Page 41 of A Kingdom of Monsters

I shivered, my toes curling when his warm breath fanned my neck. “Good thing you’re there to catch me, then.”

He chuckled softly, and tugged me closer against his chest. “Always.”

I blinked to clear my mind before everything turned hazy once more, and tugged gently at his arm until he let me go. “Careful.”I smiled over my shoulder. “It wouldn’t take a lot of convincing to make me go right back to that balcony.”

His silver eyes flashed dark. “Don’t say things you don’t mean, Rebel.”

Oh, but I did mean it.

I didn’t want to be anywhere near this party, anyway. Most especially, I didn't want to be anywhere near the ceremony that was meant to follow, and Scion had presented me with a much more enjoyable alternative.

“We should at least find Bael first,” I mused, glancing back at the throngs of lively courtiers.

Scion raised an interested eyebrow. “Getting greedy, are we?”

I smacked his arm lightly. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just sure we’ve been missed by now. Poor Bael has probably had to look after the druid all this time.”

Before this week, I didn’t know a single thing about coronations within the Fae court, but now I was better informed than I’d ever wished to be. Due to the time constraints, and the fact that we were mostly doing this for show, we’d forgone most of the formalities. There was no lavish parade or days worth of celebrations. I hadn’t had to visit every city in the capital and ask for their blessing. We hadn’t even bothered to write to Overcast and invite the rest of the Everlast family.

The one thing we hadn’t been able to ignore, however, was the need for a Druid.

Druids were priests of the Source. Most were humans who had gained power and immortality centuries ago due to continued exposure to the Source, but some had begun their lives as Fae.During the fall of Nightshade, most of the druidic order had been wiped out, but there were still some who roamed from province to province proselytizing for the Gods.

Ironically given the origin of my magic, I had never had any desire or reason to worship the Source, and was therefore a bit apprehensive about the robed stranger who would be performing my farce of a coronation. When he’d arrived earlier, having been sent for only days before, he’d given me such a searching look that I felt as if I were being examined from the inside out.

“I really don’t know what the point of this is,” I grumbled to Scion as we pushed through the rest of the crowd toward the raised platform and the throne. “I think Ambrose is deluding himself. What does it matter if I take the crown off just so someone else can place it back on my head in front of a crowd of strangers?”

“A crowd of our subjects,” Scion corrected. “But I see your point. I believe Ambrose is simply trying to leave no stone unturned, so to speak.”

“That’s oddly charitable of you,” I smiled. “Are you coming around to getting along, then?”

Scion’s eye twitched with evident annoyance. “Let‘s not go that far, Rebel. I’m not sure I will ever do more than tolerate him.”

“I don’t know,” I commented blandly. “You’re immortal. Forever is a long time to hold a grudge.”

We reached the edge of the enormous dais and paused. Finally, I spotted Bael on the other side of the platform. He looked up when I waved to him and his yellow eyes lit up. He mouthed something, but I couldn’t understand him over all the noise.

“What?” I yelled.

He mouthed whatever it was again, and pointed to the man next to him. Indeed, it was the same robed druid as I’d met this afternoon. I groaned. That likely meant they wanted us to start the ceremony soon.

“I have the worst feeling about this,” I muttered to Scion.

He looked down at me, his face contorting with concern. “Why?”

“I have no idea,” I admitted. “There was nothing specifically wrong with the idea when Ambrose asked me about it, but I just…I don’t know.”

“Ambrose wouldn’t do anything to hurt you,” Scion said gruffly.

I raised my eyebrows. “I never said he would, but I’m surprised you think so.”

Scion shook his head as if to clear it. “I’m sure it will be fine, rebel. You’re likely nervous, but events like this always pass quickly.”

“I don’t know why you don’t have to be crowned with me,” I grumbled.

“Because we were never publicly wed,” he replied, in a tone that implied forced patience. “And because I’m not the one who’s going to break our curse.”

It was an effort to keep the dread off my face, but still, I didn’t argue with him. There was no point. In a few minutes either the curse would break, or it wouldn’t, and that would be the end of that.

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