Page 46 of Within the Veil

My hair continues to blow about my face as vines now unwrap themselves from the trees before me and fashion themselves into the most beautiful crown, dotted with white and green flowers that I'm sure would never fade or die. As the crown was weaved slowly, I watch as Dew Fairies appear, their thin floating dresses of silvery green shimmering in the light as they each carry a pearl of dew that glows like a miniature sun in their tiny hands. They bow in reverence as they flit around the crown, their wings shimmering with every beat, and gently place the pearls onto the petals of the flowers. As they did so, I am transfixed as the flowers begin to glow with ethereal light, and the pearls seemed to sink into the petals, becoming one with the crown. I hear the tinkling of their waves of laughter, like the finest of music, as they begin to dance around the crown. As they move, more dew showers down from their joined hands, and as they fall upon the crown, the clearest of diamonds now dot the vines that have now turned to gold.

While they dance, the voices of the Keepers fill me once again, only this time some begin a slow chant, while others come together to speak, 'Rhiona of Fheall, we have felt the purity of your soul and seen firsthand the protectiveness of your spirit. We believe you will hold the fate of the Fae in the highest of regards and as such, help lead the Faerie Courts out of a time that has bred selfishness instead of selflessness. Rhiona, you, along with royal consorts, your sentinels and those you will soon surround yourself with as you henceforth begin to build your royal court, will unite our people. '

The crown begins to spin and weave faster before my eyes, a blur of glowing vines, flowers and flashes of color as the chanting reaches almost a fever pitch and the wind increases. Power continues to infuse me and I am suddenly reminded of my mates and sentinels as I now feel our bonds pulse, all of our connections deepening. I can feel the blood rush through my mates' veins, their individual nerve endings alight with fire as The Keepers infuse us with power beyond our understanding. It feels like an awakening, a spark to ignite our souls. I could sense as King, Jensi and Luca developed a deeper link to more than just myself, and my mates. As my belly glows brighter, I feel the itch of King, Jensi and Luca's very skin as their sentinel marks shift to indicate their growing roles and power. I could feel through our unique bond that they were longer our sentinels only, but will fulfill the protective obligations of the entire royal family; my children included. I am in awe as I start to fully understand what was happening ; the Keepers aren't just crowning me, they are building the foundations, mentally and physically, of my court and our responsibilities right before our eyes.

'You have battled the darkest desires of pure power and instead used that power to set free those that were imprisoned in decades of undeserved darkness by a being who has chosen to lead a path that is not theirs to lead.'

My heart raced as I realized he was referring to my self-sacrifice to set the Fae free from Nici.

'As such, we have found you deserving. Our gift to you,Rhiona of Faell; each time you connect to the realm, the more you will be infused with the great knowledge of The Keepers, spanning thousands of years. We entrust that you and your legacies will follow a path that, although filled with hardships, will bring Seelie together and shed light on the need for light and darkness to co-exist. For without balance, our souls will fade away into nothingness. Stand strong Queen Rhiona of Fheall, for, despite all that has transpired, your path into Fae has barely begun.'

The voices fade away, but as the chanting continues the crown suddenly stops spinning and is placed upon my head by the dancing Dew Faries before they bow and fly away and before I can get a good look at what I was sure was one of the most beautiful pieces of magic and jewelry I will ever own. I feel a searing heat emanate from the crown before it cools, a now comfortable weight settled upon my head; as if it was always meant to be there, and maybe...it was.

The wind stops as the voices speak one last time, only this time, a sense of foreboding woven into the feeling of 'rightness' punch me in the chest at their words.

'All Hail Rhiona of Fheall, her consorts, and her court. Let them live long and fulfilling lives.'

ChapterEleven

Hudson

* * *

The forest is silent,almost in reverence, for a few moments before the normal, ever-present, cacophony of birds, insects and groaning of the trees starts again.

"Holy shit," I hear Jensi murmur behind me. I turn slowly, still in a daze from what just happened, to observe similar, albeit a bit smaller, crowns on the heads of my mates. But what throws me are not the additional marks now adorning the arms and necks of Jensi, Luca, and King, I felt their 'connection' to my mates deepen during this impromptu ceremony, nor is it the fact that as my belly continues to glow, I can feel that our connections are a lot deeper and more encompassed than just my mates and I, but the children too. What really gives me a mind fuck is that King is now...

"Holy shit, did the Pochahontos trees gift you eternal life?" Ryder says, following my line of vision.

My jaw goes slack as my eyes try to absorb every detail of the person who just moments ago was the King I had grown to know, except now, his hair, once as dark as midnight, is now a pristine snowy white, matching ours. His ears are now delicately pointed, and I resist the urge to giggle as he runs his hands over them, shock coloring his features.

I step forward and walk around him, and I have to force myself to breathe as I'm greeted by a set of glorious, breathtaking wings that now sprout out of and extend down his back. Mouth open, I run a finger down the delicate yet firm membranes that seem to have absorbed the darkness from his once dark hair, but now the color has woven in with vibrant green that bleeds into royal purple with streaks of silver and white that shimmer with the light streaming in through the forest. With each slight movement, the intricate designs cause a cascade of varying colors that both reflect and refract the light. He shivers as I continue to run my hand down his wings, and I summon my own forward because it's not just that they are gorgeous; no, it's that they are an exact copy of my own.

Zane snatches my hand back with a scowl, "It is bad form to caress another man's wings. It's downright sexual."

I blink up at him in a daze, "Oh, well, you never told me that."

I look back and give another longing look at King's wings before I clear my throat, "Okay, so I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that everything that just happened here is atypical."

Luca scoffs, " Dude, when is everything around you remotely typical? You're like a walking Shonda Rhimes screenplay. At this point, I'm just hanging on for the ride and hoping I don't randomly end up in a cemetery with Voldemort."

Jensi stares at my belly for a beat before a shocked laugh bursts from his lips, "Anyone else picking up that one of the babies is getting a bit hungry?"

A chorus ofFucks,andWoahecho throughout the bond.

"Now they are going to wake me up directly for food, aren't they?"Hunter sighs, although the way he stares, slack-jawed, the change isn't unwelcome.

"Every moment here is like getting punched in the face over and over again," King scrubs a hand down his face, and then he pauses to observe the marks now running down his fingers.

"That's one way of putting it," I say wryly, suddenly feeling spent even though my body was positively humming with power. "I would ask if I'm going to experience a life-changing event every time I do anything in this realm, but judging by all of your faces, chances are there is no actual answer, huh?"

They all shake their head.

Remi grabs my hand, running her thumb softly on the inside of my wrist. "Sorry, babe, but I was a fucking princess, and I have literally experienced nothing like this. Nor have I suddenly been privy to the thoughts of tiny, hungry beings who..." Remi pauses as she stares at my belly, "who really want pizza and pickles."

A laugh bursts through my lips before I attempt a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly to center myself while I try to focus on what still needs to be accomplished today, even though going back to a comfortable bed was looking like a better option.

I feel warm hands cradle my face, and I open my eyes and look up to meet the ice-blue eyes of Oberon as his body presses as closely as possible to mine. The heat coming off his body, combined with his scent swirl around me, grounding me better and faster than I had managed myself. His lips press against mine in a warm caress, and he leans his forehead against mine, "If there is anyone in this entire world, all the worlds, that could handle everything the Gods have thrown and will continue to throw at them, it is you, Hudson. I once told you that those worthy of my time I would consider my equals. You are my equal in every single way. There is no one else I have come across in my many years that is better suited to this role." His soft yet firm tone fills me with the start of renewed purpose.

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