“Okay, let’s do it.” Asteria nodded once, decisively.
“What are we doing?” Soren asked, swaggering up to us like he didn’t steal that move from the Fae.
“Crowning mymateas queen,” Calix rumbled warningly. Asteria bit her lip, trying to stop her smile. I could tell that’s exactly what she was doing, enjoying the possessiveness of her mate. I just had no ideahowI knew that.
“Can I talk to you, Asteria?” Soren’s emerald eyes gleamed hopefully at her. “Just for a minute; I know you’re busy.” He smiled softly, andoh, he was a manipulative little shit, wasn’t he?
Did he think he could just smile at her and charm her away from hersoulmate? The absolute delusion of this boy.
Asteria glanced at Calix, but his face was stony. She nodded, flashing a quick smile. “Sure, what’s up?”
She began walking a little distance away. Enough that Soren would feel comfortable, but not so far that Fae ears couldn’t hear. Smart girl. Calix’s little smile nearly made me laugh.
As ifSorenwas any kind of competition.
“Asteria.” Soren smiled, seeming somewhat dazed now that he was actually faced with her. The friend he’d grown up with who was now a Fae queen. His eyes took in her pointed ears and sky-blue eyes that shimmered with starlight with the kind of reverence I was sure my sister would have spat upon as a human.
“Soren,” she repeated impatiently, raising an eyebrow in question.
“You—uh—” Soren stuttered slightly, running a hand through his hair. “I just can’t believe it. All this time, and you’d been Fae.”
“I know.” She sighed, a complicated sound. “But I’m thankful for what it’s brought me at least.” She shot a smile at Calix that made Soren’s lip curl.
“Him?” he spat, shaking his head. “Asteria, you’re queen of Day. He’s king of Night. You know it can’t last. And now that we’re not separated by kingdoms, we could actually be together!”
Asteria’s head reared back in shock. “Excuse me?”
“Asteria, you know we had something special.” Soren went to grab her hands, but she batted him away.
“We had convenience, Soren,” she said firmly. “You were my friend, and sometimes more, but that’s it. I’m with Calix. He’s my soulmate, Soren.” Soren shook his head desperately, and Asteria looked sadly back at him.
“It was more than that. I know it was. I love you, Asteria!” he pleaded, his eyes feverishly bright. “You’ve always hated fate. You can’t tell me you’re with this Fae just because it told you to be. Unless it’s because he’s a king who can give you the kind of lifestyle I can’t. But with you as queen, you can?—”
A sharp slap rang out in the field, and everyone paused to look uncomfortably away as Soren held his hand to his cheek, lifting back up from the crouch the force of my twin’s slap had sent him down to.
Fuck was I proud of her for that.
“How dare you,” she seethed, starlight rising around her as her control on it slipped. “I turned down Cyrus when he offered me every luxury in Adamah I couldn’t access as a human. My dignity meant more to me than pointless luxury. If you knew me at all, you would knowthat.”
She stomped away from him, coming straight toward us. Eryx whistled as she approached, “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
Asteria snickered but looked at him, appraising him for a moment. “Can you do me a favor, actually? If you want to stay on my good side, and all.”
Eryx chuckled, shaking his head at her. “Of course. What do you need?”
As she explained it, I nodded in agreement. It was a good idea and would definitely make a statement to the joint people of Day and Night.
“I’ll get everyone moving to the border. We can meet you there?” Eryx asked, and Asteria nodded in confirmation.
“It’s probably better to join the armies now anyway. With Calix and I leaving for the Otherworld, it’ll be safer for everyone,” she said grimly.
With that, the plan was in place. The armies would be marshaled, and then… a long-awaited crowning.
* * *
We sentword to our allied lords to move their armies toward Night. Setting up camp under the mountains would give us plenty of cover, and it was easy enough to maneuver east or west around them if needed.
But the most important part was that Asteria would finally be crowned before both kingdoms, lending her the legitimacy she needed. The Fae armies had seen her fight, and knew she had the strength to lead. The humans were behind her, knowing that she was fighting to free them. I suppose we did need to start considering them in these matters if that was the case.
