Page 128 of Enchanted Shadows
“Well, let’s not delay the inevitable. I’ll go clear the throne room of all guests. Damek’s judgement day is quickly approaching. You may have to give a statement before you leave. Then we will make a plan for Artem’s safe return and future safety as heir apparent.”
And just like that, we had a new future king of Agria.
“Okay,” was all Kessara said.
The queen stood before her daughter. “And if I haven’t told you lately, Kessara, I love you. I never wanted this for you. That’s why I fought so hard for our countries to unite. And it all blew up in my face.” She paused. “Then again, maybe not. You can unite them. You can be that bridge.” She looked to me and back to her daughter. “The both of you.”
Kessara wiped at a tear as the queen left to return to the throne room.
“When?” My wife asked as she turned to me.
“When what?”
“You planned all of this, didn’t you?” she accused.
“Yes.”
“You knew you’d offer to be rid of me so that I could rule?”
“I—yes. You aren’t listening, Kess. Not because I want that. I just never meant to trap you, to cage you in Wylan.”
I reached for her tear, but she moved away from me, letting my hand fall to my side. “The fact remains that you planned this entire debacle today and did not have the decency to even tell me. To inform me of its happening. Not with who would arrive nor what you would offer me. We are supposed to be Team Raikes here, and today it was all Owen.”
So was she mad at me for offering her the throne of Agria? Or was it that I didn’t keep her involved in it? Or both. After a moment I admitted, “I’m not used to having a partner like this. I’m sorry. Forgive me.”
“I’m sure I will,” she whispered. “Just not today.”
I moved toward her, but she took a step back, stopping me in my tracks. She hadn’t backed away from me in a long time, and she’d just done it twice.
“Tell me how to help,” I pleaded. “Tell me how to fix it and I will.”
“You can’t,” she said as she followed behind her mother’s footsteps for the hall.
How had this day gone relatively well, better than expected in that we’d snagged a new heir apparent in an hour or less, but also so horribly wrong?
Worse yet, I had only myself to blame for it.
CHAPTER 40
“Ido not trust Calix Cyncrest or any of those loyal to Damek enough for us to remain in the castle another night,” I told the queen and king of Agria.
We had settled on an agreement of Artem’s return. Damek had already been apprehended, though Keir and I had to assist with our power because he had gone down swinging. The irony of the same type of power he utilized from Kessara to help him kill people being used to apprehend him was not lost on me.
I regretted that Kessara had to witness the downfall of her brother. It was one thing to have to slowly watch him unravel, another to be present for his outburst when he was apprehended. There were many names yelled at her until I yanked the breath from his lungs. Immediately following, she had met with her parents and written an official statement for the courts against her brother, her lone testimony the only thing keeping him behind bars until they investigated further.
Even now, a few hours later, she looked lovely as ever, but in the way her neck seemed heavy on her shoulders, the way she held her posture, she was clearly exhausted. It hurt me to realize I hadgiven her even more emotional turmoil on this day. I should’ve further asked her about her motivations of being queen, something she’d said once tempted her, but I didn’t want her to tell me what I wanted to hear because of our attraction to one another.
Or worse, choose me because she felt being queen wasn’t a realistic option. So I thought she would have felt more comfortable admitting her feelings about being queen here, among fellow royals. Princess to Queen. Daughter to mother.
I’d been wrong. And I should’ve known better. Kessara had married me in a simple skirt. Just last night she had been dressed flawlessly and yet chose to chase waterfalls with me. I knew she hated the parading around and court masks. She hated masks at all, in fact; I always knew where I stood with her, every bone in her body was honest. It was a miracle she’d been able to keep her true identity a secret for so long. No, Kessara would have never been happy as queen.
But my insecurities were louder than my logic: could she be happy with me?
I continued on with the king and queen, “With your blessing and Kess’s agreement, I would like to depart with the ship for Wylan tonight. I understand your announcement in the morning will come as a shock to many, and I feel it best if we are already halfway to Wylan when it occurs. Let things blow over without a Wylan ship visible from the shore.”
“We understand,” the king said, nodding. “Of course you are correct, though we hate to lose our girl so swiftly. She just got here.”
The queen reached for Kessara’s hand and squeezed. “You both are welcome to come back whenever you would like. Let us prove to you that we mean what we say today. That we are actively working to make sure Agria is safe for you to return home to.”
