Len shook his head at him. “We are well aware, Warrior,” he called, before growing more serious. “However, this is a moment that I have been waiting for my entire life. A moment to introduce you all to two very special beings. I want to induct them into the Silver Lands, I want your fealty and protection toward them, and I hope that all of you can understand my joy in this moment.”
Somehow, he knew exactly where I was, as he turned and held a hand out. Lights brightened around Tabitha and me, and I found my feet somewhat frozen to the ground.
Queens are created.Len was my family.
This would all work out okay if I just trusted in the process.
As I moved forward, the train of my dress fanned out behind me, and I never took my eyes off the enigmatic prince, who still held out a hand to me. Taking it without hesitation, I sucked in a deep breath as he used his strength to lift us up with him. The area was small, so as he positioned me before him, my back ended up pressed against his front. Against every hard line, and just like that, it was very difficult to remember all the ways “family” could be non-sexual.
“This is Samantha,” Len said as hundreds of curious eyes locked on us. The faces I could see were all beautiful, with skin tones ranging from white to brown and black, with a few that looked pink and purple as well. There was no mistaking their otherness, and thatextraMera had referred to.
“Samantha is a shifter from Earth, and my chosen fae princess.” There he went with the princess thing again. Surely, he couldn’t be betrothed to another when he spoke in this way. “And this is Tabitha,” he continued. “Our daughter.”
The gasps were near deafening, as the reality of Len having a child hit the crowd. Tabitha waved her hands in front of her. “Tabitha, a princess of the Silver Lands.” Len’s joy and pride was evident in his tone.
“Praise the Great Queen!”
This call rang out from someone nearby, and I turned as a stunning female with silver hair tumbling down her back stepped forward. She had her hands pressed to her mouth, silver eyes wide and shimmery as if she was trying not to cry. As she pushed through the crowd, the fae bowed their heads, and I knew that I was about to meet Len’s mother, queen of the Silver Lands.
“Do you all swear fealty to Samantha and Tabitha, through your fealty to me?” Len called, drawing my attention back to the crowd. There was no pause as a rush of“ayes”rang out through the room. And it did surprise me to look around and see not a single angry or confused expression.
“Do you accept them as part of the Silver Lands royal court? As one of us!”
“Aye!”
All that was left was the queen, still striding forward, as more of her fae lowered their heads to her. Len moved his attention her way. “Mother,” he said with a smile. “Do you accept your heir? The princess of the Silver Lands?”
She was close enough now that I could see how silver and stunning she was, just like her son. Her dress glittered with spun gold and silver elements, and on her head was a crown, dotted with reven stones.
She stopped in front of the stage and I knew I was supposed to bow or curtsey or something, but when I tried to move, Len’s hand snaked around my stomach, holding me in place against him.
“Tabitha,” the queen breathed. She held her hands out and I fought the urge to spin and hide my daughter. This had been in my nightmares for a long time, losing her to whatever race she shared DNA with. But Len had told me to trust him. He told me he wouldn’t let them take our daughter, and he’d held to his word so far.
I would continue to place my faith in him.
The queen’s face softened. “I understand your fear, Samantha, but I promise I just want to hold my granddaughter. I would never take a child from her mother. Not for any reason.”
Her statement bolstered the feeling that I was making the right choice in trusting them all. With a smile, I loosened my hold on my daughter. Tabitha appeared to consider the beautiful, and eternally young, queen for a beat, before she held her hands out and cooed.
The queen’s eyes went very glassy. “I’ve waited thousands of years for this,” she choked out, her silken tones a little ragged. When she accepted the child into her arms, cheers rang across the room.
A new sense of joviality fell over the courtyard. Drinks were shared once more, and everyone went back to what they were doing before Len’s announcement. To my surprise, the fae didn’t press forward to crowd around the queen and Tabitha, seeming to understand that they needed a moment to meet and bond with each other. Just seeing the two of them together had butterflies dancing inside me once more. I’d have my own butterfly sanctuary in there if this kept up.
Icy energy caressed the side of my neck as Len leaned down into me. “You did good, Storm.”
My chest heaved as I took in my first proper lungful of air. “Quietly shitting myself. Which is super inconvenient when there’s no bathrooms outside of your house.”
His chuckle was warm. “I’ve got you. No matter what you need, you only have to ask.”
“Still seducing me, I see.”
“Always.”
Always.
Thankfully, the queen distracted us by lifting her head and addressing me directly. “Samantha, it is so nice to know you. But please, tell us, how did this happen? How did we not know?”
Fantastic questions, and I had zero answers to give her.
