The Fate of Crowns: The Complete Trilogy: A YA Epic Fantasy Boxset

by Rebecca L. Garcia

  He sat back in the chair, letting out a long exhale. “Now is not the time for more instability. You said it yourself; the people need to be grounded.”

  “Yet you are willing to send men to Berovia and destabilize us further.”

  “It’s important for us to avenge what happened to you.”

  I straightened my crown and sighed. “It’s not needed.”

  “It is.” He leaned forward. “As for the other matter. While I am glad to see you are finally showing some respect to me as your high priest, and others in high rankings, these ideas of yours will cost us everything. You may be queen, but I will not allow you to destroy the foundations this kingdom was built upon.”

  “This is a great opportunity,” I said. “For you too.”

  “The answer is no. We have discussed enough.”

  I bit my tongue, holding back the vile I wanted to spill. Rage bubbled under the surface, but I dared not show it. “Then our meeting is finished.”

  He didn’t bow when he left. I thought I had seen a crack, something I could use to persuade him onto my side, but he’d proven to be nothing more than a vulgar man I once held in high esteem. His position demanded respect, but he had lost mine long ago.

  I didn’t dwell on it, knowing there would be little wiggle room now for me to get him to change his mind on the attack or allowing women into the military. I had barely broached the first, as the women-and-military idea had gone so poorly. I had no choice but to buy off one of the lords, and if I couldn’t, then I’d need to use dirty tactics, the same my father had used, to stop the attack on Kiros. I wanted to do the right thing, but they made it so difficult.

  A knock sounded on the door. A part of me wondered if Vahaga had come back. I didn’t expect to see Cedric until lunch.

  “Ambassador Amara,” the guard announced. I’d forgotten she was coming among the talk of politics.

  “Come in, Amara.” I smiled broadly, gesturing her into the middle of the room.

  “Ada was visibly upset by the arrival,” she said, with a mischievous glint in her eye. Carrying the dress bags, she walked to my closet, then hung them.

  “I notice there are two dresses. I asked only for one.”

  She gulped. The white in her hair looked silver under the light, contrasting from the black, silky strands. “His Majesty, um, sent one for you to wear to the ball.” Her cheeks heated pink. “He chose it.”

  I eyed the white dress bags, and a tingling danced up my spine. A lump formed in my throat. I coughed to clear it. “He got the invitation to the masquerade ball in advance, it seems.”

  “Yes, he was delighted by the prospect.”

  Of course he was. “Is there a note with it?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “Would you like me to unbutton them?”

  I nodded. She pulled the sides back to show the glittering, navy-blue gown. Ruffled lace danced as she removed the bag. The black-lace sleeves matched the corset top of the dress. Flecks of silver sparkled from the dark.

  “It’s simply stunning,” I gushed.

  “It will certainly be a statement.”

  “That’s the idea.” My chest heaved. I was playing a dangerous game. My mother would be at the banquet tonight in my honor, along with the lords and every other dignitary at court, including Vahaga. However, they hadn’t been impressed with my other decisions since being queen.

  “May I see the dress Blaise sent?”

  She took it from the bag, and I gasped. The heavily shimmering fabric billowed out. The pale-gold gown was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. The bodice was heavily beaded and crisscrossed into a deep V-neck. There were no sleeves or belt. “He wanted you to have this,” she said as I examined the gown. She handed me a tiara, and my stomach sank. It was the tiara I had worn at our wedding. What game was he playing?

  “Uh, thanks.” I examined the glittering beaded wires and their upward curl, and I sighed. I placed it on my dresser. “Thanks, Amara, for bringing these.” I paused, staring at the woven white-and-silver tiara. “I have several meetings now, but I will see you at the banquet this evening.”

  “Absolutely you will. Blaise also wanted me to tell you that dress if for you to wear when he arrives.”

  My cheeks heated. “Thank you.”

  She curtseyed, then left me alone. Once she was gone, I sank onto the bed. I hated how he made me feel, even when he wasn’t here. Why the tiara? What was he trying to say? Then not even leaving a note. Oh, how he infuriated me so.

  I got up and hid the crown in a drawer, as if it were a dirty secret.

  ELEVEN

  The room had been transformed. Red draping covered the walls, transforming the area into a world enveloped in silk. Silver tulle hung from the now-black ceiling and wrapped around beams, spelled to twinkle as if they had trapped a thousand stars.

  I held my staff close to my chest as I walked inside the banquet room. Silver platters of the most glorious cakes, tarts, cream puffs, pastry rolls stuffed with meats, crackers with pâtés and cheeses, and so much more covered the long tables along the length of the far wall. The smell of lilies powdered the air, mixed with the aroma of baked crusts, bread, and berries.

  My dark dress turned heads. It ran down my body in waves of ruffles, and I loved the way it danced around me as I stepped. Ladies and men whispered to each other, turning their heads as I passed, at an attempt of inconspicuousness. I grabbed a glass of water and gulped it down to coat my parched tongue.

  “Queen Winter Mortis of Magaelor,” Vahaga announced loudly, his eyes fixed on mine, and everyone clapped.

  I curtseyed, uncertain if I had to make a speech or not. I hadn’t been prepared on what to do at my own banquet. I was sure it had been done on purpose. They wanted me to fail. All of them.

  I spotted Ada telling a few maids to place glass domes over exposed cakes on a nearby table. Small crowds swelled. Against my better judgment, I cleared my throat and projected my voice as I had been taught since a young age. “It is a privilege to be your queen.” I looked around, then saw my mother by Vahaga. My gaze landed on her before I looked away. “I’m honored to have this banquet in my name.”

  I saw it in their eyes, the soldiers, guards… men and women who had fought. They looked tired. Many still wore scars from the battle.

  The lords said there wouldn’t be a memorial yet, not until after the coronation, and even then, I wasn’t sure they planned to go through with it. I got the impression most of them thought it a waste of coin. Regardless, words spoken couldn’t be taken back. I decided to deal with the backlash tomorrow. “The main event, however, will be the memorial I will be holding for all our fallen. We must honor them. I know without the bravery of the Magaelorean people, I would not be here today, wearing this crown. I am indebted to each of you, and in return, I promise to serve the kingdom with the honor, integrity, and courage each of you has shown.”

  Vahaga paled. Mostly everyone in the room lifted their drinks, toasting my speech. Their frowns loosened and were replaced with smiles. Vahaga and my mother, however, did not.

  After various people who had come to meet me had left, I was finally able to mingle with those who had been waiting for me, Cedric being one. Pride swallowed his features. He beamed, then took me in his arms. We almost forgot ourselves, but we pulled apart.

  “That was a wonderful speech.”

  “I have my people on my side.” I couldn’t help but beam. I felt powerful, more than ever.

  “Vahaga is seeing you’re a force to be reckoned with. They all are.” Cedric tilted his head in their direction. Vahaga was watching me with predatorial eyes. If anything, he looked more dangerous.

  “Your Majesty,” Daric said as he walked up beside me.

  “Ambassador Daric.”

  “I have a letter for you.” He handed it to me. I turned it over. A blue seal with the Lazarus crest.

  “Thank you, Daric.”

  He bowed his head, then walked backward.

  Cedric arc
hed an eyebrow. “Blaise?”

  I licked my dry lips. I prayed it had nothing to do with the tiara and dress. The changes in his affections were giving me a headache. Unless… It was about the Objects of Kai. I had promised him I would unite them and break his curse. It was the same promise I’d made the mer king, who’d given me one year before he started sinking ships. Cedric had reminded me of it twice. He was more committed to the task than I was, and it was me who had the most to lose. A lot had slipped my mind with the pressures being queen came with. There was the necromancer, Morgana, and what my brother had said. I still had a long time before the mer king would make good on his promise, so it didn’t overshadow more immediate threats in my life.

  “Are you okay?” Cedric asked.

  I must have spaced out again. Dissociating kept me from having panic attacks, a luxury I could no longer afford as the leader of a kingdom. I had to show strength, and breaking down at my own banquet would be the worst thing that could happen.

  My gaze trailed over his scrawled handwriting. For once, I was appreciative of his terrible penmanship, for it meant very few could interpret it. It was a skill, one I had mastered. “It’s a peace treaty.”

  “I know informally you are at peace with him, but I thought you said he would only agree to an official one on paper with an offer of marriage?”

  The corner of my lips lifted. “I guess he changed his mind.”

  He didn’t look happy. At all. “Is there anything else with the offer of a treaty?”

  I shook my head. “No. He’s been unusually quiet for Blaise.”

  Suspicion crowned his eyes. “When will he be arriving? I heard he was coming.” His jaw clenched. “From others. Not you.”

  “I forgot, honestly. It’s not a big deal.”

  “My family may want me back early. I forgot to tell you.”

  My next breath caught in my throat. “Are you joking? Tell me you’re joking!”

  “I’m not.”

  Seriousness swallowed his usually bright features, swirling my mind into a mixture of emotions. “Is this because Blaise is coming?”

  Cedric looked over my shoulder and cleared his throat. “Uh, there’s someone behind you.”

  I jolted, then turned. The lady’s honey-brown gaze softened when she smiled. Soft dimples curved her thin, rosy-pink lips. Her fair-blonde hair was styled into soft waves. “Your Majesty. I am Marissa.”

  “The daughter of Lady Amber,” I recalled aloud. The lords had told me they’d be appointing her to me. At least she looked kind. Although, looks were often deceiving.

  She nodded, then tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes darted from me to Cedric. “You’re the renowned Berovian faery.”

  He extended his hand. “You can call me Cedric.”

  She flushed pink a little but shook his hand. I cleared my throat, and her gaze flitted back to me. She dropped Cedric’s hand as if it were poisonous. I almost laughed but held it in.

  “I’m surprised we are only just meeting.”

  She thumbed the side of her neck. “Yes, I was advised you didn’t have space in your schedule.”

  My gaze flicked to Cedric. He would have been the one to organize my calendar. It was mostly an honorary title, but regardless, he had a job to do.

  “I didn’t know.” He gave me a look before I could chastise him. “I only told your people you didn’t have space to add anything else in. You’ve been overwhelmed,” he said, his tone softening.

  “I would have made time for my new lady-in-waiting. It is custom for us to get to know one another, no?”

  She nodded, a sweet smile thinning her lips. “I was happy to wait until you have time for me. I can only imagine the amount of matters you must attend.”

  “How would a walk in the gardens tomorrow morning sound?”

  “That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Your Majesty. I am looking forward to serving you.”

  I grabbed a glass of sparkling orange juice from a tray. I took a sip, then smiled, my lips still on the glass. “Your uncle is Lord Gregoir, correct?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Excellent.” A hint of a smirk played on my lips. “You can call me Winter, informally,” I said. “When we’re just talking as friends.”

  “Thank you…” She hesitated. “Winter.” Clasping her fingers together, she stood gracefully, holding her head up. She was the epitome of the perfect lady. I wasn’t sure how she wasn’t married yet. I was sure many of the nobles at court had their eye on her. For now, however, she was my lady and the niece of the man I needed to buy off.

  “Marissa.” I gestured in the direction of my mother and Vahaga. “Do your best to keep her away from me this evening. I wouldn’t want a scene at my own banquet.”

  “I must clarify at the possibility of being wrong and causing offence. Do you mean your mother?”

  “Yes.” I looked at my mother tight-lipped.

  She nodded and lowered her gaze. “Of course. So, are you prepared for the Ruby Circle?” she asked, referring to the age-old tradition of ladies coming to court in an attempt to become the next queen’s ladies. Usually, queens had six, and princesses had three. I had none up until this point, but that had been by choice. Having them now could be beneficial. I could use eyes and ears at court. Secrets and gossip were abounding there, and I needed an army of my own, even if they wore dresses and bows.

  “Surprisingly, Marissa, I am.”

  “You never had ladies before.” Her eyes glittered.

  “No.” I moved my finger over my glass. “How well informed you are.”

  “I’m sorry for being so bold. I didn’t intend to offend you. It’s just, it was common knowledge. People spoke about you, naturally. You were the princess.”

  “I’m not offended at all.” My eyebrows furrowed. “I was actually hoping those keen ears of yours may be helpful to me in the future. You know how women are looked at. I may have a crown, but I promise it’s no different. I need loyal friends, women like you.”

  “I don’t know about anyone else, but I am delighted to have a queen.”

  Cedric interjected. “Not to be rude, but there’s a man waiting impatiently in the wings.”

  My eyes flicked to him—tall, handsome, and sporting a lazy grin. “Ah, yes. Give me a moment to appease this pain in the—”

  “Winter!” Corbin extended his arms.

  “It’s Your Majesty,” I said, scolding him and ignoring his embrace. “I’m surprised to see you haven’t wed yet.”

  “What can I say, Your Majesty, I’m hard to tie down. Perhaps I will wait a year or two before marrying.”

  “Lucky for Lady Avery.”

  He winced, then grinned. “You see, it’s been difficult for me to rebuild my reputation after you left it in tatters all those years ago.”

  “I can see how much you’re struggling.” I repressed the urge to roll my eyes, but deep down, I did feel bad for what I had done. I sighed and shook my head. “I am…”

  “Yes?”

  “Sorry for that. It wasn’t my place.”

  The corners of his eyes crinkled. “No, it wasn’t. Besides, it wasn’t what it looked like.”

  “No?”

  He lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned in. “Well, actually, it was what it looked like.”

  “Then why ask to marry Nissa Avery if you like men?”

  “I like both.” He looked me up and down with a smirk. “Don’t worry, Winter, you’re safe. I only like girls with a personality.”

  I pressed my lips together. “I’m feeling less guilty by the second.”

  He looked at where Nissa stood, wearing a floor-length yellow dress with lines on the bodice. “Probably what your father liked too, seeing as he sent you and your bore of a mother to Inferis so he could be with Nissa too. She’s feisty.”

  I gritted my teeth. “You make it very difficult to feel bad for you.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t need you to. Just your willingness to offer me repe
ntance occasionally, when needed. I mean, if you’re trying to make things right. For example, you hold a piece of land that belonged to my father.”

  My eyebrows knitted together. “Ah yes, Lord Abor.” I wanted to ask why my father had taken it, but I didn’t want to appear ill-informed—even if it were true. “Why should I give it to you?”

  “That land was going to be mine, and I want it back. After all, you may earn my forgiveness.”

  I repressed the urge to roll my eyes. “I care little for forgiveness. I’ve already apologized.”

  He half shrugged. “I will keep asking—”

  “If I give it to you, will you leave me alone?” I asked.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets, a sly smirk appearing, showing off his dimple. “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll take it under consideration.”

  He raised his eyebrows quickly. “I’m sure you’ll make the right decision. Talk soon, Your Majesty,” he said and strutted away.

  I turned toward Marissa and Cedric, who’d stayed quiet. “I didn’t realize how much greed rules the nobles and lords here.”

  “They were always like that,” Marissa explained. “The only difference is you have the power and wealth, so you see it more. Everyone wants a piece.”

  “At least greed is easy to predict,” I said and took Cedric’s arm. “Let’s dance. Excuse us, Marissa.”

  She curtseyed and moved out the way. Cedric led me to the center of the room. I gave a curt nod to the string quartet, and they began the waltz. He held me tightly as we moved in sync. “Aren’t you worried what people will think?”

  I shook my head. “It’s only a dance.”

  “You managed that with dignity,” he said with approval. “He was baiting you. Your personality is quite vibrant. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be with you.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.” My joy was short-lived, as our previous conversation floated back into my mind. “Except you’re leaving before the coronation.”