I stared at her in shock. “Can you get me the right one now?”
She shook her head. “It’s too late. It must be consumed the next day in order to work. I’m so sorry!”
Oh. Pit. Berries.
Okay. Breathe, Mel. I hadn’t gotten the correct tincture, but that didn’t mean a Fae baby was on the way. I didn’t feel pregnant. I mean, it had only been three days since Lyklor and I had joined. How soon could one tell? Aerith would know. Arg. I wasn’t asking her. There was no reason to. No one needed to know.
“Don’t tell anyone about this. Promise me, Peridot.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded eagerly as though keeping this secret would make up for her colossal fuck-up.
Please let me dodge an arrow on this. This situation was complicated enough, and I wasn’t ready to be a mother. Ever since my capture, I felt like my life was spinning out of control and decisions were being made for me.
I rubbed my belly, urging Lyklor’s little blessings to move along, pass on through. Another thought occurred to me. What if I was warming my abdomen and helping his Fae seeds fertilize my elf eggs? Gah! I stopped massaging my belly.
I didn’t have a whole lot of time to contemplate potential outcomes before Aerith was knocking on my door, telling me it was time for the big family powwow in the throne room.
Oh goodie. Time to face the dark prince I’d mated, and the golden king who might have inadvertently blessed my uterus.
I closed my eyes and groaned. This time I really could have used a headache tincture.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Melarue
A second matching throne had been set on the dais where Liri and Hensley sat side by side in their crowns. The entire Elmray family had dressed in finery. Well, most of the family. Lyklor stubbornly wore his red jacket, arms folded in a “fuck off” gesture. For some reason, a gold crown sat on his head. He hadn’t looked at me once since Aerith, Jhaeros, and I arrived. Now that we were gathered, I felt totally out of place. From the way Jhaeros clenched his jaw, I’d say he was more than ready to get this over with.
We’d formed small groups at the edge of the dais. Sarfina stood with Lyklor; Jastra with Ryo. Then there were the elves and Folas standing rigid between my group and Ryo. Jastra and Sarfina wore regal gowns and silver jeweled tiaras on their heads.
Hensley wore a stunning sleeveless gown with a tight silver and red corset top. Red tulle poofed out from her legs in ripples with flecks of shimmer. Silky, dark brown hair slipped over her shoulders, ending in soft curls. She looked every bit a queen despite faeries bellyaching over her being a human.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” Hensley said, sitting up in her chair. “I appreciate everything you’ve done on our behalf—all of your sacrifices. Your loyalty will always be remembered, and it is my hope that we can come to a happy arrangement.”
I gaped at Hensley, wondering where she was going with this. The human queen looked over at Liri, who smiled brightly at her. Liri and smiles were still a foreign concept to me, like pineapple on pizza. Did those two things really go together? I tried not to fidget, but it was hard standing so close to Lyklor and Ryo. They both kept their attention on the king and queen. I tried to, as well, but my mind kept jumping over to the males. Ryo wore a fitted suit of midnight that matched his hair. He and Lyklor kept similarly shaggy styles that fell over their faces—but their coloring couldn’t have been more at odds.
“My queen wishes to finish college,” Liri announced.
I snorted under my breath and whispered to Aerith, “What good is a college degree in Faerie?”
Aerith leaned closer, whispering back, “What’s college?”
“I’ll explain later.” It was crazy how little Aerith knew about the mortal world. If she hadn’t been whisked off to marry Cirrus in Faerie, she probably would have never left Pinemist.
Ryo glanced over, offering me a quick smile. Farther away, Lyklor stood aloof, acting like I didn’t exist. I was beginning to think I’d only imagined the passionate prince who claimed he’d wanted me ever since we’d first met.
“My sister Jastra would also like to complete her degree,” Liri continued, “which is why I am proposing something never before done in the history of Dahlquist or Faerie. I am offering to share my kingdom and crown with my last living brother, Lyklor.”
My eyes shot out of their sockets. I turned to Aerith, mouth ajar. She didn’t look as surprised.
What the actual freak berries? Could Liri do that? Could Dahlquist have two kings?
“Hensley and I will rule during her summer break from college; Lyklor will be king in our absence.”
Aerith squinted, probably trying to figure out how many months that gave each king. I wasn’t entirely sure how long college breaks were, but I knew Lyklor would rule the kingdom many more months than Liri and Hensley.
A pit formed in my stomach. College wasn’t forever. Maybe this was a temporary deal and Lyklor would be released from his kingly obligations once Hensley and Jastra graduated.
Sarfina gave a squeal of delight and wrapped her hand around Lyklor’s arm. “This is an excellent idea,” she sang out. “When does Lyklor’s term start?”
“Immediately. Hensley and Jastra have finals to study for in the mortal realm.” Liri sat up, his piercing silver eyes on Lyklor. “Folas will serve both of us and dreamscape with me regularly with updates. Do not let me down, Lyklor.”
I looked over, not missing the scowl over Lyklor’s lips.
“I told you I have no interest in being king now or for any length of time.”
Sarfina’s eyebrows lifted. She tried to pull Lyklor to her and whisper in his ear, but he yanked himself free and jutted his chin up at Liri in defiance.
Liri’s face darkened. “You already are king, Brother—as arranged with our sister-in-law. Did you not tell Aerith you were prepared to take the crown?”
Lyklor gritted his teeth, glowering up the dais. “Fine, then I insist that Ryo share the burden with me.”
Sarfina gasped. It was clear to see where her loyalties lie.
“What?” Ryo said, not sounding pleased at all.
I glared at Lyklor—not that he saw. Was he trying to keep me from Ryo? And what the what? Three kings? Absurd! But the way Liri leaned forward and tapped his lips showed he was considering it. He scooted his chair until it touched Hensley’s. They leaned over the armrests, carrying out a whispered conversation before settling back into their thrones.
“The queen and I will grant this request.”
Lyklor’s jaw remained tight. He didn’t appear thrilled by any of this—even the part where he got what he wanted. I knew he didn’t want to be stuck ruling over any kingdom with or without Ryo’s help. I guess the spiteful little pit head decided he wouldn’t suffer alone.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Ryo said, folding his arms over his chest. “I respectfully decline.”
Liri’s smile turned hard. “Let me rephrase,” he said in a cold voice. “By request, I meant order. I order you to share the throne of Dahlquist, Ryo.”
“I’m not your brother,” Ryo tried to reason.
“You are an Elmray,” Liri said loudly. “You both are, and as the eldest and first king, I order you both to put the good of the kingdom before all other interests. I will not tolerate anything less. You will have your breaks, but while you are kings, you will honor this family and our citizens.”
Kings. Freaking Fae kings.
My stomach bottomed out, making way for my heart as it plummeted. Everything had seemed agonizing when I thought I had to choose between two or three males. At that moment, I felt like they’d all been taken away.
I tried to cheer myself up with thoughts of Liri and Hensley returning to their full-time duties in Dahlquist after she got her damn degree, but it still seemed way far off into the future. Patience wasn’t my forte, and for all I knew, I’d end up knocked up like Aerith. Oh, she’d just looove that. Unlike her, I didn’t have an ad
oring male with an estate of his own, quirky servants, funds, and—best of all—free will.
I was irked at Lyklor, but nowhere near as spitting mad as Liri made me feel. The Fae bastard was always trying to control his family’s lives. Royal pit head.
Ryo fisted his hands at his sides. He and Lyklor wore matching dark frowns and tight jaws.
“Aerith, will you stay for tomorrow evening’s coronation?”
Liri’s question gave me a jolt.
She lifted her chest. “We will, and then we are leaving.”
Liri nodded. “Thank you again for your assistance. If there is anything you ever want, you have only to ask. With your permission, Folas will check in with you once a month.”
“Granted. Folas is always welcome.”
I noticed she didn’t include anyone else on the approved-visitors list, which struck me as sorta rude. I inched closer to Jhaeros. He’d been way friendlier to Ryo, extending an open invitation to Pinemist. I think my sister’s history with the Elmrays was clouding her mind a little too much. What I’d had with Ryo and Lyklor wasn’t the same as what she’d had with Cirrus and Liri.
Liri clapped his hands together. “It’s all settled. We will see everyone at breakfast. In the meantime, the queen and I would like to speak with Lyklor and Ryo.”
My boots felt like weights dragging my legs across the throne room. The stagnant air surrounding me went hazy. I couldn’t feel my heart beating any longer. Maybe I’d left it on the floor below the dais. Would Ryo and Lyklor even notice if I had?
My brain was on such overload that I didn’t immediately notice Aerith herding me in yet another direction of the castle. We entered an entirely new wing that I hadn’t explored before. I also found it odd that Folas had accompanied us. He and Jhaeros took the lead, tromping up to a beautifully carved oak door with gilded floral patterns covering it entirely.
“What is this?” I asked as the males ushered Aerith and me into the dark apartment.
Folas lit a lantern, casting light over the sumptuous four-poster bed with a rich red velvet cover and tasseled pillows. Matching brocade furniture was arranged all around.
“This was where the former king, Merith, kept his mistress,” Folas said.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, looking at Aerith.
“This is one of the castle’s gateways for portaling,” Jhaeros answered.
“Handy for a king slipping away for a tryst,” Folas offered.
“Ew.” I wrinkled my nose.
Folas shrugged.
“We are going home,” Aerith announced.
My head jerked. “What? You said we’d be here for Ryo’s coronation.”
“I lied.” Aerith’s full smile and gleaming eyes looked all kinds of satisfied.
As much as I’d wanted to get out of the castle, I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. I’d thought I had a little more time. Now I felt cornered—by my own scheming sister.
“This is for your own good, Mel.” Aerith’s self-assurance raised my hackles. I glared at her.
“Stop trying to mother me, Aerith, and worry about your own offspring.” I gestured at her belly. “I need to talk to Ryo and Lyklor.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Sorry, not happening. You can hate me all you want, but the game has changed, and we need to go while the family is distracted.”
“Gah! Aerith, this isn’t a game.” My sister was always looking at everyone like pieces on a campaigne board. By the set of her jaw, I could tell she believed the royal tournament was still in play.
“Lyklor and Ryo are being made into kings. Crowns tend to go to kings’ heads, and they believe they can make demands—get things they want even if those things don’t belong to them.”
Oh pit. She was totally rehashing the past.
“This is an entirely different situation,” I grumbled.
Aerith lifted her chin even higher. “You’re right. It is different, and it scares the pit out of me. We can argue at home.” She looked at Folas and nodded.
I whirled around. “Shouldn’t you be stopping us in service to the kings?” I asked accusingly.
Aerith spoke at my back. “Folas and I have an understanding. He will serve the Elmray kings, but his loyalty is to me.”
Folas crouched in front of me and smiled. “Don’t worry, Red. I doubt this is the last you’ve seen of Dahlquist.”
Uh-huh. Right. I was sure my sister would be giving permission for me to waltz back and forth between realms whenever I wanted. I glowered but kept my comments to myself. Folas was only following orders, after all, and he’d suffered a heartbreaking loss.
For someone who claimed she didn’t want to wear a crown, Aerith was sure acting like she was a queen for life.
Folas arced his right arm wide over his head. Familiar ripples emerged. Aerith, naturally, insisted I go first. When I stepped into the wavy, windy mass, I had the feeling, yet again, that I was leaving my heart behind.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Aerith
Sequestered inside my chamber, I stood admiring my light pink wedding gown in the oval mirror while Jastra zipped me up in back. The cloudlike tulle billowed over my belly, ruffling down my sides over a long layer of pretty pink tulle beneath. My enlarged bust filled the sleeveless sweetheart top with its empire waist.
Too bad I couldn’t wear the gown again after today. It was absolutely dreamy.
“All secure,” Jastra announced, appearing behind my shoulder in the mirror. She looked almost sweet in a floor-length dark pink chiffon dress with short off-the-shoulder sleeves. Mel, in a dress that matched Jastra’s, sat on the bay seat at the window, staring absently down at arriving guests. The three of us wore the top layers of our hair in twisted crowns, the rest softly curled over our shoulders. I’d invited my sister Shalendra, but she’d declined on account of being too busy with the wine shop she and her husband had started. Frankly, I was relieved. I didn’t need to be reminded that Jhaeros had once fawned over her.
My, how things had changed.
Keerla wasn’t into dresses, or commitment, for that matter. She was attending the ceremony, but had firmly opted out of being a bridesmaid, which left Mel, Jastra, and Sarfina—the last of whom had yet to arrive. I’d invited Teryani, but she didn’t want to leave Ravensburg after having so recently retaken her throne. I’d also invited Hensley, but she didn’t want to attend without Liri. I would have liked Folas present, but he wasn’t keen to leave Dahlquist, as though an uprising might still occur. With the loss of his brother still fresh, I wasn’t about to push him. The important thing was he’d promised not to be a stranger.
With a wistful sigh, I stared into the mirror and cupped my belly.
“I’m as big as the cake.”
“And good enough to eat.” Jastra’s grin flashed wickedly in the mirror.
I met her gaze in the reflection and burst into a fit of giggles that she immediately joined.
Jastra had been a huge help getting the manor and grounds set up for our at-home wedding. She had an eye for design, and I was grateful for her help.
Mel had been mopey the entire three weeks since leaving Dahlquist. She could be annoyed at me all she liked. I didn’t want her getting mixed up in all the transition and upheaval back in Faerie. Lyklor and Ryo needed to work their shit out first. I hoped to sky they could rule in harmony, but that remained to be seen. According to Folas, Ryo wanted to divide their time up—keeping one king in residence at a time. Lyklor, on the other hand, insisted on joint leadership, claiming couriers wouldn’t trust him to tell the truth. I had my own suspicions that Lyklor just wanted to prevent Ryo from running after Mel.
My sister sighed heavily at the window. “Dad and Lady Dashwood are here,” she spoke in a vacant voice.
They were lucky to be invited. If I expected Ryo and Lyklor to make peace with one another, I supposed I should make my own effort by not banning my father from my ceremony. Keerla had offered to escort him off the premises if he upse
t me even the tiniest bit on my special day. She told me to simply give her a signal and it would be done. I had an awesome friend. Better a bouncer than a bridesmaid.
“Are you sure you don’t want a tiara?” Jastra asked. “It would look very pretty with your gown.”
“I’m sure.”
Mel snorted, back still turned to us.
Jastra crouched beside a large brown bag with long straps that she’d referred to as a “purse” earlier. “I thought you might say that, which is why I special ordered this pink veil to match your dress back in the human world.” Delicate pink lace spilled from a clip of dainty gold flowers and leaves. Jastra attached it to the back of my head. The lace whispered over my bare back. “Beautiful,” Jastra said, smiling. “Turn around.”
I turned and looked over my shoulder at the cascade of lace over my blonde hair. “I love it!” I kissed her cheek. “Thank you for helping make this day perfect.”
Jastra shrugged and fiddled with a teal curl. “You deserve a beautiful wedding after enduring my brother Cirrus.”
I grimaced. “He wasn’t that bad.”
“Oh please. He was a total philanderer like our father.”
I darted a glance at Mel. This wasn’t a part of my past I cared for my sister to know too much about. Cirrus was dead, and I’d moved on. He’d never spoken a harsh word or hurt me. It could have been worse.
Shoulders sagging, Mel didn’t seem to be listening to us at all. She kept trying to pull her sleeves up only to have them fall down her shoulders again—like they were supposed to. Yep, she was a real spiral of rainbows this afternoon. Until . . .
Mel jumped to her feet and pressed her nose to the glass. “What are Ryo and Lyklor doing here?” she yelped.
A satisfied smile curved my lips, beaming back at me in the mirror. “I invited them, of course.”
“Oh my gosh. Aerith!” Mel looked over her shoulder, and the excitement in her eyes was one hundred percent worth summoning the two young kings. Folas had made it clear to them that if they disrupted my happy day, they could forget about any future welcome into my home.
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