Page 91 of Enchanted Crown
Like the time she walked into the war room freshly in her human form, she entered the ballroom the same way, no stopping. It was a thing of beauty. And this time I was with her, stride for stride.
Someone announced, “Her Royal Highness, Queen Estalena Mallick.” A pause. “And His Royal Highness, Prince Keiran Valanova.”
We didn’t slow, we charged into the room like we owned it. And I supposed she did; I was merely along for the ride.
She headed over to her throne in the corner of the room, as I knew she always did.
Remember the night you sat at the foot of my throne and spoke to me?Esta asked.
How could I forget?
I think I was yours from that moment on.
“Esta.” I leaned in to whisper at her ear. “You have to quit sending me things like that if you would like us to make it through this night.”
She laughed the most brilliant laugh, and I was all too happy to stand there like her fool.
Amory arrived and spoke briefly with Esta before Esta stood to officially start off the night. She handed me a champagne flute as Amory signaled for the music to stop. The ceiling windows were open wide, resulting in the room being far colder than it typically was. But there were enough shifters healed that they were being used, and that felt far more important than the temperature of the room.
“Tonight,” Esta began. Without asking, I unleashed my magic to help carry her voice throughout the room. “Tonight we come together in the most bittersweet of fashions. We celebrate the death of a betrayer to Dra Skor.” She had to pause for the applause and cheers around the room. “May this serve as a reminder to anyone who dares to cross us. Dra Skor is rising in strength. She will not go quietly into the night, and thanks to the efforts of Prince Keiran and our Wylan allies, we are not only healing, but we are rebuilding at a rapid pace.”
The people were taking in her every word and breath, and I knew they would go to war for her with the snap of her fingers.
She lifted her champagne flute. “Two salutes. The first of which to Prince Keiran, General Zaire Willothorn, Nyx Cantrell, and Dex Chabot of Wylan. When I was shot down, they not only sought out my revenge, but delivered swift justice as well. Your bravery is unmatched and you four are the reason we celebrate tonight.”
The room collectively pounded their chests twice before taking sips of their drinks. I wondered how many years of balls such as these it would take before that became less eerie.
Esta inhaled deeply and took a moment to look around the room. “As we say often here, it isnevertoo late to rise again. And so we have. We will not stop until every last shifter is healed. Until every last betrayer of Dra Skor is found and dealt with. Anyone who stands in our way will forge themselves the same fate asEnoch found. Our only enemies are now those remaining within us. Though they may hide like cowards, we will hunt them all down until we have captured their last breaths.” She lifted her glass to them. “Dra Skor is not only back, she is better. To Dra Skor. Danger unto death!”
“Danger unto death,” they said together back to her before taking another sip.
And then before most people had put their flutes down, a dragon roar split the air, and Zaire dove into the ball room in his dragon form. Now I knew why the windows had to be opened all the way.
One after another, all of the healed shifters swooped in and landed in the ballroom, the people inside moving instinctively to make space. I heard another dragon roar I recognized as Nyx, but to keep up appearances that he wasn’t yet healed, he must have been circling outside. I knew Esta tried to get him to shift for this event, but he’d refused. He wanted to stay a spy for as long as Morana was free.
And then those healed in their human forms shifted and took off for the windows or balconies. The result was that it was a chaos of fur, scales, and roars. Dozens and dozens of shiftings going on around me, and dammit if my wings didn’t beg to be freed too as I felt that pinching right between my shoulder blades.
But I knew with the whispers about us bonding, I needed to keep them contained for now.
I swallowed hard, moved by the sight of so many shifters. Able to do what they were always supposed to do, shift back and forth between their two forms. How different this was from my first ball here, where I had been told what these events had once been but had never seen it myself. Until now.
The stomping picked up. Softly at first.
Not far from me, I found Nana Mallick keeping beat with her cane. She winked at me.
Esta shifted and launched toward the windows, letting out the roar which caused the rest to join her. It was so loud, a mess of human and animal sounds. It made a shiver travel down my spine.
Who was Morana to ever think she could take on Dra Skor?
Esta was speakingto a group of three of her father’s old generals, and I could feel her annoyance as clearly as if it were my own. It had already been a long night and I was antsy to return to our room. For that ring to find a home on my soul mate’s finger.
So I patted Malachi on the shoulder, told him and Amory I’d be back, and moved to rescue her.
I strode for her purposefully, reaching a hand out as soon as I got within reach.
Her eyes hit mine. “Yes, Prince Keiran?”
“Come here.”
