by Emily Shore
He held up the copy of the Founders Book containing the laws of Le Couvènte. I placed my hand upon it, he directed me to kneel, then he asked, “Do you swear to uphold the laws of Le Couvènte as well as submit to them?”
“I do.”
“Do you swear to keep the secret of our society for as long as you shall live?”
Resolved. “I do.”
“Do you swear to treat both races with respect and equality?”
“I do.” I was perhaps the first one to say this with no bias. Complete conviction.
Finally, Frederick Abbott released my hands. “Rise, Lady Reina Caraway and accept your new role as Queen.” I did as he directed. Later, at my coronation, I would repeat this again as part of the grand ceremony for pomp and circumstance. In this room, my oath was official but less formal.
“As you know already, the queen must choose her king,” Enton interjected, sweeping a hand past Frederick. “As in chess, they both share an equal amount of authority, but the queen is responsible for enforcing the laws of Le Couvènte while the king acts as an influencer and a guide and preserver of secrets. Lady Caroline’s king was her husband. As you know, your father was your mother's king as well. It is a long-standing tradition since the one you choose must be above all trustworthy and equally ready to make the sacrifice for Le Couvènte. However, you are the youngest queen to make your debut and unmarried. And as you face this assembly, Reina, who will be your king?”
I glanced behind me and smiled up at Raoul, my silent Guardian, who nodded to me, prepared for my choice.
Finally…I faced the witnesses, Council members, and former monarchs. With absolute steadiness, I announced, “Heath Nicholas Caraway.”
Chapter - Epilogue
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Raoul wondered as he parked the car.
“Yes, I can do it alone, too. I know it’s really sunny out there, and you forgot your sunglasses.”
“I didn’t forget, but I have a question.” Raoul’s words had my hand pausing on the door handle, and I looked away from the cemetery outside my window. “Why did you choose Heath? Please don’t misunderstand, I’m relieved, but I would like to hear your explanation.”
Of course Heath accepted. He was practically glowing when I’d chosen him. I pictured him scrambling to my side and tripping over his words in his haste to take his vows, but Heath performed even better than me. The very picture of royalty.
“I thought it would be better…for us,” I explained. No matter if Raoul was ready to receive the responsibility of kingship ― he was better suited for protection. Maybe someday, but how could our relationship develop properly if both of us were thrust into a political station? He wanted to support me behind the scenes. Not in the spotlight. “And Heath wanted this. He’s probably readier to be king than I am Queen. I only regret not realizing sooner what a good king, no…a great king he will make.” I trusted Heath with my life. Perhaps more than any other including Raoul. If it hadn’t been for him that night with Skip…proof that Heath was my other half. We would complement each other. The first sibling rulers of Le Couvènte.
Easing his forearm onto the steering wheel, Raoul shook his head to comment, “He is ready to become king. More than I am. I am capable of leading. I’ve done it before, but I experienced firsthand how power influenced me in negative ways when I led a clan back in New York. When I came to Le Couvènte, and more in particular, after I met you, I resolved to lead a simpler life. Turns out, you are anything but simple.” He leaned over to kiss my cheek.
“No arguments there. When we get married someday, we can revisit this king business.”
“Well, now…if that word isn’t a conversation-starter!”
I closed my eyes for a moment, shaking my head. “Too fast, right.” I clicked the handle of the door.
“Reina…” Raoul’s hand on mine caused me to hesitate once again, and when his tone deepened, more serious, I paid attention. “You said you wanted to know my secrets, my past. There is much more to share with you, and I look forward to that, but I want to share my greatest one with you now.”
And Raoul stepped out of the car, walked around its front to my passenger door to open it and reach out for me. It wasn’t until I stood next to him on this cloudless day, reeking of sultry summer air and unhindered sunlight that I understood the secret Raoul had never shared with anyone. A secret every vampire would gladly kill for. All my instincts screamed to stop him. But Raoul lifted his head to the sunlight, bronze, dilated irises shimmering in its reflection ― unbridled and undimmed, shining rare and beautiful as gold and gleaming iron.
“Raoul…” My fingers danced upon his chest as I marveled. “The sun doesn’t burn your eyes.”
“It doesn’t weaken or damage my skin either,” he responded with a smile, head cocked to the side. “For any amount of time. My system never shuts down.”
Again, destiny rolled its eyes at me, amused by my stupidity of not discerning the obvious: Raoul and I were meant to be. The human Queen and her Guardian who could walk in sunlight with her. No wonder he hunted so early in the mornings before dawn. He couldn’t risk anyone discovering his secret.
I halted all my questions. First, there was something else I needed to do.
“Wait…” called Raoul before I got too far.
He grabbed the white rose I’d forgotten in the car and handed it to me. “You’ll need this.”
“Thank you. I won’t be long.”
“Take your time.”
I wouldn’t need much. I edged my way through the cemetery past graves until I arrived at the fresh plot and the headstone. It was almost surprising his family hadn’t selected a crypt, but the headstone was elaborate enough. Intricate stonework. Digital interface displaying various clips of Skip’s life. It even showed his descent down the staircase of Le Couvènte High at the Masque. I wasn’t certain how I felt about my presence on the interface of a dead vampire’s headstone. But I could deal with that later.
Stefan White: The One We Knew As Skip
I read the dates silently. It was June now. Five more months, and he would have turned nineteen on October 26th. The ground still lavished in a lake of flowers, many of them colorful.
“He would have liked that,” I whispered to myself.
Pondering the memories, I kneeled to trace my fingers across the headstone, ignoring the dirt which greeted me. Pain crackled inside me like shards of glass lost in their own little tempest. Grief from Caroline still festered in my heart like rotting flesh. Thoughts of Skip were the carrion pecking at that grief. My hand lingered on the cold stone, my head fell, and my thoughts broke free into words. “Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting.” I whispered the words like spring drilling through the snow of winter.
For a moment, I lifted my head when I felt the change. Like a warm fire resurrected the numb flesh inside me, healing me from the inside out. No bleeding heartache. No phantom to reckon with. And no regret. Just a wave of tomorrows and sunrises and sunsets Raoul and I could watch together. I looked back at the man standing by the car, who gestured to his watch. And smiled.
It was time for my coronation.
So, I placed the white rose in the middle of the swelling flowers, and with one last effort, I brought a hand to my lips and touched the gravestone…imprinting a soft kiss.
I rose to rejoin Raoul. I didn’t turn back. Not even to see the white rose, which slowly bled to crimson from a touch of persuasion.
Don’t miss book 2 in the Roseblood Series - Silhouette
COMING OCTOBER 2019
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About the Author
Emily Shore is a MN author with a B.A. in Creative Writing from Metro State University and was a grand prize winner of #PitchtoPublication, which led her to working with publishing professionals. Her novellas Ruby in the Rough and Ruby in the Ruins are her first indie-published anti trafficking works. She is signed with Clean Teen Publishing for her anti-trafficking dystopian T
he Aviary. For every book sold, a personal donation will return to trafficking rescue. Throughout the years, she has connected with rescue organizations, activists, and trafficking survivors and injects truths she's learned into her books for youth. She loves motivational speaking on the issue of sex-trafficking and was recently
featured at the 2018 MLA and MEA. Please contact her through her website if you would like her to speak at your local school, library, or church. In her spare time, she loves attending any abolition events, baking, painting, and spending time with all the girls in her life. Emily lives in Saint Paul with her husband and two daughters. They are in the process of adopting a little girl from India.
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