“They’ll probably pin it on me first,” he mused. “But in all honesty, I can’t guarantee that they wouldn’t do any of those things. Gods are fickle and there are a lot of egos to contend with, as you have pointed out.”
“So agreeing would sign my death warrant?”
“Quen, when you decided you wanted to study science and work in the lab, you understood the risks. Did they outline everything to you? Every chemical you would ever use? Every virus and vector? Or perhaps you let your mind run wild with the disastrous possibilities that could occur from your work without prompt? And yet you still chose to walk into the lab every single day.”
“That’s different. I love my work.”
“Okay, then let’s try something else. You walk out of the house every day knowing that there are so many things that could go wrong. You have previously been hit by a car and that hasn’t stopped you from being outdoors.”
“I don’t think I like you very much.”
“Good thing I love me enough for the two of us,” he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
“Aria won’t be happy about this,” I said eventually.
Saying no meant the instability would continue in Elysia and on Earth, and that was something neither could afford. And selfishly, I agreed with Larkin that being in a position of power would be more helpful than being where I’d been for months.
“Are you planning to keep her on the council?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“I get to change the council?”
“That’s what I meant when I said burn what’s left to the ground. The council will be yours. You can pick who you think will be best placed for your reign,” Gray explained. “Every new ruler usually overhauls their inner circle.”
I nodded slowly, understanding the enormity of my acceptance. I wouldn’t be changing Elysia in years to come. It would start from day dot. If I accepted, I’d have to think carefully about who filled those seats beside me. Elysia needed to be put back on course. The research project would either need to continue or be scrapped. Oleander would need to be searched for and destroyed in the heavens. I’d need to make amends with a few Gods. And I would need to kiss goodbye to my life on Earth. There was a lot of work, and I needed to plan in order to make sure I didn’t fail.
“Gray,” I said suddenly, realising that there were other things that needed to be put in place or I wouldn’t get a chance.
He hummed in response. “Ready to go home, love?”
“No. Yes. But before I give the rest of Elysia my answer, I want us to get married.”
A sad smile tugged at his lips. “No can do, golden girl.”
“What?” My heart hammered in my chest. “You said?—”
“Quentin, if I marry you now, they will all think that I’m trying to get my way through you. It’s better for us to wait until after the coronation.”
“I don’t care what they think.”
That much was true. When it came to my relationship with Gray, Elysia could say whatever they wanted.
“I do,” Gray told me. “I care about your reputation with them if you’re planning to lead. I will not be the reason for people to doubt you before you have even taken your throne.” His tone was firm.
“How long will it take to get crowned?”
“That depends on you.”
On my choices. On how quickly I was prepared to turn my life on its head again. On how strongly I felt about taking control of my life and many others.
“Let’s go home, Gray.”
“Congratulations!”
Elva pulled me into a hug, beaming while Ig’s face popped out from behind an unusually gigantic bouquet of sunflowers.
“We would have been here sooner, but we assumed you’d have a lot of visitors.” Elva pulled me over to the sofa and sat us down. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m not sure there’s much to be proud of,” I muttered under my breath.
