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50
Lily
As we walked back into the Holy Clearing the people of the Court came closer. Many reached out their hands to me, the light of hope shining in their eyes. It reminded me of what Alira had told me in my dream…
“Those in power seek to take…you must face them when you wake. And though all alone you stand…the power you need is close at hand.”
Her words echoed in my head and as I looked at all the Dark Fae who wanted me to be their Queen, I knew what I had to do.
“Fae of the Midnight Court, both High and Lesser!” Mordren called, stepping in front of me. “The time has come! Our lost Princess Lilliana has returned to us and now we must crown her and hear who she will choose as her consort!”
A cheer went up from the crowd and then they started chanting that strange verse again.
“Blessed is she whose Bite is Sweet—who gives Pleasure with Pain—who Fills us all even as she Drains us. Blessed is she whose Bite is Sweet…”
“There you are, my dear—the people are with you,” Lady Nolana—who was still holding my hand—whispered in my ear. “You must find a way to refute whatever Mordren says—don’t let him have your Power!”
“I won’t,” I murmured from the corner of my mouth. “Just keep holding my hand—and take hands with someone else, too. In fact, I need the whole Court holding hands. Can you do that?”
Her eyes widened but I thought I saw a glimmer of understanding.
“I can try,” she said and then reached out to the Fae beside her—who happened to be the little girl I’d met down in the basements of the Palace, where the Lesser Fae lived.
But when Lady Nolana tried to take her hand, the little girl shrank back in fear—probably because she didn’t know her.
“Hello, Leeza! I said, smiling down at her. It seemed safe to talk now—Mordren was busy strutting importantly in front of the gathered crowd and Elgiana was standing to one side, still holding the vial of antidote in one hand, watching him.
“Princess!” she breathed, looking up at me in wonder. “You look beautiful!”
“Thank you, sweetheart—so do you,” I told her. “But I need you to do me a favor—I need you to let Lady Nolana here hold your hand. In fact, I need everyone to hold hands.”
“We used to hold hands in our class—back when I got to go to school,” Leeza said wistfully.
“I promise you’re going to go back to school,” I said fiercely. “But you have to help me by holding hands. Can you?”
The little girl nodded, her eyes shining.
“Yes, Princess!” She reached for Lady Nolana’s hand and then reached with her other hand for her mother who took Leeza’s hand automatically. She had been talking to the women beside her, but she looked down when the little girl tugged impatiently.
“What is it, Leeza?” she asked.
“The Princess says everyone needs to hold hands!” Leeza nodded at me and her mother’s eyes widened as she saw how close I was.
“Oh, Princess! Forgive me for not noticing you before!” She sank into a curtsy and then straightened up.
“Hello Teela,” I said, smiling. Mordren was coming towards me with a glittering crown studded with Royal Purple gems. I knew my time was growing short. “Leeza is right—I need everyone to hold hands,” I told her quickly. “Please—can you pass the word along?”
“Hold hands!” Leeza exclaimed again. “Hold hands, Mama!”
“Oh yes—of course!” Her mother took the hand of the woman to her left and I heard her murmuring what I had asked. The Lesser Fae woman looked at me, curtseyed, and took the hand of the person next to her. And then she held hands with the next person and so on and so on, down the line.
All this time, I was still holding Lady Nolana’s hand, our fingers tightly entwined. I wasn’t sure if she was visible to everyone again, since Leeza could clearly see her, so I stepped in front of her, putting myself between her and Mordren and twisting so the hand she was holding was behind my back.
“Well, well, Princess,” he remarked sarcastically. “I suppose it’s time for your coronation now. Do you remember who you’re supposed to name as your King Consort?”
“You—I’ll name you the King,” I said, keeping my face blank.
“Very good! All right then, let us proceed. People of the Midnight Court, I give you…the Crown of Midnight!” he shouted, raising the glimmering silver crown high above his head. “It is my honor to place it on the head of our Princess and declare that she is a Princess no longer—she is instead the Rightful Queen of the Midnight Court!”
