Page 51 of Reigning
He grounds me the moment his palms grip my hips.
“You sure you want to stay till the end of the Joining of the Two Kingdom’s Ceremony?” he whispers, his lips skimming mine in a delicious promise.
I nod.
I’m proud of Linden. I won’t ditch the biggest accomplishment this kingdom’s ever had because a sexy shifter keeps eye-fucking me in public.
Behind that sexy shifter, up on the highest balcony of the Minden castle, a shining gold crown with a perfect sapphire jewel in the center rests against Linden’s golden curls. Another man, a man I’ve never seen before but who I’m told is…Linden’s Uncle Chalem, stands at his side. The two of them wave and smile for the people of Minden.
“You sure you’re sure?” Chaos melds his chest to my back, and his lips press fully to the side of my neck, his tongue flicking across my skin in a tingling sensation that I feel right between my thighs.
“Mmhmm.” I nod and try my best to look around Kain to see…Where the hell did Linden go?
Maybe the ceremony is over…maybe they canceled the villager’s feast…maybe I should call it a day…maybe I should just go home now…
Right now.
Sinister pulls my hand. He doesn’t even ask or wait for me to second-guess my poor train of thought. I stumble to get past Rime and Chaos. The demon leads me through the mass of chanting people, and I feel their energy building in my chest. The sound of their cheers is complete joy. I feel that joy just like they do and I feel it even more as I’m surrounded by the only men who have ever looked at me and seen more than the mess of a woman I used to be.
I race after Sinister’s quick steps, but we halt before we ever get to the remodeled gate that surrounds the beautiful castle. My chest collides into Sins back, and I stumble just slightly.
A smile tilts one side of Sinister’s mouth, and he extends his hand to the man in front of us. “Congratulations on the Alliance Peace Treaty,” Sinister says to Linden.
Watching the new King of Minden shake hands with my demon boyfriend might go down as my favorite moment in all of political history.
“My father’s…very proud.”
Is he? Is he, Linden?
People say the pneumonia Barron caught during the Attikan War still lingers in him. They say handing off the crown early is a sign of good faith but also of fear.
Is the former king afraid of the karma he is due?
Or is he simply thinking of what is best for his people? And this, Linden, he is definitely best for the people of Minden. He’s best for the allies we now have to the north. And he’s definitely best for the mages who now live peacefully throughout this kingdom.
He really is a good man.
“Thank you for coming.” Linden glances from Sinister to the men behind me before settling his gaze slowly on me.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” My smile is genuine. It’s so different from the forced smiles and the conniving words I used to say to him.
Everything is different now.
Including the beautiful blonde who slinks in behind Linden. Her gown is a rich red color that makes her flawless skin seems smoother. “It’s almost time for your Uncle Chalem’s speech,” Marg whispers, her hand skimming lightly along Linden’s navy jacket.
I barely recognize the maid who showed us around the castle all that time ago. She’s beautiful and refined now.
I note the way Linden’s fingers toy with hers, and he smiles to her, seeing her fully. Seeing her the way she always deserved to be seen.
He really is good through and through. He sees people for who they are. And that’s everything that this kingdom needs.
“I’ll see you all tonight at the dinner?” Linden looks to Kain, and he shakes his head at him.
“We have our own little celebration tonight.” Kain pushes his hand down to the small of my back, and I lean into his dominating warmth.
“We do?” I arch a brow at him, and he just mimics the look until we’re both smiling like idiots.
“We do,” he whispers.
