Page 84 of Once Upon an Enchanted Kiss

“Are you ready?” he asked, a smile in his voice.

“There are so many people,” she whispered. “The Fae royals came? I thought they weren’t invited.”

“I had a change of heart. Honestly, I was surprised they came.”

Her gut suddenly clenched. “What about Queen Rowena?”

“She was invited but declined,” he said.

Something about that seemed off to her, but she refrained from saying so. If Rowena didn’t know she was alive and well, she certainly did now. What would stop her from coming after her again? She tried to put that out of her mind as she stared at the large congregation. Her stomach clenched into a tighter knot.

“I knew there were going to be a lot but I didn’t expect…this.”

He patted her hand. “You only need to concern yourself with one person.” When she cut him a glance, he smiled and said, “Phillip.”

Yes, Phillip. She turned her gaze back to the aisle and saw him waiting for her at the end of the altar. He wore dark pants and shiny knee-high black boots. His violet waistcoat was the same color as his parent’s wedding clothing. His sword was strapped to his side. From the distance, she could see the gold buttons gleaming in the late morning sun. He even wore white gloves to complete the formal attire. Her heart skipped a beat.

She took a deep breath, expelled it. “I’m ready.”

They started down the aisle together. It was only as she took her first step, she realized there was lute and harp music. Had there been music decided in the planning? She didn’t recall. All eyes were on her as she and her father made their way toward the altar awash in morning sun.

But as they continued, a shadow passed over the gardens, momentarily blotting out the light. Her breath caught in her throat as she stole a glance upward. But there was nothing in the sky.

Then she heard it. Thewhump, whumpof wings as the shadow once again passed over them. She glanced upward and saw the black leathery beast gliding through the sky, circling the gardens as though it were a predator stalking its prey.

She came to a jarring halt halfway down the aisle, her gaze fixed on the sky as she watched the great black dragon. When others caught sight of it, a ripple of gasps went through the crowd.

“What is it?” her father asked.

“Dragon,” she whispered.

“Nonsense. There are no dragons here,” he said.

“But there are.”

She never looked away as the dragon—Rowena—landed on the outer wall with a resounding boom. Rocks crumbled to the ground in her wake.

“What a lovely gathering you have, King Stephan,” the great beast said in a deep, raspy voice. “Such a glittering affair.”

Her serpentine eyes landed on Stephan as she lowered her head to look closer to the king. Rosamund moved to stand in front of her father, clutching her bouquet tight in one hand and wishing she had a weapon in the other. Phillip moved to stand by her side, pushing the king behind him. The two of them formed a human wall between the king and the dragon.

Most of the crowd had scattered back into the castle, leaving only a few remaining. The four Fae royals stood front and center. Both Fae kings, Atlas and Draco, wielded their swords. Elara and Titania flanked them. Titania’s hands glowed with a bright white light. King Reginald took his wife by the hand and rushed away from the front of the altar as quickly as possible. Adele cut them a glance, fear etched on her face.

“I see my fellow Fae have also joined the celebration. A pity I will have to roast them alive as well.”

The dragon’s throat burned white hot as she opened her snout and prepared to release a stream of fire. Titania jumped in front of them, holding her hands aloft and forming a glittering shield around them all.

This did nothing but infuriate the dragon more. She growled, low in her throat, making the wall in which she sat rumble. More loose rocks fell to the ground.

“Be gone, Rowena!” Titania said. “You are not wanted here.”

The dragon beast lifted straight and tall, her short stubby front leg clutching her heart as though she were offended.

“Not wanted?” Then she laughed and steam trickled from her snout. “My dear queen, I was invited as an honored guest.”

“Not you.” Stephan pushed around Rosamund and Phillip and stood his ground between them and the dragon. “The Queen of the Eternal Court, Rowena, was invited.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Iamthe Queen of the Eternal Court.”

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