I stay next to them and the others follow behind us. It feels right to be at her side, but I know that won’t last forever. Nothing does, not even when you wish it would…
Lucy leads me downstairs and towards the throne room. The bodies and blood from yesterday are gone, it looks spotless apart from some holes in the walls and doors. It makes me wonder who cleaned it all up, but I guess I better get used to that type of thing now.
He stops in front of the closed double doors where we can hear the muffled voices of the crowd gathered beyond. “They voted for this, show them why,” he murmurs to me, and then blows open the doors without even touching them.
He’s right, I might not understand why they think I can lead, but they chose this. I have to show them I can be what they need, at least right now. Give me a battle or someone to kill and I’m your girl, but when faced with a room full of expectant supernaturals all looking to me, I hesitate.
But I can’t afford to.
Every eye swings my way and the crowd slowly quiets, then they all get to their feet. There are thousands of faces, some I recognise, some I don’t. But they all know me. Some, most, bow their heads. Some stare, waiting, watching, analysing. They are all expecting me to mess up, to prove I’m like Amos and his men. It won’t happen. I’m not.
I raise my chin and step into the room, and as Lucy leads me through their masses, murmurs go up. People shuffle to see, to get closer, but my mates keep them from stampeding or getting hurt, and when I view the thrones, I have a brief flash of panic.
You can do this, little regina, no one but you. Look at their faces, you give them hope. Hope for change, for the future. Embrace it, embrace your past. Let it guide you, let it build you into the queen they see...that I see.
I glance at Lucy as his voice floats through my head, but he doesn’t look at me. I swallow, his confidence filling me so when we reach the throne, I turn with him, in sync, until we face our people. I don’t know what to expect, there wasn’t a lot of time to explain, but I do know Lucy isn’t one for traditions and laws, so I’m betting it’s going to be a quick, no frills ceremony.
Good.
Just my style.
Standing on the podium before the gaudy thrones, I let Lucy take the reins for now. “Today we are gathered to crown our new council head. The rest will follow. This moment is about stability and structure. We will keep this short, since everyone is anxious for what is to come. Change is…change is always hard, even if it is for the better. But this woman, Dawn, she has the backing of the sleeping council, and more so—you.”
He turns to me then, watching me closely, so I give him a small nod. I’m ready for whatever the future brings. I’m scared, that’s true, but some of the best things in life are scary. Without fear, how can we truly appreciate something?
“Dawn—” He cuts off, blinking in confusion. What’s your last name?
Smirking, I let the answer drift to him. My mother’s last name was Agana, it means blood.
Fitting. He smirks.
“Dawn Agana, do you accept this role? Do you swear on your life to uphold our laws and to protect those who may not be able to protect themselves? Do you, as an extension of our council, vow to represent our races with dignity, strength, and understanding? Do you promise to exact swift justice on those who deserve it, and accept the role of judge, jury, and executioner?”
“I do,” I vow, my voice strong, and something wraps around me—a rightness. It’s warm and caring, it pulses around me, pride filling...it.
“Kneel,” he orders, and I do so before him, bowing my head. He places his hand there, his power encasing me, sinking through my skin, coating my veins. I gasp as I feel it lock around me, chaining me to not only him...but this role.
“Then as a representative of the sleeping council and those who govern the races, I hereby proclaim you head of the council. You are to do your duty without fear or prejudice. You are the new protector of