Chapter 38
A Night On The Town
Iwas thankful I opted for a golden pair of closed toe heels for tonight’s festivities, since the pathway Alaric and I currently strolled along consisted of soft soil and loose twigs.
“You didn’t tell me there’d be dirt pathways.” I glanced at him, watching a playful smile spread across his lips.
“The Emerald Glades prides itself on staying close to its roots. The jungle is the heart of these lands, so we do our best to leave it undisturbed. So, yes, you will be trudging along dirt pathways for the remainder of the night. Unless . . . you’d like me to carry you the rest of the way, my Queen?
” He flashed a winning smile, and the warm glow from the orbs floating around us revealed a hint of mischief glinting in his eyes.
“That won’t be necessary.” My eyes drifted up to the towering, lush green trees surrounding us.
Surprise sparked through my chest at the fact I didn’t mind being engulfed in nature. I loved the structured, stone walls of my palace, but there was something so freeing about having no walls confining me anymore—just the jungle for me to get lost in.
Although it was nighttime, birds chirped high above, creating a tranquil melody as we continued to stroll arm-in-arm down the path.
“Fuck, sorry,” Alaric muttered underneath his breath, dragging my attention back to him.
“What’s wrong?”
He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, worry etched between his tightly knitted brows.
“It’s just—I know how much you despise me calling you my Queen. I won’t do it again—”
I placed my hand against his chest, cutting him off. He stopped walking, his eyes widening as he took in the way I softly pressed my hand against him.
“Alaric, it’s fine. It doesn’t bother me as much as it used to.” Heat flooded my cheeks when his gaze found mine, his eyes sparkling with wonder.
“You truly mean that?” He looked like he was holding his breath while awaiting my answer.
“It’s fine, really. I kind of—” I chewed on my lip, stopping myself from making a confession I wasn’t sure I was ready to admit.
But of course, Alaric didn’t let it go.
“You kind of what?” he drawled, a lazy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. A loose strand of hair fell into his eyes as he lowered his face closer to mine.
“Oh, For Serpent’s Sake,” I muttered. “I kind of don’t hate it.” I huffed, not liking how vulnerable I felt after my weak admission.
I tried to turn away from the king, but he snatched my hand that was pressing against his chest before I could. His touch anchored me in place, and my eyes roamed up to find his.
“Just so you know, I don’t hate it one bit. I like calling you my Queen—I always have.” He stared at me with such a nerve-wracking intensity, I had to press my lips together in hopes it would hide my rapid breathing.
Alaric spared me from having to answer him by patting my hand, allowing it to fall to my side as he latched onto my other hand wrapped around his arm. We walked for a few moments in content silence, only the sounds of the animals stirring through the jungle filling the warm night air.
Jovial music sounded as we neared a bend in the pathway, and the dark forest started to lighten around the curve ahead. As we rounded it, a small gasp escaped me.
Alaric leaned closer, his breath caressing my ear as he whispered, “Ready to experience all the Emerald Glades has to offer, my Queen?” He waved his hand grandly to the spectacle playing before us.
Hundreds of glowing orbs floated in the open space, in varying hues, creating almost an iridescent fairy-like feel to the forest.
Wait, those aren’t orbs.
“Are those . . .” I searched my brain for the right term as I watched the colorful insects fly in the sky.
“Fireflies.” Alaric finished my thought, and I offered him a small smile in thanks.
His grin widened when I smiled at him, making my cheeks heat.
Swiftly, I glanced back at the insects. Flashes of soft greens, pinks, golds, and blues made it feel like we were at a party, and the cheery music was unlike any tune I’d ever heard.
Typically, the music in my kingdom was somber, even eerie.
Alaric led me further into the town, which consisted mainly of a variety of wooden carts hosting different novelties for revelers to purchase or engage in. One wagon in particular was selling something that smelt so delectable it made my stomach rumble like a ferocious beast dwelled in its depths.
Alaric halted, glancing sideways at me with an arched brow. “Hungry, are we?” He bit his lip, looking like he was seconds away from chuckling.
“Considering I slept through most of the day, I haven’t eaten since this morning. So, what do you think?” I shot him one of my best glares.
He was unable to contain his laughter after my traitorous belly grumbled again, tipping his head back and letting out a sound that took me right back to the moment I started to fall for this menace seventy-five years ago—the same night I puked all over his shoes.
His laugh was devoid of the normal deep timbre it usually carried.
Instead, it was light and airy, and there was a slight wheezy hiss that escaped him between spurts of laughter.
In this moment, Alaric looked like a normal man enjoying himself on a night out, nothing like the cold Serpent King he made himself out to be.
His jovial mood died out, his expression quickly turning serious. “What’s wrong?”
“Hm?”
“You were looking at me like, like you—”
Oh gods, he caught me ogling him again.
I yanked on his arm, tugging him toward the delicious smelling cart to distract him from finishing his thought.
Dozens of fluffy, buttery pastries filled the display case atop the cart, and my eyes grew wide as I scanned every possible option to feast on.
“You’re drooling,” Alaric teased, reaching for the corner of my lip to swipe away said imaginary drool.
I swatted at him, yet my eyes never left the delightful sight of the croissants. Some were filled with cream, others with berries and chocolate, and my heart warmed at how all the pastries were in different serpent-shaped designs.
“Leandro, we will take one of everything.” Alaric passed something over to the vendor, a currency of sorts that looked different from any I’d seen, but I was too filled with shock over his request to examine it closer.
“One of everything?!” I questioned, stunned, right as my stomach rumbled with an intensity strong enough to quake the ground beneath us.
He scoffed as he glanced at my belly, swiftly returning his attention back to the short gentleman.
The vendor looked kind, sporting a cap and smiling from ear to ear as he prepared multiple bags of fresh baked goods.
“Here you are, Alaric.” The man surprised me when he addressed the king by his given name.
Leandro thrust some change back at Alaric, but he simply waved him off as he accepted the armful of bags.
“Keep the change and buy your girls those crossbows they’ve been begging for.” He winked at the vendor before turning back toward me, yet his smile faltered when he caught my befuddled expression. “What?”
“You—you addressed each other so informally.”
Alaric’s lips tugged into a half smile as he nodded for us to continue onward through the market.
“As you may have caught on from my mother, we forgo our formal titles for the most part. The people of the Emerald Glades address us as they would their neighbors, family, or friends.” He shrugged, like he wasn’t saying the most absurd thing ever.
“Why?”
He shot me a sideways glance. “Why do we let them call us by our given names?”
I bit my lip, suddenly feeling unsure of myself.
“Seera, let me put it this way. Being in a position of power is a privilege and an honor not many people ever get to experience. It does me no good to act above the very residents who support my family every day. It is far better to have our people on our side rather than against us.”
Shame raked through me at the Serpent King’s profound words.
The moment I received an ounce of power, I used it for my own personal gain. But who could blame me? I was tired of being sheltered, hidden away, and isolated from the world.
I wanted to leave a name for myself when my body perished, a legacy of sorts. But now, I was questioning if it was all worth it, if all my brutal decisions that led me to being the Serpent Queen mattered in the end.
Was this truly the legacy I wanted to leave behind when my soul was fully claimed by the Land of the Wicked? To be remembered as the queen who didn’t value her people? Who killed them for simply not worshiping at her feet? Who made public shows out of their executions?
Guilt roiled through my stomach, curbing any hunger I felt mere moments ago.
“Seera?” Alaric’s voice drifted to me from far away, making me realize I stopped walking.
I was standing about ten paces back from him, in the middle of the market, lost in my self-loathing thoughts.
He walked back to me the moment he realized I wasn’t beside him anymore, his hands still full with bags of pastries.
“What just happened?” His brows were pinched as he moved closer.
Notes of his cologne filled the space between us and I breathed deeply, letting the hints of amber and smoke ground me.
“I’m a terrible queen.” I whispered the words I ran away from decade after decade.
“You probably think the worst things about me after what you just said. I’m nothing like that.
I’m everything wrong with the people who hold power.
” My gaze dropped to the ground, kicking a small pebble as I avoided the disappointment I was sure I’d see in Alaric’s eyes.
A crinkling noise sounded right before I saw all the paper bags topple onto the ground before me. I was so stunned that I forgot I was avoiding making eye contact with Alaric and glanced up at him.
“The pastries!” I gasped.
“Fuck the pastries, Seera.” He stepped over the bags, closing the sliver of space remaining between us.