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“I don’t know, Stableforth…” Liath looked at the silver throne askance and I couldn’t say I blamed him. He’d seen both his Great Aunt and his sister killed by the Shadow Throne and we had all just watched as Asfaloth and Calista were stripped of their magic and kicked out of the Fae Ream, probably forever—since I couldn’t see those two ever feeling sorry for their crimes.
Was it any wonder that Liath was reluctant to try his own luck? I thought not. In fact, after all I had seen, I was scared too. Except I felt something else as well—for some reason I was drawn to the massive silver throne sitting on the dais.
Without knowing what I was doing, I took a step towards it.
Liath seized my hand and squeezed so hard it hurt. I yelped and turned towards him only to see his face filled with anxiety for me.
“Alira, don’t do this,” he murmured. “We can rule without taking the throne. We’re still a Prince and Princess, after all. We don’t have to be King and Queen.”
“I would not be so quick to discard this opportunity to sit the Shining-Shadow Throne, my Prince,” Stableforth said, before I could answer. “According to all the texts I have ever read, this chance comes once and never again. And I believe the throne is meant for you—the two of you.”
“But…” Liath stopped, a look of indecision on his face.
“Please, Liath…” I tugged on his hand. “For me—let’s try it. I think it wants us to sit on it.”
“You think so, huh?” he growled, but allowed himself to be pulled up the steps of the dais where the throne sat waiting.
But before I could be seated, he took me by the shoulders and peered anxiously down into my eyes.
“What are we going to do if it decides we’re un-fucking-worthy and strips us of our magic and ejects us into the Mortal World? What then, little bird?” he demanded.
I looked up at him calmly.
“I don’t care.”
“What?” Liath demanded. “What are you talking about?”
“What I just said—I don’t care,” I told him. “As long as the two of us are together, I don’t care where we end up or even if we have magic or not.” I shrugged. “I’ve done without it most of my life, anyway. But I can’t do without you. So please, Liath—sit with me. Please?”
He sighed and raked a hand through his long white mane.
“Gods, little bird—why can’t I say no to you?”
“Maybe because you don’t want to.” I gave him a little smile. “Come on, Liath—either we’re the rightful rulers of the newly united Realm or we’re regulars at Harry’s Bar. Either way, as long as we’re together, it will be all right.”
Liath sighed again and nodded.
“All right. On the count of three then… One…two…three!”
And we sat down on the Shining-Shadow Throne together.
36
I felt the invisible bands again, clamping around my wrists and ankles, holding me in place. So did Liath because he gritted his teeth and I heard him mutter,
“Fuck!”
I tensed all over. Any moment I expected to either be killed by a blast of light or told by the throne that we were unworthy and ejected into the Mortal Realm.
To my surprise, neither of those things happened. Though it seemed to take forever for the throne to make up its mind about us, at last it spoke.
“You have been weighed in the scales and deemed worthy. Welcome, New King and Queen of the Fae Realm. Long may you reign!”
I let out the breath I’d been holding and beside me, I heard Liath doing the same thing. We dared to look at each other and I saw hope and love and joy shining in his bronze eyes.
“Liath?” I whispered.
“Don’t you mean King Liath?” Stableforth trotted carefully up the steps and held out the Sun Crown to Liath.
But my husband shook his head.
“No—the Sun Crown has always gone with the Shining Throne. And though the throne is no more—or, er, it’s changed—the crown should still go to the rightful heir. Only Alira should wear it.”
“But…but…” I looked up uncertainly. “You’re the King—don’t you want to wear the crown?”
He shook his head.
“Why, because the King always wears the crown? No. You proved in the dungeons that you’re the most powerful Fae in the Realm. You fucking tore down the Great Divide! You should wear the crown.” He motioned to Stableforth. “Put it on her head.”
Uncertainly, I leaned forward and allowed the Centaur to crown me. The Sun Crown adjusted itself at once, fitting around my temples like a gleaming band of light. I looked up at Liath.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
His eyes were glowing with pride.
“Didn’t I tell you on our wedding night that you’d be the most powerful Fae in either Realm? I’m so damn proud of you, little bird.”
He cupped my cheek and bent down for a long, sweet kiss, which I was glad to return. When the kiss finally broke, I felt the by-now familiar symptoms. My nipples were tight and my breasts were filled with nectar—not to mention the way my pussy was throbbing. I was flushed and needy all over again—as though I had only just swallowed the lust potion.
