Page 82 of Silent Secrets

Hadley

Standingontheplatform beside Grace as I look out into the crowd is a lot. I see excitement on a lot of faces, but I also see dislike and judgment on others. There are more than a few people who are hoping that my magic revealing will prove that I’m not the next Fae Queen, but I won’t let them affect me. Even though I’m nervous—who wouldn’t be—I know deep down in my soul that when my magic reveals, I will have access to all four elemental magics.

I might not have always believed Grace’s words, but I know that they’re true now. I am who she says I am, and I can’t wait to show everyone. Especially those that hope that I fail.

“Less than a minute,” Grace murmurs. “How are you doing?”

Keeping my head held high, a smile plastered on my face, I turn to her. “Nervous as hell, but I’ve got this.”

“I know you do.”

Turning back to the crowd, I find Kai, Hunter, Marcos, and Caiden standing near the front of the platform. Caiden shoots me a grin and a thumbs up, almost making me laugh, but I manage to keep myself under control. Marcos blows me a kiss, while Kai just smiles up at me. Hunter stands behind the three of them, face blank as always, with his arms crossed over his chest. But then he winks—fucking winks—at me.

I barely manage to keep my smile in place and I hope that my shock doesn’t show. What the hell was that? Is he just trying to get me to embarrass myself? I wouldn’t put it past him, but then I remember his words before I’d made my way up here. Is he actually supporting me now? I don’t even know what to think about that, or him right now. But that’s a problem for another time.

The air around me grows heavy, and I quickly forget Hunter as the smile falls from my lips. The crowd must feel it too as they fall silent, anticipation rushing through the room. Grace gives my hand a quick squeeze before stepping back, and I let my eyes fall shut.

For a moment, it feels oppressive, the air suddenly sticky and hard to breathe as something builds inside of me and around me. Then it’s like something breaks free inside of me and I can feel it—my magic. It starts as a trickle, increasing as the seconds tick by until I can feel it rushing through my body from head to toes.

I hear gasps and my eyes pop open, wondering what is causing the sudden commotion in the room that had just moments ago been silent. My eyes find the four men that I’m so drawn to, their faces full of awe as they stare up at me—even Hunter’s.

“Hadley. Look.”

I turn to look at Grace over my shoulder, but her eyes don’t meet mine. Instead, she seems distracted by something else. It takes me a moment to realize that my magic is surrounding me for everyone to see.

Lifting my hand, I watch as the water magic circles my arm before rushing away to be replaced by fire and then earth and then air. My lips curl into a smile as I lift both arms to my sides and turn to face the crowd, letting them all see as the four elements run up and down my body, circling me and showing everyone who I am—what I am.

I catch some of the whispered words from the crowd as they all begin to bow before me.

“It’s the Fae Queen.”

“She has returned.”

“It’s a miracle from the goddess.”

“I can’t believe it.”

Even those who’d doubted me before now seem to accept that I am the Fae Queen that was prophesied all those years ago. Pride rises in me, overwhelming me. Tears form and it takes everything in me to hold them back. I won’t let my people down. I will be the queen that they deserve.

“Long live the queen,” someone yells out, and soon others pick up the call as well, until it rings around me.

I lower my arms, calling my magic back inside of me—though I’m momentarily surprised that I seem to know instinctively how to do it—before stepping forward. A warmth fills my chest and words come to me, words that I know aren’t quite mine. Or at least not just mine. I can feel the past queens with me now, something inherent to me and only me. Sorlphi and the past Fae Queens are welcoming me, promising to guide me.

“Rise, my people. We have been without a queen for far too long, but that ends now. I will lead us into a new era, an era where we remember who and what we came from. We will unite as one, as we always should have been, and we will be better for it. We will be as we were meant to be.”

Cheers rise from the crowd as they stand once more.

“Now, let us continue with our evening. Dance, drink, and be merry. It is a night of celebration, after all.”

The music starts up as I make my way to the edge of the platform, Grace right behind me. Caiden, Kai, Marcos, and Hunter wait for me at the bottom of the stairs. But when Marcos moves to me, Grace steps up beside me and shakes her head.

“Not here. Come.”

Without waiting to be sure that we are following her, Grace turns and heads toward the curtain that falls behind the platform. She pushes through a break that I hadn’t noticed before. As I move to follow, I glance over my shoulder at the guys, who all seem to be just as surprised as me.

The curtain falls shut behind us and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the near absolute darkness, but once they do, I find Grace standing in front of a door.

“There’s a hidden door behind the throne?” I scoff, not knowing why I’m surprised.

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