The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I just never considered
such a thing.” I’m afraid. But I didn’t say that. Sharing that
with Casteel was one thing. “It’s not what I chose.”
“I’m going to be blunt once more,” she advised, and I
wondered when she’d stopped. “I am sorry for everything
that was forced upon you in your life. I can imagine that
your need for freedom and to have control over your life is
as great as the need many have for retribution. But I
honestly do not care.”
Oh. Okay. That was really blunt.
“That may sound cruel, but many have had horrific
things forced upon them throughout their lives—their
freedoms, their choices, and their lives unfairly stripped
away from them. Their tragedies are no greater than yours,
and yours is no greater than theirs. I am empathetic to what
you have suffered, but you are a descendant of a god, and
because of what you have experienced in your short life,
you of all people can wear the weight of a crown.” She
didn’t mince words. Not once. “But if you do decide to take
what is yours by birthright, then all I ask is that you do it for
the right reasons.”
It took me a moment to gather enough of my wits to
respond. “What do you consider to be the right reasons?”’
“I don’t want you to take the Crown just to find my son
or your brother. I don’t want you to take the Crown just so
you can save lives or even stop the Ascended,” she said. I
was thoroughly confused now since they all seemed like
excellent reasons to take the Crown. “I want you to take the
Crown because you love Atlantia, because you love her
people and her land. I want you to love Atlantia as much as
Casteel does, as much as his father and I do. That is what I
want.”
I leaned back, a little surprised that I didn’t fall off the
bench.
“If you don’t love Atlantia now, I don’t blame you. Like I
said, you haven’t had the greatest of experiences, and I fear