CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Daphne
Daphne lingered at Ella’s house until her best friend calmed her down. Only when she could think clearly once more did she decide what to do next.
There was no point in going home. Daphne needed to see Kronos, and she needed to do it right now.
She had no idea how much he knew—whether or not Agnes had told him she was pregnant, whether the prince proposing to her was enough to turn his vial black.
Did it still count as Maximus choosing her if Daphne hadn’t chosen him back?
There was only one way to know. She ran to the caves as fast as she could, ignoring the whipping wind.
This autumn had been unseasonably cold, and it was not a surprise to Daphne when she saw snow begin to fall.
When she reached Kronos’s chambers, they were empty.
Daphne paused, unsure where to go next. It wasn’t safe to wander the passageways alone.
Yet she had no idea when Kronos would return, and she could not wait to see him.
She decided to go to the vial room. To her surprise, it was full of basilisks.
Daphne spotted Kronos immediately; he was right in front of the vials, standing half a head above the rest. She pushed through the crowd until she reached him.
Everyone stared at her as she passed; she was still in her dress, the only one clothed.
“Kronos,” she said. “I need to talk to you.”
“Daphne,” he breathed, his hands immediately finding hers. “Is everything in order?”
Daphne opened her mouth but was cut off immediately.
“Brethren,” called Bastian, raising his voice over the eager clamor of the crowd, “welcome to the closing ceremony.”
Silence fell as the crowd turned to face the vials. On one side of the room stood Caspenon, on the other Rowe. Farther back in the crowd, Agnes gave her a little wave. Daphne waved back.
“What happens now?” she whispered to Kronos.
“First the current Serpent King will conduct the closing ceremony,” Kronos whispered back. “After that, we will see whether Kora chooses to pass the power.”
“How will we know?”
Kronos pointed. “My vial will drain.”
It was then that Daphne realized Kronos’s vial was black.
So Maximus’s proposal had had an impact after all. It did not matter that Daphne had not accepted it, only that he had chosen her. Why was it that somehow, in all this, it was still only his choice that mattered?
“You will be king,” she whispered.
Kronos pursed his lips. “Perhaps.”
But Daphne saw the pride in his eyes. She saw the struggle they had both been through to get here. They had made it through the Ranking together.
Daphne placed her hand on Kronos’s back. “You will be king,” she said again.
He turned to her. “If I am king, it is only because of you.”
Daphne smiled. She did not know what the future held for him. Kronos did not yet know he was a father; he did not know the extent of her rift with Maximus. But there was hope for them. With Kronos as Serpent King, peace was a possibility.
“Our hosts have competed admirably,” Bastian continued. “They deserve our respect. As you can see”—he pointed at the vials—“the prince has chosen a wife.”
His eyes fell on Kronos.
“Our victor,” Bastian said quietly.
The crowd cheered, and Daphne cheered with them. She didn’t care that she was the only human here; she only cared that, for once, she felt hopeful. The crowd moved as they cheered, forming a circle.
“It is tradition for the current king to honor his reign,” Kronos explained as Bastian and Deltene stepped into the middle of the circle. “As a symbol of her devotion, the queen will mount him in front of everyone.”
Daphne nodded. At one point, public sex might have been a shock, but basilisk traditions no longer surprised her.
She watched as someone pushed a stone chair into the middle of the circle.
It was identical to the chairs used for the second challenge.
Bastian took a seat, facing Deltene. The crowd cheered even louder.
Only one person was not partaking in the revelry: Caspenon stood with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed. He looked worried.
In contrast, Deltene looked perfectly serene, her chin raised regally.
Daphne was struck by both her beauty and her presence.
Her gaze was trained calmly on Bastian. She took a step forward and the crowd went wild.
Caspenon uncrossed his arms, as if he were bracing himself for something.
The queen took another step. But this time it was not in Bastian’s direction.
Daphne watched as Deltene turned, moving as if she were compelled by a force greater than herself.
“What is she doing?” Daphne whispered.
Kronos didn’t answer. The crowd was no longer cheering; noises of confusion surrounded them.
The entire room went eerily silent as Deltene stepped toward a tall basilisk who looked like an older version of Rowe.
Without a word, she placed her palms on his shoulders.
His hands went to her waist, lifting her onto his already hard cock.
For some reason, Bastian smiled.