Page 263 of Elemental Becoming

People have been whispering about it since the night of the ball. Thane chose me. Not only as the Spiritborn, but as the woman standing at his side. I belong with the Warlord now, in all things ceremonial and public.

The Fire Clan doesn’t rely on formal declarations the way other clans do. Here, actions carry the weight of vows. Here, the Warlord doesn’t need a formal declaration or an engagement sealed in court. A choice made in the open, witnessed by the people,isa declaration.

And it wasn’t just once.

Thane placed me beside him attwomajor formal events since we arrived at the capital. Once could’ve been seen as convenience, strategy. Twice makes it intentional.

So much has happened since we’ve arrived, we haven’t even had a chance to talk about it.

Elira, not Thane, explained what it meant. My chambermaid told me what everyone else already seemed to understand: whena Warlord repeatedly places someone at his side in public, people notice. People remember. People draw conclusions.

I should be furious with him for not telling me. But truthfully, I don’t think he’s avoiding the conversation. I think we’ve both been trying to keep our heads above water while the world burns around us.

Still, at some point soon, I’m going to have to pin him down and ask. Because I have no idea what this responsibility actually means. What standing beside him really requires.

I’m just starting to figure out the Spiritborn part. I don’t know how to be this, too. I’m still not entirely sure what any of it means.

Ardyn doesn’t respond right away.

She watches me, her lips curved in something that isn’t quite a smile. I can feel her reading me, searching for the fracture, the hesitation I know I’m still wearing like a crack in my armor.

“You carry it well,” she says finally, voice smooth as silk. “This new role. Though I imagine it must feel . . . overwhelming. So much, so quickly. Especially when you haven’t even settled into one title before acquiring another.”

My jaw clenches. I don’t take the bait.

She steps a little closer, her gaze flicking over my dress, then back to the fire. “Still, I suppose you’ve learned by now that being chosen doesn’t always come with clarity. Only expectation.”

There it is. The edge beneath the elegance. The blade wrapped in sugar crystals.

I keep my attention fixed on the flames.

“Although I was with Thane for years, I never stood by his side for ceremonies such as the Ashen Ring,” she adds, her tone light, though something beneath it frays at the edges. “But I suppose that’s just the way life goes. You think everything is secure and predictable, and then suddenly everything changes.”

I keep my expression neutral, even as something coils tight in my chest. I hear what she’s really saying.

You think you have him? You think you have a place at his side. So did I.

Ardyn inclines her head, her smile thin and effortless. “I imagine court maneuvering must feel overwhelming, especially for someone from a small village no one’s ever heard of.”

She says it like it’s nothing. A passing comment. But it lands with the precision of something carefully sharpened and well-aimed.

I feel it land, but I refuse to let it show.

I turn to face her fully, keeping my tone level.

“You’re right. I didn’t grow up in court. I wasn’t groomed for power, or trained to smile while telling lies.”

I pause, letting the firelight dance across her perfect features.

“But I survived things that would have broken most people.”

My gaze holds hers.

“And I stand beside Thane because he chose me. And because I chose him.”

Ardyn’s smile doesn’t falter.

“We’re all here because of you.”