Page 113 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
“I cannot quite fathom, sir, beyond that you will have no claim to a territory, as previous kings still do, or as a duchess now does. I expect that you might further my rule in some capacity. My connections on this are tenuous, and only the act of transferring you to baron might reveal the whole.”
“So I would make this choice without knowing what fate will ask of me.” His fangs gleamed, but that was hardly his fault.
I nodded. “You would. And you would make that choice for monsters.”
He extended a foreleg and bowed his head low. “I would make that choice for the goodness of monsters, and I would make that choice in blind trust of a queen who saved me from immortal turmoil.”
My chest tightened, and moisture gathered in my eyes. I felt, in that moment, closer to the new and innocent monster I had been than I had in a long time. “Huckery, you honor me, and how do you feel in your heart?”
“I feel free of eternal burden, Your Majesty. I live with so much new space for great things.”
I did not brush away the tear that fell. “Dear Huckery, I am overjoyed for you.”
“If making me baron is the way to save monsters, and if that is your wish, then I do so gladly.”
There were some monsters who had been hard won—most of the kings, for instance. Half of the princesses. And certainly one pawn. Huckery’s trust was a trust earned, and a trust that had forced me to reflect time and again on his inner turmoil with each rise in my queendom and power. “Thank you, my pawn. I am ever grateful for you.”
I called, “Candor.”
My truth skeleton flew forward in her armchair to join us. There was a beauty in the open sight of her these nights, for there were no truths hidden in the walls of a queendom any longer, and certainly no skeletons in the closet.
“My queen,” she said, settling next to Huckery. “I listened to the whole conversation.”
My lips twitched. “Thank you for your honesty.”
Her teeth bones spread in a smile. “Always, Your Majesty.”
I walked forward and took her hand bones in mine. Then I glanced at Huckery. “The matter is this. A king will not change, but the ingredients to heal a frayed seam are not limited to a battling mother and the power of champions.”
Huckery stared.
“The broken union of a princess and king can be balanced by a romance thatissound.”
“You are asking us to battle the evil,” whispered Candor. “To be lost in it as a duchess, marquis, and earl have been.”
I dipped my head. “I believe that would happen. To give the healing the best chance, I will start the transfer of power from King No Change to Huckery shortly.”
Huckery growled, “You said nothing about Candor’s involvement.”
“Because Candor can pick Candor’s fate for herself,” statedCandor. Then added in a softer voice, “And she could not remain behind when her love walked into evil alone. I will go there with you.”
Huckery’s growl heightened. He whirled from her and stalked away.
“He agrees,” Candor confided in me. “But his werebeast feelings resist the truth of matters.”
Huckery’s growl heightened.
I squeezed her hands. “Thank you, dear monster.”
“Thankyou, queen of us. When will you start the transfer of power?”
“Very shortly,” I admitted. “If we had time to spare, I would grant it to you.”
Candor flew after Huckery in her armchair, and I allowed myself a sigh.
Cassandra chuckled under her breath. “So my time arrives.”
I faced her. “Your time, First Mother? The stitch in my thigh belongs to Niyna, and that has always been the stitch that belongs to the Changes’ union.” I glanced across the circle of vigil for the mother who would battle next, then gasped to find her already stone.
