Page 110 of Queen of Thorns
Rai stands as well. “As will I.”
“You side with the Shadow Court in a war against my kingdom?” the Whirling Court King asks.
“I am not against any court. But I will defend the Shadow Court if it is attacked.”
“They have attacked my court!” the king yells.
“And your son as allied with the Night Ancients.” I cross my arms.
The Whirling King’s eyes grow so wide I worry they’ll pop from his head. “You believe her falsities? Her lies?” He is now speaking directly to Rev.
“I believe in my mate, yes.”
A hush falls over the room, and Rev responds by snaking an arm around my waist. My heart hammers.
“There have been many rumors about Caelynn,” he says calmly, silver eyes bright. “Much speculation about our relationship. Hear the truth straight from my lips: Caelynn of the Shadow Court is my fated mate. I love her. I choose her. I will no longer keep it secret. She is mine.”
“Reveln,” the High Queen says through clenched teeth.
Rev holds his chin high. My heart throbs in my chest. What is he doing?
The High Queen’s harsh eyes turn to me now. “Caelynn, we made a deal.”
My lips part, but I don’t know how to react. He’s only spoken truth.
A silver swirl on Rev’s forearm appears. The bond mark glows brightly in the dimly lit room.
“You would break a vow with the High Queen?” she shrieks. “I will declare the bargain broken. You know the punishment.”
I examine Rev’s expression, confused and scared. But he is utterly confident.
“What bargain, Zanterleisha?” the Frost Court Queen asks quietly.
His right arm remains curled against me and his left slips casually into his pocket. “Ahh but what were the terms of that bargain, your Majesty?”
The High Queen frowns. “That you not marry or bondpubliclyto Caelynn. Which you are threatening to do here and now. You may have broken the bargain already by revealing your bond to the entire council. I don’t know that you want to test the magic and risk finding out the hard way.”
“You’ve missed an important piece.While I am High King.”
My stomach sinks, and I release a shuddering breath.
“You—” she studders.
“You thought you had me. You held the thing I’d wanted more than anything else in your hand and you used it to control Caelynn and me. But things change. I’ve come to realize that this dream—to be the High King of the realm—was only a response to what happened to my brother. I sought to prove myself to a father who hated me. I sought to hold up my brother’s legacy. But I’m not even sure he was deserving of the legacy to begin with. And I never accounted for finding a mate as brave and strong and incredible as Caelynn. A mate with a destiny more important than even mine. Someone else can take my place as High Heir. Choose another High Ruler. There are many who would take the role and do it justice. But there is only one person in the entire realm that can give me true happiness. Only one person in the entire realm that can destroy a set of monsters that have been plaguing our world for millennia. Only one person that can rebuild a crumbling court that was never deserving of its punishment. Those are causes I am happy to sacrifice my once-dream for.”
My wide eyes meet Rev’s soft and unconcerned gaze. He means it. He really, truly believes the words coming from his lips.
“I will not be High King.”
