Page 50 of Cheshire's Smile
“Just curious,” Coby began. “But what happened to the last High King. If they’re so all powerful, where are they now?”
Something dark passed over Eugene’s face before his mask of indifference went back into place. “We don’t know. It was a long time ago and we haven’t had a High King since.”
“That’s unsettling.” Coby leaned against the wall, his face pensive.
Not knowing what happened to the previous High King did make things more complicated. Who knew what would happen to the person who took the job? If Kat weren’t pregnant and was willing to do the job, I wasn’t sure I wanted her to and I knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t want Chess to do it either. They weren’t exactly the kind to follow the rules. Then again neither was I.
“I don’t see what we are arguing about.” Morgana swirled the liquid languidly in her glass. “We have a perfectly good candidate right here.”
“What? You.” Dorian laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“No,” Morgana shot him a glare, then something sad passed over her face. “My time as queen has long passed. I’m talking about her.” She jerked her chin toward me.
“What?” I gaped, placing a hand on my chest. “Me? Oh, no. No one wants me to be the High Queen. The fae hate me.”
“In this case,” Dorian’s lips curled up slightly, “That doesn’t matter. It’s not a position that is voted upon. It’s whoever can pass the Underground’s trials. The Underground chooses their ruler and honestly I could think of no better solution for your penance.”
“So I’m to be punished for all eternity?” I almost shrieked. “I paid for my crimes and I’ve kept paying for them every day since. Now you want me to tie myself to the very world that despises and ridicules me?” Magic crackled in my veins. “I’m no one’s hero.”
Dorian shook his head. “No one said you had to be. And in all honesty, that’s not what the Underground needs right now. They don’t need a hero. They needyou.”
I laughed darkly. “No. No one needs me.”
“We do.” Hatter’s voice rang in my ears, his voice small. “We need you.” Pulses of longing and hurt ran through me.
Spinning to Hatter, I placed my hands on his chest. “I didn’t mean you. You know that. I meant,” I sighed and turned back to the room. “I wouldn’t know the first thing about ruling the Underground. Besides, what makes you think the Underground would accept me? Wouldn’t they think I’m biased? My best friend is a Seelie Princess.”
Morgana chuckled, a throaty sound that sounded more intimate than it was. “Not necessarily. If anything it will find you to be the perfect candidate. You have no ties to either court. You weren’t born to either of them. You were human. Not fae. Something the Tree of Life, the very heart of the Underground granted you.” She ticked each reason off on her fingers. “I would be surprised if the Underground didn’t just hand you the crown without the fuss of any trials.”
“No.”
Everyone’s eyes shot to Carban. He leaned against the wall next to his brother with his arms over his chest. He pushed off the wall and walked toward me, his eyes locked on mine.
“The High King has never had a mate,” he stated, the weight of his gaze making my skin itchy.
Hatter’s hand rubbed my back. I leaned into his touch, letting the calm feelings he sent my way soothe me.
“No,” Eugene shot me a look, “they haven’t. But that’s only because it would show favoritism to one court or the other.”
“Exactly,” Morgana shifted on the couch. “And you have mates from both sides. The UnSeelie,” she gave Hatter and Cheshire a pointed look and then slid her gaze over to the twins, “and the Seelie. There is no conflict of interest. In all honesty, you’re the perfect candidate.”
My head shook back and forth, unable to find the words to refute her claims. “No, I... I can’t be our only option. There has to be some other way.”
“Pet,” Cheshire pressed against my side. “I hate to agree with her but I think she’s right.”
“No one is forcing you to do anything,” Carban snapped, rage rolling over his face.
“Right,” Coby jumped off the wall to stand by his brother. “No one will force you. It’s your choice.”
“I... I...” I glanced around the room. All the eyes on me felt suffocated. Pressing down on me until I felt my lungs seize up.
“We’ll find some other way,” Hatter said just as Dorian said, “There is no other way.”
My eyes darted to each of their faces, all of them staring at me. Their voices overlapped each other. But I couldn’t hear them over the pulse pounding in my head. The calm Hatter sent me did nothing to ease it.
Everything was spiraling out of control. From the day I ran away from Lewis on our wedding day to the moment I followedWatch down that hole in the ground and found myself in this wonderous and volatile world. A world that had stolen my heart, my human body, even my very sanity. And now it wanted my soul.
“I... I can’t.” I shook my head, my voice coming out a whisper.
