Unaware of my inner conflict, Merrick held out his arm, his eyes shining with pride and what I took for the beginning of love. “May I escort you to the throne room for your coronation, my queen?”
Taking a deep breath, I looped my arm through his, allowing myself to be led into the future that awaited me.
As I left the room with him, our guards clustered around us and my ladies trailing behind, I put all thoughts of Lore into the past, where they belonged.
52
MERRICK
I'd never forget how stunningly beautiful my bride was right now, especially in her silver gown etched with red fairy threads. The color suited her, enhancing the red gold in her hair and making her skin glow like the finest cream. She was the centerpiece rather than the gown, which had been my intention when I described it to the fairies who crafted it.
I'd love to run my fingers through her hair and see it spilling across my pillows. Soon. Her promise still clung to my mouth and simmered through my bones.
As we left her suite with our guards, I used power to gather water droplets from the air, forming tiny mirrors to float ahead and behind us, providing visual surveillance from multiple angles. I wouldn’t and couldn’t trust even our guards or my wards to protect us.
Reyla didn’t appear to notice. She held herself straight and regal, as if she'd been crowned already. She was born for thismoment, even though she hadn't grown up knowing she’d one day sit on a gilded throne and rule.
As we moved from one level to the next, I infused tiny wind currents with magic, urging them to carry any threatening sound to me, but I didn’t hear anything other than those shifting with impatience in the throne room and staff bustling here and there, preparing for the upcoming events.
We paused at the top of the last set of stairs, and her eyes locked on mine. A feeble warmth rose in them, and I slid my arm around her waist, tugging her near.
“It'll be over before you know it,” I whispered in her ear.
“Will I wear my crown all evening?” Her husky laugh rang out. “I should've asked all the questions bouncing around inside me earlier, not when it's about to happen.”
I turned her in my arms and cupped her face in my palms. “We have all the time you need. Ask away.”
“They'll be mad if they have to wait.”
“Let them fume,” I growled. “One snarl from me will put a stop to their unjust agitation.” After waving for her ladies and some of our guards to continue to the foyer, I led Reyla to a small settee and we sat, her gingerly on the edge to protect her dress.
I manipulated light around us, using it to project mirrorlike images of her and I descending the stairs, strolling beside the balcony, and even pausing at the top of the stairs. All designed to confuse someone who meant us harm.
“You'll only wear the crown for a short time after it’s placed on your head,” I said. “After that, you’ll wear it during formaloccasions. The rest of the time, you'll wear a smaller version like the one I wear during court in the throne room.”
“Why aren't you wearing yours now?”
“It slides around on my head, and I hate it. Would you believe it fell off my head the first time I wore it?”
Her eyes widened, and her laugh snorted out. “You're making this up.”
“It made a bang when it hit the marble floor.” I shook my head, smiling along with her. “You should've seen my mother's face. Such horror. She looked like she wanted to smack me.”
Her smile fell, shadows flitting through her eyes. “You were only a boy.”
“Ten. Old enough to run a kingdom, I suppose.”
“Your father died on his thirtieth birthday.”
My pulse stilled before surging. “How did you discover that?”
“Death at thirty seems to be a common thing in your family.”
“What other questions do you have? I'll answer them as honestly as I'm allowed.”
Her head tilted, and she watched my face. “Why do all the males in your family die on their thirtieth birthday?”
She'd been busy. I welcomed this, but still, it was hard. My throat choked off with pain. “After you're crowned, everyone will bow down and swear their allegiance to you. You don't bow back. You sit on the throne and gaze about the room as if it's any old day. When everyone is dismissed and has left, the elder will take back the crown for safekeeping, and you'll be given your first tiara.”
