The Queen's Assassin (Queen's Secret #1) - Melissa de la Cruz Page 0,125
pause. The trumpets blast again. King Hansen stands up.
Queen Lilianna emerges from the door, head to toe in vibrant purple, the first time she’s been out of mourning garb since King Esban’s death. As she passes through, the Renovians bow to her. Cal does the same. She walks, head high, shoulders back, straight up the steps to stand on the dais next to her young Montrician rival. She hasn’t even glanced in Cal’s direction.
The vizier stands at the bottom step and bellows through the hall: “Queen Lilianna of Renovia!”
Those gathered bow or curtsy respectfully, even if she is not their sovereign. Queen Lilianna steps forward and speaks. “From this day until my last day, I am no longer the Queen Regent of Renovia.”
There is an audible gasp, including from Cal. Regime change. Did the Aphrasians take control of the kingdom even though he killed the duke?
“I choose to step aside and pass the crown to my daughter, heir to the crown and only child of King Esban the Second of House Dellafiore. She will henceforth be joined in marriage to King Hansen the Third of House Opel. Our two kingdoms will no longer be rivals, but allies, one joint kingdom, vast and prosperous.”
The crowd applauds.
Princess Lilac? Why this? Why now?
The queen sweeps the room with her serene glance. “Your Majesty, my lords, ladies, and gentlemen. This marriage is our thanks to the Kingdom of Montrice for uncovering a terrible conspiracy against my kingdom, and for keeping my daughter safe.”
Cal is stunned. The queen is thanking Montrice for keeping the princess safe? And marrying her off to the enemy?
The grand doors open again. Queen Lilianna’s daughter steps into the great hall, veiled and wearing a dazzling lavender gown with a long train. She walks toward the dais as her mother did, and those around her bow. Like her mother, she also keeps her chin up, determined, exuding confidence she may or may not actually be feeling.
But where is Shadow? Cal strains to search the crowd, but finds her nowhere. And then a thought dawns on him, and he wonders why he did not see it before. Why did he not question it all sooner—the Argonian emeralds, her perfect manners and knowledge of court life? He had buried his suspicions because he did not want them to be true. There was an assassination plot against Princess Lilac, and he had been tasked to keep her safe. And he did. He cannot bear to look at the princess. He knows. He knows.
For when the princess reaches the queen, Queen Lilianna takes her by the shoulders and turns her to face the crowd. “I present Princess Lilac, soon to be Queen Lilac of Renovia-Montrice.” She steps in front of the princess and pinches the edges of the veil between her fingers, then lifts it, draping it behind her head. Finally, Queen Lilianna steps away, revealing her daughter to the crowd.
Cal’s heart stops, even if he already knew in his heart what he is now seeing before him.
It is Shadow. Shadow is Queen Lilianna’s daughter, Princess Lilac. Shadow is heir to the Renovian throne.
And she is betrothed to King Hansen.
EXCERPT FROM THE SCROLL OF DELLAFIORE, 2.4:
A Comprehensive History of Avantine
The Story of Esban and Lilianna
IN RENOVIA IT IS SAID that a young warrior queen and an Otherworldly mage fell in love and founded the Dellafiore dynasty, each eldest child inheriting the mage’s magical blood. [Scroll of Omin, 1.2] It is said that Omin appears to his kin at times of need.
The Dellafiores ruled peacefully for generations. Until one day when the ruling Dellafiore king was assassinated by his jealous cousin. Phras stole the throne by force, surrounding himself with a mighty army, cementing his position by sending his minions out into the kingdom to collect and destroy all written magical works, making it illegal for commoners to practice magic. His loyal followers, the Aphrasians, were rewarded with Baer Abbey. They hoarded the sacred texts of magical knowledge and the history of Avantine in a document known as the Deian Scrolls, becoming gatekeepers of religious and political power.
Thereby the Dellafiores vanished. During this time the Hearthstone Guild is formed in order to