Ch. 5: The Fae Queen

AMBERLY

When I wake, I am in the cage of Lorcan’s arms. It’s incredibly warm, and I notice that I do not feel one drop of anxiety. For the first time in a long time, I feel calm. Content.

I twist towards him. When I see that he is still fast asleep, I press feather-light kisses along his brow, causing him to stir and, eventually, open his eyes.

He gives me that sleepy, half-lidded stare that never fails to ignite my core.

“Morning, beautiful,” his voice booms into my mind, and I jolt upright. He barks a laugh.

“How are you doing that?” I ask aloud. He hitches his shoulders up into a shrug, his mouth twitching into a smile.

“It’s called a Mindlink, lionheart.”

“Tell me how,” I demand, only for his smile to grow into something that suggests he is certainly not going to tell me how. I loosen a growl and grasp his shoulders. “Tell me—hey!”

He grabs my waist and hauls me onto his lap. I squirm in protest, and his laughter booms into my mind.

“You are a bastard!” I scream inside my head.

Lorcan grins, pulling me forward for a kiss. My body presses flush against his. “Now you’ve got it.”

I blink as I realize he’s right. I just used the Mindlink without even realizing it. “You’re an ass, you know that, right?”

“Among many things,” he drawls back, and despite his galling cockiness, I find my lips moving against his in earnest. “I am also now capable of talking while kissing you. Amazing, right?”

“You were quite capable of that before,” I shoot back, a small smile tugging on my lips. “You like to talk a lot.”

“I like the sound of my own voice.” He guides my hips so that I am sitting on top of his erection, and I find myself grinding against it automatically. My folds are already slick with arousal, and he groans with need. “You do, too.”

I position myself and, bracing my hands against his broad shoulders, I sink down onto his erection. I take it inch by inch until my mound presses up against his pelvic bone.

Instantly, I notice that the warm tingles that usually accompany Lorcan filling me up with his length are even more intense, and I start moaning even though we’re hardly moving.

“Oh gods, this feels so good.” I swallow thickly. “Like, really good.”

A similar groan leaves his own throat. “I know. It’s the mate bond. We’re going to have absolutely mind-blowing sex from now on—even more so than before.”

“You’re talking as though we are not having sex right now.”

“We are?” He moves his hips around in a teasing motion, hitting all the right places. A needy moan escapes me. “Why, I didn’t notice.”

I am about to ride the hell out of him when an urgent knock comes at our door, and our lovemaking comes to a screeching halt.

“Who is it?” Lorcan snaps, not even bothering to hide his irritation.

“Deryth Greybell, Your Majesty,” comes a timid voice through the door. “I ask that I intrude upon your chambers. I have matters to discuss which are of great importance.”

Me and Lorcan groan in unison. There’s no better turn-off than a man waiting outside your door, and given this guy’s antics I’m sure he’d be the type to wait around. So, reluctantly, I ease off Lorcan and settle back beneath the covers. He flings the sheet over himself and uses a throw pillow to cover his erection. “Come in.”

The door opens and the brown-haired man steps inside. His light-gray eyes skate uncertainly between us before settling on Lorcan.

I find myself scowling.

“Why is he still here? Shouldn’t he have gone home with the Solstice Court?” I ask down the Mindlink.

“He’s not part of the Solstice Court,” he responds. “He’s a permanent member of the royal household. They live in the palace no matter who the Royal Court is. These Fae live and die here.”

“Ah.”

“Your Majesty,” Deryth begins. “Given that you are the new king, I wish to offer you my service—”

“Fennic will be my seneschal,” Lorcan deadpans, waving him off. “I’ve already decided.”

Deryth blanches. “Please, Your Majesty, believe me when I say that being seneschal is no easy task. It requires a vast knowledge of royal affairs and all the palace’s inner workings. With all due respect, I do not think your brother will be qualified enough for the position.”

“Then what should my little brother be?” Lorcan bites off, obviously not pleased to have Fennic’s honor hammered down like this. Deryth clears his throat uncomfortably.

“He can be the palace mayor—that is, the person in charge of the personnel of the royal household. Right-hands of Fae lords tend to fare better in that position, as it is more familiar to them, but of course, the final say lies with you, Your Majesty.”

“But that puts you above him, does it not?”

Deryth considers this for a moment. “No, Your Majesty, it does not. Whereas I would be your right-hand as seneschal, he would be your right-hand as the palace mayor. Mayors and seneschals are on the same level, you see, but simply specialize in different tasks. Regardless, we both have the power to advise you, Your Majesty.”

Lorcan considers this for a moment. “Fine,” he says. “You can be my seneschal.”

Deryth’s gray eyes light up. He bows swiftly. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I promise I won’t let you or Her Ladyship down.”

“What a kiss-ass,” Lorcan grumbles down the Mindlink, and I shoot him a discreet scowl. He raises his brows. “What?”

I shake my head and turn towards the seneschal, sending a bright smile his way. “Thank you, er—”

“Sir,” comes Lorcan’s voice.

“Sir Deryth,” I finish, widening my smile. “We look forward to your service.”

“As do I, Your Grac—er, my lady.” He scowls and turns to Lorcan. “I take it you’re going to anoint Her Ladyship as queen consort, yes?”

“Even better.” Lorcan loops an arm around my waist and drags me into his side. “I’m going to anoint her as the Fae Queen.”

Deryth’s eyes virtually bug out of his head. “The Fae Queen?”

“The Fae Queen,” Lorcan confirms with a nod. I gape at him, but he only sends an unfaltering grin my way.

“Your Majesty…” Deryth begins, looking beyond rattled. “With all due respect, you cannot anoint your spouse as a fellow monarch in power—”

“Who says I can’t?” Lorcan shoots back. “I am the king now, am I not?”

Deryth shifts uncomfortably on his feet. “It is the law, Your Majesty. Only one monarch has only ever ruled at a time—”

“Then I shall rewrite those laws, just as I revoked Amberly’s prison sentence.” He kisses me affectionately on the temple. “I can rewrite laws as the king, yes?”

Deryth dips his head. “Indeed, you can, Your Majesty.”

“Then I shall do it.” He looks at me, eyes glittering. “She is equal to me in power, and one day she will definitely surpass me. It is only fair that I anoint her as such, don’t you think? How could I ever pretend to be the strongest when my mate is just as powerful? Besides.” He wraps my hand with both of his and presses it to his heart, staring at me with utter adoration. “I would not be here were it not for her. I owe everything I am to her.”

At that, he brings my palm to his lips in a tender kiss, and if it’s possible, I feel myself fall more in love with Lorcan.

“If that is how you feel, Your Majesty, then I cannot protest.” The seneschal bows his head. “When shall the coronation be held, Your Majesty?”

Lorcan stares around. “What time is it?”

“Nine in the morning, Your Majesty.”

“Then it shall be held at noon,” Lorcan proclaims, and I feel my eyes bug out of my head as I stare at him. He flashes me a sure smile. “I do not want to keep my queen waiting.”

---

The coronation went smoothly.

At first, it was a scramble to find an appropriate dress in the palace, and I cursed Lorcan for thinking three hours would ever be enough time for a girl to get ready for something as grand as this.

Thankfully, a group of women who identified themselves as my ladies-in-waiting took over the scramble about half an hour in. They threw me into a scalding tub and got to scrubbing my skin raw, filing my nails, and curling my hair until it fell in waves down my back. Then, they ordered the palace modiste to have a dress briskly tailored to my measurements, all within two hours.

By the time I made it to the throne room with my pack of fussing ladies in tow, the Equinox court and all of the palace inhabitants (except for the Solstice Court, of course, who had already been promptly evicted back to their estate) were sitting in the rows.

Whatever confusion surrounding me being crowned had long since subsided, and I saw only smiles and twinkling eyes as I walked towards the thrones. Lorcan stood before them, looking positively radiant with his silver suit and star-wrought crown in his hands. One to match his own.

He angled it above my head, and in one fell swoop I was crowned queen. Not the queen consort, who merely held the title and nothing else, but the Fae Queen—someone who held power as a monarch.

Now, thirty minutes later, I sit at a round table in the dining hall for the celebratory lunch. Maggie and Fennic sit on either side of me, while Lorcan stands some distance away talking to Deryth Greybell. They look to be caught in a serious conversation. For all his name-calling earlier, it seems Lorcan has taken a liking to the seneschal.

Fennic, however, has not.

“I cannot believe he anointed him as the seneschal and not me.”

“Oh, you’ll live,” I say with a touch of exasperation. Fennic cuts me a glare.

“You don’t understand. He replaced me—”

“He did not ‘replace’ you, Fennic. You are still the palace mayor. That puts you in as great a standing as Sir Deryth.”

“And do you think I enjoy him being on the same level as me?” Fennic seethes, pointing at the offending male who is none-the-wiser to our conversation.

“Is your ego so fragile that you cannot even stand the thought of someone being the same rank as you?” Maggie quips. Fennic’s scowl deepens.

“No, my ego is fine. I just can’t stand pompous pricks like him—”

“Him? Pompous?” Maggie raises a red brow. “I think you are projecting, Fennic.”

“Sir Fennic.”

She rolls her eyes and sighs. “Whatever. I’m thankful someone else gets to be the big dog for once. Unlike you, Sir Deryth actually seems quite nice.”

Fennic bristles, but to my surprise he does not retort immediately. Instead, he scoffs and looks away. “Whatever. If you are so smitten with him, then perhaps you should marry him.”

Maggie gives him a look that says he’s being totally unreasonable, and opens her mouth to probably say as much but is interrupted by Deryth Greybell arriving at our table.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I hope your coronation went well?”

“Splendid, thank you, Sir Deryth.” A smile tugs at my lips. “I suppose I have you to thank for the processions?”

His eyes sparkle at the recognition. “Indeed. As a long-time seneschal, I am quite adept at putting together large events upon short notice.”

Fennic scoffs. Maggie shoots him a glare.

“There is something I ought to tell you, Your Majesty,” Deryth continues, not noticing Fennic’s silent jab—or, maybe just choosing to ignore it. “As you are now the Fae Queen, that makes me your seneschal as well. I will be answering to both you and King Lorcan from now on.

“I should also confide to you that I have put together your personal servants. King Lorcan, for instance, now has a circle of butlers waiting on him.” He turns to Fennic. “They also come under your rule, Sir Fennic.”

The redhead puffs out his chest in indignance.

Deryth turns back to me. “And just as the king has his butlers, you have a circle of ladies-in-waiting, as I think you are already aware—”

“I suppose I govern them as well?” Fennic asks with an air of inflated self-importance.

“Oh, not at all,” Deryth says, and Fennic’s face drops. “The queen’s inner circle is a completely separate entity. They are overseen by the first lady—the queen’s left hand, as it may be more commonly known.” Deryth turns to me. “Do you have anyone in mind for the role, Your Majesty?”

I instantly look at Maggie. Her eyes light up like twin flames, and I don’t even need to say anything because she instantly knows. A shriek of delight tears from her throat.

“Yes!” she cries, crushing me into a hug. “Yes, Amberly! I will gladly be your first lady!”

Deryth looks at me with raised brows. I give him a curt nod.

“Then it is settled,” he says, turning away.

“Wait—” Fennic cuts in. “If she’s Amberly’s left hand, does that put her—?”

“On the same standing as us?” Deryth says, an edge of steel to his voice. It seems even Fennic’s antics are enough to irk the most unreactive of men. “Yes, Sir Fennic. The Lady has joined our ranks.”

Fennic’s face drops in horror.

“Haaaahhh!” Maggie exclaims, pointing a finger at him. “I’m the same rank as you now! How does that feel, Fennic?” She pouts and adds in a baby-like voice, “Is your little man-ego hurt?”

Fennic’s face goes beet red. “Shut. Up. Magnolia—”

“Lady Maggie, to you,” she says, mimicking his voice to a tee. I stifle a laugh. “And you can no longer tell me what to do. Hah!”

Fennic does not look the least bit amused. In fact, he looks one second away from flipping the table over—wine glasses and all.

“I shall take my leave,” Deryth says, turning to me. “Queen Amberly, your and His Majesty’s royal chambers are ready on the top floor. His Majesty awaits you there.”

With that, he bows his head and slinks away.

Staring at Fennic—who looks quite literally on the verge of exploding—I quickly stand and decide to take my leave as well.

“Well, it has been a lovely coronation, but I’m afraid my mate needs me.”

Maggie stands in an instant. “Should I escort you, Amberly? It only seems right now that I’m first lady.”

I open my mouth to respond but Fennic beats me to it. “I can assure you, Magnolia, they do not need a cheer squad in their bedroom while they fuck.”

Now Maggie’s face is beet red. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

Fennic gives her a deadpan look. “In case you forgot, my mother is dead. Quite un-kissable, I would say.”

“You are a pig!” she squeals. “Speaking about your king and queen in such a disgusting manner—”

“What?” Fennic turns to me, raising his brows. “Am I wrong?”

I roll my eyes at him, because no, he’s not wrong, but it’s still damn annoying.

“You need to get laid,” is all I say, turning my back on them.

Maggie bursts out laughing. Fennic grumbles something that I don’t quite catch. I walk briskly away—not because I’m angry, but because if I stay any longer, they’re going to smell my desire for Lorcan oozing off of me.

---

The hours fly by and before I know it, it’s well into the night and Lorcan is fast asleep beside me.

I should be sleeping as well. We’re in the coziest bed I’ve ever slept in, and the royal chambers are so damn luxurious and comfortable that one would feel drowsy just standing in it, and yet I cannot sleep a wink. Instead, I keep staring at my hand, wondering when I will be able to summon my light again. Wondering when the Lion will come back. I almost wait for his voice to ring in my head.

But it doesn’t. My mind is silent, and my magic remains a constant low hum that I cannot seem to harness for the life of me.

I groan and sink into the pillows. Today was a nice reprieve, but I cannot let it distract me. I must continue my mission. I must get back into contact with the Lion, so that I can learn more about the Wicked One and, more importantly, how to stop her.

But in order to do that, I’ll have to learn how to summon my light magic.

I stare at my hand again. I stare at it for ten minutes, then twenty more.

Deciding I am not going to get any sleep tonight, I jump out of bed and tip-toe silently towards the door. Once I shut it behind me with a soft click, I meander down the dark halls, stopping in the first communal room I come across. A music room.

It’s not the best, but I’m still not familiar with the palace so it’ll have to do.

I go towards the center and hold out my arm. I concentrate all my magic to my palm, and although there’s a small stirring within my core, nothing happens.

I release an impatient huff. This, I know, is going to take a while.

But that doesn’t matter. I’ll stay here for days if I have to, because I am no longer just Amberly Reed, the stray foster kid with no home and no concept of love.

No, I am Queen Amberly Equinox, and I have a family now. I know what it is to love and be loved in return, and I know what it’s like to almost lose those people.

So I will do everything—everything—in my power to destroy those who threaten to take them away. Even if it means staying here for hours on end. Even if it destroys me—even if it kills me—I will do it, because I am never going to risk losing them again.

Because although things may seem okay now, there will come a time when darkness plagues the skies and the world sits on the precipice of ruin. And when that time comes, only I will have the power to save them.

And I cannot fail