Astraea's POV
The bag on my bed was nearly full, but my heart felt emptier with every item I packed. Everything I packed seemed to hold a fragment of the life I'd built here in Vaelthar, a life that was now being stripped away thanks to a crime I didn't commit.
My hands trembled as I folded my last tunic, and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I wouldn't cry. I shouldn't.
Not for a kingdom that had never truly appreciated me, not for a family that had abandoned me when I needed them most, and certainly not for a brother who had thrown me out to save his alliance and in favor of a daughter that wasn't even his.
I shoved the tunic into the bag, feeling nothing but frustration. "No tears, Astraea," I muttered to myself to keep myself from crying even though I wanted to.
The sound of my door opening distracted me, and when I turned to see who it was, it turned out to be Therion.
The look on his face, to my surprise, wasn't as cold as it had been earlier. Instead, he looked gentler, just like the brother I knew. There was a look of regret in his eyes, but it only made me even angrier.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, not bothering to hide my anger.
I turned back to my bag, shoving a pair of boots inside with more force than necessary. "Did you come to see your sister off after banishing her?"
Therion sighed and closed the door behind him. "Astraea," he called out. "I know you're angry—"
"Angry?" I interrupted, turning to face him. "Therion, I'm furious. You and the assembly made me a scapegoat!"
He crossed the room and sat on the edge of my bed, resting his hands on his knees. "I know you don't see it now," he said, "but this is for your own good."
Slowly, I turned to him, my eyes narrowing. "For my own good?" I repeated. "How is banishing me from the only home I've ever known for my own good?"
"If I had insisted you were innocent," he started, "and tried to buy more time, King Aldrin would have grown impatient. He's grieving, Astraea. His son was murdered, and he wants someone to pay for it."
When I didn't say anything, he continued. "With more time, your only options would have been to either prove your innocence—which might have been impossible, given the way you were set up—or face a death penalty."
I stared at him. "So, you chose to throw me out instead?" I asked. "You call this the safest option?"
"Yes," he responded. "I chose the only option that kept you alive, and one day, I hope you'll understand that, instead of resenting me for it."
I rolled my eyes, folding my arms over my chest as I leaned back against the bedframe. "So, let me get this straight," I said. "You don't think I killed Prince Caldris? Is that what you're saying?"
"No," he admitted. "I know you're rebellious, and you've always been difficult to control, but I'll never believe you're capable of murdering someone without reason."
I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. "Glad to know you've got some faith in me," I muttered. "But that still doesn't change anything, does it? You've basically just admitted that you're banishing me for a crime you know I didn't commit."
Therion ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "It's not that simple, Astraea."
"Of course, it's not," I snapped. "But let me ask you something, Therion. Do you believe Valkyrie set me up?"
"I really don't understand why you're so convinced Valkyrie has a problem with you," he said, his tone almost weary. "Why would she go to such lengths to frame you for something this serious? What could she possibly gain?"
I pushed off the bedframe, stepping closer to him, my arms still crossed tightly over my chest. "Because she sees me as a threat," I said. "And if you can't see that, Therion, then you're even more blind than I thought."
His brow furrowed, confusion etched across his face. "A threat? Astraea, Valkyrie has no reason to—"
"Oh, but she does," I interrupted, my voice rising. "Let me spell it out for you, since you seem so eager to defend her. Valkyrie isn't a true Vaelthar. She's not one of us. She knows that, no matter how much you dote on her, no matter how much you treat her like your own blood, she'll never truly belong here."
Therion opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off again. "And because of that, she's insecure. She's terrified that when the time comes, you'll choose me as your heir over her, and she's right to be afraid because, let's face it, Therion—she doesn't have the claim that I do. She might be your daughter, but she's not a true Vaelthar."
"That's enough, Astraea," Therion said sharply, but I ignored him.
"So, what does she do?" I continued, stepping even closer, my eyes blazing. "She gets rid of me. She frames me for something so heinous, so unforgivable, that you have no choice but to banish or kill me, and now, with me out of the picture, she doesn't have to worry about competing for your favor anymore. It's brilliant, really. Manipulative, conniving, and exactly the kind of thing she'd do."
Therion's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he said nothing.
"You're wrong about her," he said quietly, even though his tone lacked conviction. "Valkyrie doesn't see you as a threat. She—"
"She hates me," I interrupted, my voice flat. "She always has, and if you weren't so blinded by whatever misplaced loyalty you feel toward her, you'd see that."
Therion sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Astraea, this obsession you have with Valkyrie—"
"It's not an obsession," I snapped. "It's the truth, but clearly, that doesn't matter to you. You've already made up your mind."
"I haven't made up my mind about her," he said, his voice rising slightly. "But I have made up my mind about you, and whether you believe it or not, everything I've done has been to protect you."
"Protect me?" I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. "Therion, you've exiled me. You've taken away everything I've ever known, everything I've ever loved. How exactly is that protection?"
"I'm not just sending you away from Vaelthar, Astraea," he responded, ignoring my rant on purpose. "I'm sending you to the human world."
I blinked at him, my mind racing to process what he'd just said.
"The human world?" I repeated. "You're sending me to live with humans?"
His expression remained calm. "Yes."
I took a step back, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. "And how exactly am I supposed to survive there, Therion? I don't know anything about them! You're sending me to live among the most fragile beings? Do you even realize how dangerous that is?"
Therion raised a hand, gesturing for me to calm down. "I've already prepared everything you'll need," he said. "You won't have to struggle. I've arranged for you to have a place to stay, resources to support yourself, and someone to guide you."
My eyebrows shot up. "Someone to guide me? Who?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering. "His name is Draven, and he's one of my most trusted servants. He's been living among the humans for decades and knows their world well. He'll help you adapt quickly and ensure your safety."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "You can't be serious. Of all places, you're sending me to live among humans?"
"Yes," he said simply. "Because it's the safest option."
I let out a bitter laugh, pacing the room in frustration. "Again with this 'safest option' nonsense? How is throwing me into a completely foreign world safe?"
Therion's expression didn't waver. "Because all four kingdoms of the underworld believe you killed Caldris. Whether you're guilty or not, they've made up their minds, and many will see your continued existence as a threat. If you stay here, Astraea, your life will always be in danger."
I stopped pacing, turning to face him with a scowl. "So, your solution is to banish me to a world that doesn't even know I exist? A world where I'll be completely alone, surrounded by beings who wouldn't hesitate to burn me alive if they ever found out what I really am?"
"It's better than the alternative," he said. "You'll have a chance to start over."
I folded my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes at him. "And what about my powers? What happens if I have to use them?"
Therion's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he didn't respond.
Finally, he spoke. "You can't."
I blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean, I can't? What if I'm attacked? What if—"
"I mean you cannot use your powers to harm any human," he interrupted. "Under any circumstances."
I frowned. "And what happens if I do? What if I have no choice?"
The pause that followed was long enough to set my nerves on edge.
"Astraea, if you harm a human," he said finally, "your powers will be taken away from you. Permanently."