With his crown upon his head, he stood to take my hands and guided me to kneel. Rather than letting the priestess crown me, he did it himself. His eyes glistened as he placed the crown on my head. The heavy weight was startling, but Imanaged to keep my head upright so it wouldn’t fall to the pristine floor.
While the priestess continued speaking, Elias ran his knuckles across my cheek as he mouthed the words, “I love you.”
He helped me to my feet, leaving his hand on the small of my back, and I pressed into him, letting his hand ground me while the priestess spoke to everyone in attendance.
With a quick kiss to my forehead, he called George forward. Shoulders pulled back, George went to Elias, where he knelt on a single knee. From his inner pocket of magic, Elias withdrew a beautiful sword I’d never seen before. It was silvery white, with the blade and handle decorated with intricate markings.
“Do you swear fealty to the people of Niev, always putting their lives and best interests before your own?” Elias asked.
I held a hand to my chest as I took in George’s solemn expression.
“I do,” he said, the two words reverberating off the high walls.
“I declare you Niev’s commander,” Elias said. “Not only will you lead our warriors in times of war, but you will also lead our citizens in times of peace.”
George clasped Elias’s outstretched hand, and when Elias gave him the sword specially made for George and this occasion, I heard the euphoric thoughts that filled George’s mind. How proud and humbled he felt at the honor of being named commander and his awe over the intricately designed sword.
By the time the ceremony finished, my mind was heavy with fatigue, but Elias and I greeted each person who came, stopping to talk to whoever wanted our attention. Brentonbrought me a plate of finger food that I tried to share with Elias, but he refused, making sure I ate enough.
While joyous music filtered from the room beside the throne room, Elias and I didn’t have time to dance. I was happy to see my fae and human friends did, although neither Koa nor Bon joined in the festivities.
At least they’d come. It was a start to what I hoped would be peace among Niev and the citizens outside her borders.
Just as the night was drawing to an end, Brenton came up to us and bowed. When he extended a rock he held in his hand, I bit my inner cheek to keep from smirking. Then I saw the googly eyes that adorned his rock.
I took the offered rock and smiled at Brenton as I handed the rock to Elias. He turned it over and showed me the bottom where Brenton had scribbledRockobeneath it. I angled my head in curiosity but before Brenton could explain, a fae couple presented us with another rock, also adorned with googly eyes.
I thanked them while Elias coughed to cover his laugh.
One after another, fae approached us, gifting us with rocks. They seemed so genuinely pleased with themselves that I started to feel guilty. Here I was, their new queen, tricking them into giving me something foolish, all because I’d wanted to make Brenton smile earlier.
It was immature, but with each rock we were given, my smile grew wider. By the end of the night, we’d been gifted sixty-two rocks. I couldn’t wait to put our new pet rocks inside our home. Maybe I could even sneak some into Brenton’s and Ryenne’s homes.
Something that had started off as a joke now carried precious meaning. The fae, the people who were now mine to care for, had felt like they were doing something special forme. The idea that they’dwantedto do this for me filled my heart with joy.
Once I was able to retreat to my room in the castle, I excused the female fae waiting to help me change. I needed a moment to myself, to reflect. After taking a deep breath and settling my spinning mind, I slipped the glittering gown down.
After putting on a shirt and jeans, I hurried down the stairs to meet up with Elias and our friends, who’d also changed into more comfortable clothes, except for Donnie who remained in his patrol guard uniform. Impatient, the kids had already left with Koa, Bon, and their kids. While Javier’s friends had been camping before, this would be a first for the rest of the kids. Elias was excited to share a part of his youth with them, and I was eager to stay outdoors all night.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Elias picked me up in his arms and twirled us twice before he set me back down.
He shot a quick look up the stairs, and I wasn’t sure if it was the portrait of his dad or that his mom hadn’t left her room to honor him that made his eyes darken. When he dug the heel of his hand against his chest, I covered his hand with mine. His features softened when he looked down at me.
He pressed a kiss to my temple, lingering for a few seconds before guiding us to the door. Once outside, Brenton nudged his shoulder against mine.
“Did you get enough rocks?” he asked.
“It’s a good start to my collection,” I answered with a smirk.
Ryenne snorted. “What the hell was that about anyway?”
“Our very human tradition of rock collecting on important occasions,” I said.
Elias conjured a rock and shook it to make the googly eyes bounce. “What’s with the name on the bottom?”
Also curious, I waited for Brenton to explain.
“Did you really want to be in charge of naming them all?” He shrugged. “I thought I’d save you the hassle. You’re welcome.”
