Page 80 of Finding Closure

“You look so handsome and princely,” I explained, not sure if I made sense.

“Even I can behave sometimes,” he chuckled. He stepped away and faced the head caretaker of each temple, the group of them in charge of the next step. “I present my daughter, Tamsin Vale, to be blessed by my family so she may take her place as the Queen of Faerie.”

I swallowed my reaction. That wasn’t the script, and the fact he was saying it loud and clear that we were related to the gods—it wasn’t even a power play for Lageos.

It was just the truth.

Still, no one started trouble, and the ancients all accepted it.

My dad took the cape thing, and I moved towards them.

They raised their hands and went to put magic on me. It was supposed to be a simple blessing, a lot like a comfort rune almost.

But I blocked them.

Several did a shit job of hiding their shock, but I saw the handful that were amused. Honestly, they should have expected no less. I barely knew any of them. At most, I knew the names of three and had met them a few times dealing with temple events or in passing.

That was it.

And they thought I would trust them to put magic on me? After all that ancients had done to the heirs and queens?

Fuck. No.

“This woman fits the requirements set by the gods to become our queen and has been blessed by their loyal servants,” the oldest of them announced loudly when it was done. I was glad because he’d been one of the amused group.

Which meant they probably weren’t going to kick up a fuss.

Good. What I’d done was smart, not to insult them or pick a fight.

The leader of Faerieshouldbe smart enough to never leave herself open to an attack. Ever.

Next, I moved over to the blessing pool and my heart filled with joy. It wascoveredwith petals. There were so many that they couldn’t all fit on the top of the water and spilled all around the edge of the pool and floor.

And they were all placed there by my people.

The temple was always open, but magic was placed on the pool the week before the coronation to protect it since I would be in it, but also to preserve it. Anyone who wanted to leave a petal on the pool could, and it was a show of support for their future queen.

Apparently, I had a lot of support.

Millions and millions of petals worth of support, and it meant the world to me.

Stefanie smiled, knowing where my head was. “Tamsin Vale, do you give yourself freely to become our queen?”

“I do.”

“Do you wish to take on this role knowing it will lead to hardships unlike any others, difficulties you cannot possibly fathom, and knowing you will have to make decisions no one should ever have to?”

“I do.”

“Then kneel before the gods and swear an oath for all to hear.”

I took off the top part of my dress and handed it over to Cara before stepping towards the pool in just my sleeveless, mid-thigh black dress. The pool was lukewarm, and no one had messed with it beyond the preservation magic. I could feel only that.

Good.

The moment I stepped in it, something weird happened though.

Something I couldn’t hide my reaction to and neither could Stefanie.

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