Royal Rebel (Alfheim Academy

by S. T. Bende

  When I reached Illuminara I channeled my inner debutante, bending my knees and curtsying low to the ground. As I rose, I my eyes were drawn to the halo of sparkles surrounding Illuminara’s braided updo. They flickered in the pink filtered light, a flock of tiny fireflies dancing around the officiant’s head.

  Illuminara gestured for me to take my place on the padded kneelers in front of the altar. While I made my transition, she raised her arms and addressed the crowd.

  “Today marks the dawning of a new era for Alfheim. Through the ashes, our realm of light has risen. I stand before you at the will of the gods, appointed by the most holy order of seers, the Norns, and anointed by the Mother Goddess Frigga herself. It is my deepest honor to offer this blessing upon Aura Nilssen, daughter of Lilly and Kegoth, granddaughter of Constance, great-granddaughter of our most beloved Queen Silvie and King Leon. Once our crown princess, today Aura ascends as our queen. She will guide us into a time of peace and prosperity, and she will continue to demonstrate the strength of character and spirit that have endeared her to this majestic realm.”

  My heart thudded as Illuminara glided to the kneeler where I’d lowered myself—and my massive dress. My hands were folded in reverent prayer, and my head slightly bowed. This was it. The moment she’d say the words that would change me from Aura Nilssen, one-time Midgardian comic book nerd and current Alfheimian Verge graduate, to Queen Aura of Alfheim, Leader of the Light Realm and Bearer of Truth. I’d snorted the first time I’d read my full title in one of Eunice’s briefings, but that was about to be my name.

  No pressure at all.

  A clear note rang through the church, and I raised my head to watch Illuminara sing the blessing. It was a traditional älva folk song—one thought to have originated shortly after the birth of the cosmos, when drops of starlight descended on Alfheim to create the faeries. The song burst from Illuminara with the clarity of a bell, her impeccable tone captivating me enough that I momentarily forgot my nerves. I couldn’t quite make out the words—old elvish was a subject I’d never been able to master. But I’d read a translation in Eunice’s briefing. The officiant was blessing both me and my reign with light, and love, and abundance, and prosperity. She was channeling the Mother Goddess, and imbuing me with the wisdom of the kings and queens who came before me. I felt their presence—everyone from my great-grandparents, to Constance, to . .

  Oh, my gods. Mom?

  The realization that my mother was here slammed into me, knocking the breath from my chest and leaving me clutching my heart. Happiness overwhelmed me as my awareness of her presence grew. Just over the officiant’s shoulder was a flicker of light that radiated pure, unadulterated love. It beamed at me with the force of a thousand suns until I was filled from head to toe with hope, and joy, and peace. My mom was here. Here. On my coronation day. Somehow, she’d made it all the way from Valhalla, and though I couldn’t see her I knew without a doubt that she was looking right at me, beaming with pride because I’d become exactly who I was meant to be.

  I love you so much. I sent the thought into the air. And though it seemed impossible, I felt a gentle light expand inside my heart. She loved me too.

  The officiant finished her song, and stepped to the altar to retrieve the sacred oil. I removed my crown as she approached, placing it on the small table beside me and presenting my forehead for her blessing.

  “This oil, extracted from the bark of the Alfheim Tree, channels our realm’s innate light. May its essence gift you with the wisdom to know what is right, the strength to stay the course, and the love to act for the greatest good of all.” Illuminara pressed her thumb to my forehead, drawing a small circle above my brows. A faintly sweet aroma filled my nostrils, and I drew a calming breath as my crown was lifted from its perch. We were almost done.

  “This crown, dwarven made and crafted from the same piece of metal as the mighty Thor’s, Mjölnir, channels the highest wisdom of our realm’s great rulers. May its spirit imbue within you the gifts of insight, knowledge, and a clear mind in even the most difficult of moments.” Illuminara slowly lowered the crown onto my head. Its weight felt heftier than it had a few minutes ago. I shifted slightly beneath the pressure.

  “This scepter, gifted by Frigga and infused with energy from Asgard’s core, channels the clarity of our cosmos’ collective light.” Illuminara lifted a long silver wand from the altar. It held a massive white diamond in its prongs, and as she held it over her head it sent rainbows dancing along the walls of the chapel. “May it guide you through the days ahead, acting as a beacon in even the darkest of times.”

  I held out one hand, and Illuminara placed the scepter in it. My wrist buckled beneath its weight, and I quickly shifted so I held it in both palms. When the officiant gave a slight nod, I rose slowly to my feet, rotated the scepter so it rested in my right palm, and turned to face the congregation.

  So many eyes . . .

  “Will you solemnly swear,” Illuminara said from behind me, “to uphold the virtues of Alfheim? To put her needs before your own, and to protect her greatest good at all costs? Will you act in her best interest, govern with wisdom and benevolence, and respect the natural laws that call all beings to shine within the collective light?”

  I spoke in a clear, loud voice. “I solemnly swear so to do.”

  Illuminara stepped forward, to stand beside me. “It is my great honor to bestow upon you the title Queen Aura of Alfheim, Leader of the Light Realm and Bearer of Truth. Long may you reign!”

  “Long live the Queen,” chorused the hundred guests in front of me.

  When I lifted my scepter, a fanfare of horns echoed through the chapel. I glanced at Illuminara, whose nod confirmed it was time to leave. Careful not to trip over my skirt or drop my crown, I descended from the altar with a stiff spine. As I passed Viggo, his dimple deepened—his grin absolutely radiated pride. I shot him a saucy wink before lifting my chin and continuing regally down the aisle. Once I’d cleared the back doors, I slipped into the waiting room, leaned back against the wall, and closed my eyes.

  Thank gods that’s over.

  “You did it.” I jumped at the deep voice coming from the doorway. It had only been half a minute—not nearly enough time for anyone to make it out of the chapel.

  Or so I thought.

  “My gods, Viggo. You scared me!”

  “Apologies, Your Majesty.” Viggo bowed at the waist. “I just wanted to be the first to congratulate you.”

  “Get up,” I hissed. “Don’t make this weird.”

  “Permission to approach the monarch?” His eyes sparkled.

  “I said stop it!”

  Viggo crossed the room. With his broad shoulders and confident stride, he was definitely owning the Prince Charming vibe. When he reached me, he dropped to one knee, took my free hand in his, and kissed my fingertips. “My queen.”

  “I swear to gods, Viggo, if you keep this up I will club you over the head with Asgard’s Scepter of Light.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” He tilted his face upward, giving me a view of his impish grin.

  “I would,” I threatened. “So get. Up. Now.”

  “As you wish. Your Grace.” My boyfriend stood, and I lifted my scepter.

  “Viggo Sorenssön, I swear, I am this close to—”

  Viggo silenced my threat with a kiss. He pressed his lips to mine, sending a pulse of heat that shot straight to my heart. I wound my arms around his neck, careful not to drop the priceless Asgardian artifact I still carried in my right hand. With my left, I wound my fingers through the strands of his hair, curling the dark waves around one finger. Viggo slipped his hands around my waist and pulled me closer, pressing his hips against mine as he pinned me between his body and the wall. A groan escaped my lips, and I pulled Viggo closer, not wanting anything to separate us. We were partners in every way that mattered. And we’d conquered a hell of a lot of odds to get to this point. We’d made it through the academy and recovering the Opprør senators; we’d defeated Dra
gen and Rankin; and we’d come out the other side of both graduation and coronation days. We’d faced more challenges in the last two years than I’d hoped to in a lifetime.

  We deserved a few seconds of celebrating.

  But seconds stretched to minutes, and before I knew it, an impatient rap on the door pulled me from my kiss coma.

  “Your Majesty! There are a lot of revelers waiting on you!”

  Eunice’s prim voice was the ultimate buzz kill. With a sigh, I gently pushed a disheveled Viggo away.

  “Oh, wow. If I look half as bad as you, I’m in no condition to greet anyone,” I said.

  Viggo chuckled. “I’ll stall Eunice while you put yourself back together.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair, restoring his waves to their former glory. Then he smoothed the front of his jacket, straightened his sash, and unlocked the door. “Hey, Eunice. Enjoy the ceremony?”

  While Viggo kept my protocol advisor busy, I snuck over to the mirror in the corner. There was no recovering my hairdo, so I fluffed it with my fingers and decided ‘beachy waves’ would have to be queenly enough for this coronation party. I straightened my dress, adjusted my crown, and met Viggo at the door.

  “You ready, Glitre?” he asked.

  “As I’ll ever be.” I slipped my hand into his, and pulled him through the doorway, past a frowning Eunice. “Come on, Sorenssön. It’s time to party.”

  Chapter 19

  THE FESTIVITIES LASTED WELL into the night. After a formal dinner, we retreated to the ballroom for toasts, speeches, and finally, dancing. A small orchestra was set up in a corner, and they played waltzes, foxtrots, and other old-timey tunes that kept the visiting monarchs on the dance floor for the better part of an hour. When they retired to their rooms, the conductor picked up the tempo, drawing some of the younger crowd out with more upbeat music. But it wasn’t until the orchestra packed up their instruments and the DJ Jande had commissioned took over that things really got good. Having been robbed of his opportunity to dance at last year’s Solstice Ball, my fun-loving friend had personally selected the playlist for the second half of the evening. And Jande had made sure that everyone would have a good time.

  An hour into his set, the DJ announced the party was moving to the garden. The palace had been prepped for an indoor/outdoor flow, so when we shimmied our way into the courtyard, strings of lights illuminated the roses and the lavender maze, and more were strung between the ivy arches. Combined with the full moon, there was plenty of illumination to what quickly became a dance-off. Maja and Rafe valiantly defended their title as ballroom champions, and Elin whipped out some Midgardian dance moves from before our time. Nobody knew quite what to do with her running man or funky chicken, and by the time she electric slide-ed her way out of the circle, Finna and Wynter were left scratching their heads.

  “We used to do that in junior high to make each other laugh,” I shouted to them.

  “Are all the humans’ dances that strange?” Finna asked.

  “Some are even weirder,” I said. “You should see the floss.”

  “They clean their teeth while they dance?” Finna scrunched up her nose. “Ew.”

  A bubble of laughter escaped my throat as Viggo pulled me into the circle. We danced for what felt like forever, taking periodic breaks to refuel on the trays of food the telepaths transferred from the ballroom to the garden. We’d had a seated meal after the coronation, but the party food was much more fun. I threw down one of everything, from sliders to twice-baked potatoes, to brownies, to the tiny cups of ice cream from my favorite Granite Ridge malt shop that I’d described in great detail to the royal chef—and begged him to replicate for my big night. I was equal parts stuffed and exhausted when the DJ took a break. I had no idea what time it was, but when Viggo and I slipped away from the festivities and walked around to the front of the royal residence, the sky was pinked with the first rays of dawn.

  “Race you to the waterfall?” Viggo shot me a grin.

  “First of all, I’m too exhausted to walk, much less race. Second, I’m pretty sure I’m too full of ice cream to lift myself off the ground. And third, Rankin soured my taste for waterfalls, thank you very much.”

  “Not that waterfall—the one on the other side of the meadow. Our waterfall. The one where we had our first . . . you know.”

  Heat crept up my neck at the memory of the first time Viggo and I had locked lips. It felt like a lifetime ago that I’d discovered that Viggo and I were both faeries . . . and mates, at that. Had it really been less than two years?

  “Loser has to wipe down the equipment in the palace gym.” Viggo leapt in the air. He hovered a few feet away from me, flapping slowly so he bobbed up and down in front of one of the enormous pines that bordered this edge of the castle.

  “We don’t have to clean our own equipment anymore,” I reminded him. “We have staff for that.”

  “Look who got all fancy.” Viggo flew backward in a lazy circle. His silver wings accentuated the pale blue of his suit, and I couldn’t help but stare at the way his shoulders flexed beneath the fabric. Yum. “I guess if you don’t mind getting your butt handed to you by your future king . . .”

  “Way in the future,” I reminded him. “Like, years and years from now.”

  Viggo’s dimple popped. “I can wait. Now get airborne already, and race me to our spot.”

  “Fine.” I checked to make sure my crown was secure before bending my knees and spreading my wings. In one swift movement I was off, darting around Viggo and cutting in front of him so he spiraled to his left. He spluttered in surprise before righting himself and lowering his head. He adjusted his trajectory and took off again, following me around the pines and into a grove of conifers. “What’s the matter? Too tired from dancing to keep up?”

  “Oh, it’s on.” Viggo’s laughter spurred me forward. We flitted through the trees, past the meadow, and around the backside of the mountain that led to our waterfall. As we crested the peak, I drew my arms to my sides and dove. I had just enough of a lead that I reached the grass first, tucking my feet into my chest and touching down in a perfekt landing. When Viggo hit the grass, I turned to him and placed my hands on my hips.

  “Guess you’re cleaning the palace gym,” I said smugly.

  “I thought we had staff for that.”

  I adjusted my crown, and my breath caught at the beauty of our surroundings. We’d landed beneath the massive willow tree at the edge of the crystal blue lake. The mountain stretched above us, lined with moss and rocks and every conceivable type of flower—from the ones I’d known back in Granite Ridge, to blooms so exotic I’d never have pictured them in my wildest imaginings. Water spilled over the mountain into the pool below, frothing in a pristine white foam with a gentle mist hovering above it. I drew a deep breath, inhaling the sweet aroma of honeysuckle—no doubt coming from the patch situated just behind the willow. Everything about this spot was calm, and serene, and absolutely perfekt. No wonder I’d been relaxed enough to let Viggo take me in his arms and—

  “Your Majesty?” Viggo’s voice danced with amusement. “Where’d you go?”

  “Uh . . .” Heat flooded my cheeks. “Can you repeat the question?”

  Viggo chuckled. “Do we or do we not have a cleaning staff in the palace gym?”

  “We do,” I confirmed. “But I just decided they needed a day off. In honor of my coronation.”

  “Is that so?” Viggo stepped closer, until we stood just inches apart.

  “Mm-hmm.” I nodded. “And I like a nice early workout so be sure to have the weapons shining by six a.m. tomorrow morning.”

  Viggo snaked his arms around my waist. “Are you always going to be this much trouble?”

  “Probably,” I said honestly. “Is that going to be a problem?”

  “Probably.” He brushed his lips against my hairline. “But I’ll learn to manage.”

  “Ha. Ha.”

  I pushed against his chest, but he didn’t move. Instead, he r
eleased his hold on my waist and wrapped his hands around my wrists. He brought his mouth to my ear, and murmured softly, “Just promise me one thing.”

  I shivered. “What’s that?”

  “Promise that you’ll always be the stubborn, brilliant, infuriating, determined, scrappy, creative, beautiful creature I fell in love with.”

  I turned so my lips brushed against the stubble on his jaw. “Who are you calling scrappy?”

  Viggo reached up to cup my cheek in one hand. He cradled my face, pressing gently until his lips met mine. His eyes blazed emerald fire as he slipped his other hand down my back and said, “I love you, Glitre.” Then he claimed my mouth in a kiss that left my heart thundering, my head spinning, and every nerve ending in my body pinging with happiness.

  Once upon a time, I’d been fated to rule a failing realm. And while now I had no idea what the future would hold, I knew I could face any challenge head-on with the support of my awesome friends, my trusted team, and the guy who’d had my back from the moment we became training partners. Viggo and I had a lifetime of adventures to look forward to. And no matter what the Fates threw at us, I knew we’d lead Alfheim to her brightest possible future.

  Together.

  TUSEN TAKK FOR READING AURA’S STORY!

  Reviews of this book and others are hugely appreciated, and make my author heart sing!

  If you want to check out any of my other young adult fantasies, try:

  - PERFEKT ORDER (the Norse God of War’s story); then try

  - ELSKER (the Norse God of Winter’s story).

  And if you love time-travel, adventure, and Vikings, check out VIKING ACADEMY, where a seventeen-year-old girl lands in a world where Vikings rule the seas and dragons roam the skies, and the only thing more dangerous than the chief who takes her captive is the rival who steals her away.