“Royal summons for the witch Amarante Flora to the throne room!” someone hollered.
I harrumphed as Ken’s mouth fell open. He grumbled as he unlocked my door. Captain Greenwood stood waiting for me with a couple of other guards, one of them I recognized as Peter. He was back in uniform, which meant that he, too, had been pardoned. It seemed that I missed quite a bit.
Captain Greenwood’s eyes crinkled when he saw me. “Thank you,” he whispered, offering his arm. “Thank you for bringing my daughter back to me.”
As he escorted me out of the dungeons, I felt lighter than I had ever before.
But my mouth grew dry when we entered the throne room. I marveled at the sheer amount of people present. King Maximus and Queen Cordelia sat on their thrones, flanked by their sons. Ash gave me a wink. To the side, there was a congregation of old men dressed in politicians’ emerald robes, no doubt the king’s council. Most of them wrinkled their nose at my entrance, but several were smiling. Erasmus was among them. He gave me an enthusiastic wave.
Debutantes and strangers filled the rows of wooden benches near the doorway. I spotted Olivia and Tori in the crowd and caught a glimpse of Genevieve’s blond hair. To my surprise, Lana was sitting near the front along with Elowyn, Rowena, and Theodora.
I had missed a lot.
They all gave me encouraging looks when Captain Greenwood brought me to the center of the room.
Silence fell. I was suddenly aware of the debris clinging to my hair as I curtsied before the dais.
“Miss Amarante Flora.” The king’s voice boomed through the throne room. “Do you know what you have done?”
Was that a trick question? I looked to Ash, but he had hidden his face with his hands, as if exasperated. “Please enlighten me, sir. I mean, Your Majesty.”
King Maximus stared at me, his heavy brow and heavy mustache making him look extremely displeased. What was there to be displeased about? Queen Cordelia looked healthier than ever seen. I began to sweat.
“You have used witchcraft in my kingdom. You have given strange elixirs and potions to unknowing subjects. You have hidden your identity and deceived my son. All this you have done in my palace,” the king said, his voice crescendoing with every word. “Do you know the consequences of such actions?”
“Your Majesty, please—”
“Do you?”
I swallowed. “No, Your Majesty.”
King Maximus sat back into his throne. “No matter. You do not need to know them. You have exposed Wilhelmina’s wickedness and saved the life of my queen.”
My knees felt ready to collapse. “T-thank you, Your Majesty.”
“You have shown that magic is not what we assume it to be,” he said. “Prince Ash has uncovered the late King Humphrey’s old journals. The trial of Navierre is not as it seems. He was framed, executed because my father was jealous of the power the witches held. He banished witchkind for selfish reasons.”
A collective gasp went through the king’s council. One of them stood. “How do we know that’s true?” he said, arching a graying brow. “What if that witch girl is manipulating the prince?”
Ash gave the man an icy look. “You will speak of Miss Amarante with respect, Sir Jean. As for verifying the truth, I will be happy to show you my findings whenever you wish.”
This seemed to satisfy Sir Jean enough, but he still shot me a glare when he sat.
King Maximus grunted. “Very good. Now, Miss Flora, you will be rewarded for your merits. I grant you the honorary title of Princess. And as Princess, I offer you a betrothal to the crown prince.”
Exclamations exploded across the throne room.
“A witch as the crown princess? Impossible!”
“The crown prince is far too handsome for her!”
“Say yes, my girl!”
The last cry sounded oddly like Lydia, but I didn’t bother checking the audience for my stepmother.
“Why?” I sputtered. Me? Marry the crown prince? The very thought was absurd.
“Prince Ash has lauded you over the other debutantes. I would’ve had doubts,” the king said, giving me a glance I didn’t care to look into, “but you have proved yourself brave and loyal. Despite your lowly status, you will make a good queen.”
Ash looked as shocked as I felt. Surely he didn’t think his praise of me would result in this.
Shaking my head, I said, “I’m afraid I must decline, Your Majesty.”
“Why is that? Do you prefer my other son?”
“No!” I blushed, pretending not to notice how Ash sat straighter at the suggestion. “I do not intend to marry at all.”
Then there was silence again. King Maximus harrumphed. “Perhaps I was too hasty. What is it you want, then? Gold?”
“No, not gold,” I said, looking to Lana and Elowyn and my nannies. “I...I want witches to be able to roam Olderea again.”
The king paused, looking grave. “It seems it is my turn to decline, Miss Flora.”
My face fell. “But you said magic isn’t as dangerous as you thought. Navierre’s trial—”
“Olderea is not prepared for the change after so many years,” King Maximus said. “There is no room for an entire population of witches to reappear. No jobs and no houses. The people will protest.”
“But Your Majesty, if you will please listen—”
“Do not grow too bold, Miss Flora. I am still king.”
Queen Cordelia, who had sat without a word the entire time, touched the king’s elbow. “Let the girl speak, Maximus. She is worth listening to.” She gestured to me. “Miss Amarante.”
I took a deep breath and told them about Witch Village and the unwholesome crops, the lack of fresh air, and the limited supplies. I explained the witches’ reliance on the Witch Market and how the restrictions are cutting them off from all
