Unfortunately, Lorcan had no heir, and while Bolg had left behind many bastards, no one knew who they were. Except for maybe Nollaig.
With a sigh, she turned to the shadow fae. She’d been silent since Lorcan’s death, but she hadn’t left Reyna’s side for more than an hour at a time. Reyna had never been more grateful for her friendship.
“What do you think? Would you like to do it?”
“Ah, no.” Nollaig tsked. “I was thinking that you should be the one, Shieldmaiden. You’re a princess. You’re a warrior. And you loved their High King. I daresay you would have been their High Queen eventually. The realms would be in good hands.”
Reyna jerked toward her friend. “I’m no ruler, Nollaig. I—”
“It’s a good idea,” her father said, rubbing his chin. “You’ve spent plenty of time at court. You know how it works. And you’re strong, compassionate. I know it’s not what you envisioned for your future, but you would make a good High Queen.”
“I can’t believing we’re even considering this,” Reyna whispered. “He’s barely been gone a week.”
“A week is too long for two realms to survive without a ruler,” Murdock said. “If much more time passes, greedy lords will start making plays for power. Besides, and I mean this as gently as possible…you were the one who swung the blade, Reyna. By rights, these courts are yours.”
“I don’t want this.”
“Which is precisely why you’re the best person for it,” Cos said, patting her hand. “Those who do not crave power will be the ones to carry us through the darkness. That is what the Dagda said before he left this world for the Court of Death.”
Reyna didn’t care much about what the Dadga said. He’d seen exactly what the prophecies foretold, and he’d abandoned the fae to their fate. Those weren’t the actions of a good ruler. If he said something, Reyna thought she should do the opposite.
“Shieldmaiden.” Nollaig settled her gloved hand on top of Reyna’s. There was something about the tone of her voice that cut through some of her sorrow. Just a little, enough to catch her attention. She turned to her shadow fae friend, letting her mind focus on the present for the first time since she’d seen that flower bloom by Lorcan’s head. “You did what had to be done in order to save the realms. Now, there is something else you must do. The people need you. Peace may be upon us, but it will not last unless the kingdoms have a ruler they can count on. Someone to lead them through these next few years while the fae learn how to put their past grudges aside to work together.”
Reyna sucked in the longest, deepest breath of her life as she considered Nollaig’s words. “I didn’t do any of this to become a High Queen. That has never been my calling.”
“But it’s your calling now.”
Sighing, Reyna turned to the others. Her father leaned forward, anticipation lighting up those silver eyes of his. She tapped the table once, and then finally acquiesced.
“Alright,” she finally said. “I’ll do it. I’ll be your High Queen of the Wood and Shadow Courts.”
53
Thane
“You survived. I should probably hate that, but as it turns out, I’m pretty relieved you’re alive.”
Thane turned toward the voice, dropping the parchment onto the table beside the hearth. He’d taken to his quarters before the feast got underway, begging off for sleep. He was so very tired after everything that had happened. And he still didn’t know how he felt about Reyna Darragh. He needed time. To think and to rest. But he hadn’t been able to close his eyes. Lorcan’s face kept flashing in his mind. To that moment when the life had blinked out of him.
Now, he thought he might be hallucinating because Mariel Dalais perched in his open window with snow white wings flaring out behind her. He blinked and shook his head. Nope, she was still there.
“I think I’m going mad,” he muttered.
“If you’re going mad, then we all are.” She dropped into the room, and the wings mysteriously folded into her back. If he hadn’t seen Reyna do that exact thing, he might very well have run screaming from the room.
“Mariel. It really is you, isn’t it?” He closed his eyes and slumped back on the velvet sofa. “If you’re here to kill me, then go on and get it over with. I don’t have the energy to fight it.”
“It’s a good thing I’m not here to kill you then.” She plopped on the sofa beside him, and the springs squealed.
He shot her a pair of narrowed eyes. “Then, what are you doing here? I should ask how you got out of the dungeons, but it’s not really important. I knew you’d manage it eventually.”
She pressed her lips together. “This defeatist attitude isn’t going to work.”
“I don’t care. I feel defeated.”
“You won, didn’t you?” She leaned forward. “You and Reyna stopped the curse. You’ve all signed the treaty. The war between the kingdoms is finally over.”
“Lorcan’s dead.”
