Page 59 of The Queen

They were grinning. As if my awkward one-sided conversation was funny to them. Titus carried on, asking about touring the countryside and the places I should visit on my honeymoon trip. He added that he’d be happy to look after the governing matters while we were away.

I wasn’t about to correct him. It was easier to let him think what he wanted for the time being, and his misconception would work in our favor when we left. I’d be taking him up on his offer to oversee the city soon.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Saphyra

The light show diminished as the sky brightened, unable to compete with the suns’ glow. Hints of rainbow ribbons flickered across the otherwise blue expanse, but none stayed long enough for more than a brief glimpse.

Seeing my effect on Verden drew my chest tight with inexpressible emotion. Maybe I wouldn’t be such a failure at this after all. The drought was over and the magnetic field was growing stronger with every passing second.

“My dear,” Titus said. “It’s time for the swearing of fealty. We don’t want to be late.”

My eyes fell away from the sky and skimmed the field, now bursting with color. Every sprig of grass was vibrant and green. Every wildflower bud had opened to greet the suns. With my chest full of hope, I nodded and turned to follow him.

He offered me his arm and led me out of the meadow, back to the compound, my mates trailing after. We took the lift down, but when we stepped out of the doors, it was into an unfamiliar hall. The floors shone a dark polished wood, and the walls were a pleasant cream color, so unlike the metal and stone I’d seen elsewhere. The ceilings soared overhead, braced with decorative wooden arches. Fluted columns sprung up on either side as we continued deeper, and behind them, elaborate marble balconies overlooked the passageway.

At the end of the hall, we stopped at a pair of massive, carved doors. Servants standing on each side pulled them open. A large room sprawled before us. The entire opposite wall, from polished floor to vaulted ceiling, was glass overlooking the river valley far below.

In front of that immense window, on a raised dais, sat a single high-backed wooden chair. Titus placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and led me down a set of shallow steps through the center aisle between richly dressed nobles who all bowed as we passed. My eyes glittered with wonder at this underground marvel.

With my crown perched precariously on top of my beautifully styled hair, I climbed the short set of stairs, and turned to sit with a little help from Titus.

When my attention returned to the room, the air whooshed from my lungs. Arrayed below, the gathered assembly was still bent in obeisance. A tapestry of beautiful brocades and velvet finery refracted off the giant, sparkling chandeliers hanging overhead. The gallery was alight with rainbow colors and grandeur. The opulence of the clothes and setting took my breath away.

Titus cleared his throat from where he bowed at my side. “You will need to tell them that they can stand. When you’re ready.”

“Oh yes, of course.” I turned my attention to the gathered crowd. “You may rise.”

Like a sea of prismatic light, the assembly rose from their bows and curtseys.

I picked out the rotund blond who I’d spoken to in the meadow. “Who is that?”

Titus was quick to answer, even though my mates were nearby. “That is the Duke of Spectre, Yannix, and beside him is his son, Maddox. Quite wealthy despite having lost much of his land to wildfires. He was a great supporter of your mother’s.”

The nobles gathered near the center of the room and, one by one, approached to swear their oaths of fealty to the crown before moving off to the side. The process went on longer than I expected, but I did my best to be kind and gracious.

Most of the planetary nobles took shelter here at court to avoid raids, leaving their citizens behind to fend for themselves until the crisis passed. It was hard to imagine that there were still people out there in settlements unprotected.

It was going to take a lot of work to restore Verden to its former glory. With every new name and title announced, the crown felt heavier on my head. My mother’s words came back to me. She’d warned me this would happen, but her faith gave me hope.

As the last of the nobles knelt and said their oaths, Fenix approached from where he’d been standing off to the side. “Your Majesty,” he bowed. “I’d like to request a private audience.”

“Oh. Okay. Now?” I stood from the throne and everyone turned toward me, waiting for me to say something. I addressed the room as best I could. “Carry on.”

That must have been what they were waiting on, because they all went back to the conversations they’d been having. Thank the Stars.

I was happy for the excuse to step away, but Fenix needing a private word could only be bad news. “Where can we go?”

Lex offered me his hand as I descended the few steps at the foot of the throne. “There is an audience chamber through here.”

We moved through the nobles, picking up the rest of my mates as we went. When we exited the throne room through a cleverly hidden side door, I noticed the duke from the meadow, Yannix, watching us.

As soon as we were locked away, I slouched under the weight of my new position. Lex caught my crown as it tilted before it could tumble from my head. I needed more practice with this royalty situation. He set it on the long table and pulled me down onto his lap in one of the wooden chairs. The rest of my mates, and Fenix, filled the remaining seats around the table.

Lex’s breath feathered over the bare skin of my shoulder, sending tingles down my spine. “Are you all right, love?”

I leaned back into the warmth of his body as much as my regalia would allow, taking comfort in his embrace. “I’m already so tired.” There was nothing else to say about it, so I turned my attention to why we were here. “What’s wrong, Fenix? Did something happen?” I asked, thinking that could be the only reason he’d pull us away from such a public audience.

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