Page 131 of Triumph at Pemberley

She reached out to take his hand. Strange fae magic flowed through her unnaturally slender fingers into him. “Someday, perhaps,” she said with evident regret. “First I must prove myself as Queen. I cannot afford to be seen as having a connection to a mortal man. It would be perceived as a weakness.”

Elizabeth said sharply, “You do not seem surprised by any of this.”

The fae queen who had once been Georgiana inclined her head. “I knew it to be a possibility. Ysmeina’s prophecy is fulfilled.”

Elizabeth said slowly, “Because Darcy struck the final blow by destroying his heart?”

She shook her head. “Not for that. He fulfilled the prophecy long ago, setting all this in motion.”

Confused, Darcy asked, “What do you mean?”

She turned those tilted green fae eyes on him. “You loved me when you had every reason not to. You offered me protection when I was helpless. You treated me as your beloved sister. You gave me a drop of your blood, the blood of Ysmeina’s heirs, in exchange for mine, which allowed you to destroy his heart. But far more than that, the gift of your love gave me the will and a reason to destroy him. If you had ignored me and forced me back to Faerie, I would never have found the strength to stand against him.” Even her language felt different now, more formal.

Elizabeth said in an awed voice, “He never recognized that you could be a threat. His belief in the prophecy was his own downfall.”

“He thought of me as no more than his tool. Fitzwilliam was the one who taught me I was more than that. I can never repay the gift you gave me when I was powerless and weak.”

Darcy tasted bitterness. He wanted no repayment, only to have his sister back. Instead, their victory over both his great enemies had cost him Georgiana. True, she had been drifting away from him to her lesser fae for months, but this was forever. “It was not a gift, but my very great privilege as your brother.” His voice was thick.

She hesitated and blinked quickly, almost like the old Georgiana, and then said, “As for you, Elizabeth Darcy, I feared you and your dragon when we first met, but you won me over with your generous heart, courage, and love for my blood brother. Take good care of my beloved Fitzwilliam and watch over him for me.” How strange it was to hear her using full names in the fae manner!

Darcy could see the tears forming in Elizabeth’s eyes before she choked out, “I will, and I wish you good fortune and the long, happy reign you deserve.”

“There is one more thing, Elizabeth Darcy. I would speak to your dragon. Will you call her?”

Elizabeth paled. “Can you give your word you will not harm her in any way and perform no magic upon her?”

He could sense her discomfort in bargaining like a fae against this new Georgiana. And they had sat across from her at dinner last night.

The High Queen nodded. “I give my word she will be unharmed, and I will attempt no magic. I simply wish to speak to her.”

“I will try to tell her. She may not be listening now.”

The High Queen nodded. “Do your best.” Then she turned away and called in a voice that echoed through the clearing, “Jasper Fitzwilliam.”

Jasper came forward, his eyes round with awe, but he knew enough to make a court bow.

The queen reached out a hand to one of her fae, and a silver dagger appeared in it.

She held it out hilt first. “Jasper Fitzwilliam, your teaching gave me the tools to end a centuries-long reign of terror in Faerie. You have been another brother to me. Pray accept this token of my appreciation. It will never slip from your hand, nor will it ever grow dull. Care for it well; it is one of the treasures of Faerie.”

Jasper's eyes flared with the light only a fine weapon could bring to them. He weighed it in his hand, then made a few feints with it. “A fine blade, and its balance is true. I will hold it close. Should you ever require a swordsman by your side, I hope you will think of me.”

“I will remember that,” she said gravely. Her voice hardened as she said, “Lady Anne Darcy, will you step forward?”

Darcy stiffened. Lady Anne had hurt Georgiana badly by rejecting her as a child. They had at least been polite these last months, but was she now seeking revenge?

What would he do if she was? Would this new Georgiana turn on him if he protected his mother?

Lady Anne hesitated. Finally she moved towards Georgiana, or whatever Georgiana was now, walking as if she were headed towards her execution. She raised her chin and said, “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“You were not kind to me, Lady Anne, although it was no fault of mine you lost your own child. Still, I do not support the thefts of he who came before me, and I would make it right.” She crooked her fingers at one of her fae, who suddenly held a swaddled newborn infant in her arms, its face scrunched and red.

At a gesture from the queen, the little fae with the baby went to stand directly before Lady Anne. “This is the child who was taken from you,” he squeaked.

Lady Anne shuddered. “How could this be?” she asked suspiciously.

“She was put into a current out of time when she was brought to Faerie. He who came before me feared she might be the prophesied one who would end his life, but he could not harm her because of his promise to Ysmeina. Instead he kept her a helpless infant. But she is your baby; you know I cannot lie.”