“Oh, there you two are!” Rhion’s voice pierces the crowd. Emmett and I walk over to him and are joined by Marion and Faith in quick succession.
“Any idea why we’ve been dragged from our beds?” Faith asks.
The double doors to the throne room swing open.
Lydia sits on her throne, a candy-pink sky behind her as the sun rises in the Otherworld, on the first day without Bram and Mor.
She looks settled, so herself, that the sight of her nearly brings me to tears. She’s wearing a simple gown of pale purple with a golden circlet laid on her head. She needs no other jewels to communicate that she is queen; the look in her eye is enough.
The throne room is soon filled with most of court, including the staff.
“Thank you for joining me.” Lydia’s voice rings out true and clear. “I apologize for the early wake-up call, but there was no time to waste.”
The crowd settles into a reverent hush.
“I wanted to make my intentions clear as quickly as possible, and so I saw no reason to delay. The cruelty of Bram’s reign is over. The use of humans for sport is now forbidden. The door to England will remain locked, save for a few carefully selected ambassadors. The small folk are to be treated with the same respect as any citizen. Any grievances will be dealt with directly by me.”
As if to echo her statement, a mighty gust of wind shakes the castle walls. The first light of the day beams through the stained glass window high above Lydia’s throne, casting her in a halo.
“If you have any objection to these new rules, you are welcome to leave my court. In fact, I insist upon it.”
There’s a scoff of indignation from the back of the throne room, but Lydia’s steely face does not waver.
“Those who have been participants or complicit in the torture of humans will have letters delivered to you today, outlining your upcoming trial dates.”
“You can’t do this!” Lady Thalia shouts. Two guards flank her and direct her toward the door. “Emmett!” she yells.
Emmett doesn’t even turn around. I reach across the space between us and squeeze his hand. There are some wounds that you feel for a lifetime, and I’m sure Emmett and I will forever bear the scars of our disastrous first marriages, but what a relief it is to be rid of them.
Lydia sinks back onto her throne and folds her hands neatly in her lap. “Any questions?”
The crowd bursts out into riotous applause. Someone magicks flower petals to fall in a shower from the ceiling.
Rhion is the first to sink to his knees to bow to her, followed quickly by Emmett, and then everyone else, until all of the court of the Otherworld is kneeling at Lydia’s feet.
I look up at my sister, both our eyes glimmering with tears, and I have never loved her more.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Only slightly the worse for wear from Lydia’s coronation revel, Emmett and I meet Marion and Faith the next morning in the great hall. Emmett carries a trunk of remnants from his life here in the Otherworld, mostly books, clothes, and a few earrings (I insisted upon it), but the rest of us are traveling light.
Rhion and Lydia wait for us at the base of the staircase, standing on the polished marble floor bathed in a streak of sunlight beaming in from the high windows.
Rhion wears a guard’s uniform, a sword hanging at his side, and Lydia looks something like an angel next to him, in her white gown and gold diadem. Her blond curls hang loose around her shoulders, made even more beautiful by the faint otherworldly glow she has about her now.
“Great party, Lyd,” Emmett says, and she laughs.
“There’s only one way to win over this court.”
Rhion shakes his head. “Nonsense. They were already in love with you.”
I raise my brows and shoot him a knowing look. His eyes flit to the floor as he ignores me conspicuously.
“Ready?” I ask the gathered group.
Rhion places his hand on the hilt of his sword. “Ready.”
Marion looks around the great hall, smiling sweetly. “I don’t know. I think I might miss it.”
