Page 88 of The Maleficent Faerie
But the bile churning in my stomach, the acid stinging the back of my throat, the nervous pain in my gut—that’s real. I’m trembling all over. I’ve let go of Ember’s arm, but I don’t dare release Kyan’s or I might fall.
He looks down at me, a shadow on his handsome face. He’s thinking of his sister, and how the Royals before us bear part of the blame for her death. This is difficult for him too.
“For our King,” he whispers.
“For our King,” I reply under my breath, squeezing his arm.
Together we surge forward, while a herald nearby proclaims, “Her Royal Majesty, Queen Aura of Daenalla, Crown Princess of Caennith, the God-Touched Heir, the Conduit of Eonnula’s Light.”
The change in my true parents’ faces is almost comical. All traces of haughty disdain or arrogant possessiveness vanish, and they assume expressions of passionate delight. They both rush forward with quivering lips and tearful eyes. Such excellent actors, both of them.
“Sweet Aura!” The Queen reaches me first, moving to cup my face in her hands the way I saw her do with Dawn a thousand times.
I recoil. Rude or not, I can’t bear her caress.
Ember steps in quickly, his leathery wings flaring slightly to shield me. “The Queen does not like to be touched.”
“Not like to be touched?” The Queen gives a little surprised scoff. “But I’m hermother. I’ve gone without touching her for so many years. For your safety, sweet child. All of it for your safety. You understand—of course you do, because how could we let that horrid beast have you?”
“I’m not a child,” I say firmly, and I stop myself before I add,And you are not my mother.But I hold back those words, because my plan isn’t yet ripe. I need to seem pleasant and amenable.
Forcing a charitable smile is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do—harder than pressing my finger to the Spindle. I only manage it by picturing Malec looming behind my parents, giving me his most wicked grin over their heads.
“I’m sure you did what you thought best.” I hold the smile in place while I nod to my parents, to the Three Faeries.
Elsamel smiles at me, then nudges Sayrin and points delightedly to the rings I’m wearing—the rings they gave me, every single one in its usual place. To her, it seems to signal that I bear no ill will about the deception under which they raised me.
“Yes, we did what was best. And you should be grateful,” Genla says sternly. “Placing that visceral glamour took a toll on us. And maintaining all the little tricks and trappings over the years—that was fucking exhausting. All that effort, and it would have gone flawlessly if you hadn’t let Dawn leave the summer palace. And then you fucking took her place? How many times did we warn you never to do that? If you had only followed our orders—”
“But all’s well that ends well, isn’t it?” Elsamel strokes Genla’s arm appeasingly. “And Aura managed to take down the wicked King in the end, didn’t she? Took his throne, his lands—everything!”
“I only wish it had happened sooner.” Sayrin’s eyes narrow, curiosity etching lines between her brows. “How did you manage it, child? How did you get him to turn over the kingdom to us?”
“He didn’t turn it over tous,” I say smoothly. “He yielded its care to me, while he took a much-needed rest. You may remember that only the one who loved me best could take my place—”
“Or so he claimed.” Genla scoffs. “I’ve never heard of such a condition for curse-breaking. Are you trying to imply that the Maleficent One was a secret romantic?”
“I’ll wager there wasn’t much romance involved, eh, little one?” The King winks at me and lets out a coarse, boisterous laugh. “You seduced him well, you did. Turned his head right round! What a little temptress.”
The Queen’s lip arches. “You would know a temptress, wouldn’t you, husband? Forgive me if I cannot laugh at the thought of my daughter playing the whore to that detestable worshiper of darkness. I can barely stomach the idea of her ruling over this… rabble.” She casts a dismissive look at a group of servants clustered nearby, their faces bright with the joy of the festival.
Rage heats my face, but luckily I catch Dawn’s eye, and her slight shake of the head helps me maintain my composure. “Enough talk of the past! We can discuss such things later. First, please accompany me to the dais that has been set up for us in the city square. From there, we’ll have the best view of all the festivities, including the worship session to be conducted at noon. And there is a banquet prepared for us, as well.”
“I could use a drink and a plateful.” My father nods, hands gripping his broad belt. “But after worship, I expect to discuss the matter of this kingdom’s future. Surely you realize that someone of your age and inexperience cannot rule Daenalla. You’ll need a Caennith regent, and Caennith advisors to help you manage these wild Daenallan folk.”
“The King speaks true,” pipes up a man in my parents’ retinue. I recognize his goat horns and flowing hair—he’s the very Priest Dawn and I saw at the Lifegiving Festival. He steps forward, a fanatical intensity in his eyes. “We must teach Daenalla the true way, the path of the coming savior.”
“The coming savior?” I meet his gaze. “While the Edge races ever inward, you would rejoice and pray to the goddess, and do nothing?”
Too far. That’s too far—I may have shown my hand.
But Dawn comes to my rescue. “Her Highness is merely illustrating the kind of opposition you may expect when you attempt to convince the Daenallan people. They will ask you this question and others.”
“I have Eonnula’s light to overcome their doubts,” says the Priest, beaming at her. “It is all I need.”
“How sublime for you,” I reply, with only a fraction of the acid I want to inject into my tone. “Come, let us celebrate the gifts of the goddess.” I lift my hand, and servants come forward with awnings to hold over the heads of the royal procession. Guards fringe our group as we pass through the crowds, walking for nearly a block before arriving in the main square. An avenue has been cleared for us, with more Daenallan guards to hold back the people while we climb the steps to the dais and settle into our thrones.
Pretending to sip the wine that’s handed to me, I watch my people step into their assigned positions—Kyan, Ember, Fitzell, and Dawn. Andras and Vandel have another task, one that will keep them out of sight for a while.
