Blood of Two Crowns (Hallowed Fates #2)

Chapter 20

Chapter

Twenty

NAKOA

I n the excruciating 4 days it took for the day of my coronation and inauguration, I’d been both dreading and eager to get it over with. Never would I have fathomed that a day would come when I would be dying to see Zurie, but I’d long discovered how fate had a way of surprising you.

As for the mother who’d raised me, the distance between us had begun to wear thin. My olana kah’hei had been the only buffer to the loneliness creeping in on me. Surprisingly, Malekai had been… helpful . A begrudging respect had begun to develop between us, and I’d even come to appreciate his presence.

However, I still couldn’t help the bitterness at the fact Mareina was desperately in love with him. As much as I fucking hated it, I’d begun to see how.

There was a private dressing room sequestered high above the throne room where the ceremony was being held. Bernard, Zurie’s tailor, had spent the last three days trying to convince me to wear something other than my fighting leathers. My answer still hadn’t changed, even as he stared up at me with pleading eyes, holding a bedazzled black and gold suit aloft.

“No.”

Pomona, Roderick, and Lokus snickered, drawing both mine and Bernard’s glare. Pomona stepped forward, taking in the black and gold monstrosity. The damned thing had woven gold metal and ruby-adorned epaulettes. Billowy black frills even trimmed the cuffs.

First and foremost… Why?

“Have I done something to warrant your wrath?”

The question was entirely sincere.

Bernard’s face slackened with shock briefly before contorting to restrain the glistening of his eyes.

Oh, fuck.

Pomona administered a reprimanding smack to my arm. “Nakoa.” She gently took the garment from Bernard. “Ignore him, darling. He’s nothing but a curmudgeon, though he means well. I think the suit is a stunning work of art. Pomona threw me another withering glare. “Even if he makes it hard to tell sometimes.”

Bernard sniffled, tugging nervously at the fishnet-like train of his pale lilac-colored garment that looked like a cross between a suit and a ballgown. “Thank you, my lady.”

Pomona turned and pressed the hideous thing against my chest so firmly it nearly shoved me back an inch. Wordlessly, her gaze held mine as her expression hardened enough to crack. “If you don’t put it on, I’ll put it on you.”

Accepting my fate, I sighed in resignation. Pomona gave me a forced smile before turning back towards Bernard. “Thank you so much, Bernard. I’d be absolutely honored if you could design something for me as well, though I know it’s short notice.”

Bernard’s face lit up, swiftly wiping at his eyes with a frilly periwinkle sleeve. “Yes, my lady! It would be the work of a moment for me to tailor a gown to fit you.” Bundles of fabric began sailing through the air into his arms.

I took that as my opportunity to leave. One of Zurie’s servants, Ellora, remained waiting by the door. For what I wasn’t sure. I still hadn’t adjusted to being waited on hand and foot. “Do you prefer to change in your rooms then, Your Highness? We are running short on time…”

A growl escaped me and Ellora’s fair skin paled further, eyes widening in fear. Habit urged me to glamor away my nephilim features to make myself look more fae, but I suppressed it.

No longer would I hide.

I willed the frilly suit to replace my fighting leathers and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Val came and stood beside me, both of us staring at my reflection. The suit somehow became even gaudier simply by being worn, even if it was tailored to perfection.

“I look ridiculous.”

Val gave a noncommittal grunt. “You look extravagant.”

Despite all the wealth my olana kah’hei and I had stolen over the years, I hadn’t saved all that much for myself or been big on material pleasures outside of striving to make my home the coziest place in all of Bellorum. I’d rarely worn more than simple linen shirts and trousers or fighting leathers.

“I feel like an asshole.”

Val smirked. “Aye. That you are.”

“Mareina would laugh if she saw me dressed like this.”

Val chuckled. “Maybe, but I think it’d endear you to her. She would appreciate you doing something to spare someone’s feelin’s bein’ hurt, and she’d love you all the more for it.”

All the emotion I’d been so desperately trying to keep at bay suddenly clogged my throat. At my silence, Val turned to look directly at me, no doubt seeing the ticking of my jaw and my glistening eyes.

“Awe fuck…” Val tugged me into his burly arms and squeezed me against his chest. Just when a fraction of the emotion began to loosen, a knock at the door sounded. Murmuring thanks to Val, I stepped out of his embrace, nodding to Ellora to open the door.

Malekai stood on the other side, dressed in dark brown fighting leathers with simple but beautiful gold embellishments. It made me feel slightly less self-conscious about my own outfit.

Several days of golden-blonde scruff covered his face. His usually unnaturally bright turquoise and gold eyes were now dark and dull, as though some inner light had been snuffed out since Mareina had left with Azrael. He offered me a stiff smile that gentled as he took in my emotional appearance, and understanding passed between us.

His eyes roamed over my gaudy outfit before darting to Bernard, already halfway done with Pomona’s gown. When his gaze returned to mine, he gave me a knowing, compassionate grin. “You look great.”

Val stepped forward before I could reply, tugging Malekai in a bear hug. “Good ta see ya, mate… Been a minute.”

I hadn’t told anyone about Malekai’s claiming of Mareina. No one, other than myself and probably Miroslav, knew about it. My gaze flicked to Rumiel, frowning at the interaction as his eyes danced between me and Malekai.

Malekai’s grin was warm and unrestrained as his arms wrapped firmly around Val, and his relief at the small gesture was palpable. Truly, Val gave hugs worthy of world renown. When they separated, Malekai strode towards me, nervous tension lining his features as he willed a small gift into his hands. It even had a bow.

For the first time in too many days, a vision washed over me.

The chamber filled with my loved ones fell away to be replaced by barren land and dead corpses as far as the eye can see—many of them dressed in Atratusian armor—all rotting beneath the heat of five suns, causing sweat to trickle down my back. The sound of flies was a deafening roar.

The vision lifted, and I was left blinking into the faces of Malekai and Val, both wearing furrowed brows.

“Yew ok, lad?”

I nodded, trying to shove away the anxiety of impending doom.

Malekai hesitated for a moment, still holding out the gift.

“Would it be ok if we spoke in private?”

The prospect of clearing the air between us was both a relief and a welcome distraction. I’d come to terms with the fact that Mareina would always love this male, and if I wanted to have any hope of having her in my life, I would need to learn to accept that. Even more so, if I were to have any joy in my life, I recognized I needed to form a friendship with this male.

Drawing in a deep breath to cool the anger and jealousy that flared at the mere sight of him, I nodded and even managed to offer him a strained smile.