The Ember Crown settled onto Keiren's brow with more weight than steel had any right to carry. It was cool at first, then warm, as if the old fire in the Vexar line recognized him. Harlen stepped back, hands empty for the first time in twenty-three years. The hall roared. Keiren didn't move. He looked at the city below, at the banners, at the faces lit by torchlight, and the question answered itself again. If not me, then who?
Kael raised his cup once more. "To Duke Keiren Vexar of Erenhall. May his fire burn as steady as his uncle's."
The cheers rolled through the open roof and out into the city. Keiren swallowed hard, then lifted his cup. His hand didn't shake. Not this time.
Harlen clapped him on the shoulder and leaned in. "You'll hate the ledgers. You'll love the people. The rest you'll learn the hard way, like the rest of us."
Keiren grinned, tired and real. "At least I won't have to climb that tower every night to think."
"You will," Harlen said. "You just won't be alone anymore."
The music started then. Lyra Fierysong's voice carried over the courtyard, weaving the stories of the war into something that sounded like memory made sound. Arianna Emberwing joined in, low and steady, her wind-rider's cadence under Lyra's melody. Liana Windwhisper closed her eyes and let the air fill the spaces between notes. Even the wind seemed to listen.
At another table, Lady Selene Sunforge turned her Sunsteel sword slowly in the torchlight. It caught the fire and threw it back, bright and clean. Lady Lyra watched it, fingers tapping the table in rhythm.
"It sings," Lyra said. "Even now."
Selene nodded. "It remembers the drake Kael slew. It remembers the heat. It will remember this night too."
Kael Flameheart sat at the high table, Heartflame across his knees, watching. His shoulder ached, but he didn't mind. He watched Harlen and Keiren. He watched Orion Nightwalker, who sat apart but not alone, Cyrin Darkfire beside him, Kaelith Blackblood across from them. He watched Garrick and Maric and Ryker and Thane. He watched Arianna and Lyra and Liana. He watched Sophia Emberstone speaking quietly with Eira Shadowglow from Eldermere, two women who'd seen enough war to know the value of peace.
He thought of his father. Of the Flame Drake. Of the first time he'd held Heartflame. He thought of the boy who'd been crowned too young, and the king he was becoming.
"Kael," Harlen's voice came from beside him. "You're brooding."
Kael smiled, tired. "I'm thinking."
"About?"
"About how we don't get to stop now. Peace is harder than war."
Harlen nodded. "Aye. But we've got good men for it. And one good Duke." He nodded toward Keiren, who was now surrounded by young knights asking how he'd charged Lilith's swarm.
Kael followed his gaze. "He'll do fine."
"He will," Harlen said. "He asked the right question."
Across the hall, Orion leaned toward Cyrin. "You're quiet."
Cyrin sipped wine. "I'm listening. Most of them don't know how close it was. They think Garrick held alone. They think Keiren's fire won it. They don't know about the reserves you cut. They don't know about the scouts Kaelith turned."
Orion's mouth quirked. "Let them have their songs. We know what happened."
Kaelith raised her cup. "To the ones who know. And to the ones who don't need to."
They drank.