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“You’re smarter than I first thought,” Iris says, briefly glancing my way while placing her hands on the daggers hanging from the belt around her waist. “Maybe having you for a sister-in-law will be a good thing. As long as you can keep my brother in line.”
“I’m not some child,” Oberon says irritably.
“No, just a man.” Iris returns her gaze to the procession approaching us. “Same difference.”
“Oh, Emily,” my mother says, tears glistening in her eyes as she runs the remaining distance between us to enfold me in her arms. “We were so worried about you.” Before my father can reach us, she whispers in my ear. “Is it safe?”
“Yes,” I whisper back. In a louder voice for my father’s sake, I say, “I’m fine, Mother. It was just a small scare, nothing more.”
“Oberon,” my father says as he keeps a safe distance from the other king, “good to see that you made it off your ship alive.”
I may not be a mind reader, but even I can detect the half-heartedness of his polite declaration. My father’s eyes dip as he notices us holding hands. He appears less than pleased at the show of intimacy.
“Indeed,” Oberon says. “At least one good thing came out of such a near disaster.” He looks at me with adoring eyes. “Your daughter and I were able to get to know each other better. So much so that she’s agreed to marry me.”
“Oh, how delightful,” my mother says, clasping her hands together in excitement. “Everyone will want to attend the wedding. We have so much to plan.”
“The wedding will take place in three days,” Oberon informs her.
“Three days!” My mother seems shocked. It’s an emotion that I share, but I’m not extremely surprised that he wants to do it so quickly. The sooner we’re married, the sooner we can push my father out of power.
Oberon locks eyes with my father. “As our wedding present, I expect you to abdicate the throne, so your daughter and I can rule this world.”
Now it’s my father’s turn to appear shocked. That emotion is short-lived as anger soon replaces it.
“I will do no such thing.” My father’s face turns red with barely contained rage.
“You will if you don’t want me to keep my earlier promise,” Oberon says.
“My daughter has agreed to marry you,” my father points out. “Those were your terms, now you’re trying to change them.”
“Not I,” Oberon turns his head to me. “It’s what your daughter wants as a wedding present from you. Isn’t that right, Emily?”
I don’t miss a beat. “Yes. That’s exactly right.” I stare my father down. “It’s time I finally took over, Father. You’ve had a long and successful reign. Now, it’s my turn. My children with Oberon will be both light and dark fae. They can lead both of our peoples into a united age of peace and erase the distinction that’s separated our two houses for all these years. Everyone will simply be known as fae, without being persecuted for being different.”
“That sounds rather logical to me, dear,” my mother says, placing a calming hand on my father’s arm. “Don’t you think?”
He glares at her as if she just betrayed him, and in his eyes, I suppose she did.
“No, I do not.” He snatches his arm away from her hand. “I will not abdicate the throne no matter how much you want me to. You can burn this planet out of the sky. I would rather see that happen than have a dirty dark fae wear the crown.”
Oberon’s body tenses after hearing my father’s disparaging remark. His words to me about not making threats he doesn’t intend to keep reverberates in my mind, and I know I’ll have to come up with a solution quickly.
“I have a proposal if the two of you are willing to hear it,” I say, drawing everyone’s attention.
“And what is that, dear?” my mother asks, keenly interested in a way out of this mess.
“I say we let people vote on who they want to be their ruler,” I suggest.
A sly smile of satisfaction spreads my father’s lips. “I’m fine with that suggestion.”
Oberon looks at me with concern. I smile in response as a silent signal for him to place his faith in me.
“And who would be the voters making this decision?” Oberon asks.
“The lords of New Aos,” I say.
Oberon does not seem pleased. I squeeze his hand, hoping he understands that I need him to trust my judgment.
