Thunder rumbles in the distance.
Thalia bites her lip. “There are stories that the prince is unseelie. That his wings were stained black with blood as he landed in the city. That he serves Angharad. That he stole the throne from the rightful heirs.” She sighs. “My little birds haven’t heard too many mentions of that last one, but again, I don’t think right now is the time to be giving away Araya’s summer residence—her summer palace—to an assassin.”
Thiago rakes his hand over his face. “We knew it was coming.”
Thalia pushes to her feet. “Then we need to be proactive. No more hiding away in the castle up here. We need to twist the narrative. The people of Ceres are frightened. Their city was attacked, and their prince revealed himself. But there is one shining ray of light.”
Every head turns toward me.
“Give Iskvien the Palace of Many Moons,” Thalia says, “and then she can make the gardens bloom. The people want a bound queen? Then let’s give them a bound queen.”
Whoa. “I’m not the… queen. Thiago rules the kingdom. I don’t want this.”
“You’re my wife,” he says, taking my hand in his. “You rule at my side. I wanted this, Vi.” His eyes darken. “If anything ever happens to me, then my kingdom is safe in your hands.”
He’s talking about the curse.
“Nothing is going to happen to you—”
“Thorns, Vi!” Finn calls, brandishing a chair against a particularly virulent bramble.
“Stop doing that!” I tell the brambles in exasperation and they all slink against the floor like whipped puppies.
The doors bang open and Eris strides in, clad in leather boots up to her knees and wearing the happiest smile I’ve ever seen.
“You found them?” Thiago demands.
She tosses a golden sword on the table in front of us. The circle of thorns in the pommel winks at me.
“Queen Adaia’s Deathguard have been dealt with. I left two of them alive,” she says with a shrug. “They’re down in the dungeons and I promised I’d pay them a visit later, once they’ve had a chance to think about what they’ve done. One of them wanted to know if our little bitch-princess drowned, so I spent a good half hour showing him what it might have felt like, before I let him know our queen was alive.” She sinks into her seat, her fingers curling over the arms of her chair as she shivers with delight. “Let’s just say, he was delighted to tell me everything. I have their names. I have all their names. Theron missed a few.”
Her smile is terrible.
Clearly she’s recovered from her near-drowning.
Thiago nods curtly. “Then give their names to Theron. Tell him I want their heads as well. In return, he can have all of their palaces and guild halls.”
And then he heads for the doors, leaving them swinging shut behind him.
I find Thiago on the parapets outside our bedchambers, staring down at the city. Enormous wings flare behind him, thick with glossy feathers. He’s no longer hiding himself.
I don’t know what that means.
Rain trickles down, the skies turning gray. In the distance, lighting flashes.
I thought at first it was his favorite place, where he can peacefully watch the bustle and flow of the city he loves, but I’ve come to realize over the months that he comes here because it’s safe here. He loves this city, this kingdom, but there’s a part of him that will always watch from a distance, uncertain of his welcome.
He’s still a young fae prince who was left alone on an altar in the woods, and no matter whether he wears a crown now, or surrounds himself with people who love him, there’s a part of him that doesn’t believe he deserves any of it.
It makes my heart break a little.
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I rest against his chest and close my eyes, listening to his heart beat.
I don’t know what yesterday meant.
Queen, they chanted.
And he called me his queen too, as he knelt to me in the streets.
Only a queen can truly rule the lands, my mother always says.
But I don’t want him to think that. I don’t want him to believe he is somehow unworthy of ruling this city, or that I tried to supplant him in some way.
“I love you,” I whisper. It’s getting easier every time. “I don’t want to rule.”
I did once. I was desperate to be named my mother’s heir, before I realized it was all a cruel trick she played on me. But after months here, I’ve slowly realized I never truly yearned to be Queen of Asturia. I wanted her approval. I wanted her love. And in some sick way, I equated love with the position of crown heir.
But then, I knew nothing of love.
He curls his hand over mine, half turning his head. “You don’t? What do you think I’ve been hoping for all these years?”
“But you’re….”
“A prince who has spent years hoping for a queen to rule by his side,” he says fiercely, turning and capturing my face in both hands. “A prince who has seen five hundred years go by while he stands alone. I’ve spent centuries dreaming you into being, hoping that you would be half the woman you are, and yet, my wishes couldn’t even come close to being true.” His thumbs stroke my cheeks. “When I took the crown, I knew I broke several traditions. I wanted…. I wanted to make my mother proud. I wanted to be a son that she would have loved. And I loved this kingdom, this city, even if they didn’t love me. I want my people to love you too, Vi. I want them to be proud of you. The way I am. I have never wished to rule over everything. Alone. All I have ever wanted is to share it with someone special.”
“Your mother?” I ask, for he’s never mentioned her before.
“Vi…. Don’t.” He goes to his knees, one fist clenched as he rests it on the cobbles.
I
