The ballroom sounded just as lively as it felt when Dez had hosted his masquerade.
With Azrael at my side, we made our way to the stairs, and I saw all seven men standing at the end of them. Tristan, Kaiden, Naaz, Dez, Eris, Cassius… even Dormius stood there with them. But positioned behind D was a familiar guard—though, now, he wore handsome attire that matched the same blue that Dormius had on.
I smiled to myself as I took them all in.
Myguys.
“Are you ready?” Azrael asked, looking up at me.
“I am.” We walked down together, and Azrael handed me off to Tristan.
“We thought this would be the best way to introduce him,” Dez whispered. “People might feel a little more at ease with him atyourside. They trust you.”
I lifted my gaze to Tristan. “Are you ready to meet them?”
Though I couldn’t see the nerves in his eyes, I felt them in my core. But Tristan nodded once at me before we all walked forward together, the rest of the guys right behind us.
When the guards opened the doors, the crowd fell into a deafening silence. The attendees stared at Tristan first, parting as they created a line that led straight through the ballroom. But as their eyes traveled past Tristan, they landed on me.
Whispers began as we walked through the parted crowd. They were not only seeing the glow in his eyes, but mine as well, and no one seemed to know what to think at first.
“…his eyes…”
“…a god?”
“…look at her…”
We reached the end of the room, and both of us stepped onto the platform together, stopping in front of the throne—Dez’s throne. But as Dez jogged up to us, he took my other hand and turned me to face the crowd.
“There are a lot of questions you all have,” Dez announced, his voice bellowing against the loud silence before us. “They will all be answered in time. But for now, I would like toreintroduceyou to your princess, Morrigan. The chosen queen of Andonia, and beside her…”
Tristan stiffened in my hand, but he kept a neutral face as he stared out at the people, a daze glazing over his eyes.
“Tristan, the son of Ryuk and Rosina.”
Gasps rang out through the crowd, and even I grew a little nervous. No one spoke or moved. We stood in silence, frozen in time, for what felt likehours. But then, one by one, the attendees began to…kneel. The entireroombegan to kneel.
“What are they doing?” Tristan asked with a worried tone.
“They’re kneeling for you, Tristan,” I whispered to him.
But Dez shook his head at my words. “Not him.”
Suddenly, I heard the whispers breaking through the silence.
“…she’s returned…”
“…her eyes…”
“…princess…”
I swallowed against my dry throat as I tried to understand what was happening right now. “Why are they bowing for me?”
“You left a mortal, Morrigan, and came back agoddess,” he said quietly. “It’s no longer just Tristan that has a claim to that throne.Youwere the prophesied queen in their eyes.”
I whipped my head toward him, eyes wide. “No, I’m not?—”
“Princess!” someone shouted in the crowd.
