Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,247

have only one wish, my Queen."

Something passed over her face, something fearful yet excited.

"Speak, warrior."

I leaned in, bending until my mouth sat parallel to her ear, ensuring that she would hear every word I uttered.

"As the warrior who saved your life, I ask for the right to invoke the akaternok ah yalonel."

She sucked in a breath, pulling away from me, surging to her feet.

"You can't! You're to be Prime Minister. You're unable to be both."

I stepped forward, closing the gap between us. "For you? I'd resign. If you accept my right then I'll do it, I'll step away. I'll fall into line. I'll do whatever you bid."

Her gaze raked my face. "But why?"

I suppressed a smile, shifting back as I heard the door behind us open. "Accept and I'll tell you."

Her assistant called to her from the doorway. "My Queen, the police are ready for you."

She stared at me for a moment longer, then turned, brushing past me.

"Speak to Victoria, she'll organise a private dinner for later this week. We'll discuss your request then."

And with that, she was gone, disappearing into the building leaving only the subtle scent of peach on the air.

Katherine

Queen's Bedchamber, The Royal Palace

I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, the pain in my temples refusing to subside as I replayed Jon's words over and over.

As the warrior who saved your life, I ask for the right to invoke the akaternok ah yalonel.

Akaternok ah yalonel, the marriage claim.

A tradition of my ancestors, I'd not heard of it being used for centuries, not since the tribes had merged during the industrial revolution, or, perhaps, even earlier.

I ask for the right to invoke the akaternok ah yalonel.

I groaned, turning on my side, scrunching my eyes shut as I tried to banish both Jon and the headache from my mind.

A claim of akaternok ah yalonel could only be granted if it met three criteria. First, the man or woman had to have rescued that person from a life-or-death situation. Second, the warrior wanted to invoke akaternok ah yalonel to offer a lifetime of protection. The final condition was that the rescued party had to agree.

The akaternok ah yalonel didn't include a provision for love. It didn't force me to honour and obey. It didn't ask anything but for me to be committed to the person who had saved my life for the rest of my days.

And for them to do the same.

As the warrior who saved your life….

As Monarch I couldn't just meet those three criteria and be done with it. I needed to consider if he would be the best candidate for Prince Consort. If he would work with me for the good of my people.

I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose in the dark, considering all I knew of Jonathan.

A lifetime ago, we'd been children who played together while our mothers lunched. Not because we dwelled in the same spheres of influence, but because my mother had championed Mallory House, the charity his mother had founded.

As we grew older, those playdates had changed in tone, and for a while I'd nursed a small crush on Jonathan. Then his mother had passed away and he'd enrolled to serve in our military forces, and life had moved on.

It had been many years since we'd seen each other, and many more since we'd had any form of meaningful conversation.

He'd have to resign. He'd be forced into an untenable position, and so would you. This could be seen as favouritism or worse— collusion. And he's a conservative. Is that what you want, Kit? To be tied to a man whose own party brings forward bills you're forced to send down?

I didn't have any answers.

I have to marry— now more than ever. The danger is so very real, and my siblings? I wouldn't wish this responsibility upon them.

My child would be groomed as the future Monarch from birth, unlike my siblings who had neither the temperament nor the interest in ruling. Their education had drastically deviated from my own. They'd been free to attend parties and sneak out with few repercussions. It would have been a cold day in hell before those same freedoms would have been allowed for me.

His proposal solves many issues. It balances the conservative and progressives, shows that common ground can be achieved. It's a romantic story that would play well in the press and will likely increase tourism in the lead up to the wedding. He's a citizen and a known and respected entity, few