Page 106 of The Princess of Nothing
“I knew it.” I said after a silent minute. He was simply jealous and was willing to let me ruin the one good thing in my life over it. This was all a game to him, until now. “Let me go, Blaise.” I stepped back.
His expression darkened. “I said I wouldn’t ask. I told you I wanted you to be happy, but I can’t watch it any longer. You shouldn’t be with him,” he said with determination.
“Then who should I be with?”
He didn’t respond.
“I’ll be leaving now. With Cedric. To Magaelor.”
I felt like something shattered in my chest as I walked to the door.
He called out, stopping me in my tracks. “Wait.”
I turned on my heel. “What?”
He inhaled deeply, uncertainty in his features. “I’ll be seeing you at your coronation. I look forward to seeing you become queen, at long last.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “No thanks to you.”
“You’d think my killing your cousin and letting you build an army here would pay for any previous wrongs.”
“You’d think.” I couldn’t help but smirk. “Goodbye, Blaise.”
“See you soon.”
***
Iwore my navy-bluedress and red traveling cloak with a white fur trim. The gold crown on my head shone under the dappled sunlight coming through the window. It had been worn by my father, then Edgar, and now me. The weight of their souls was heavy. A black pit of despair snaked around my core, knotting me from the inside.
“Are you okay?” Cedric asked tentatively.
I shook the feeling away. Honestly, I wasn’t. “Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked, not wanting to worry him. “We all survived. I got what I wanted. I’m queen.” Yet it didn’t quite feel real yet. “We will be back in Magaelor soon.”
“We will.” He kissed my forehead and brushed down to my lips, balling his cheeks. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Maybe we can be at peace now for a while,” I said, thinking of all the soldiers who’d deserted Edgar at the end. I’d ordered none be harmed. There was no need for division any longer. Edgar was dead, and the throne was forever solidified as mine. But something didn’t feel right. I wondered if I should have told Morgana. I was certain she used sacrificial magic to bring me back, but what was the price for a life?
Adius rushed through the door looking flustered. “Winter!”
“Adius, what is it?”
“King Xenos is dead,” he told me, his eyes weary. “I’ve just been alerted. He was killed, by the fire-wielders.”
I felt like someone had stuck their hand inside of me and twisted my organs. Dizziness swept me; the color drained from my face.
“Kiros is king.”
“Yes.”
Home was in my grasp. I was sure Xenos wouldn’t go to war. Politically, it didn’t make sense. But with Kiros, it was personal. I had broken his heart. Humiliated him. “He’s going to come after me, isn’t he?”
Cedric looked at me apologetically. “We will be ready for him. For now, the transition to power will occupy his mind away from any wants of war.”
“I hope so.”
“You can navigate this. First, let’s get you back home.”
“You should know, your majesty,” Adius added, “he won’t come after you right away. Berovia is in a great state of unrest. The dragons escaped, causing havoc, but also the morning before they did, a newspaper printed proof that Xenos was hiding dragons and trying to siphon their magic. They even had authentic letters showing the king’s seal. Because of it, they haven’t been able to create a lie to why they were being hidden in the kingdom.”
