Page 169 of Wrath

But I didn’t say anything as Lilith held Aaliyah close to her chest. There weren’t any words.

“Goodbye, my daughter,” Lilith whispered.

Then darkness flashed, and when the shadows dispersed, both Lilith and Aaliyah were gone.

I collapsed to my knees between my mates, but I didn’t cry. There were no more tears left inside of me to shed.

The war might have been over, but why did it feel like I’d lost?

SIXTY-FOUR

Z

Istared at my reflection in the mirror, unable to reconcile the woman before me with the one I once was.

It had been two weeks since the battle ended.

Two weeks since I’d killed my sister, confronted my father, and said goodbye to my mother.

Two weeks since the world had irrevocably changed.

Our troops moved through the lands, weeding out dissenters and freeing suppressed humans. The other night, we executed the kings and the shifter representative who betrayed us. It was a solemn affair. Nobody said anything as we lined up the kings in front of us, stone-faced and arrogant up until the very end, and forced them to kneel. Axel himself delivered the blow, cutting off each of their heads, one after the other.

My mates didn’t sleep well that night.

Or any night after.

Today was the day I would finally be coronated.

Queen.

Me.

The idea was almost laughable.

But while I’d be wearing the crown alongside my mates, we decided that a monarchy wasn’t the way to go. We saw how power corrupted those in charge. So while we’d be the figureheads, at least at first, we would have very little control. That job would go to the council, which had expanded to include ten members of each species, including humans. Everybody would get a say, and the eight of us would help mediate the debates.

The council quickly decided that the humans required a kingdom of their own. Negotiations were in place to offer a tiny bit of territory from each of the kingdoms to create a place exclusive to humans. Of course, the end goal was peace between all species, but that would take time. Lots and lots of time.

At least we were taking steps in the right direction.

I smoothed my hands down the yellow dress the seamstress had created for me, a breathtaking vision of elegance and grace. It was absolutely gorgeous—and definitely nothing I would’ve picked for myself.

The bodice was made of delicate lace, intricately embroidered with floral patterns that shimmered subtly under the light. The soft, yellow fabric hugged my silhouette, accentuating my waist with a satin ribbon that tied at the back in a perfect bow. The skirt flew out from the waist in layers of silk chiffon, creating a soft, ethereal look as it cascaded to the floor. The fabric caught the light as I moved, and the train extended gracefully behind me, sweeping across the ground. Tiny, hand-sewn pearls trimmed the edges of the train, giving it a subtle sparkle with every step I took.

I felt like a princess in it.

A queen.

“You look beautiful, Z,” Mali breathed from behind me.

“Regal,” added Atta.

The two women had helped me dress for today, with the former applying my makeup and the latter doing my hair. My curls had been tamed and hung just past my shoulders, having recently been cut. The top had been teased ever so slightly, creating a windswept effect.

Emotion clogged my throat as I studied my reflection one more time before turning away.

Everything had happened so quickly, and I barely had time to wrap my head around it. Some days, I wanted nothing more than to remain in bed and grieve the family I never had. There had been no time to process the revelations my mother revealed to me.

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