“As you told me last eve,” Veyrion replies coolly, never removing his touch from my chin, “my reign will be the greatest era yet. Unlike anything in our history.”
He turns to face his father fully now. “And I wish to usher in this new era with Sallie Rose—the most compelling, alluring, and audacious being I have ever known—by my side. If she will forgive me.”
Then he looks back at me, and his voice gentles. “Forgive me. Please… forgive me for ever listening to my father. For every trespass I made against you. I can no longer fight these weak emotions inside my chest.”
He has feelings for me? Just like the ones I’ve been trying to fight myself? Deny? My heart thunders as I try to process the enormity of what he just said.
Before I can, his father rushes forward again.
“No, son. No!” His father grabs his shoulder.
“You cannot marry a human commoner. She’ll taint our bloodline! The warriors will rebel, and you will lose your command!”
Veyrion abruptly draws the sword I hadn’t even realized was sheathed between his wings. He lifts it in the air to address the standing behind the Seraphyne’s parents.
“Would any of you challenge me for the throne to prevent a human from entering our royal fold?”
The warrior with the topknot steps forward.
“A question, Sovereign.”
The whole room tenses.
“If you and this human marry, will I—and the other warriors who missed the gifting this daytide—be issued nature jewelry crowns too?”
The entire room releases a collective breath.
And Veyrion answers, “Kinnarick, if you remove my father from these proceedings, I will do my best to convince our future queen to provide you with a nature jewelry crown, as well.”
“They’re actually referred to as garlands,” I call out to Kinnarick. “Or flower crowns, if we’re being technical…”
I trail off when I realize the soldier Veyrion called Kinnarick is too busy dragging the former king out of the room to hear me.
Veyrion turns back to me as the sound of his father’s “Unhand me! Unhand me this instant!” fades into the background.
“You, and only you, compel me like this,” he says, taking my hand in both of his larger ones. “And I wish to be compelled in such a manner for the rest of your lamentably short lifespan.”
“I…” It takes a few tries before I can answer. “Well, first of all, I think we need to go easy on all the language, pointing out that my kind has a shorter life expectancy than yours.”
I carefully remove my hand from his. And I need to know: “Is this a ‘Marry me or else I’ll kill your dad and raze your kingdom’ proposal—or a ‘Marry me because I love you’ one?
I have to ask, “What exactly happens if I turn down your proposal?”
He tilts his head in consideration. Then answers, “I will have to command you…”
I open my mouth to explain why marriage by command isn’t exactly the best foundation for a relationship?—
But then he finishes, “…to go live with the goat called Brelliard and his wife. Because I do love you, Sallie Rose. With all the granite in my chest. And I would like to keep you here in my kingdom so that I might have the chance to woo you until you love me as well.”
He softens even further. “Of course, after he is seen by our royal healer, your father will accompany you to Brelliard’s and his wife’s home. Then, if and when you accept my proposal, he will be given the neighboring chamber beside ours—where Yilara and her family will no longer reside.”
“What?!” comes Yilara’s distinctive screech from somewhere in the crowd.
But Veyrion continues as if he doesn’t even hear her. “And as for Aralysse… this is a ‘Marry me, and I will give you that breadbasket kingdom as a wedding gift and charge them whatever tariff you deem fit.’
You will be my queen in every way—giving me counsel, helping me become a king who grows a thriving empire instead of taking and destroying everything he surveys.”
I stare at him. “I mean… I’ve only known you for three days.”
