Page 58 of Queen of Thorns
Caelynn
Ihold my breath asa dozen fae kneel before me, their heads bowed, fists over their chest. Swearing fealty—to me.
The shadows of gargoyles shift above me, watching. Their purrs of approval reverberate through the stone palace.
I don’t know what I expected when I thought of taking the Shadow Court throne, but this is so overwhelming. The magic part is easy. Draining, but easy. I was made for that. The rest is... surreal.
“We’ve been waiting a very long time for you,” one of the fae before me says.
Two of the others nod fervently.
“Why did you not serve the Whisperwood Queen?” I ask.
Nervous eyes dart to me, but I just wait. “My brother swore fealty to the Whisperwood Queen,” a young male tells me, “but he was turned away. She would only allow a select few in her service.”
My lips part. The power of this palace was degrading quickly. It was well known that the queen limited those who had access to the palace due to that fact, but I didn’t realize it also included guards and servers and maids. Families who have served the Shadow royals for millennia.
I take two steps down to the dozen fae waiting on one knee. One at a time, I place my hand on their shoulder. A spark of black flickers from my palm, and one by one, they look up to me, grinning. “Thank you,” the young male whispers.
The fae stand and then scamper off to the eldest guard who wears a grim expression. He’s going to have a challenge ahead of him, training a barrage of new recruits.
I resume my spot, standing beside the Whisperwood Queen as I prepare to give more magic to the fountain. “There will be no shortage of fae who desire to serve the new queen,” she tells me. “Citizens have already felt the difference in the magic throughout the kingdom. I’ve received word that there are caravans of fae coming to witness your rise, to drink from your fountain and see for themselves that there is hope yet for the future of our kingdom.”
I stand before the chalice, magic pulsing in my palms. Eager. Ready.
I smile out at the wide-eyed fae watching. “The rightful queen,” someone whispers. Chills scatter over my arms.
But before I can let their words distract me, I send my power into the bowl. It swirls and pulses, flickering with purples and blues and dark greens.
I watch as the magic spins and swirls and dances, as if celebrating. My heart throbs in the best possible way as the people gasp and then rush forward to the edge of the fountain. More fae press in, trying to get past the front gates, where three guards stand watch, blocking the rest from entering too quickly. Only twenty fae are allowed in at once.
The fae inside now, laugh with tear-filled eyes as they reach into the fountain. The magic tickles and dances against their fingers. They drink.
One girl with dark skin looks up at me, her eyes shining golden. After a moment, the gold hue fades into a pretty bronze. I give her a nod. Magic still flows from me to the fountain, and I want to do more. Give more.
But then, a calloused hand rests on my forearm. “That’s enough, Cae.”
I swallow and pull my hand back, the magic cutting off. I watch as the final bits of magic flow to the fountain.
“Thank you,” one of the fae below says to me. “Thank you!”
This group is ushered out of the hall, and another set is allowed in.
“They’ll all get a chance,” Rev tells me. “It’ll just take time.”
I nod, but I’m unable to pull my eyes from the newcomers. Their awe is palpable.
“Let’s eat and rest, and you’ll do it again when you’re refueled.”
After another long breath, I take Rev’s hand and follow him from the hall.
We dine at a long, metal table with the entire set of Shadow Court advisors. My advisors.
“We are getting reports of record-breaking migrations. They’re all coming to the fountain. To see it for themselves.”
I take slow sips of salty stew and barely register the words as they chat about all the changes in the palace and in the lands. The Whisperwood Queen and her nephews are working hard to hire more staff now that the magic in the palace can sustain it. They’re hiring cooks and cleaners but mostly guards.
