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Seeing my dubious expression, he hurries to add, “It’s nothing to worry about, only a matter of formality.”
An apprehensive flutter takes hold in my chest as I dissect his words. I can’t imagine what discussion he wants to have about his new status that might concern me. I motion for him to proceed.
“I am not king.” Alaric watches me closely as that sinks in.
There are only a few reasons I can think of why that might be. Either Alaric rejected the crown, or in the time I slept, he did away with the need for a ruler among vampires.
Neither of which seems like something he would do. It would be too risky to leave the existing vampires without some rule or government to hold them accountable. Unless….
Unless the court rejected him as sovereign. But even that doesn’t seem likely as we are still in the castle, and it wouldn’t explain how there’s a matter of formality concerning me?
“I think I’m going to need a little more information,” I start slowly. Disquiet takes flight in my stomach like a swarm of moths. “If you’re not king, then…”
Alaric unlatches the wooden box in his hands, all the while keeping his sharp gaze trained on me. “You killed Elizabeth,” he says quietly, lifting the lid.
Inside is a crown, delicate and sharp. It has the telltale sign of night-forged silver, impossibly sleek, as if it was made from liquid moonlight.
“You, Clara Valmont, are queen.”
CHAPTER FORTY
CLARA
The ability to think,let alone respond, eludes me entirely. I can only gape. I press the back of my hand to my forehead, checking to see if I am hallucinating from fever.
He’s saying something, but I can’t hear him over the roaring that fills my ears and the scrape of air as it flows in and out of my lungs in short bursts.
“What?” I say when I finally manage to drag my eyes up to his face.
“Because you killed Elizabeth, you are now the vampire queen.”
“No… I… that—that doesn’t make sense. She crownedyou. And… and I’m not even a vampire.” My chest rises and falls with quick, shallow breaths that make my head swim. I shake my head over and over. The world tilts on its axis, making me dizzy. I cannot imagine any circumstance when waking up to find that you are queen would be consideredonly a formality.
Alaric sets the box off to the side, and half crawls onto the bed, gripping my face in both hands. “Breathe, Clara.”
He inhales and exhales in slow exaggeration, nodding when I match his breathing. When I’ve calmed down as much as I’m going to, he releases my face and sits back.
“No vampire would bow to a ruler who inherited the throne. You killed her. That makes you queen.” Alaric reaches for my hand. His is warm and dry against my cold, clammy skin. “You don’t need to do this on your own. Your friends and allies will be there to help you—whatever you decide.”
I swallow thickly. “What about you?” I ask, needing to hear it, needing to know if he considers himself one of those people… to know if there is anything left between us.
His shoulders relax. “I will be there, too.” Alaric hooks his finger around a strand of hair clinging to my cheek and tucks it behind my ear. “It would be dangerous to leave a void of power.” His words echo my earlier thought.
There are likely a million details that will need to be ironed out. At least I have the comfort of knowing I won’t need to find my way through this mess on my own.
If I accept this… I will spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder for anyone who wishes to depose me. I’ve never wanted that kind of authority, let alone imagined something like this was possible. I don’t even know where to begin.
“Clara…” The way he says my name brings me back from the overwhelming implications of what such control would mean.
“I am not sure I can do this,” I admit. “I’m not cut out to rule over anyone.”
“As queen, you in the undeniable position to help forge new laws. Things need to change, in ways no one else but you can set in motion. I think you will agree that it is long overdue.” He smiles, but there is a bone deep weariness in it. “Though if you want to abdicate, then we will find a solution and it will only be until necessary arrangements are made.”
He’s right. We cannot allow things to go on as they have, and this is a rare opportunity to set things right. Those with power must be kept in check. Because no one deserves to live in constant fear or have their lives and families torn apart.
Demons and saints… Am I seriously considering this?
“Would we have to stay here—forever? I don’t know if I could bear that,” I say. A shudder rolls through me. “There are too many memories, too much pain in these walls.”
