journey back to these lands, I was left wondering what would become of our Sweet Cassandra. The woman who would bring so much life and joy into our lives, even when things got difficult when dealing with her own worries and concerns.
That look on her face still lingered in the back of my mind, just like the shock in her eyes that swarmed her expression when she acknowledged our return.
Our Cassandra had gone through so much without us being her wall to lean on, and it still hurt me that she had to do so much without our protection and strength. I knew it was our duty to prepare her for the possibility of losing us when death came knocking on our door, but what time had we even gotten to ease her into this world of the supernatural?
She didn't know the true secrets of this world. The hidden shadows and how things worked. We handled things well because we were either abandoned or pushed to the side at birth, so we were not only embraced by Everett's kindness, but he prepared us to deal with the good and bad sides of our world.
Cassandra went from being a human to being forced into captivity in a place for supernaturals. She dealt with the crazy shit of being a prisoner and ended up becoming a supernatural, only to be thrown into the craziness of her heritage.
Now, when we expected the world to learn the truth and give her the freedom she deserved, it was all destroyed by the snap of Wilfried's fingers, ad he was doing everything to try and get Cassandra on his side so he could use her to summon the beast that would end it all.
Everything was happening so fast, and even I was nervous about what was next for the future. No way could I show her my anxious worries, or she'd lose the bit of strength she was putting on as a front to make sure none of us worried about her.
She didn't understand that we saw right through it all. We could see the fear that lingered in the depths of her ocean eyes, and how exhausted she was mentally and physically from adapting to all these changes.
She had to put on a show to the world that couldn't decide if she was a hero or mortal enemy while dealing with the long list of tasks awaiting her attention. Now she was here, dressed to perfection, with a crown upon her head that would let everyone know who she was.
She was moments away from instilling her royalty status across the realms of our kind, and that acknowledgment would bring more problems down the road. I just knew in my gut it would.
We have to focus on one thing at a time, but when would my queen get a moment's grace?
"A little," Cassandra answered and gave me a sheepish smile. "I mean, it's not every day you waltz into an abandoned land, end up being the reincarnated unborn heir of the very kingdom, awaken its buried end, and get to be crowned queen in, what? Seventy-two hours?"
And somehow she hasn't broken down yet.
We were behind the metal doors to the throne, waiting for the signal that would start the final walk down the carpet towards the throne.
Compared to what Cassandra had to endure for her Trial, this ceremony would confirm her status and give her the ability to come and go from the land.
A privilege most fae queens never got.
It was one of the reasons why my parents did what they did. I didn't know the entire story about why I was practically discarded to be raised by Everett, only to be acknowledged as a prince in my youth, but my mom was dealing with the same circumstances as all queens who laid root in their kingdoms.
Cassandra was lucky because of her hybrid traits, and I was positive if the other fae kingdoms heard of her privileged grace to move about, it would spike envy.
I'll worry about that another day.
Omarion was ensuring all the lanterns were lit - doing the outdoor garden first before doing the final checks of the one indoors. The moment he arrived, I was positive the ringing bell would encourage us to take the final move forward to the throne and trigger the ceremony.
I wanted to use this moment to our advantage. To calm down my queen, who was fighting every bit of herself to remain calm and not break down due