Much to Rachel’s chagrin, a vote was taken and everyone, including Marigold and the king, voted that I should take the throne.
My first order of business was Dahlia’s funeral.
Her body had been prepared and a notice was sent throughout the land. Thousands of people arrived and set up tents around what used to be the castle. Unfortunately all the royal clothing had been burned in the fire, but fortunately Misla had an extra dress. She was taller than me, so the hem dragged. I hardly felt worthy to wear such a stunning gown.
It was night-sky blue with sparkles that glittered like stars. The sleeves were sheer and long, and the neckline plunged just enough to show a little bit of cleavage. The same sheer material went down my back.
Dormir knocked on the tent post, and I turned to find him standing in the entrance, staring at me. “You look positively stunning.”
I curtsied. “You clean up nicely yourself.”
He was back in his royal garb with the same material as mine in his tunic. He held his hand out for me to take. “I am pleased that you have chosen to take the throne. I know it wasn’t something you wanted to do.”
I shook my head. “I’ve realized it really is what I wanted all along. I wanted to do what was right by my people, I just didn’t understand how. With my mother breathing down my neck, I didn’t think I would ever be able to rule how I saw fit.”
“Your sister is pretty bold.” He twitched his brow with a playful smile. “I like her.”
“You would have loved Dahlia too.” I ran my hand over my bandaged side. “I keep replaying that moment in my mind. I keep trying to find a better way …”
Dormir put his fingers under my chin, keeping my head from lowering. “That memory will be forever burned in your mind. I wish I could take that pain away from you.”
I smiled. He was the only one who didn’t tell me to feel better and be happy or to stop thinking about it altogether. I leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
“With us wearing matching clothing, someone is bound to think something’s up.” He winked and grinned. The slant of his lips made my stomach flutter.
I took his arm and we walked from the tent. A small stage had been built so I could address the kingdom. Dormir supported me as I walked up the steps, grimacing with each movement. When we reached the top, he stepped back.
“Good people of Griswil!” I called out over the anxious crowd. “Much has happened the past few days. I will start by explaining Prince Gerard, the man I had been engaged to.” I explained how he left me for dead in the land of the faeries, burned down their homes, and returned to Griswil to obtain the throne. I explained how the dragons and faeries fought at my side to bring down the wraith dragon, and how we exiled Gerard with a promise to sentence him to death should he ever return.”
I looked down at the coffin on display in front of me. It had been carved from maple wood with beautiful flowers across the top. I put my hand on my chest as the ache grabbed at me.
“Dahlia died in that battle. I tried to save her … and failed.” I sniffled.
Dormir put his hand on my back. His touch warmed me.
“Dahlia loved to ride the horses. She wanted to be a famous artist or musician. She was really good at the violin.” I smiled as I recalled her playing in the library while I studied.
When I finished my speech, the queen took her turn, and then the king.
Men stepped forward and hoisted Dahlia into the back of a wagon, and the funeral procession followed it up the hill into the trees to the cemetery. Dormir stayed at my side with his arm around my shoulders and handed me a handkerchief when I needed it.
With Dahlia finally at rest with a proper memorial, work on the new castle began. Volunteers from Griswil, faeries, and even the dragons had also begun rebuilding Sloval. The spring equinox drew near, and royalty from Arington, Terricina, and Zelig would soon arrive. A celebration was just what our people needed, and it was then I would be crowned queen of Griswil.
I stood in the center of the new castle as men worked on carving the three pillars holding the staircase with scenes on one pillar for the dragons, one for the faeries, and the last for the humans. When it was completed, the castle would be more beautiful than it had ever been.
We still hadn’t worked out where the dragons would live, but many of them returned to the comfort of the mountains while Nicholia scouted the Drakespine Mountains to see if there was a possibility nearer.
One beautiful day, Dormir slid his hand down my arm before entwining our fingers together. “You’ve done a marvelous job the last several weeks.”
“As long as we all keep working together, Griswil will be the strongest it’s ever been.” I smiled up at him.
“With you as their queen, how could it not?”
I rolled my eyes with a playful smile. “I’m just that wonderful.”
For the first time in my life, I believed it.
Epilogue
“You complete and utter fool!” Selina’s bolt of electricity slammed into my chest.
The force threw me through the air, and my back and head cracked against the stone wall. I collapsed in a heap with a groan. “I brought back the stone,” I said through gritted teeth.
“You almost didn’t, and you almost got yourself killed. Not to mention, Griswil is now on high alert, which means they will spread the word of danger to the other kingdoms!” Her gown rustled as she paced in front of me.
I flexed my jaw. Warmth trickled down the side of my head, and I was confident my right shoulder was dislocated or broken. But I forced myself to sit up on my knees, knowing the powerful sorceress would expect as much.
“I put these plans in place for the last eighteen years. I’m not going to have them ruined because you get greedy.” She stopped a few feet away from me. “Do you understand, Gerard?”
I nodded, but that movement alone caused me to see stars, and I put a hand on the floor to keep myself from falling over.
“You’re pathetic,” she spat.
I held my breath, knowing exactly how she was going to finish that sentence.
“Just like your father.” She turned sharply and walked to her chair by the fire. She picked up the spring stone from the table beside it. “Still … you managed to bring this back to me.” Her voice had calmed significantly. “I suppose that deserves a lesser punishment.” Selina crossed to the small table behind the couch where a tray with a steaming kettle and teacups sat waiting.
I pretended not to watch her, instead keeping my eyes locked on her raven, who was ruffled and sleeping on top of his perch on the mantle. I was trying to keep my vision in focus and trying to keep myself centered so I wouldn’t pass out.
Selina poured the hot water into a teacup, plopped in a tea bag, and then opened the drawer to search for just the right additive. She plucked one of the vials and dropped two drops into the tea. She walked to me and held it out.
“Thank you,” I mumbled.
“What is your plan for Terricina?” she asked. Selina walked to her raven perched beside her chair and stroked its breast. “Hopefully you won’t get involved with the princess this time.”
I flexed my jaw. The engagement to Princess Elisa had been her idea. Not mine. “She led me right to the spring stone. It worked. And no, I won’t be getting involved because there isn’t a princess of Terricina. He’s a prince.”
“Ah. Then don’t get involved with the prince.” Her lip curled.
Heat of humiliation burned across my neck and down my jaw. “Selina …”
“You avoided my question. I think you shall spend a night behind the black door.”
I flinched, instinctively drawing my shoulders upward, though doing so caused pain to explode through my shoulder and my stomach to churn so violently I vomited.
“Gerard.” Selina tutted her tongue. “Now you have to cle
an that up.”
I licked my bottom lip and wiped a trembling hand over my chin.
Selina continued. “I heard a rumor their capital city sunk into the sea. I wonder who might have caused that?”
“I heard.” I took another sip of the tea, allowing the magical concoction to begin healing my shoulder and head. “I will hire a crew and investigate myself.”
She nodded. “I know a man.” She walked around her chair to the desk against the wall. “James owes me. I will contact him for you. You will call him Captain Pan.” She snickered at the name.
I eyed her. “Pan?”
“Oh yes. He hated being called Hook.” She set down the quill, and it began to scrawl on the parchment she’d laid out. Selina turned and studied me with her lips tight. “As I said, clean up your mess.” She snapped her fingers and a door in the back of the room opened. The black door.
“Mistress … please,” I begged. The teacup in my hand trembled in spite of my self-determination, and I set it on the floor away from my vomit stain.
She clicked her tongue, and the raven perked up immediately. He stretched and flew over to her waiting shoulder. Selina looked at me one last time. “Don’t disappoint me again, Gerard.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.
She left me alone in the study.
I stared at the open doorway. The shadows clawed at the doorframe, begging for something, or someone, to play with.
I turned away, finished my tea, and set to work cleaning up my mess. The shadows called to me, making the hair on my body prickle.
Why had Elisa let me go?
I’d been bound before her, ready to accept my death, and she’d let me go.
I dumped the dirty water and washed my hands. As I faced the darkness of the black room, I made a vow.
Next time, I wouldn’t risk getting so ambitious.
THE FORGOTTEN KINGDOM SERIES
The Four Stones of Tern Tovan
(Prequel to The Forgotten Kingdom Series)
The Dragon Princess
(Sleeping Beauty Reimagined)
The Siren Princess—coming fall 2019
(Little Mermaid Reimagined)
Receive the prequel to The Four Kingdom Series for FREE by signing up for my newsletter
ALSO BY LICHELLE SLATER
Urban Fantasy
Curse of a Djinn
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Step Right Up
Come One Come All
Prepare to be Amazed
Christmas Romance Novels
Secret Santa
Accidental Secret Santa
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Personal dragon trainer, lover of glitter, super nerd.
Lichelle Slater lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her adorable King Charles, Perseus. When she’s not working full-time as a special education preschool teacher, she’s living in the worlds she creates and shares with readers, painting, or doing any other assortment of crafting. One thing is for certain—you’ll always find a dragon in her stories.
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The Dragon Princess: Sleeping Beauty Reimagined (The Forgotten Kingdom Book 1) Page 23
