Page 75 of The Rose in the Shadows

“What in all of creation do you think you’re doing?” He demanded, voice low and angry.

“I’m going to speak to my people,” I told him, not bothering to quiet my voice.

The Dragon glanced at us, and he turned his back to the crowd, shielding us so they could not see Clay’s grasp on me. His eyes were flaming golden as he looked down at us.

“Miss Moore, excuse yourself back into the palace,” the Dragon demanded.

Grounding my feet, I peered over his shoulder at the crowd awaiting me. He tried to shield me from them, but they could see something happening between us three.Theadora. Theadora. Theadora.They chanted my name over and over. They wanted to hear fromme.The Dragon might want to stop me, he mighteven want to punish me for my disrespect, but he certainly couldn’t do it before them, so I couldn’t waste this opportunity.

“With all due respect, your majesty,” I spit out sarcastically. “It’s quite apparent that I’m the sweetheart of Athenia.And I doubt your people would be too fond of you or your son stopping me from greeting them.”

Clay’s grip on me tightened, to the point of causing significant pain, and I bit down on the inside of my cheek, refusing to falter as his fingers pressed in on the tender flesh. His father looked down at me with murder in his eyes, and it felt like an eternity that we three stood locked there, each weighing out our next moves. For a moment, a small part of me worried if I had gone too far in tempting the beast. But finally, the Dragon stepped aside.

“By all means,” he growled, waving his arm and beckoning me to step forward.

I approached the podium slowly, greeting the eyes of as many people as I could. I identified a few as patrons of the tavern we had visited, but I doubted they would recognize me now in all my finery. As I reached the front, I locked my feet, bearing down my weight into the delicate heels of my shoes, and, after taking a breath to steady myself and my nerves, I spoke.

“I understand my story has not been the typical one and that there are still far more questions than answers regarding my origins. I’m sure that some part of you chants my name simply because of the intrigue of that mystery. I assure you, I long for the answers as much as any of you. But if there is one thing I know, it’s that I’m an Athenian, just like all of you. Someone out there seeks to harm me. And I don’t know if they want to harm me because of my lineage or the uncertainty within which I entered this castle, but harm to one Athenian, regardless of whether they are a Council member, is harm to us all and cannot be tolerated.

“I am no more special than any of you just because I have this Mark on my chest, and yet because of it, I have been gifted a home in this palace, these fine clothes, and true friends. Truthfully, I don’t know why the Gods have blessed me in these ways; I can only hope to earn my place here and among you all.

“Should I allow myself to become a victim to these plots, then I will fail in my mission to earn your respect. And something you should all know about me is that I am far too stubborn to accept that. So, my vow to you is that I will not let this plot come to pass. I will not accept death at the hands of this criminal because I refuse to be taken away from any of you. I may not know my past, and I honestly know very little about what to expect in my future, but I do know my duty is to you. I know my responsibility is to protect and represent your interests and serveyou. And I can promise you, I will. Not. Falter.”

There was a moment of silence when the world was still.

And then the crowd erupted around us. I stumbled back as the echoes of their cheers reverberated through the kingdom. Women cried, and men clapped fiercely above their heads. They chanted my name once more, and I found myself smiling with them because, at least for today, they were actually cheering for the realme.

Then, slowly, purposefully, I dipped one foot behind the ankle of the other and I bowed low. I was breaking custom; I knew that. As a princess of House Hyrax, I wasn’t to bow to anyone but the Dragon and the Crown Prince. But I did it then. I bowed to my people.

Because who is it that truly rules a land, if not the people within it?

With sweeping arms, the Dragon ushered me back to my guards while the crowd continued its cheers. Clay instantly grabbed my hand, stepping between his father and I.

“Clayton, take Miss Moore to my office and wait for me there,” the Dragon growled, smoke pouring from his nostrils. His eyes scanned the guards. “The rest of you are to wait outside. I do not wish to be disturbed as we debrief.”

He turned on his heels and then returned to his place at the podium to, presumably, conclude the ceremony. Clay wasted no time pulling me inside and rushing us through the castle halls to his father’s office. I struggled to keep up with his pace and had to gather my skirts in my hand to keep from tripping as he pulled me on. The guards followed us, my constant shadows, but did as they were told and took posts outside the door as Clay pushed me in and slammed the door behind him.

“What the fuck, Theadora!” He boomed, tossing his crown onto the nearby couch and ripping a hand haphazardly through his hair.

I sighed, stalking away from him and sinking into the settee. The Dragon’s office was exactly as I recalled from my last unwanted visit. Just as dark and gloomy as ever. At least his decor matched his general mood.

“They needed to hear from me,” I insisted, voice firm.

“That’s not up to you to decide!”

“And who is it up to then, Clay?” I yelled back at him, standing in an angry rush. “Your father? I didn’t think I’d have to remindyouthat man’s judgment isn’t always sound!”

Clay flinched, making me immediately regret my choice of words. It wasn’t fair of me to use that secret he trusted me with against him. But it was the truth. This was Clay’s kingdom as much as it was mine, and he should care just as much as I did about ensuring that his people were treated fairly. The veins of his neck darkened, and he turned away from me in a rush, resting his hands on his hips and beginning to pace the room to calm himself.

“You don’t understand, Theadora.” Clay’s voice was low, measured… panicked. “You openly defied him! He won’t accept that.”

“I sent a necessary message to someone trying to kill me, Clay. I showed them and the world that I would stand up for myself and my people. So, I’ll accept whatever lecture I need as punishment for that crime.”

Clay froze and met my eyes. His gaze was golden. I’d only ever seen his eyesthatbright in moments of anger, yet nothing about him seemed frustrated now. He only looked defeated from his hunched shoulders, wide eyes, and set mouth.

“You don’t understand,” he told me softly. “I would fight the world to keep you safe, but even I can’t protect you from this.”

My blood froze as he repeated the words I had said to him that night in the inn.

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