Page 173 of Faeling
There was so much to do, so many places to start, it wasn’t surprising, either, that Leita found herself paralyzed with the enormity of it all. Seeing her unsmiling face, Ravenna harbored a niggle of shame. They had their bargain, yes, and one day Leita would have herazaiand family, but that didn’t make any of this easier now. It was a heavy mantle to lay upon Leita’s shoulders.
All Ravenna could do now was offer her support and friendship. Vallek agreed that the orcs would aid the faelands in their recovery. Leita wouldn’t be alone—but Ravenna had no doubt that she certainly felt alone now. A throne could be a very lonely place.
“It’s yours by rights, you know,” Leita said softly.
Ravenna’s nerves clenched tightly in her chest. “What do you mean?”
“There were times, very long ago, when sisters and cousinswould fight for the throne. Whoever could best the others and defeat the old Queen became the new one. It’s how the unicorns decide who will lead, and many other beasts, too. By rights, you could be the Queen.”
Ravenna snorted. “No, thank you. I already have a precarious throne. I’ve no use for another. Besides, the fae would never accept a halfling Queen.” And there was the important fact that, with her more unruly grip on magic beyond that which was inherent to her, she’d make a poor conduit. No, what the faelands needed was a young, strong Queen, one of full blood able to manage and command the magic.
Leita herself was all raw power, it was true, but with a little honing, she’d be a fearsome Queen. Ravenna held onto hope that Allarion and those fae like him who’d opposed Amaranthe would be able to aid and guide Leita until she was ready in her own right.
Their walk had brought them to one of the outer pavilions. Decorated in black sand and obsidian flagstones, manicured junipers formed something of a waist-high maze. The path winding through them led out onto a magnificent veranda, shaded by a trellis thick with established wisteria vines.
As they gazed out upon the harbor and the sea beyond, Leita sighed. An autumnal breeze floated up from the water, catching their hair. Ravenna tucked hers behind her ears, but Leita made no move, letting the long white strands dance on the wind.
Eyes hard, Leita told the horizon, “I still have no desire to be Queen.”
“I told Vallek much the same thing,” Ravenna mused. “I’ll tell you what he told me: that it likely means you’ll be a good queen. So long as you try.”
Leita turned her head, her indigo eyes dark in her pale face.Ravenna realized—she was scared.
“I’ve no one to teach me. All the other Queens did. Even my aunt.”
“You won’t make her mistakes.”
“No, but I’ll make my own.”
“That’s to be expected. I’m sure every Queen has.”
Leita looked away, her lips thinning. Ravenna could feel it, too, how the words weren’t nearly enough. Neither were good intentions. It would take a fierce force of will to lead the faelands forward—a will Leita had yet to find.
Her guilt only growing, Ravenna tried to do something she’d little practice with—comforting. Drawing closer, she laid a gentle hand on Leita’s shoulder.
“You will succeed, Leita. You will restore the faelands and make your foremothers proud.”
“Did you see that in a vision?”
“No.” She hadn’t had any since Amaranthe’s death. But, “I don’t need one to know. You will succeed. But it will take time. It will be difficult. There will be days you hate it, resent it even.” She squeezed Leita’s shoulder. “And that’s all right.”
A tear escaped Leita’s right eye as she gravely met Ravenna’s gaze. “I already do.”
Ravenna winced. “I can’t pretend to understand—but I promise you, you have an ally in Balmirra. And…a friend in me, should you want it.”
“I haven’t had friends before. Thalia has been the only one.”
“For a long time, I didn’t, either. But from one orphan girl to another, I promise, friends are worth having.”
A long moment passed before Leita slowly nodded. “Isuppose…another friend couldn’t hurt.”
42
Three Months Later
The royal quarters of the citadel echoed with lively chatter and bursts of giggles. On this most special of days, the king had been banished from his quarters to ready himself elsewhere, as all of the rooms were needed for the true preparations.
Ravenna had bid her handsome mate goodbye early that morning, claiming a lingering kiss that would have to last her until that afternoon. With a wink, Vallek had whispered,“I’ll be waiting for you,”before bidding farewell to the gaggle of women already gathering in their quarters.
