Page 36 of Their Crowned Mate
Joram nodded, a sad smile on his face. "I'm getting older, Lavinia, and I'm not sure what sort of king I'll be when my strength begins to fade. The truth is, the kingdom needs someone young and strong to take up the mantle of leadership. Someone who can lead us into a new era and bring out the best in our people." He looked straight at her as he finished his sentence and Lavinia gasped in surprise.
"You think that's…me?" she stammered in disbelief.
Joram nodded again, this time with more conviction. "Yes," he said firmly. "I believe you are the perfect candidate for this role. And I would be honored if you would take my place as leader. If you would step into the role of queen and lead our people."
Lavinia just stared at him, her mouth agape for a few moments, like she was still having a hard time processing it. "I don't... I.... I'm honored," she began. "Really. But I don't think I'm ready for something like that. I don't even know if I could. I have a life back home, and I..."
She trailed off, and even though the logical part of me was relieved she was turning him down, there was another part of me that couldn't let her sell herself short. "Don't be ridiculous," I blurted out before I could stop myself.
Lavinia and the others turned to stare at me. Even Marcus didn't seem to know what I was doing, and that made two of us. But I'd always made the decision to listen to my heart where Lavinia was concerned, and it had never led me astray before, so why stop now?
Sure, it was a cotton candy hellscape, but it washercotton candy hellscape.
"No one who thinks they're ready to take on any kind of power ever is, and they're sure as hell not the kind of person who should have it," I said. "That alone is reason you should consider it. But you're also the bravest person I know, sometimes to the point of insanity, and as much as I hate this place—and Ireallyfucking hate it—you've also been drawn to it from the beginning. So yeah, I think you would make a damn good queen, and I think we're all kidding ourselves to think your destiny isn't bigger than bussing tables at a bar."
"I mix drinks, too," Lavinia mumbled.
"Babe, no offense, but your cocktails are shit," I said, walking over to kiss the half-hearted pout of indignation off her face. She melted against me, her hands resting on my chest, and when I finally pulled away, she looked more dazed than mad. "I'll support you in whatever you want to do, but I think you should consider it. Or at least don't turn him down because you don't believe you can do it, because I sure as hell do."
"Me, too," Marcus agreed.
"So do I," said Aurelius.
"What do you know? It's a rare consensus," said Alexander.
We all turned around to find the vampire walking toward us. Even though he was a vampire, he looked like he hadn't slept in a week, and the truth was probably that he hadn't slept a hell of a lot longer than that.
"What about the bar?" Lavinia asked. "And the vampires? And the wolf pack?"
Alexander smiled. "I guess it's a good thing that we have a personal pass between realms." He glanced around at us all one more time before finally turning to face Lavinia directly. "I don't see any reason you can't split your time between realms here and there, considering you yourself are a product of both our worlds merging."
"That she is," Joram mused. "He brings up a good point. So, what's it going to be, Lavinia?"
For someone who was comfortable with sharing all of us, she really didn't seem to enjoy being the center of attention right now, but we were all waiting expectantly for her answer.
"I... guess if I have all of you behind me, then it's what I have to do," she said, holding her head a bit higher. "It's what Iwantto do."
Joram's expression split into a wide, grizzled grin. "That's my girl. And don't worry. I'm stepping down, but I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here to offer you all the guidance you need."
"You'd better be," she said with a wary sigh.
As the others gathered around to congratulate her on her decision and reaffirm their support, I was surprised by just how relieved I was. Despite the fact that it meant my carefully organized life was going to be turned upside down and I was going to be surrounded by my least favorite species at all times—with one notable exception—I was relieved because from the moment I had met Lavinia, I knew she was special.
Not just to me, but to the world.
And for so long, I had feared that whatever that special destiny was, it was going to mean that one day, when the time came, I had to give her up. And I didn't.
Knowing I had to share her with the realm was a small price to pay, all things considered. Especially if I could manage to share her with her other mates, however possessive I was.
"You okay?" Marcus asked, coming over to join me as the others were discussing the various aspects of strategically transitioning the monarchy. "I know how you feel about 'candyland,' as you put it."
I snorted, taking a sip of ale from Joram's pantry. "I guess it's time for a change of pace. Sam's going to freak out when she finds out I won't be at the bar as much, though."
"She's a tough bitch," said Marcus. "I'm sure she can handle running the place on her own. She'll probably enjoy not having your anal-retentive ass around to bitch about spots on the glasses."
I curled my lip back in a half-hearted snarl. "Oh, fuck off. What about you? Not many monsters you can hunt on this side of the portal."
"I don't know about that. I was talking to some of the old man's soldiers, and the way they tell it, there's all kinds of eldritch shit lurking in those woods just beyond the river," he said, gesturing out the window. "Sounds like good sport to me. I was getting bored of rogue shifters and gluttonous vamps, anyway."
