make the dragon fear air starrlings, and kill Prince Raphael."

"My boy," Matthias said. "My heir."

"Your plan failed, Tai," Tom said. "You wanted to create war between Lombardia and Vastier, to make both nations weaker so the Fire Lands could reignite the Fire War. But now that I am prince, I will ensure that both nations are stronger than ever. Strong enough to resist all attacks from your army."

Lumi looked at her brother. He was staring at Tom in dismay.

"And," Queen Lisbet said sharply. "Let us not forget that Tomas Wilder is a winter starrling, and therefore by the treaty of the Stargen Union, he owes allegiance to the Norrlish crown. I trust that I can rely on the Lombardian army to help defend against any Fire army attacks."