“The coronation celebration is a big party to celebrate my becoming king with the other royal families and council members. I’ve acted in my father’s stead for years, but I wasn’t officially crowned until a few days ago, upon our twenty-fifth birthday. My father and I decided to postpone the celebration until after I brought you home.”
The blood drained from her face. “All of the royal families are coming for our wedding in sixdays?”
“They think they’re only coming to celebrate my coronation.” He smoothed her hair back lovingly. “No one knows I’ve found my mate.”
“You said royals hear the name of their mates.”
He looked amused. “We do.”
“Then what excuse did you give when you didn’t marry yours when you turned twenty-two?”
“My father gave excuses to no one other than his closest advisors and swore them to secrecy. The other kingdoms’ rulers likely think I’m an asshole who refused to marry my mate or that my mate died.” He shrugged like people thinking less of him was nothing.
“What are the coronations and weddings like?”
“I couldn’t leave my kingdom until I turned twenty-five and took the throne,” he reminded her. “I’ve never been to one, buteven if I could leave, none of the other three heirs have married yet, either.”
“Are they all young?”
He shook his head, and her lips pinched together. “The Desert King is twenty-five, and the Garden King is twenty-six. The Tropical King is twenty-four.”
“I thought they had to marry when they were twenty-two?”
“They don’t have to, but it’s tradition.”
“That doesn’t seem suspicious to you? What are the odds that none of the heirs have married?”
Rennick thought for a moment. “All four heirs not marrying at twenty-two is unheard of.” He held on to her and laid them back against the pillows. “The Tropical King is too young to leave his kingdom, but the Garden King and Desert King will be here for my coronation celebration. You can ask them yourself.”
She blanched. “I’m not going to ask a stranger why they’re not married!”
He laughed, rolled them over, and hovered above her. “Marry me. I can’t wait another week.”
She leaned up and kissed him softly. “I’d love to.”
28
The next morning, Amelia stood in the middle of her library in awe. Everything in the Mountain Kingdom took her breath away, but this was something else all together.
The circular room boasted the tallest bookshelves she’d ever seen. They covered every inch of the wall with sliding ladders attached. Even the door was a bookshelf, which blended seamlessly into the wall when shut, save for the door handle.
The shelves were a dark cherry wood that went well with the overstuffed leather furniture and matching wooden side tables. A gold desk sat in the middle of the large room, accented by the gold reading lanterns adorning each table. It was unreal.
A disturbance at the border needed Rennick’s attention, and after she’d convinced him that she didn’t need to be locked in their rooms all day to stay safe, he’d assigned a guard to accompany her wherever she wished to go until he returned.
Echo stood guard at the door, a permanent scowl pinned to their face. They had a slim build and dark, collar-length hair that contrasted starkly against their ivory skin.
After an hour of perusing the shelves, Amelia decided to find Fawn.
“Do you know Fawn?” she asked Echo, who lifted a brow.
“The maid?” Echo frowned down at Charlie, who rubbed against their leg.
Amelia crossed to the door, but jumped back when Echo blocked her way. “I’ll leave first.” She stepped back, knowing the guard was only doing their job. Echo walked into the hall and looked both ways before saying, “If Fawn works today, she’ll either be in the laundry room or cleaning rooms.”
Drat. She didn’t want to keep interrupting Fawn’s work. “Actually, can we walk through the gardens? I need fresh air.”
Echo glanced at her as the two of them meandered down the hall. “Have you seen them yet?”
