Page 126 of A Thieving Curse

The barrel-chested lord bowed to Alex. “What is your plan, my king?”

“A proclamation,” Alex said immediately, “to be sent to all of Rethalyon, correcting the lies Henry spread and announcing that their rightful king has returned with the backing of the Court. Oh, and I’m pardoning my friends. Then, a coronation at the earliest opportunity.”

The older lord bowed. “Very good, Your Excellency. Is…the Court dismissed?”

“Oh.” Alex blushed. “Thank you all. I am in your debt. I promise to hold the Court in higher esteem than my uncle did. The Court is dismissed.”

As the lords shuffled out, Raelyn pushed past Father, ran to Alex, and threw her arms around him. He groaned as her hands hit his back.

“Sorry!” She stepped back, as giddy with joy as when Alex had taken her flying. She felt a twinge of sadness that his wings were gone, but her relief and delight overwhelmed her. She could marry him now, the real Alexander, not the cursed prince. The man who had been there all along, hiding a kind human heart under a monstrous exterior.

“Can I get these off?” Alex rattled his shackles. His guard’s eyes widened in alarm, and he rushed to remove Alex’s chains, then fled the room. Alex wrapped his arms around Raelyn and kissed her passionately enough to make her skin tingle and a shiver jolt through her.

Someone male cleared their throat. Alex stopped kissing her and grunted as they turned toward Tristan. “I swear,” Alex bit out, wrapping his arm around her waist, “if you even insinuate a claim to Rae—”

“No.” Tristan clenched his jaw. He lifted his circlet off his head, knelt on one knee, and held the circlet up to Alex, his head bowed. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“You…” Anger flashed in Alex’s eyes. “You caused the death of my brother, took me prisoner, cut my back, nearly killed my friends, threatened Raelyn, knowingly lied to the Court, and you saysorry?”

Tristan didn’t respond, continuing to hold out his crown. Alex snatched it away. Tristan flinched, as if expecting Alex to strike him, but Alex just held the circlet against his leg. Tristan dropped his hands without looking up.

“He saved my life, Alex,” Raelyn said, touching the line of drying blood tracing down her neck from the tiny cut.

Tristan raised his head. “I’m sorry, my lady. For everything. I truly am. Part of me does wish I’d used that spell.” He lowered his head again. “But I’m glad I didn’t.”

Alex grunted. “You must leave with your father. Or separately, but you’re not welcome in Rethalyon.”

Tristan’s shoulders tensed. “Please, Your Excellency, I—”

“Oh, shut up!” Gareth strode up to Tristan’s side. “You lying—”

Tristan jerked his head up. “I had no choice!”

“You could have told the truth.” Alex tightened his grip on Raelyn’s waist.

“I couldn’t! My father—” Tristan made a strangled sound that Raelyn recognized with a sinking feeling.

“Oh, no.” She knelt in front of Tristan. “He used a spell on you.”

Tristan nodded. “After I admitted I didn’t enchant you, he feared I’d tell the truth, so he—” He choked and grasped at his throat as if something were strangling him. “I can’t say anything against him. To be honest…I don’t know I would have, anyway. I wanted to be king and marry you.”

Alex made a sound like a growl. Raelyn’s face heated, and she stood. Gareth crossed his arms and scowled down at Tristan.

“But now”—Tristan stared at the ground—“I hate Alex far less than I hate—” He choked and clenched his fists. “He said Alex deserved it, and I wanted to believe him. But then you…and I’m hisson! If he could do this to me…” He looked up at Alex, his expression anguished. “I’m sorry. For Lucas, for the things I said and did, for not believing you, for what happened to you at nine. I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“Say what happened to me,” Alex ordered, to Raelyn’s bewilderment.

Tristan crumpled. “Ican’t.”

“Maybe I don’t believe you.” Alex glared at Tristan.

“Alex,” Raelyn started, but Tristan spoke.

“When you were nine, my—” He grabbed at his throat. “You were cursed by m—” He took a wheezing breath, his face turning red, then blurted, “My father had nothing to do with it.” He gasped in air. Raelyn bit her lip, annoyed at how sorry she felt for him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I tried.”

Alex sighed. “I know. What do you want?”

Tristan lifted his gaze, hope glimmering in his eyes. “I want to stay in Rethalyon. I’ll support you as king, I swear—”

---