I squeezed his hand, trying to offer what support I could through the bond. I could feel how much this was costing him, confronting his father like this. But I could also feel his determination, his certainty that this was the only way forward.
King Erestolal’s expression shifted, and for just a moment, I saw something that looked like pain flash across his features. “Everything I have done has been for the good of the realm.”
“I know,” Silver said, his voice softening slightly. “I know you believe that. But Father, you can’t save the realm alone. You need help. And the Elder Council is offering it.”
“At what cost?” The king’s eyes swept across the assembled Elders, suspicion clear in his gaze. “What do they want in return? Oversight? Control? To turn the Twilight Realm into another vassal state?”
“We want a partnership,” Confiance said, stepping forward. “An arrangement that benefits all parties. Your son and his mate have proposed a solution that would preserve your sovereignty while still providing the support your people need.”
The king’s gaze snapped to me, and I felt the full weight of his attention like a physical force. His silver eyes—so much like Silver’s but so much colder—studied me with an intensity that made my shadows writhe nervously at my feet.
“This... witch,” he said the word like it tasted bitter, “is to be our salvation? I doubt that.”
I felt my spine stiffen at the venom in his voice, my shadows responding to my rising anger by darkening the space around my feet. Silver’s father stood there looking at me like I was something he’d scraped off his boot, and every instinct screamed at me to shrink back, to make myself small and insignificant like I’d done my whole life.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I stepped forward, pulling my hand free from Silver’s grip. I felt his surprise pulse through the bond, followed quickly by concern, but I pushed those feelings aside. This was something I needed to do myself.
“Your Majesty,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady even as my heart hammered against my ribs. “I understand why you don’t trust me. My family name is tainted. We’re cursed, shunned by the paranormal community for crimes my great-grandparents committed. I have no standing, no influence, no reason for you to believe I could be anything but a liability to your son and your realm.”
The king’s expression remained cold, but I saw something flicker in his eyes. Interest, maybe. Or just curiosity about what the cursed witch would say next.
“But I love your son,” I continued, and I felt Silver’s emotions surge through our bond—pride, love, and a fierce protectiveness. “I love him more than I ever thought it was possible to love anyone. And because I love him, I care about the things he cares about. Which means I care about the Twilight Realm and its people.”
“Love,” King Erestolal scoffed. “You think love is enough to?—”
“No,” I interrupted, and I saw his eyes widen slightly at my audacity. “Love isn’t enough. But it’s a start. And combinedwith my abilities as a shadow walker, with the mate bond that connects me to your heir, with the support of the Elder Council...” I took another step forward, my shadows swirling around me like living armor. “It could be exactly what your realm needs.”
“You would have me trust the fate of my people to an untrained witch who can barely control his own magic?” The king’s voice dripped with disdain.
“I would have you trust your son’s judgment,” I shot back. “Because he’s the one who will have to live with the consequences of your choices. He’s the one who will inherit a dying realm if you’re too proud to accept help. And he’s the one who loves you enough to stand here and fight for both his people and the person he loves, even knowing it might cost him everything.”
I felt tears burning at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “So yes, Your Majesty. I’m asking you to trust me. Not because I’ve earned it, but because your son believes in me. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll come to trust me too.”
The silence that followed felt like it lasted an eternity. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me—the Elder Council, the royal guards, Silver, and especially the king.
King Erestolal stared at me, his silver eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made my knees want to buckle. I held his gaze, refusing to look away even as my shadows churned anxiously around my feet. Through the mate bond, I felt Silver’s emotions—pride mixed with fear, love mixed with anxiety. He was terrified of what his father might do, but he believed in me. That belief gave me strength.
Finally, the king spoke, his voice quieter than before but no less commanding. “You have courage, I’ll give you that. Foolish courage, perhaps, but courage nonetheless.”
I didn’t know if that was a compliment or an insult, so I just nodded.
“But courage alone doesn’t feed my people. It doesn’t restore the magic wells or heal the land.” He turned to Confiance, his expression still guarded. “What exactly is this arrangement you’re proposing?”
Relief flooded through me so suddenly I nearly staggered. He was listening.Actuallylistening.
Confiance stepped forward, her white robes flowing around her. “The Elder Council would provide emergency resources and magical support to the Twilight Realm—food, seeds that can grow in depleted soil, techniques to restore the magic wells. In exchange, Mr. Vale would serve as Ambassador between the Twilight Realm and the other realms, facilitating trade and diplomatic relations.”
“And the mate bond?” the king asked, his gaze sliding back to me and Silver.
“Would remain intact,” the dragon-scaled Elder said. “In fact, it would be essential to the arrangement. The bond ensures Mr. Vale’s loyalty to the crown and gives him the authority to speak on behalf of the Twilight Realm.”
I watched as King Erestolal processed this information, his expression unreadable. Through the bond, I felt Silver holding his breath, waiting.
“And what of the marriage alliance?” the king asked finally. “The agreement I made with our allies?”
“Would need to be renegotiated,” Confiance replied smoothly. “Perhaps a different arrangement could be reached. They might prefer trade agreements, shared resources, or something that benefits both families without requiring a marriage bond.”
