Chapter 12 #2
“If you feel like you need to be seen or you want to interact with your people, take a walk through the village. But take with you the ministers’—I don’t know—their schedulers or something.
You can get people used to starting there instead of going right to you, while also being able to get to know them. ”
He frowned at me. “But that’s exactly what we’re doing now.”
“Yeah, but it’s out there. You’re not built for sitting still in a box.”
He huffed a laugh and nodded at me. “I hate this room.”
“Alright then!” I stood up. “Let’s get your ministers in here and that announcer guy and tell them how things are going to go from now on.”
“Since you cleared the room, pull that.” He pointed at a braided cord hanging down the wall several feet from him.
I went over and pulled on it, maybe hearing a distant bell jingle. A moment later, that announcer dude came scurrying back into the room.
He bowed low in front of Solaris. “How may I assist you, Your Highness?”
“Bring to me my ministers. If any are unavailable, have their seconds come here. Let them know I want to change how citizens approach the throne for solutions.”
“Immediately, Your Highness.”
It was quick, but I could’ve sworn the skinny little guy winked at me as he left the room.
“How about some lunch while we wait for—”
A sudden powerful vibration nearly knocked me off my feet. I grabbed onto the throne, Solaris wrapped an arm around my waist, and we listened as glass broke and people exclaimed in fright. At one point, it sounded like something exploded.
I wasn’t sure how long the earthquake lasted, but when it stopped, everything was eerily quiet. Solaris stood, and we held onto each other as we hurried to the doors into the hall.
People were getting up off the floor, checking on each other, and it looked like a fine sheen of dust was on those closest to the windows. I didn’t see anyone who was hurt, but shock was on every face.
“Your Highness!” a dust-covered woman hollered and pointed out a window beside her. “The barrier’s falling!”
“What?” Solaris flew over the heads of everyone between him and the window. The crowd surging in that direction made it impossible for me to follow him.
A cheer rose up just before everyone rushed down the hallways.
Solaris flew right out the window, and I couldn’t blame him one bit.
A few other people jumped out, too. I got caught up in a swarm of folks heading down the hallway, so just went with them since I had no idea how I’d gotten out there before.
The first thing I noticed was a drop in the temperature. It was like coming into the air conditioning. I found myself laughing, certain now that the barrier really had come down. Then we burst outside the castle wall, and I could see what had happened.
Like the glass it resembled, the barrier had broken into enormous chunks that had come crashing down to the ground.
One pie-shaped piece had hit the exterior castle wall down from where I’d come out and absolutely crushed it.
That must’ve been the explosion sound and why so much rock dust had burst into the keep.
Solaris was over there flying around, looking like he was inspecting the damage. But then I saw his head snap around and he stared toward the muddy river that must’ve once filled the moat.
“Get out!” he hollered. “The water’s coming!”
Oh, shit. A few people had gone down into the moat, some standing on rocks poking up from the mud, but others were slogging through the mud itself. I ran over to help haul people back up onto the grass only to look over and see a literal wall of water coming.
“Hurry! Run!” I shouted as I reached for the people reaching for me.
A sudden flash of blue and green caught my attention before four people were dropped on the grass.
Solaris, snatching them up. Five got out on their own, and he grabbed two more before the water was on us.
It careened around the curve of the moat like a tsunami, Solaris flying like a bullet just in front of it.
I dearly hoped he was able to get to anyone else before the water caught up to them.
A lot of us had gotten pretty soaked, and a few had lost their shoes to the mud, but that didn’t stop us from smiling. Cheers rose up again, especially when another shard of the barrier fell into the river.
Then all of a sudden, dark clouds rolled in and it started to rain.
Those with me were dancing now, tipping their faces up to drink the rain, and laughing as they played.
I felt a huge sense of relief for all of us and was glad no one would be able to tell if it was the rain or I was actually crying.
When people started bowing and curtseying, I realized Solaris was walking through them, heading for me. Every one of his steps left a patch of green grass behind him. A small tree he passed suddenly grew leaves.
Solaris had his magic back.
“We did it,” he said.
“You did it.”
He smiled. “Yes, I did.”
I laughed and let him grab me possessively and kiss me passionately. Holding him close, I could hear new cheers from the people around us and felt uplifted by their joy.
The curse was broken, and I was in love with a fae prince. I didn’t know what might happen next, but I had hope and love. That was more than enough for now.