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Selfishly, I felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of Cass ruling over the Golden Court. What would that mean for us?
“It’s going to be awhile before I will be able to step into my role full time,” he explained. “Things with the war are going to really have to calm down before I can be at the Golden Court full time.”
His words, “full time” struck me, but I tried to remain happy for him instead of thinking of myself. I didn’t get to see Cass as much as I would like to, with him having to patrol the border wall so often, but he still managed to pop down to the High Court and see me on a regular basis. How often would I get to see him if he was “full time” at the Golden Court? I could come see him sometimes, but I couldn’t be gone all the time.
“I know we haven’t been together very long, Mand,” he began, and my heart skipped a beat. “But I want you here with me. You don’t have to say anything right now, but when I do finally take my place at the Golden Court, I want you next to me.” He grabbed my hand, rubbing his thumb across the top of it lightly.
I felt the warmth of a smile blossom in my heart before it made its way to my face. It sounded like a good dream—Cass and me settling down at the Golden Court together. It was a dream I could picture myself living out with him…one day.
30
Cass
“Lord Davante, will you please rise?” High Lord Dumont requested.
I rose from my chair on the dais that High Lord Dumont, the Prince, and I sat on overlooking the rest of the guests at the Golden Court’s inaugural Winter Gala. I faced my High Lord. He rose from his ornamented, gilded chair and tapped me on the shoulder, directing me to stand to his right, facing out toward the crowd.
“Prince Heroux, would you do me the honor of standing witness for this ceremony?” High Lord Dumont requested, gesturing to the empty space to his left. The Prince elegantly rose from his finely detailed chair and gave High Lord Dumont a respectful nod as he took his place to the high lord’s left.
Murmuring spread amongst the crowd as the components of a formal ceremony fell into place. I was unsure what my high lord had in store for me, but I blindly trusted Drake. And that was something I could say about almost no one else in this Kingdom.
“Lord Davante, it is not often that someone can claim something good out of civil unrest and war, but I stand here today to do just that.”
Excited murmuring continued to expand throughout the masses until a concerted effort of shushing brought the ambient noise back under control. High Lord Dumont smiled down at his constituents patiently.
“I have worked with you these last few years, and in that time, you have served as my confidante and a compassionate and fearless leader for our people.”
Despite the seriousness of the moment, a few cheers and whistles broke out from the crowd in agreement.
“Now I would like to ask you to serve in another important role for me and for this Court which you have made a home for so many. As some of you may know,” High Lord Dumont said, turning his attention toward those who stood in the crowd below us, “I lost my dear wife before we were able to conceive an heir. However, it is with happiness in my heart that I stand here before you all today so that you may know that, although Lord Davante may not be of my blood, he is my kin. I name Lord Cassian Arturo Davante heir to all I have in this world, including the seat of the throne of the Golden Court,” the high lord declared.
I kept my gaze on the crowd and maintained my soldier’s stance, but shock rippled through my body in waves. We’d discussed the possibility of Drake naming me as his heir on quiet nights where we shared our dreams of the future. But I’d had no idea he had intended to make such a move now.
Drake turned to me, looking at my face with pride beaming in his kind, hard eyes.
“My High Lord and my friend, you give me an honor, which is my life’s ambition to accept. I shall serve with honor in your name so long as this Court shall have me.”
“So witnessed,” the Prince repeated ceremonially.
Cheers erupted from familiar faces out in the crowd. I reached behind me and grabbed my mug of lager off the table.
“To theGoldenCourt, to the King, to the Kingdom,” I roared over the chaos, raising my glass in a toast.
I looked over at Mandy. Her glass was raised in her hand, and I caught an unmistakable glint of love in her eyes. She looked like a princess who had stepped right out of one of the old paintings that hung in hallways. Her long brown hair was curled and tossed over one shoulder. She woremycolors, the colors of the Golden Court, and the gold made the golden thread in her green eyes dance like an ember flame. Slips of gold gossamer fabric formed the top of her form-fitting bodice. The skirt of her dress was made of tiers of layered, delicate golden fabric that expanded out, making her torso appear all the more petite.
I’d promised her that the Golden Court would be our home someday. Now she understood that not only would it be our home, it would beourCourt, and she would sit next to me on this dais someday.
Our business out of the way, we turned our attention to our guests for the evening. A line had formed in front of the dais of those patiently waiting for their turn to speak to one of us.
“Prince Heroux,” a small lesser fae woman with spiky orange hair and golden embers for eyes addressed the Prince.
She looked like the incarnate of a flame, and I wondered if she had any abilities that were fire related. She sunk into a low, respectful bow before righting herself and addressing the Prince once more.
“I would like to personally welcome you to our Court, my Prince. My cousin, he resides at the Emerald Court, and he tells me great things about your Court. I hope that the Golden Court follows in your footsteps, my Prince.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome. Please visit the Emerald Court so that we may return the courtesy,” the Prince responded succinctly but kindly.
The small woman nearly jumped out of her shoes in her excitement at receiving an invitation from the Prince himself to his Court.
