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“He’s right.” Ryder nodded in encouragement. “I never thought in all of my life that I would witness such an event. You’re extraordinary, Ilara.”
I breathed in on my own, and my mate’s air affinity slowly retreated from my lungs. White feathers lay on the floor behind me as my angel affinity hummed and finished sealing the puncture wound the king had inflicted upon me.
“By the gods.” Lady Wormiful brought a hand to her chest. “I thought she was going to die.”
“And by the hand of our king, nonetheless.” Lord Crimsonale bowed in Norivun’s direction. “Crown Prince, you have my full support in challenging the king to the throne.”
“And you have mine.” Lady Wormiful bowed too.
Lady Busselbee’s complexion was ashen, and shock filled her eyes. “Never in my life had I thought to witness such vulgarity as I did today. Prince Norivun, if what the villagers are saying is true about how you saved innocents and shielded them from the king’s actions, and that you and Lady Seary have been working tirelessly behind the king’s back to discover what has truly been going on with our continent, then you have my blessing as well.”
Lord Pinebeer followed, uttering his support.
The only one who balked was Lord Woodsbury. He sneered at us from across the room. I slowly sat up and fingered my neck. Whole, intact skin greeted my fingertips. I swallowed, waiting for pain to follow, but it felt normal.
“You’re fully healed, love.” Sandus patted my shoulder. “You are an enigma, Ilara Seary, daughter of Mervalee Territory. But by the gods, am I glad you are.”
Nish blinked rapidly, and I gave him a small smile.
“Are those tears you’re shedding for me?” I asked, surprise filling me that my voice wasn’t even hoarse.
Nish’s head snapped back, and he ran a finger near his eye. “What? Of course not. Warriors don’t cry.”
Norivun huffed a soft, relieved laugh before helping me to my feet. The six of us faced the last territory archon who had yet to give his support.
“Lord Woodsbury? What say you of my challenge to the king?” Norivun leveled him with a heavy stare.
The archon’s throat bobbed, and his wings ruffled. “But she was supposed to marry?—”
“She’s my eternal mate,” the prince snarled. “She was to marry nobody but me.”
Lady Wormiful’s eternal mark flashed silver in the fairy lights when she held her hand up. She seethed at the Isalee archon. “Really, Alestair. Enough of your sniveling about that dastardly son of yours. They’re eternal mates.”
Lord Woodsbury’s cheeks puffed out. “Excuse me? Are you accusing my son?—”
“Oh, shut up, Alestair!” Lady Wormiful countered. “Everybody knows that Arcane’s a pedophile and abuser. The only one in denial about it is you. So stop your condescending demands and put your pride away. We have bigger things to worry about right now than your family’s marital alliances. Support the prince against the tyrant on the throne. If the looking glass’s revelations against the king didn’t convince you, then surely the king’s behavior against Lady Seary did? Prince Norivun is right. The king’s a murderer. He is no longer worthy of wearing the Solis crown.”
Lord Woodsbury sneered. But after Lady Busselbee and Lord Pinebeer also voiced their support of my mate,he finally sighed. “All right. Fine. I also support you, Prince Norivun.”
My mate bowed. “Thank you, councilors.”
“So what now?” Ryder asked.
Norivun straightened. “Now we find my father, and we bring justice to our land.”
CHAPTER 26 - NORIVUN
“How are we going to find the king?” Ilara peered up at me, her affinity-transformed violet eyes shining brightly.
My heart still thundered at how close I’d come to losing her. “I don’t know, but if we enlist the help of a fairy with a tracking affinity, we’ll likely locate him within?—”
An explosion rocked the ground, and the windows shuddered in their panes.
“Mother Below!” Lady Busselbee flew to the window, and her mouth dropped open. “It’s the king!”
On a gust of my air affinity, all four of my guards, Ilara, and I were at the window, peering down into the huge courtyard.
“Blessed Mother.” My hands pumped into fists.
