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“What?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nothing. I just… you look completely calm. I realize that you’re the perfect wife because you were born for this life. You can handle a room full of council members. It’s kind of hot.”
His words make me snort out a laugh. Any remaining tension leaves my body. I square my shoulders, taking a deep breath.
“Let’s do this.”
Together, Stellan and I walk inside. The moment the door opens, the conversations inside cease and each and every person turns to look at me. The only thing that keeps me from cowering behind Stellan is the years of conditioning I’ve endured with the fae. I hold my head high, pretending like they’re not looking.
“This is her?” A voice asks.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I guess they’re not so different than the fae monarchs, talkingaboutme instead oftome.
“Finnian, you met Princess Wisteria at the wedding,” King Basilicus says, addressing the shifter.
“Yes, yes,” the man, Finnian, waves a hand dismissively. “But then I thought she was just a fae. Now I know better.”
Justa fae?
“Her mixed blood explains how she has such strong magic,” another shifter says, his tone holding something like awe. “Fighting off three male dragons is unheard of, especially for a female.”
Ah, yes. I did forget for a moment. Female dragons are weaker and to a species that values strength…
Well, that explains why there are no females on the council. I wonder what these men would think if they saw the fae council. Though men do outnumber women, there are many women monarchs. I wonder what they’d make of Queen Winnie, who is by far the wisest monarch. They’d probably be intimidated by her wisdom. Or Queen Summer, with her sass. I have to fight the smile that threatens to appear.
“Please come forward, Princess Wisteria.” An older guy stands and bows to me before motioning me to step further into the room.
Well… ‘Princess’ is a much better title than I’m used to with the fae. And Iamtheir Princess since I’m married to Stellan.
I start to let go of Stellan’s hand to step forward, but he tightens his grip. I shoot him a grateful smile and we step forward together. The dragon shifters look between Stellan and me. I can see a mixture of confusion and possibly curiosity. What did they expect? For Stellan and I to have a cold marriage? There was no way I was going to live like that.
“May have a demonstration of your magic?” The older guy, who still hasn’t sat down, asks.
I look from him to Stellan. Stellan shrugs at me, so I look back to the older guy and clear my throat. “Uh, my magic is strong—I can’t always control how hard it hits. If I used it, even a dragon shifter would be knocked flat for a while.”
“Three days,” King Basilicus says. “That is how long every dragon shifter she’s used her magic on is passed out.”
Three days? I had no idea my magic was that strong. Those dragons are lucky they’re still alive.
The older guy steps back a step. “Oh.”
“And my other magic…” I pause, then add, “I suppose myfaemagic is more for things like growing things.” I point to the flower in my hair and make it grow, having vines and flowers circle around my head. “Which I don’t think you are really interested in.”
Stellan shifts beside me. I glance over at him and see that he’s smiling. I remember him being amused by my flower crown when we first got married.
“You’re shorter than I recall,” another council member says, narrowing his eyes. “You must get your height from your fae father.”
I shrug. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t recall what my mother looked like. She died when I was just a baby.”
Stellan squeezes my hand. I smile at him, trying to show him that I’m okay. I didn’t remember my mom. There were times growing up I longed to have a mother, but I survived. And now… now I have the family I always longed for. Stellan’s family is exactly what I’ve always longed for in my own family.
“We don’t actually know how tall elves were.” King Basilicus’s focus is on Stellan and my clasped hands. He glares at it, like by his own will he can force us to not hold hands.
Does King Basilicus not want Stellan and I to be happy together? What is his problem? I want to ask him, but I wouldn’t dare do it in a room full of council members.
Okay… maybe I wouldn’t ask at all. King Basilicus is an intimidating guy.
I scoot closer to Stellan’s side and whisper to him, “Does this mean they don’t hate me for being a hybrid?”
