Now I was about to start a new life. I was going to marry a king who everyone had told me was a monster. I had seen him behave monstrously. And yet I had seen a deep humanity in him, as well— both in the privacy of his quarters, and on the arena pitch, when he had given Griffin two chances to submit.
He was the monster who was a man. My father was the man who was a monster. My father was the one who had orchestrated all of this—the coup, the lies, the disregard for what I wanted. He’d never cared about me. Never loved me. All he’d wanted was the throne, and he’d used Griffin in an attempt to get it.
How could I tell who I could trust? How could I even begin to imagine the future ahead of me?
had barely fallen asleep when I was awoken by the commotion of Amity and Rue hurrying into my room. Amity threw the curtains open, casting sunshine into the room, and Rue poured the coffee. “Good morning, milady!” Rue said. “It’s your big day! Are you so excited?”
I pushed myself up onto one elbow and rubbed my eyes. “Uh-huh,” I agreed, squinting into the bright sun. I felt like I’d barely slept at all, trapped in my circling thoughts going round and round in my head into the deepest, darkest part of the night. I’d been trying to pinpoint moments in my youth where my father may have suggested any of the truths I’d uncovered. But there was nothing. All I’d managed to do was dig into some of my worst memories, reliving times when he’d been dismissive or casually cruel, seeing them through a new lens.
But the girls were right. It was my big day.
I had to leave the past in the past. There was nothing I could do to undo what my father had done, or to make him love me the way I’d thought he had to in some deep part of his heart. It’d serve me better to focus on the people who did care for me—my friends who would stand with me today, the handmaidens who were so eager to take care of me.
And, perhaps, the King of Frasia.
“We have a lot to do!” Amity said. “Get up, milady, have some coffee. Rue will start the bath.”
I sipped at my coffee, waking up slowly as I gazed out over the quiet landscapes of Efra and the wolves starting their days. I squinted and leaned closer to the window. Servants from the manor were moving into the tree line, carrying lights, chairs, and decorations. “Amity?” I asked. “Where is the ceremony to be held?”
“In the forest, of course,” she said. “As Nightfall weddings are.” “In the forest?”
“Yes!” she said. “It’s easier for your wolves to bond while in the presence of nature. Is that not how things are done in Daybreak?”
“Not at all,” I murmured. I couldn’t imagine a Daybreak wedding held outside of the sunny chapel by the sea. It was lovely, with a big window overlooking the ocean, but the ceremonies were so buttoned-up. Never held at the mercy of the elements.
Amity corralled me into the ensuite, and the girls then guided me into the steaming water. This bath was already more extravagant than the ones I’d had previously, with the water fragrant with soaps and rich with oils. They washed my hair, then bundled me into a towel. Then, they led me out of the bath and dried me off.
Rue knelt at my feet. She toweled them dry, then carefully began applying a thick lotion, with an earthy fragrance that left a strange prickling sensation in its wake.
“What’s that?” I asked. “Feels strange.”
“It’s cold today, milady,” Rue said as she rubbed the lotion into the soles of my feet. “This will keep your feet warm during the ceremony.” “Will I be barefoot?” I teased.
“Yes,” Rue said seriously. I blinked. “Really?”
“Well, yes,” Rue said. “You want to be connected to the earth when you complete your union, don’t you?”
“I supposed I do,” I murmured.
Amity began to carefully towel dry my hair with gentle hands. “I apologize, milady,” she said.
“There’s much about the traditions of Nightfall you aren’t familiar with, isn’t there?”
“That’s an understatement,” I admitted. “This Choice has been a bit of a whirlwind.”
“Well,” Amity said, “once we begin as your royal handmaidens, Rue and I will ensure to fill the gaps in your knowledge.”
“The king said I have to learn how to dance like a Nightfall wolf,” I said. “I don’t know if that’s possible.”
Rue laughed brightly. “It’s much easier than it seems, milady,” she said. “Most things in Nightfall are. It comes naturally.”
I could only hope she was right. Once my hair was dry, Rue styled it with her skilled hands into a half-up, half-down style, while Amity did my makeup. It was more dramatic than I was used to wearing, with a shadowed eye and mascara. She put no tint on my lips, though, forgoing color for a simple dab of moisturizer.
“You don’t want to leave any color on the king,” she said with a smile. “Though a red lip might look nice on him, too.”
When I was finished, I felt a bit ridiculous, all made-up but still wrapped in a big, comfortable robe. I padded out into the bedroom to sip at my coffee again, when a knock on the door surprised me.
“Ah,” Amity said. “Right on time.”
She opened the door. Waiting across the threshold was someone I’d never seen before—a beautiful young man with tan skin that almost glowed in the low light.
“Delivery,” he said in soft, almost musical voice. “From Camille’s.”
“Thank you,” Amity said. “Please, hang it behind the screen.”
He had to be Fae. Right? But before I could get close enough to see if I could feel any magic, the delivery boy swept into a bow and left the room.
“I’m so excited to see it,” Amity said. “I heard it was made custom, just for you.”
“It was,” I said. “It really is beautiful.”Before Amity could close the door, Fina called, “Did we miss it?” She stuck her head in the gap in the door and the doorframe. “The final fitting?”“No, no,” I said with a smile. “Come in.”Fina and Adora both hurried into the room. It was mid-morning, and they’d been dolled up by their own handmaidens. Both looked gorgeous, in their lush gowns and simple makeup. Fina swept me into her arms immediately in a hard hug, and I laughed as she spun me around. “Please don’t smudge the makeup,” Amity said. “We don’t have a lot of extra time!” “I won’t, I won’t,” Fina said as she released me, grinning.Adora gave me a hug as well, and an air-kiss on each cheek. She was a bit flushed, but she looked happier than she did yesterday. That was about all I could hope for, considering how things had shaken out for the both of us.“We wanted to be a part of the big day,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind.”“Not in the slightest,” I said. “I’m so glad you’re h
My own wolf roused with anxiety, wanting to spring forth, as if she was pulled by the presence of so many others.A violinist in the clearing began to play a delicate tune, the strings lilting through the air as if following the birdsong overhead. Fina and Adora walked into the clearing first and took their places a few paces from the edge of the cliff, to an audience of high-ranking court members in their human forms.Then I was standing at the tree line with just Amity and Rue in their wolf forms at my back. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do—no one had told me exactly how this was supposed to go. Icouldn’t see the king either, half-hidden as he was by the officiant as they both overlooked the crowd under the cliff. I glanced around, looking for some sort of instruction, when my father stepped into the tree line with a scowl on his face.“What is this?” he hissed, sneering at my gown. He was dressed in his ceremonial finery, linen layered against the cold along with a cloak, a
What else had I learned in Daybreak that was a lie?“Your Majesty,” the priest said, “my lady. We gather here today under the watchful eyes of our gods to join both of you together in matrimony as leaders of Pack Nightfall and the Kingdom of Frasia. The Choice has guided you to your queen, and now you may enter the rest of your lives together.” He cast his yellow eyes around the guests. “With your court and your pack as witnesses, you will begin this journey.”My father was nearly vibrating with anger as he watched, though if any other wolves noticed it, they made no comment. Fina was already crying as she watched, dabbing under her eyes delicately from where she stood. Even the duchess, stern in her rich purple gown, seemed minutely pleased to see the culmination of the Choice.Lady Marin stepped forward to the priest’s side. In her hands she held a plain wooden box. The priest opened it and carefully took out a heavy piece of thick, plain rope. “Face each other,” he said.We did as
“Just something special for our wedding day,” the king said, obviously pleased by my reaction.The guests in the main hall applauded as we walked in, cheers and hoots filling the room. The king laughed, loud and booming, and waved at the guests with his free hand as he hitched me a little closer. I hid my smile behind my hand. It was a strange feeling, being here like this, the center of attention—it almost didn’t feel real. Like I was playing a role, which I supposed was true. Finally, I felt like I was free from the judgmental, assessing eyes of the council and the court. The Choice hadn’t ended the way I’d wanted—but at least it’d ended. Small favors.The band began to play, and the king led me toward the floor. “I still don’t know the Nightfall dances,” I whispered.“Don’t worry about that,” the king said. “The ceremony was for the rituals of Nightfall. The rest of the day is about us.”He squeezed my hand and then pulled me close, in the center of the dance floor. The other guest
The song ended and Barion stepped away with a bow. “Thank you for the dance,” he said, “and good luck, Lady Reyna.”That was his way of saying goodbye.Outside, the sun had dipped down below the horizon, and the evening edged into night. The wine and champagne flowed, the band sweated through their clothes, and the cake was served down to the glass stand. I was still on the dance floor with the king, exhaustion beginning to nip at my heels like a pup.A bell sounded from somewhere in the room. The king pulled me close to his side. “That’s our cue,” he said. His voice was low, rumbling from all the talking he’d done to the guests. He looked just as tired as I felt, with his crown a little askance and sweat gathered at the collar of his fine shirt.I leaned against him, like my body was about to give up standing on its own since he was here to hold us up. “Cue?”The crowd began to hoot and shout out their well wishes. Scattered throughout the crowd, guests held sparklers, passed out by
My wolf urged me to move closer, to kiss him, to bury my face in the crook of his neck and erase all my reason and logic in the delicious familiar scent of his sweat. I wrestled her into submission.“We should talk,” I said.The king pulled back with an interested smile on his face. “Sure.” He moved toward the crackling fire, then gestured toward the armchair across from his own. He hadn’t changed his clothes, but did roll up the sleeves of his fine shirt, revealing the tanned muscular curve of his forearms. He poured us each a bit of brandy, then offered me the glass. “Let’s talk.” “I know it’s our wedding night,” I said.“You have a keen eye.”I ignored that. “And I know what is—customary.”“Right,” he said, that wolfish smirk reappearing on his face as his warm eyes tracked over my body.“But I—I can’t forgive as quickly as some might be able to,” I said. “I need more time.”The pleased expression dropped off his face. He raised his eyebrows. “This is about that traitor of yours?”
Before I made it, though, he caught up and caught my wrist in his hand. “Where do you think you’re going?”“Outside,” I said. “I need space.”He kept his hand around my wrist as he stepped close. “The last thing we need right now, Reyna, is more space.” He pressed his chest to my back and ducked his head closer, nosing behind my ear and inhaling. “I know you yearn for me.” His voice vibrated into my bones from the intimacy. “I can smell your desire.”I pressed my thighs together. It was no mystery that I wanted him. I’d made that clear the last night we’d spent together in this room. “My body and mind have two different opinions of you.”“Perhaps that’s part of the problem,” he said. “You’re so caught up in your mind that you ignore your body—and your wolf.”“I don’t ignore her,” I huffed, even as my wolf protested. Then I snapped my mouth shut. I didn’t need to justify myself to the king. I wasn’t an animal like the wolves of Nightfall. I had more selfrestraint than that.“We cannot
29When I woke up the next morning, it was to a brisk series of knocks at the door of the king’s chambers. I was asleep in his immense bed, but there was no indentation on the mattress next to me, nor any trace of the king’s scent on the sheets. He’d never come to bed at all.Last night, my exhaustion had overwhelmed my turmoil and I’d passed out nearly as soon as I’d hit the mattress beneath me. I’d never expected the king to give up his quarters to me though. It made my chest ache.I pulled my robe back on and stepped out into the main quarters to answer the door. Amity and Rue were on the other side, cheerful as ever despite the early hour. “Good morning, Your Highness,” Amity said brightly.“Wow,” I murmured. “Can we stick with Lady Reyna? At least until I’m a little more used to it?”“Sure,” Rue said. “This is a big change. I think you’ll love it, though.”I nodded. She had no idea how wrong she was. But, at least with Amity and Rue with me, it’d be a bit more bearable than it w