Page 130 of Chosen By the Fae King

“Stop worrying.” Nox pulled me out of my thoughts. “The soldiers I sent to Greenhollow will stay there. A few of them are actually enjoying the village.”

“You mean they're enjoying some of the single females in the village.”

Nox laughed. “That, too.”

When we reached the large foyer, I turned towards the wing that led to our quarters. Nox grabbed my hand.

“This way, kitten. I have something to show you.”

“Oh. Alright.”

We walked past the grand hall and down to a room I'd studiously avoided even looking at when walking past it—the throne room.

We’d been in here before, for one of the trials. It wasn’t a place I’d hoped to visit again.

“You're not going to make me sit on the throne, are you?”

“Not today,” he smirked.

The heavy doors opened with a creak and we stepped inside. It was the same as I remembered, yet this time I actually paid attention to its details.

If it was important to Nox, I’d better make it important to me.

Intricate carvings adorned the dark grey walls that glowed with a soft white light, courtesy of the ornate chandeliers hanging above.

Kaleidoscope flooring of indigo and silver covered the space like an ocean of stars. A wide, deep blue carpet ran from the entrance to the top of the dais at the far end of the room.

Atop the dais stood an impressive throne made entirely out of solid silver and deep blue gemstones surrounded by four obsidian pillars that seemed to hold up the very heavens.

Nox led me towards a small alcove on the left side of the room, where a glass case rested on a pedestal. Inside the case was a necklace, the likes of which I had never seen before.

The platinum-colored metal was studded with black jade and diamonds that glittered brilliantly in the light. And in the center of the necklace was a large, heart-shaped ruby that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

“What is this?” I asked in awe.

“It's the Heart of the Fae,” Nox said reverently. “Legend has it, it was created by the first Fae King for his wife. It's said to hold immense power and is only to be worn by a true queen, pure of heart and fiercely courageous.”

I looked at him in surprise. “And you have it?”

“No,” he said with a small smile. “I keep it safe. But I wanted you to see it. To know that you are worthy of wearing it, if you so choose.”

I didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure if I was ready for that kind of responsibility. But the necklace called to me in a way that was hard to ignore. It was like a magnet and I was the metal.

“Aeryn, I give you this necklace as a symbol of my devotion and of my faith in you.”

Tears filled my eyes as I looked at the necklace again. It was beautiful, but it was the meaning behind it that made it priceless.

“Nox, I don't know what to say.”

“You don't have to say anything, kitten. Just know that I have zero doubts.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

Nox nodded, his eyes gleaming with pride. “You already possess all the qualities of a true queen. Courage, strength, and a pure heart. You just need to believe it.”

I smiled at him, my baast purring, as happy as I was to have found this male. But as much as I appreciated the sentiment, I wasn't sure if I'd ever feel comfortable wearing it.

We left the throne room and made our way back to our quarters, where we spent the rest of the afternoon in each other's arms, forgetting the outside world existed.

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