With slow but determined motions, I made my way over and slipped it on. Lifting the heavy skirts, I went to the gold-rimmed mirror standing in the corner of the room and stood perfectly still before it, staring at my reflection without really seeing it.
A thousand thoughts rushed through my head.
I couldn’t focus on any of them.
Aleks was at my back a moment later, fingers working carefully over the buttons between my shoulder blades, helping to secure the dress. When he was finished, he pushed the waves of my hair to one side, pressing his lips to the curve of my neck and watching my reaction in the mirror—the way my body curved toward his, eager to turn that light brush of his lips into something deeper, more consuming.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. “You look stunning,” he said.
“Good to know. I can barely breathe in this thing, so at least the end result is worth the suffering.”
He chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I look forward to helping you take it off later,” he said, his fingers trailing over the buttons he’d fastened. “Because I hate the thought of you being uncomfortable in any way, of course.”
“Such a gentleman.”
He straightened a bit, bringing his mouth toward my ear. His lips grazed the shell of it as he murmured, “None of my thoughts are particularly gentlemanly at the moment.”
Heat flooded me, skating from the top of my head down to my toes. “Is it too late to postpone the ceremony and just stay here with you?”
“I’d say so.” He let out another soft laugh, taking my hand and twirling me around to face him. “But I’ll make it worth the wait when we get back here, later tonight. So you have something to look forward to.”
“Deal,” I said. “I’ll be holding you to it.”
“I hope so,” he replied, offering his arm.
I took it, and we left my room, making our way down the torch-lit corridors toward the grand hall.
“Nervous?” he asked as we reached the first floor. It was surprisingly quiet; our shoes clicked loudly against the polished floors, each step making me think of a clock ticking down to our destiny.
I kept my eyes straight ahead. “Why would I be nervous? I’m merely being crowned queen of a half-dead kingdom filled with unstable and unpredictable energy, while surrounded by diplomats who are uneasy allies at best, and with a murderous, mysterious cult watching from the shadows, just waiting for their opportunity to move against me.”
I heard the crooked smile in his voice as he said, “I suppose it was a dumb question.”
I let out an anxious little laugh, slowing to a stop and turning to look at him. “No—thank you for asking.”
He was still smiling that crooked little smile of his, but it wasn’t reaching his eyes, suddenly; their golden color seemed duller, tarnished by the dark uncertainties circling around us.
My stomach sank. I couldn’t help feeling as if we were coming to an ending of some kind. Like I was leaving for an entirely different kingdom, and he was showing me only as far as the border before we went our separate ways.
Maybe he could sense this fear—or even heard it, despite our fraying mental bond—because he blinked, forcing a brightness back into his gaze. “I’ll be keeping watch for any threats,” he said. “So don’t worry.” He brushed a hand across my cheek, warm and reassuring light circling around his fingertips and sinking into my skin. “I’ll keep you safe. Always.”
I nodded in spite of my fear. “I know.”
I wanted to mean it—to believe it, more than anything.
We walked a little farther in silence, until I heard someone calling my name. I turned to find my brother approaching, Phantom at his side.
Phantom wore a navy, diamond-studded collar, while Bastian was dressed in his full regalia of deep blue and silver. My eyes lingered on the silver tree pinned at his chest, the main emblem of our kingdom.
Bastian and Aleks exchanged a wordless nod in greeting, and then Bastian told him, “Captain Voss could use your input on some security matters. You’ll find him at the gate by the grand hall.”
Aleks kissed my hand, squeezing it tightly before walking away without another word. Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed eager to leave, his eyes even more troubled than before.
I tried to shake off the growing sense of dread as my brother, Phantom, and I made our way outside, to the covered walkway that connected the palace to the grand hall and ballroom where the night’s festivities would take place. Instead of heading into that hall as I’d anticipated, Bastian steered me toward one of the smaller, quieter courtyards a short distance away. It was empty. Peaceful. I made my way to a stone bench shielded by trees with silver-green leaves, sweeping my skirts to the side as I sat down.
My brother sat beside me, while Phantom entertained himself by sniffing and pawing through the flower beds. Aftera minute, it occurred to me that this was the very same place where my brother and I had first sat together months ago, when he’d told me of my true identity. Of his. Of my true kingdom, and the crown that was mine by birthright.
So much had changed since then, but sitting with him, I was reminded of the constants—his steadfast, stoic presence throughout all of this. The way he had protected me, even if he drove me slightly crazy while doing it. We’d lost so many years to separation and lies, but in that moment I felt like he’d always been there, right by my side. Like he always would be.
