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“I wouldn’t be surprised if my father tries to do a second celebration when we travel to the capital before the coronation as well with the majority of the court. Our people love a reason to celebrate, and it’ll give you a chance to meet many of the people before the larger coronation.”

“Five. That’s five, Callum.”

My cheeks flamed, but I only shrugged.

“I’m going to put my foot in my mouth at least once, you realize that, right? There’s no possible way I’m going to make it through five wedding events without saying something the wrong way and pissing someone off.”

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, unable to resist touching her even though I knew I shouldn’t. Her heart beat a bit faster, fluttering in her throat.

“They will like you regardless,” I assured her.

The talk of the celebrations had softened her, had melted some of the fragility in the way she held herself. Even still, she took a long, exaggerated breath and pinned me with another of those sardonic looks.

“The way Simeon likes me?”

She hadn’t missed the careful way Simeon interacted with her. It was a fool’s hope that she might. Thankfully, Phoebe wasn’t nearly as concerned about her similarities to the Alholím. They’d grown closer in the days she’d returned from Senona. I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Many in the court will trust the judgement of Amaria and Shelby. They will especially trust Hugh. When they have nothing to disparage, the rest will let their worries over your resembling the Alholím fade.”

She pursed her lips, clearly not agreeing with my assessment. Instead of fighting me, though, she asked, “What’s the other tattoo, the one on your forehead?”

I wanted to be sick all over again. I let my hand drop from her and ran my fingers through my hair, combing it over one shoulder.

“It’s called the Mark of the King,” I said, my voice hoarse. “My father wears it. It’s something the king receives when the mantle is passed down and he takes the oath to lead the kingdom.”

Her eyebrows furrowed as she frowned.

“But Tyrus is Crown Prince,” she said after a long minute.

My mouth was dry as a barren field. “He is.”

“So how could you have had that tattoo? And why did you have it at all? That feels way too specific for a random stress dream.”

I ran my tongue across my lip, trying to buy myself another minute before admitting to her the most likely answer. I’d already said it, but she hadn’t seemed to notice it.

I settled on, “They probably aren’t random.” Then, before she could ask anything more, I continued, “There are those within our world that are granted knowledge from the gods. We call them Diviners. They often have true dreams. They are known to be overwhelming, blurring what the Diviner understands to be true with what is the dream. Sometimes they don’t realize they were sleeping until several minutes after waking up.”

The color blanched from her cheeks. “Prophecies. You’re talking about prophecies.”

I nodded.

“I can’t be having prophetic dreams. I’m not even from here, Callum.”

I wanted to ease her concern, but the truth was more important. I ran my thumb along her jaw. My heart fluttered as she leaned into the touch, seeking more contact.

“You have magic, Amethyst,” I whispered. “Magic that doesn’t exist in your Arizona but that fits here, feels similarly to my own. I doubt having prophetic dreams is off the table.”

“You having that mark means your father and brother were…”

I swallowed heavily, trying to dislodge the lump there. “Yes. My father, Tyrus, and Tyrus’s son. It would be catastrophic for me to be crowned as King.”

“And I’m just supposed to live with these dreams? Just continue on like I haven’t seen Alholím attack us when you’re king even though that shouldn’t be possible?”

I shook my head, forcing myself to steady. She needed me to be steady, to be the calm center of her storm right now. “We go to the Medean abbey in the Basilica and discuss them with her disciples. If they deem them to be true dreams, they will record them and release you from being the steward over whatever warnings they might be, the same as any Diviner blessed by the Goddesses.”

Her gaze flicked to the dark windows just beginning to lighten with the coming sunrise. “Now? Or… or later today?”

“We can go now if that will ease your concern,” I said.