Thirty-Six
WITH THE THREAT of the Rakuuna lifted, Charis called for a physician and rushed to Tal’s side, trusting Holland to hold the Everlys captive until she could deal with them and seeing that the Malinsons were still caring for Nalani.
Vahn saw her approach and leaned back to make room for her at Tal’s head. She dropped to her knees, her entire body shaking as if she was caught in a windstorm.
It was over. She’d won, but the cost was impossibly high. She couldn’t bear to add Tal to the list of those she’d lost.
Zale kept Vahn’s dress coat pressed against the bloody gashes in Tal’s chest but whispered softly, “He’s going to be all right.”
Charis raised a trembling hand to Tal’s face and said, “I forbid you to die, Tal Penbyrn.”
“As do I,” Holland spoke from above them. “You promised me a disembowelment, and a true gentleman keeps his word.”
“My guards have detained the Everlys, Your Majesty,” Alaric spoke from somewhere behind Holland. “And now, young man, I’d like my sword back.” Holland handed back the sword and hurried to Nalani’s side as the palace physician rushed into the room.
Charis leaned down until her mouth was beside Tal’s ear. “If you don’t wake up right now, I will never forgive you.”
His lips parted. “Liar.”
His voice was a shadow of its usual strength, but she didn’t care. Taking his face in both her hands, she kissed him. “It’s over.”
“I never doubted you.” His eyes fluttered open and found hers before slowly closing again.
“Get another physician in here.” Charis looked at the palace staff as she climbed to her feet. “I want this hero’s injuries treated immediately. Go!”
Two uniformed servants rushed from the room.
Charis faced the assembled nobles, many of whom were looking at the exits as if they were hoping to leave now that there were no monstrous guards blocking the doorways. Before they could move, Charis spoke with the icy calm Mother had used to bring order out of chaos.
“You have one opportunity to prove your loyalty to me. I will not threaten you to gain your compliance. I will offer you a choice, just as I offered to the Rakuuna.” It hurt to see Reuben’s body lying on the floor. Charis swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. “We need healing, not division. We are entering a time of rebuilding. I need people in Arborlay who are willing to work hand in hand with each other to restore our beautiful kingdom to its former glory.”
Every eye in the room was on her. She paused as a second physician entered the room and was directed to Tal, and then she continued, “You came here tonight because you believed the Everlys were the best choice to rule our kingdom. You’ve now seen that the Rakuuna answered to them, not to me. You’ve heard that all this could have been avoided had they brought the Rakuuna’s needs to my mother and me immediately. You know the tremendous cost that Calera has paid for their treachery. You also know that I have the confidence of King Alaric and every allied kingdom on the sea.”
She scanned the room slowly, fire burning in her belly. “If you still believe someone else would be a better leader, you are welcome to leave. Take your families and move to the countryside. Or to Solvang or Thallis. I don’t care where you go, but you can’t stay here. If, however, you believe that you put your faith in the wrong people, and you’re ready to submit to my sovereignty, I will accept your fealty and expect to see you working harder than most to restore our city.”
She paused to let her words settle and then said, “If you’ve chosen to live elsewhere, get up and leave now, and nothing will happen to you. However, if you stay, and I learn that you are causing discord, you will find yourself in my dungeon faster than you can draw your next breath. Make your choice now.”
A few people got up, shamefaced and looking at the floor as they crept out of the room. Two more hurried after them. The rest stayed where they were.
“Show your queen the deference she deserves.” Holland’s tone brooked no arguments.
As one, the Caleran nobles dropped into curtsies and bows. Charis stood, tall and proud, eyes burning, heart pounding, imagining she could hear in the distance her parents whispering that they were proud of their daughter.
When the crowd had once again found their seats, she turned to the Everlys. “You have been found guilty of treason. The punishment is death.”
“I volunteer to do the job.” Holland’s lip curled as he aimed his sword at Lord Everly.
“In my kingdom, traitors have their heads removed and stuck on the fence posts that line the palace gates.” King Alaric moved to Charis’s side, his gaze barely landing on Tal before moving away. “It’s remarkably effective in discouraging others from moving against me.”
Charis thought the rage within her was spent, but the sight of Alaric’s callous disregard for his son sparked it anew.
She waved a hand at a page. “Lead the guards to the dungeons and make sure the Everlys are in separate cells. They will be publicly executed in the square tomorrow at noon. And get Ferris’s body out of here.”
As her orders were obeyed, she turned to Alaric. “I know we need to have a wedding ceremony, but it will have to wait a few hours to allow everyone to change into clean clothing and to let the physician stitch Tal’s wounds.”
Vahn’s head lifted, surprise written across his face. “You’re still going through with the wedding tonight?”
King Alaric laughed. “Barely waiting for the blood to dry. You’re every bit the queen your mother was, I’ll give you that.”
Yes, she was. And she’d done what she’d sworn to do when she’d fled her kingdom. There was just one more task awaiting her.
Two hours later, grateful that Nalani, though seriously injured, would live and that Tal would also recover from his wounds, Charis dressed in the blue gown that had once caused Tal to stumble over his words when he saw her, and had the nobility moved to the throne room.
With no member of the royal council present to perform the ceremony, she’d sent for the magistrate of Arborlay. It was time to solidify her treaty with Montevallo, pay the Rakuuna to leave and never come back, and begin the process of rebuilding her kingdom. And it was time King Alaric realized that, while he might not see the kind of treasure he had in his youngest son, others did.
Vahn was waiting for her in the corridor outside the throne room. “Tal is all right.”
She nodded. “I received word that his wounds were dressed, and he’d been given clean clothing.”
“He’ll be along shortly. I just... I wanted to talk to you. Before we go in.” He looked uncomfortable.
“What is it?”
“I’m a bit surprised that you’re going through with this.”
She faced him, softening at the sight of his brother’s blood on his snowy white shirt. “I keep my promises. And our kingdoms cannot continue to be at war.”
“I agree.” He swallowed, looked over his shoulder as his father’s voice called his name from inside the room, and then said in a rush, “I’m just surprised that you’re marrying me without protest. Of course, Tal can remain your bodyguard, and I’ll do my best to look the other way if the two of you— It’s awkward, but— Perhaps we—”
“Tal won’t continue on as my bodyguard.”
Vahn’s brows rose. “It’s clear that you two love each other.”
“We do.”
“Then why... Oh.” He drew in a breath and blew it out slowly.
“I will honor the treaty, down to the letter.” She raised her voice so that Alaric, who was approaching, could hear her, too.
“I should hope so,” Alaric said, glancing down the hall where Tal was walking toward them, supported by Holland, who looked weary.
“I already know you plan to honor our treaty as well,” Charis said. “After all, you made it clear that you’d support me if I won my recent power struggle but wouldn’t be too bothered if I lost because there were still heirs to choose from to fulfill the treaty.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Your Majesty.” Alaric clapped Vahn on the back. “I much preferred you as Calera’s ruler than that pompous Ferris Everly.”
“Excellent.” Charis turned to her friends. “Holland, if Tal needs help staying on his feet, don’t let him fall.”
“Tal doesn’t need to be on his feet for this,” Alaric said as Zale left the throne room to fuss over her brother.
Charis ignored Alaric.
“Please help him onto the dais,” she said to Zale, who was hovering anxiously at Tal’s side.
“The dais?” Alaric looked from Charis to Tal. “Why?”
Charis leveled him with the look that used to send the nobility scrambling to get back in her good graces. “Because he risked his life to save my kingdom and then risked it again tonight to save me.” She moved past Alaric and said, “Because I honor those whose courage deserves it.”
Moving through the room, past clusters of nobility having hushed conversations, she mounted the steps to the dais. Alaric followed her to the base of the steps. She turned to him. “And because I plan to finalize our treaty by obeying it to the letter.”
Beside Alaric, Vahn snorted. When his father turned to look at him, Vahn immediately assumed an expression of grave dignity.
“Well, then Vahn should be up there, too.” Alaric motioned for Vahn to step to the dais.
Charis cleared her throat and said loudly, “Thank you to all who’ve remained to witness this momentous occasion. Please take your seats.”
As the crowd settled into their chairs, Holland and Zale approached the dais with Tal. The magistrate climbed the steps behind them, his wide girth making for slow progress.
Charis looked at the magistrate. “The treaty between Montevallo and Calera states that one of their heirs must marry one of ours.” She turned as Alaric followed Vahn on to the dais.
Vahn gave her a rueful look and shrugged.
“Prince Vahn Penbyrn of Montevallo will make a fine ruler one day, and I’m sure his kingdom will be grateful for his leadership.” Charis’s voice rang out, and she hastened on as Alaric’s cheeks reddened and his mouth dropped open. Beside her, Tal turned to see her face, his eyes wide with wonder.
“Prince Percival Talin Penbyrn has demonstrated constant, unwavering loyalty to me and to the well-being of Calera and has proven adept at balancing that loyalty with his concern and love for the people of Montevallo. I can think of no better king consort to have at my side as I begin my queenship.”
Turning to Tal, she whispered, “Is this all right with you?”
He gave her his crooked smile. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“I am.”
“I might have to think about that for a while.”
Her lips lifted slightly. “Liar.”
He leaned close and whispered, “You own my heart. I’d be honored to marry you.”
She reached for Tal’s hand, and he intertwined his fingers through hers, his gaze warm. The torch he’d lit in her heart, once nearly extinguished, blazed with brilliant light.
“We had an agreement,” Alaric snapped.
“Yes.” Charis smiled at Tal. “One of our heirs would marry one of yours. Tal is one of your heirs, is he not?”
“He is, but that wasn’t the plan.”
“Father, she said Tal will be nothing more than a king consort.” Vahn sounded nearly as arrogant as he had the first day Charis had met him. “I decline to be a consort. With me as your heir in Montevallo, and Tal as king consort here, we can enjoy the benefits of a long, profitable partnership that strengthens both our kingdoms.”
Charis raised an eyebrow at Vahn, and he raised one right back. She hadn’t expected him to give up the idea of marrying her so easily, but she also hadn’t expected him to show such concern over Tal’s wounds. It seemed that, like her, Vahn had shown the side of him that his father expected him to show when they’d first met.
“Are you absolutely sure, after everything we’ve been through, that I’m the one you want?” Tal whispered as the magistrate began a short wedding ceremony.
“Are you trying to get out of this?” She narrowed her eyes, and he smiled.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
“You dare a great many things.”
His smile widened, and the rest of the room faded away until he was just a boy standing in front of a girl telling her he loved her enough to marry her—not because of her position, but despite it.
As the magistrate read the vows, she leaned close to Tal and said softly, “I can’t promise I’m going to be easy to live with.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“I might start a few arguments.”
“I’ll argue right back.”
She moved closer. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, and it isn’t going to be easy.”
He closed the distance between them and whispered, “I never did care for things that were easy.”
The magistrate finished speaking and said, “The royal couple will now share their first kiss.”
The pain within her over those who’d been lost was still raw and tender, but somehow joy existed beside it, threaded through the ache so that both felt as much a part of her as breathing. She was the bereft daughter. The vengeful queen. The grieving friend, and the blushing bride. She looked at Tal. “Ready?”
Tal’s smile matched hers, full of happiness and grief in equal measure. “Ready.”
She kissed him, slow and sweet, her heart pounding in rhythm with his, drowning out the applause around them, and for the first time since the night everything went wrong, she felt like she was truly home.