‘Do you think Joaquin is a bad choice for me? Because of what happened with his father?’
‘What? As a consort?’ She pauses. ‘I don’t think it’s a bad thing, necessarily. Though you’re young to be thinking of this.’
‘It’s symbolic of what I want to achieve. A human and a vampire, living together.’
‘Yes. But do not sacrifice your own heart for what you think others want to see. It’s one of the few choices you, as a ruler, can make selfishly. Don’t give it up if you don’t have to.’
‘He likes what I want to do. I think, even if we don’t … Ithink he could be a friend, if nothing else.’
My mother nods. ‘Of course. He wasn’t the only one interested in you, though.’
I don’t say anything.
‘The Vindhof boy.’ My mother smiles. ‘And Corinna Eligor, if that’s your preference. Both would also be very capable lieutenants.’
‘Oh.’ It’s no surprise that Deryck was interested in me. And Corinna, I later discovered, was the girl holding Stefan back when he tried to attack me. ‘They both seemed … nice.’
‘Yes, they did. You certainly have options, if you want them. I just wanted you to know a little more about what you might be choosing.’
‘What about the rest of it?’
Her expression becomes serious once more. ‘It is time for change. Let’s get you crowned, and we can work out what happens next.’ She kisses me on the forehead then leaves the room, a gliding, silken glimmer. I sit there, thinking.
I will do what it takes, to hold the realm. Mistral’s Challenge might have collapsed, but it won’t be the last I’ll face in my reign. As I said to my mother, I can’t do this alone. I need someone strong at my side. Combining our territories, our strengths, is a smart way to do that. There’s also a kind of poetry to it, a healing of old wounds. I know I’m young, but I don’t have forever. I ignore the small tendril of doubt in my stomach. Kyle is gone. Michael is gone.
Joaquin is just what I need.
ChapterTwenty-Five
FIRST NIGHT
The Darkmeadow is as I remember. A wide expanse of grass high in the hills, tumbled boulders all around. But there are no screaming humans here tonight, no blood spattered across stone. Instead, there are crowds and music, billowing silk tents, and a canopy over a raised dais, three thrones set in a row and a semi-circle of Raven guards in front of it. It’s hard to believe it’s only a few months since I was here, in Kyle’s arms, watching death unfold. That I almost died, too, betrayed and alone. I’ve done a lot, come a long way since then, even though I know I have farther to go. I can be proud of myself for that, at least.
The crowd parts like a wave, two Raven guards holding our standard ahead of me, moonlight catching the flecks of red in their livery. I hold my head high against the unfamiliar weight of a coronet, my trailing cape brushing the grass, my parents with a hand on each of my shoulders. Silence ripples out from us, people bowing as we pass. It’s the most surreal experience, a fantasy in silver-grey and black.
The Gathering is held over three nights under the full moon. It’s when representatives of all the Raven family branches meet to form alliances, arrange marriages, catch up on news and family gossip. Not just the twelve main families, but all the subsets and minor nobility, too; it’s a big crowd. Coaches began arriving last night, sitting shuttered against the daylight. Sophie isn’t here; there are no human drivers, because it’s too dangerous. Even blood dancers stay on the coaches, under guard. I’m the only human on the field tonight.
Besides, there’s no way I want Sophie anywhere near something like this, not after what happened at Versailles. She was quiet on our way back home, though we did return to our usual easy conversation. I gave her a week off when we got back, making sure her small apartment in the Safe Zone was fully stocked with food and fresh bedding, so she could rest. We parted with a hug, and a promise I’d keep her up to date with what happened at the Gathering. Not that I’m expecting much out of the ordinary.
The guards split as we approach the dais, peeling away to the sides and bowing in unison, everything perfectly timed. It’s spectacle, imagery, ritual. Just as the Moon Harvest was.
Part of me still wants to rebel, even though I’ve chosen this path. I remember the market Kyle took me to, the night before it all fell apart. Dancing through the crowd, passed from partner to partner like a bead threaded on a string. How free I’d felt, as though my feet had wings.
And where I’d danced with Michael.
My heart still aches at the thought of him. I suppose it’s unfinished business. I don’t even know if he’s alive. I wonder whether Mistral will show up tonight. I wonder what we’ll do if they don’t.
Their Challenge has collapsed, of course. My tour, and the time spent at Jennie’s, worked well. I’m aware it’s a precarious victory, and that things can and most likely will change if I make a mistake. It’s why Joaquin’s support is so important. He’s coming tonight; his messages, full of endearments and sensual promise, have been blowing up my phone since we parted.
My parents ascend the dais first, each standing in front of a throne, leaving the central one free. For me. This is it. This is where the power shifts.
I turn to face the crowd. I’ve been through the steps, know what I’m supposed to be doing. But being here, feeling the weight of all the vampire families looking at me, is very different from talking about it in the embrace of family.
Stay standing. Wait as my parents both extend an arm to me, then bow.The rustle as the crowd follows suit. It’s like watching wind ripple across a field of wheat, bending the stems. Even the guards are kneeling. A moment of power, pure and simple. The power of my family name, of millennia of rule. It’s also the power that will allow me to make change. To bring the balance back so there’s enough for everyone.
I stand tall, claiming it.
Let the crowd see that I’m a force to be reckoned with. That being human is far more than they could ever imagine. My life may be shorter than theirs, my body weaker, but it’s no less full of potential.
