AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I burst out laughing. “Why stick to one flavor when there are so many to sample?”
“Exactly.” She looked up thoughtfully. “I like an assortment of things, and no one can really give me all that I want in one simple package. So I want the variety pack.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
I smiled at her in the mirror. My sister. Uniquely herself and she owned every bit of it. Adora grinned in return, tucking Black Magic roses around my braided crown. The deep red petals mirrored the color of blood, and the contrast against the light tones of my silver hair was striking. She hummed to herself as she moved around me, and I considered her.
I was so happy to have my family together again. I’d breathed a sigh of relief when we’d arrived at No Man’s Circus and picked up our moms. They were safe, and I never again had to worry about them. They were finding their place here, but Adora seemed restless. She wouldn’t admit it yet, but I watched her. I couldn’t tell if it was because this was so new to her, or if it was something else, but I knew she would tell me in her own time.
“It looks beautiful,” I told her, moving to stand.
She’d finished my makeup earlier, so all that was left was getting dressed. I stopped in front of the bed and stared. On one side, a simple deep-pink cotton dress with long sleeves. On the other, dark leggings and a burgundy sweater. I frowned, glancing between the two options.
“Not really what you imagined, is it?”
I shook my head. “The dress is pretty, and it’s simple, which I like. When I actually wear them, I prefer something that isn’t fussy. Like you.” I smirked, and she huffed a laugh. “But wearing what I normally wear seems too casual, doesn’t it?”
Adora shrugged. “I think you’re going to be the queen and you can do whatever you want. I imagine Elias would say the same.” Still, I wasn’t sure, and I made no move to pick something. “Or I could show you what I made.”
My sister’s eyes lit up as she ran to the closet and pulled out a knitted, hunter-green sweater dress with a thick cowl. I couldn’t argue how perfect it was. It combined what I felt like I should wear with exactly what I wanted to wear. “How did you do this? I didn’t know you knitted. How could I not know that?”
“I was at home without you, and it felt like forever, so I picked it up and learned. I had Rowe, but you’re my sister. I had to do something to pass the time. I can also bake now. Who knew?”
“You learned how to knit . . .” Running my fingers over the patterns she’d put into the sweater; I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. She wasn’t crafty or artsy like this.
“You’re welcome, of course. And I won’t take your surprise and shock at my awesomeness as a slight.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder, giving me a deadpan look.
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tightly to me. “You’re the best,” I whispered.
“I know.” I felt her smile against my cheek, and I chuckled.
After we let each other go, I dropped the robe and shimmied carefully into the sweater dress with my sister’s help. It hugged my body perfectly, staying loose in just the right places, the length coming to a few inches above the knee. The cowl dipped around my chest and shoulders. Adora held up tall, black leather boots to finish the look, and I slipped them on.
Nova had gotten up from her nap, stretching her body before she came to stand by my side. My sister came to her, pressing her forehead against Nova’s head as though they were speaking to each other silently. Then she placed a lei of the same Black Magic roses around my wolf’s neck. I turned to look at us in the full-length mirror, and I couldn’t help but smile. This was perfect. It was me—us—and it felt right. I loved it.
“You’re both beautiful, and you know it,” she said, opening the door and making a motion for me to exit first. “But it’s time to go. You admire yourself any longer and you’ll be as vain as a peacock.”
I barked a laugh, and she gave me a wide grin. We left, walking down the hallway and taking the turns to head into the throne room. I didn’t even pay attention to the directions anymore. It felt like second nature.
The first time I’d taken this walk to the throne room, I’d been on the verge of throwing up. Not today. I had butterflies for different reasons, but none of them were bad.
Ysabeau stood at the entrance, looking at my attire. Tilting her glasses down, she gave me a wink of approval. “It suits you,” she said. “I like it.” Then she opened the doors.
Each member of the High Court was present, and my mom and Abbey stood off to the side, just a few steps away from the dais. True to form, my mother had happy tears streaming down her face while Abbey wrapped her comforting arms around her.
This was it. Somehow, I had expected more, but I wasn’t disappointed in the least at the small crowd.
Elias sat on his throne, a sexy smile playing on his lips. Desire struck me, his emotion leaking into me, and a warmth bloomed on my cheeks. I shook my head slightly, trying to suppress a small laugh.
Ysa cleared her throat, nudging me forward, and I stepped up to the dais as my mate stood, turning to face me. Nova stayed by my side, sitting next to me and looking out over everyone in the room.
“My queen,” Elias whispered, taking my hand and pressing his lips to the top in a soft kiss. “You look good enough to eat.” He cocked an eyebrow, and I pressed my legs together.
I widened my eyes slightly and mouthed, “Stop,” motioning with my eyes toward my family. My moms were right there. They may have pretended not to hear it, but Adora groaned in response. I pressed my lips together in a slight smile.
Marisa stepped forward as head of the High Court, dipping her chin respectfully.
“Dannika, you’ve been given the Laskaris tattoo to show your commitment to your House and your mate.”
I held my arm out, pulling the sleeve to my elbow, extending it for all to see. Where smooth and unmarred skin had once been, now there was an intricately placed tattoo. A thick band starting at my wrist, wrapping its way up my arm, curving around until it came back to end where it began. A never-ending loop. Inside it, Celtic knotwork represented his mother, lacing around strategically placed daphne flowers all centered around an olive branch, representing his father. Rage may have run deep in his family, but they’d always aspired for peace.
