“Your Majesty,” Lutin speaks up, his tone quiet but firm as he glances at the people still nearby. “We should keep moving.”
Reluctantly, I give a nod, exhaustion taking the fight out of me. “Okay.”
Chapter twenty-one
Everly
The conversation around me is nothing more than a low hum as I take a seat at the long table set up in the center of the massive tent. The air inside is alive with a quiet, magical energy that seems to pulse in time with the glowing orbs floating above us. They drift lazily through the space, their soft, golden light casting a warm, enchanting glow over everything.
The air is thick with a mixture of tantalizing aromas and underlying tension. I’m sitting at the head of the table, not my choice. This was the last place I wanted to sit. To my left, Raiden settles into his chair, his presence a comforting anchor. To my right, Alivar sits with a relaxed demeanor, a glass of elixir in his hand, and his mother next to him. Her violet eyes are sharp and calculating, and it makes my skin prickle with unease. Her entourage surround her, their expressions as inscrutable as her own.
Nolan is seated a bit further down the table, his face a mask of unreadable calm. These noble fae are extremely good at remaining aloof. It’s like nothing fazes them.
A few other nobles, whom I haven’t had the chance to meet, are scattered along the length of the table, engaged in quiet conversations.
I can’t shake the feeling of being watched, scrutinized, as if every move I make is being carefully evaluated. The queen’s presence is especially unnerving. Her poised elegance seems to conceal a simmering hostility, and the glances she occasionally throws my way are far from friendly.
Raiden leans in slightly. “Stay calm,” he murmurs softly, his voice barely audible above the clinking of cutlery and murmur of voices.
Tristan and Kian stand behind my chair, barely a few feet away, their presence making me increasingly nervous. They have stayed within arm’s reach the entire time.
Leaning closer, I whisper under my breath, “How is Zaria?”
Raiden’s silver eyes meet mine. “She is sleeping in the carriage. I gave her a tonic from the healers to help her rest. Lutin and Senka are watching over her.”
Sadness and guilt gnaw at my insides.
“I see that look, and it wasn’t your fault,” Raiden says softly.
“She was coming for me.” Anger and hurt edge my words, and the reality of what happened stabs me in the chest.
“Rayna took her own risks,” he counters firmly.
“But if I had been quicker . . . ”
My words linger in the air between us. Raiden’s hand lands on mine, where it rests on the table, and he leans in closer. “Don’tstart down that path, Everly. There will be more losses to come. You must not let it weigh you down.”
Before I can respond, Queen Anwyn’s voice cuts through the air, sharp and tinged with false sweetness. “You two seem incredibly close,” she remarks, a fake smile playing on her lips. Her comment makes me straighten in my chair, my cheeks flaring with heat at her implication.
“Weareclose. Raiden has been like the brother I never had.”
Raiden’s large hand envelops mine and squeezes, and I watch the queen’s eyes track the movement.
“I see. Well, it’s a little misleading the way you whisper between yourselves.”
“What I do isn’t of any concern to you. Do not make up lies in your head. I love my mate, and I will be getting him back.”
Queen Anwyn’s eyes widen, but before she can answer, there is a commotion by the tent’s doors. Immediately, Raiden is on his feet. Wings flared to cover me. Kian and Tristan draw their swords, their eyes sharp and wary, as they begin to slowly pull me out of my seat.
“Nero, what is the meaning of this?” Raiden’s voice booms, the sound making me jump.
Nero?
Pulling my arm free from Kian’s grip, I move out from behind Raiden, curiosity overriding caution. As soon as I see who has entered, a gasp escapes my lips, my hands flying to my mouth.
“Everly!?” two voices I have missed dearly yell out in unison.
I choke on a laugh, emotions clogging my throat as I sprint toward my friends. I trip on the hem of my dress, lifting the silky material to keep from falling. Scarlett and Mia close the distance, and we all embrace, tears streaming down our faces. Scarlett pullsback first, her wild red hair a mess of curls. She grips my cheeks, tilting my face side to side as if to confirm I’m real.
