Keiren's eyes flicked to Orion, to Garrick, to Thane. "Do you think it'll hold? The peace?"
Harlen followed his gaze. "Peace is like fire, Keiren. You have to feed it. If you don't, it goes out. We feed it tonight. Tomorrow, we feed it with envoys and treaties and not killing each other. And the day after that, we feed it again."
Keiren nodded. He wasn't Duke yet. The ceremony would come before the night ended. But he felt it already. The weight. The question. If not me, then who?
Across the hall, Lady Arianna Emberwing was arguing with Lady Lyra Fierysong about the Sky Battle of Emberfall.
"You didn't see it," Arianna said, gesturing wildly. "The Winged Guard hit them from above. We dove through their arrows like hawks. I lost two legions , but we broke their air line."
Lyra's fingers moved as she spoke, as if music followed her words. "And I was on the ground, Arianna. I saw the phoenix rise from your fire. I wrote the song. I'll be singing it when you're old and telling children how you once flew."
Arianna grinned. "You'd better."
Lady Liana Windwhisper, seated beside them, closed her eyes. "The winds told me of it. They said the sky burned red. They said the phoenix did not fall."
Lady Liana had always been quiet, but when she spoke of the wind, people listened.
Near the hearth, Lady Ember Rose sat with Lord Ryker Blackwood and Sir Maric Oakenshield. Ember Rose's hands were stained faintly green from the herbs she'd used on the wounded after Redkeep.
"You saved more men than any sword," Ryker said to her.
Ember Rose shook her head. "I saved who I could. The rest… the rest I couldn't. I still hear them at night."
Maric reached across and covered her hand with his. "We all do. That's why we keep going."
Ryker nodded. "The Ashwood remembers. The trees remember. We will too."
Lady Liana Windwhisper moved to the center of the hall. She didn't ask for silence. She didn't need to. When she began to speak, the wind in the open roof seemed to quiet.
"I will tell you of the Stormcallers," she said. "Of how the winds carried word from Dragon's Teeth to Redkeep. Of how they carried Garrick's cry, and Orion's answer, and Keiren's fire. The wind travels with stories . And so do we."
Her voice wove the stories together. Dragon's Teeth and Redkeep. Stonefist and Blaze. Orion and Keiren. Cyrin and Kaelith. The living and the dead.
Kael listened from the high table. He thought of his father, of the Drake he'd slain, of the kingdom he'd inherited too young. He thought of Harlen, who'd taught him to fight, and of Keiren, who'd taught him that fire wasn't just a weapon.
He looked at Keiren now, standing with Harlen, listening to Liana. In two hours, he'd place the Ember Crown on Keiren's head and make him Duke of Erenhall.
Harlen saw him looking and raised his cup. Keiren raised his in return.
The night wore on. Stories turned to songs. Songs turned to laughter. Laughter turned to quiet talk of the future.
Duchess Sophia Emberstone spoke with Duchess Eira Shadowglow, who had come as an envoy from Eldermere. They spoke of the Crystal Sea and the balance of power. They spoke of daughters and sons and of not wanting another war.
Lady Selene Sunforge spoke with Sir Bracken Ironbeard about the Sunsteel sword. Bracken ran his thumb along the blade and shook his head. "I forged better hammers. But I've never seen steel that sings like that."
Selene smiled. "It sings because it remembers fire."
Sir Julian Firebrand, told Sir Lysander Starweaver of Eldermere about the scrolls. Lysander listened, then looked to the stars above the open roof. "The stars remember too," he said.
Lord Arin the Unyielding sat with Lord Hawthorne Silverleaf and spoke of the Crimson Shield and the treants of Eldermere. They spoke of standing firm. Of not moving.
Lady Lila Earthsong spoke with Lady Nymphadora Riverbrook about the land and the water. "The land remembers blood," Lila said. "The water washes it clean."
Nymphadora nodded. "Then we will keep the rivers pure."
As the night deepened, Kael rose again. The hall quieted.
"Lords and ladies," he said, "tomorrow we speak of treaties. Tonight, we speak of fire. Ardentia was forged in fire. It was saved by fire. And it will live by fire."
He lifted his cup. "To Ardentia. To those who fell. To those who stand. To those who will stand after us."
The hall answered as one: "To Ardentia!"
Keiren felt Harlen's hand on his shoulder. "Ready?" Harlen asked.
Keiren looked at the city below, at the banners, at the faces. He thought of the question again. If not me, then who?
He nodded.
Harlen smiled. "Good. Because the crown's heavy. But you'll carry it."
The Ember Crown was brought forward. Kael lifted it. Keiren knelt.
And Erenhall roared.
Two months after Redkeep, Ardentia had its peace. And its future.