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A murmur swelled amongst the audience and I forced myself not to fidget. The frilled neck of my dress made me itch, suffocating me like a soft slipknot. “Jeremy has rallied wraiths and banshees, scores of unsavory supernaturals who all wish to see the downfall of our coven.”
At my side, Sky observed the tension in the air, her eyes darting over the many stony faces of my coven members.
“And what do you plan to do about it?” someone called from the crowd, egging on an eruption of questions and accusations. “You’re not fit to rule this coven!”
“We have been tracking Jeremy for days. I assure you, we will find him…” My tongue betrayed me, tripping over phrases and losing its grasp on eloquence. “We need to band together to hold him off, until the Black Moon ceremony. I need—I mean, we can’t afford to fight amongst ourselves.”
Each fumble only intensified my anxiety, threatening to swallow me whole. I could feel beads of perspiration forming on my forehead, my palms growing clammy, as I struggled to find my voice amidst the rumbling hall.
“If you could justlistenfor a moment…” my exasperated words were drowned out by the thrum of displeasure. “Please, I’m trying to help you–”
I stiffened when a gentle hand settled on my shoulder.
Turning at the touch, I met Sky’s gaze. I saw the same determination in her eyes that I had seen on the night we met—when she had readied herself to fight the beast alongside me.
“What are you doing?” I tried to pull my arm away, but Sky held on.
“Just trust me.” Her lips brushed my ear as she leaned into me, before releasing my arm and striding forward to address the crowd, her posture surprisingly commanding.
The grand hall resonated with an eerie stillness as Sky stood before the angry vampires. Despite her height, she looked far too fragile, too easily breakable in this cruel world I had thrust her into. Sigrid had chosen Sky’s attire for this event, dressing her like one of us. But her velvet dress, a sweeping cover of midnight blue, could do little to hide her human nature.
The coven members watched as Sky opened her arms outwards, their eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the coven,” she began, her words cutting through the silence. “I understand your doubts about my partner’s claim to the throne. But let me assure you, her worthiness surpasses any expectations.”
A distinguished vampire with centuries of life etched into his features raised a skeptical brow. “And why, may I ask, should we believe your words?” he inquired, his tone laced with patronization. “You know nothing of our plight, mortal.”
Sky locked eyes with the older vampire, refusing to be dismissed. “Because I have had the privilege of witnessing her strength, her compassion, and her unwavering dedication to your kind,” she replied, her voice carrying the weight of conviction.
My mouth hung open as I watched her. This was a new side to the woman I had never seen before. She looked colder, poised like she had been born from royalty.
Sky continued, her words gaining momentum as they echoed around the hall. “This coven stands at a critical juncture, and the one who leads must possess not only the bloodline but also the qualities that define true leadership. Courage, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to principles.”
She paused to glance at me, a small smile on her lips. “I assure you, my partner—my mate—possesses all of these qualities and more.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd. They glanced at each other, considering her words and the implications they carried. The doubts that initially clouded their minds seemed to dissipate, replaced by a glimmer of hope and curiosity. The fact that they were listening to her at all was astounding.
With a grace that seemed effortless, Sky gestured toward the crowd. “You are here right now as a collective, one coven united against a common enemy. Fighting amongst yourselves will only divide you, and that is exactly what Jeremy wants.”
Drawing courage from Sky’s words, I stepped forward once more, pushing past the tremor in my voice. “My esteemed coven members,” I began, my tone more resolute now, “I stand before you not as a perfect orator, but as someone who has spent countless hours preparing for this moment. I may not be the ruler you expected, I may not embody the same regality as my late brother and your treasured King, but my dedication to our coven is unwavering.”
My voice wavered slightly at the mention of my brother, the weight of responsibility heavy on my chest. Alberich had been their beloved ruler, and I was a sorry replacement for such a fine king. But it was a burden he had left behind, with no one else to carry it but me.
“I have immersed myself in our history, honing my skills, and learning from the triumphs and failures of those who came before me. I pledge to serve our kind with honor, to protect and advance our interests, and to guide us toward a prosperous future. We will face Jeremy and his monsters head on, and we will emerge victorious. But if we are to best my cousin, I am going to need your support.”
I looked into the eyes of each vampire present, attempting to convey my sincerity and passion, hoping that they would see beyond my initial stumble and recognize me, not as their ruler, but as their ally.
The change in the crowd was subtle, but it was there. While an air of trepidation still hung over the gathering, as the meeting went on, a small, slim seed of hope had begun to blossom.
“Where did that come from?” I tailed Sky as she ran for the car.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied over her shoulder, feigning ignorance. “I was just helping you get started, that’s all.”
Our exit from the grand hall opened out into an empty field, lined with nodding sunflowers as far as the eye could see. Dylan had the car idling a few meters away, ready to pick us up.
Thankfully, Sigrid had decided not to join the coven meeting, so she stayed at home to watch over the twins. I was more than a little relieved that I wouldn’t be subjected to her berating on the long drive back to the estate. No doubt I would hear all about my shortcomings as a public speaker the moment I walked through the doors, though.
Sigrid had her own secretive ways of getting information, and news of my embarrassing speech and subsequent rescue would no doubt have reached her already. On the bright side, I comforted myself internally, the whole ordeal may just melt the ice wall of resentment between her and Sky.
