Page 112 of Enchanted Crown
“Let them,” she said simply. “When they ask, I will tell them we were wed and will go through with the large wedding with all the traditional pomp when it is safe to do so. Won’t it just fuel the rumors about our supposed bonding? You know, the one which has already happened.”
“I—” How did this woman keep stealing the words from me?
“Wear it,” she finished, sitting up to look me in the eyes. “I mean it.”
I smirked, moving the ring back down my finger. “Yes, my queen.”
She stretched an arm above her, the sheet drooping dangerously lower. “There will be a very long meeting eventually in which you will have to choose your title. Most commonly you would be Prince Keiran. Since you are of royal blood yourself, I don’t mind if you take king.”
It was barely morning, we had stayed up gloriously late, and here we were already talking titles? But I supposed that did happen when you married the queen of Dra Skor. I fought off a shiver as I thought of the creepy way Queen Relia had saidbrother kings. “I never wished to be king.”
“Prince consort then,” Esta yawned. “No matter. Either is fine with me. But eventually, the people may decide on their own. They began calling me ‘Queen Esta’ long before I actually took the throne.”
Likely out of respect. I wasn’t certain they would hold that much of it for me, given who my father was.
“We have a meeting with Avril this morning,” I reminded her. “To talk about the fake trip tomorrow to Arava.”
“I do not have time for a bath?” she groaned.
I looked at the time to find that there was a little of it. “A quick one.”
A smile spread across her lips. “Alone?”
Fifteen minutes late to our meeting, we walked into the library to find Avril there waiting. Dex came also because he was my guard for the day. He was still stubbornly avoiding her, opting to stand outside the library with Esta’s guards. I wanted him to getover his hesitations as I suspected they would become heart bound or even soul bound based on what Avril hinted at. But if I knew anything about Dex, it was that it had to be his own idea.
“Congratulations.” Avril smiled as she stood out of respect. She hadn’t looked to my hand to see my ring, but she hadn’t needed to. She’d seen this playing out. But had she seen it yesterday as Esta was planning it, or before Esta even knew she was going to do it? There was so much about Corsha’s visions that, well, disturbed me.
Esta gestured with a hand for her to sit. “Thank you. We have come to ask your opinion about safety for our trip tomorrow. We have let it be whispered we are going to Arava, but truly we are going to another city within Dra Skor.”
Avril gave her a slight nod. “I have been receiving lots of visions since arriving. I don’t have a clear picture of where Morana is, either because she is moving around frequently or has not decided all her steps yet. Or both.” A pause. “The more determined someone is in their plans, the clearer it becomes.” She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes a moment as if trying to remember a vision. “I can see her movement tomorrow, but I cannot see anything beyond that.”
“So we should be safe heading to Rael?” I asked with hope. If she did come out of hiding, we had an entire army of land shifters waiting to sniff her out.
Avril shrugged. “As safe as any of us ever are, yes.” Another pause. “If you should be so willing as to let me come with you tomorrow, that may help. My visions intercede on behalf of my own safety frequently. So if you add me to the trip, it might help.”
That had to be the kindest way anyone had ever asked to be put in danger.
“Of course,” Esta agreed. “We’d like that. Apologies you were left to your lonesome yesterday.”
Avril smiled. “I do not need lots of invitations or social eventsto keep me content, Your Grace. Corshan Enchanted honor our alone time; it is time to reflect, clear our heads, and allow the visions to find us. In a new place, a day to myself was precisely what I needed.”
Esta looked to Avril’s tea which looked like it had gone cold. “Do you not like your tea?”
Avril’s eyes went to mine before going to Esta’s. “It is quite strong.”
A loud laugh came from where John was working at a corner table, with what I assumed were the royal bloodline books strewn across it.
“You will get used to it,” I told Avril.
Esta moved to glare at me. “You always drank it.”
“I did not want to disrespect you by not drinking it.”
“Only by touching me without asking instead?” she tossed back at me.
I dipped my chin. “And look where that got us.”
John snorted.
