Chapter Thirty-Two

MY NERVES WERE COMPLETELY SHOT, and no matter how many times I tried to take a deep breath, it felt like I couldn't get enough air.

The day was finally here: my coronation and Joining Ceremony.

I'd been moving through a fog all morning; here but somewhere else all at once. Rune had left sometime before I woke since we weren't supposed to see each other today until the Joining Ceremony. I had no idea what his schedule consisted of this morning, but I hoped it was far less chaotic than mine.

As soon as I'd woken, it had been go, go, go—doing a final check of the ballroom, my daily morning meetings, solo practice of the Two Hearts Dance, and finally, getting ready, which was taking hours .

I sat at the vanity in my bathroom while Khalani styled my hair with her black Orca hands, and we were far from alone. Jayanna perched on the counter in her teal pants-suit next to where I sat, and she watched Khalani work.

Dallas stood on the other side of me in her fitted green dress, and she constantly had to tilt her head back to keep her proud tears from spilling over since she'd already done her make-up. "I can't believe you're becoming Queen today." She sniffled and dabbed at her mascara.

"Dallas," I laughed. "Stop crying."

"I can't believe you're marrying Rune," Akira sang from where he leaned against the wall behind me with Imani. The Raven looked absolutely handsome with his fitted tux and slicked back hair. I met his eyes through the mirror as he smiled warmly. "It's crazy to think back on how you and Rune only started hanging out because he wanted to avoid marriage. Only he realized in the process, that's exactly what he wanted with you."

I bit my lip and ducked my head to hide the grin tugging at my lips. It was definitely surreal to think about. The guy I'd met at the start of our relationship was far different from the man I'd be marrying today, and he wasn't the only one who had changed. I liked to think we were both better versions of ourselves than when this all started.

"Are you nervous for the Two Hearts Dance?" Avana asked. She stood in front of me in a gorgeous iridescent dress that really matched the shimmer of her Chameleon Fae skin. She bit her lip as she focused on applying a shimmery highlighter to my cheeks.

She and Khalani had decided to do my hair and make-up at the same time since there was little time before the ball started, and I still had to put on my dress, which the Water and Land Fae tailors hadn't arrived with yet.

I fiddled with the sash on the robe I wore as I met Avana's eyes over the brush she was gliding over my cheeks. "I'm a little nervous." A lot nervous. "I don't want to mess it up."

"Haven't the practices gotten better, though?" Akira asked.

"Mostly. Ever since I disappeared and came back, our practices have gotten way better. It's like we can control our powers more and keep them from blowing up like they used to."

Avana applied the finishing touches to my make-up around the same time Khalani finished my hair. A knock came at the bedroom door, and Dallas and Imani swiftly swept out of the bathroom to see who it was. When they returned, the dressmakers were with them.

"Who's ready to finally wear this gorgeous dress?" Disha, the Land Fae seamstress, squealed. The Silkworm Fae was a bubbly girl who currently sported a vibrant green saree and had her lush brown hair curled around her shoulders. She held one end of the bag that contained my dress while Chanwoo, the royal Water Fae tailor, held the other.

Everyone except Disha and Chanwoo left the bathroom to wait in the bedroom. I slipped my robe off, and the dressmakers helped me step into the dress, adjusting the hem and every other fine detail before turning me to the floor to ceiling mirror next to the vanity.

My breath left me. A thousand vibrant emotions flooded me. I'd been denied peeks at my reflection this entire time, so seeing myself in the full ensemble made the reality of what today was sink in. Queen. I was to become Queen and to officially claim Rune as my forever partner. They were insane milestones, and the stunning vision of my reflection fit the incredible occasion. I looked like a water goddess .

My blue and blonde hair had been pulled up halfway and pinned in different places to create an elegant half-up-half-down look with wisps of hair curled to frame my face. The tiara adorning my head sparkled just as beautifully as the shimmering flecks of make-up on my cheeks and eyelids. The light smoky eye made my blue eyes pop, and the glossy nude color applied to my lips made them look full. It all tied magically with the custom-made dress.

The bodice hugged me just right with a plunging neckline that accentuated my perky breasts and an exposed back that nearly reached my butt. It was the perfect mix of beautiful and sexy, and it made my self-confidence skyrocket. The long sleeves were light yet fitting, and every time I moved, they caught the light just like the flowing skirt. My heart beat harder over the way the blue and silver silk glittered like a sea, thanks to the many finite crystals and careful layering of the fabric.

"This," I started breathlessly. "This is perfect."

"I'm so glad you love it," Disha said as she clapped her hands.

"The fabric really made the dress," Chanwoo praised, and he smiled proudly at his co-creator. "Disha truly makes the best fabric out there. I was absolutely blown away by her skills."

Disha's cheeks pinkened, and she waved away the compliment before praising Chanwoo right back. I tuned them out as I became lost in the magic of my reflection again. Chanwoo was right. The light, silky fabric gave the dress the fluidity and appearance it needed to resemble water like we'd planned. As a Silkworm Fae, Disha had the ability to create the softest, most magical fabrics, and with their combined skills, they'd managed to create a dress unlike any other I'd ever seen.

"We're dying out here!" Akira yelled from beyond the bathroom door. "We want to see!"

Laughing at his impatience, I stepped into the bedroom for my gathered friends to see the final vision, and their chins nearly hit the floor.

Dallas had to cover her mouth with both hands as she fought a slew of fresh tears. My own chest tightened with a sense of love. She and I had been through so damn much together over the years, and I couldn't believe the day was here where I was basically getting married . It was huge, and having her here by my side just made the day even better.

Akira stared wide-eyed, mumbling a string of Japanese. Imani, Avana, Khalani, and Jayanna seemed frozen with awe.

"Do you guys like it?" I asked, shifting on my feet so that the dress captured the light and moved to look like running water.

"You are gorgeous, Bria!" Avana gushed.

"The dress is the perfect mix of provocative and regal," Jayanna said with a firm nod.

"That was what we were going for," Chanwoo stated happily, smoothing down the lapels on his suit jacket.

He and Disha gave me one final look over before we all realized it was time to go. We needed to get downstairs and take our places for the ball, which would begin with the Two Hearts Dance.

Each set of stairs that brought me closer to the ballroom sent my nerves climbing a steep hill. Any minute now, they'd jump off, and I'd lose my calm. Rune was waiting for me. All these Fae were waiting on me, some of whom hoped to see me fail and others who needed me to succeed. I wouldn't have a chance to talk with Rune prior to the Joining Ceremony, but I hoped the two of us could stay composed enough to get through the dance without issue.

When we reached the closed ballroom doors, we found Jesiah pacing in front of them. As soon as he saw us, he let out a relieved sigh and quickly shuffled everyone except me into the room.

Jesiah faced me, and the stress seemed to ease ever so slightly from his eyes as he cooed, "You look lovely, Bria."

I smiled and ducked my head. "Thank you."

"The sun has set, and the moon is high, which means it's time for the ceremony to start. Everyone is being moved to the sides of the room to create the open space you and Rune will need for the Two Hearts Dance. I'll go in, announce you, and when the orchestra starts, the doors will open. You'll walk in, and the dance will begin. When it's over, the two of you will proceed to the dais at the head of the room, and you'll each be crowned as King and Queen. After that, you'll be able to relax a bit. Mingle. Eat. Just have fun and get to know the people more."

I took a deep breath and opened and closed my clammy hands. My nerves were right on the edge of that cliff now. Fighting to swallow, I said, "Got it."

Jesiah placed a hand on my shoulder. "You can do this, Bria. You can ."

"We've not been able to get it just right in practice. What if—"

He held up his hand. "I'm going to tell you what I told Rune. Don't think about the what ifs. Don't think about the people in that room. Focus on each other. This moment is just as much for the two of you as it is the Kingdom. This is about you and Rune. Focus on that."

I slowly nodded. "Okay. I'll try."

He gave my shoulder a final squeeze before slipping into the ballroom. I wrung my hands and strained to listen to Jesiah's muffled voice as he announced me for the Fae gathered inside. My stomach pitched forward as the string of violins and keys of a piano began to filter into the hallway. The doors creaked open.

Focus on Rune. Focus on Rune.

The doors opened fully to a dim room, lit only by candles lining the space and the moon and stars shining through the glass ceiling. Shapes of over a thousand people lined the sides of the room as I slowly walked inside, and I could hear the gasps over the music as every pair of eyes seemed to lock onto me and my dress.

The rush of anxiety from having so many eyes on me nearly stole the air from my lungs.

Until I saw him.

Rune stood at the other end of the room, and even at this distance, I could tell just how handsome he looked. Like mine, his hair was tied half-up-half-down around his fox ears, with a few stray strands framing his chiseled features. The custom suit he wore accentuated his toned body, and its blue-and-silver design matched the colors of my own gown.

As we slowly walked across the floor to each other, my nerves seemed to stall in their frenzy. Rune's golden eyes were locked on mine, and they burned with profound love, longing, and devotion. Seeing the adoration embedded in his eyes quieted the storm inside me, and I let the slow, romantic melody guide me to the center of the room where Rune met me. In our places a few feet from each other, the music shifted to a stronger note, which signified the start of the dance.

Rune and I stayed locked on each other as we raised our right hands, calling our elements to us. Flames from a candle rushed to Rune's upturned palm while water from one of the basins lining the room came to mine. We reached our free hands up as we slowly circled each other, pressing our wrists together in a soft, nearly nonexistent touch. After a few breaths, we switched, our elements arching above our heads to reach the other hand while our left wrists found the other's.

My heart raced as I looked at Rune—my friend, my lover, my world. We weaved and moved through the dance with calm precision, more in tune with the motions than we ever had been—more in tune with each other than we had been.

Every time the music swelled and we'd react with a string of movements and trick of our elements, I'd find myself getting more and more lost in him. I found myself thinking about how lucky I was—how loved I was.

This man had given so much to me over the course of our time together, and each moment was a precious stitch being woven into the tapestry of our story. Not every stitch was perfect. Some were rough and uneven. Others gentle and precise. But each was beautiful. Every moment with Rune—the spiteful glares, the warm laughter, the tender touches, the painful tears, the promises of forever—was a gift.

I never knew a love like his could exist, especially not for me. It was fierce, it was loyal, it was encouraging. It was everything love should be, and I'd fight for this love until my dying breath.

How could I describe a love like this? Every word, every descriptor, seemed to fall short, so I let my gaze do the talking. I let him feel my love through the dance.

The music crescendoed as it neared the end. Rune and I stepped into each other, and the hands holding our elements reached toward their counterpart in the big moment. Our palms met, and the balls of fire and water shifted to above our fingertips where they grew. Each circled around the opposite element, reaching higher into the air in what was no doubt a blinding display of dancing fire and water. I didn't actually see, because Rune and I never looked away from each other as the glow from the fire and glittering water circled overhead in a funnel of magic.

Cheers and applause erupted in the room as the music ended, and the fire and water arched through the air to return to their sources. The sudden excitement from the crowd reminded me that people were here, and I took what felt like my first breath of air as the intense connection between Rune and I receded.

Smiling up at my Fox, I swallowed hard. "Hi."

His lips curved, exposing his sharp canines. "Hi, Beautiful."

He offered me his clawed hand, which I took, and we made our way to the dais. Jesiah waited there beside a table that held two silver crowns, and together, Rune and I climbed the steps.

Jesiah gave us a subtle nod as though to say, "Well done," and his eyes glimmered with something akin to pride.

I smiled at him before letting go of Rune's hand so the two of us could turn to face the crowd of Fae. I scanned the room, noticing quite a number of Land Fae huddled together on one half of the room, some familiar—like Aidan, Yasmine, and Talia —and others not. My heart soared with hope that the gathered Land Fae were a good sign for our mission.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Jesiah started, his deep voice booming through the quieted room. "Water Fae and Land Fae. I thank you for coming to this joyous celebration where we crown our new Queen and King. As is the custom of our kind, we will begin with the crowning of the one joining the royal family."

Jesiah waved a hand for Rune to step forward. My Fox did so, and he held his head high with his shoulders back as Jesiah reached for the large silver crown embedded with blue jewels. Rune got to his knees under the crowd's watchful eyes. Some appeared skeptical over the Fox kneeling before them, others looked mesmerized, and others seemed downright overjoyed. It was a wide range of reactions bearing down on Rune, but he held himself tall and faced the good and the bad judgments.

"Rune Amadeus Beckett, son of Fox Fae Balgair and Myra Beckett, kneels before you as a civilian," Jesiah thundered as he lowered the crown onto Rune's head, and Rune's fox ears twitched to adjust the weight being added there. Rune slowly stood tall once more as Jesiah finished, "And he rises your King."

My heart swelled at Rune's introduction. He'd worked so hard to be here, and he'd had countless doubts about whether he deserved the title. Despite his worries and the obstacles, he'd made it. And there was no one else I'd rather have by my side.

He stepped back, and Jesiah then waved for me to take his place. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, feeling the weight of thousands of gazes. I fought to stay calm as I slowly got to my knees and waited.

"Bria Marina Damaris, daughter of Water Fae Khal and Alesta Damaris, kneels before you as a Princess," Jesiah boomed. He plucked the tiara from my head, and I held my breath as he placed the tiara on the podium to exchange it for the crown, which mirrored Rune's, other than the smaller circumference. He placed the large, heavy ring on my head. With my heart in my throat, I stood, facing the crowd who remained silent as they watched on from below. Jesiah turned to them and finished proudly, "And she rises your Queen."

The reaction was instant. The Fae in the room screamed out their excitement and clapped profusely. Rune came to where I stood, and he slipped his hand into mine before bringing it up to place a kiss on the back of it. Emotion clogged my throat as I smiled at him, and we seemed to send the same silent message to the other.

We did it.

After months of hard work, I was finally standing before my people as their Queen. All those painfully boring tomes, all the endless etiquette classes, all the merciless lessons from Jesiah. It had all led me to this very second, and I felt the weight of such a moment with the crown adorning my head. Every person in this room looked to me for guidance, and they trusted me with their lives and home. As I looked over everyone gathered, I made a vow to myself to do everything within my power to give them the best lives possible.

And that started with peace.