Chapter 41

Ithink this throne room is my favourite room in the palace. Every time we are here, I am reminded of my glorious victory, and the memories fill me with joy. It has been months now, so I guess it is never getting old. I'm going to gloat and preen about it forever.

I have no idea what we are doing here today, but that doesn't matter. I don't need to know. My role is to stand here, next to Rhydian's throne and look pretty.

He never holds the end of my leash anymore. It just trails down my robes and looks decorative. It is probably strange that I miss being led around. Maybe I am a kinky freak, but it was a connection between us. Some part of him holding some part of me. These days I have to make do with the occasional heated glance. But that's fine. Public Rhydian is the aloof ice prince. Private Rhydian is all mine.

Even more fey stroll into the throne room. It is getting busy in here. The sunset is casting red and orange light through the tall arched windows, making all the fancy clothes look even more spectacular.

This event, whatever it is, is going to be quite something. It is probably something to do with the upcoming summer solstice, which I gather is a huge deal.

My gaze is drawn to Dyfri. He has made it a short way into the room, but has been stopped by a brown-haired fey whose name I don't know. I watch as Dyfri gives a beautiful curtsy and exchanges a few words with the man standing in his way.

I frown. They are far too far away for me to hear a thing, especially over the background noise of a thousand small conversations. But I have a sinking feeling that I know exactly what is going on. Dyfri is being ordered to this man's bedchamber.

My fists clench by my side and I tear my impotent gaze away.

It looks like all of court is here. Even all of Rhydian's brothers. This must be quite an event. I'm getting curious now.

I glance up at Rhydian. I'm standing in my proper space, two steps down from the dais, so even though he is sitting, I still have to look up at the bastard.

And glancing up at him doesn't even help. His stupidly handsome face is stoic and blank. Not giving anything away. Such an asshole. If this is going to be exciting or important, he could have told me.

He regally lifts one finger from his grip on the ornate armrests, and the room falls silent. I quickly turn and face the room like I'm supposed to.

Rhydian strides past me. Down the steps of the dais, and down to the small circle of empty floor the crowd has formed. What the hell?

He turns slightly back towards me and beckons me with one imperious finger. What the double hell?

My heart is racing. I have no clue what is going on. The entire court has fallen into a hushed silence and I can feel a thousand pairs of eyes on me. I trust Rhydian, so this can't be anything bad. Despite that, this not knowing what the flip is going on is deeply unsettling.

Rhydian positions me directly in front of him. Everyone is watching us. Okay, Jamie. Take a deep breath. Stand up straight. Act like you have been expecting this. You can do this.

Great, now I'm talking to myself.

Rhydian's long fingers run through my hair. Oh, that feels nice. He pulls and twists. He is doing another braid? Thanks to fey food, my hair is nearly at my shoulders now, so there is enough to play with. I already have a couple of braids. Is he doing all my hair up? And why? Why is all of court here, watching us?

His fingers drop down to my neck. They reach around to the front of my collar. Something thuds on the floor. A cool breeze dances along my naked neck.

Rhydian unbuckled my collar. He took it off. Here. Now. In front of everyone.

I swallow dryly. What does it mean? Is he setting me free? Am I no longer his pet? Do I have to go back to my old life? Is he dumping me?

The last thought reverberates around my mind like a panicked scream. No, no, no. He cannot be dumping me!

My frantic gaze finds Mabon. He is crying. Well, delicately dabbing at his eyes with a lace handkerchief. Oh, gods. That can't be good. My gaze flicks to Dyfri, who is standing next to his brother. Dyfri's dark eyes are calm and he gives me a barely perceptible nod. Next to him is Tristan, who is grinning broadly.

Fat lot of help my friends are. Now I'm even more confused than ever.

"Behold!" calls out Rhydian loudly, making me jump.

"I present, Jamie Wyf Rhydianogi" he says solemnly.

The crowd clap and cheer. Jewellery jangles.

My mind scrabbles for purchase. For something to cling onto. I feel as if I am drowning. I'm so confused. That's not my name. Well, the Jamie part is. Am I getting a new name? Was that my fey name? Is that what is happening?

Rhydian takes my hand and turns me around. Side by side, we walk back up the steps to the dais. I blink. There are two thrones at the top now. Servants must have whisked it in silently while I was facing the other way. The second one is much smaller and shorter. But it is still very much a throne.

Rhydian seats me on the new throne and then sits on his throne next to me. He claims my hand again and holds our joined hands up.

The court have arranged themselves in a vague semblance of a line and are taking turns to step up to the foot of the dais and bow or curtsy. Harp music is playing.

"What is happening?" I hiss at Rhydian.

My heart is about to explode out of my chest and I'm so overwhelmed I think I might faint.

"You are my consort now," says Rhydian softly.

My mind scrambles back to a walk in the gardens I took with Tristan. We had passed a fey woman and a centaur, smooching on a bench. Tristan had told me he had been her pet and was now her consort.

My mind speeds up. Rhydian plaited my hair. He took my collar off. He gave me a new name. A name that has a word that sounds like wife in it and ends with his name and some sort of suffix.

"Oh, my god! Did we just get married?" I gasp.

"More or less," says Rhydian.

My heart has given up entirely. My lungs have forgotten how to breathe. My stomach is both heaving and full of butterflies.

"You are supposed to ask people if they want to get married before doing it!" I shriek.

The poor fey performing a graceful bow at the foot of our thrones, glances up at us in startlement and then hurries away. The next fey in line smoothly takes their place and I plaster a smile on my face.

Rhydian smirks. "Would you have said no?"

I squeeze his hand as tightly as I can. Eventually, he winces.

"Of course I would have said yes, but that's not the point!"

I'm looking straight ahead, so I can't really see, but it looks as if Rhydian is smiling. An actual, real smile. Not a hint of a one. Not a tease. A full smile.

I turn my head to check. Oh, my god. It is true. Rhydian is smiling.

Dimly, I'm aware that everyone has taken their turn at bowing or curtsying.

"My consort shall now declare his boon," announces Rhydian.

A new, hushed silence falls. Once again, a thousand pairs of eyes are on me. This motherfucker. I'm going to kill him later, when we are alone. Then kiss him. And then kill him again.

"What the fuck is a boon?" I hiss.

"A wedding gift. Anything that is in my power to grant."

Sweet baby Jesus. Rhydian is a fey prince. The ruler of Britain. There is an awful lot that is within his power to grant. And fey are tricksy with words and oaths. He must trust me a lot because I could probably ask for something like, for him to retreat all the British fey back to the fey realm, and he'd have to grant it.

I sigh. My treacherous, treasonous ass isn't going to do that. Humans suck. The fey haven't made anything worse and I actually have hope they will make things better. And yes, I'm biased.

So what do I wish for? What is the best change I can make? A thought pops into my head instantly and now I'm grinning so much my face hurts.

"For my boon, I wish that all rhocyn may only be asked for their company, and they can decline."

Shocked, outraged, and gleeful reactions ignite over the court. A wall of noise rises up. I flash Dyfri a quick grin, but the poor man looks utterly thunderstruck. Even though Mabon and Tristan are slapping him on the back rather vigorously.

I turn back to Rhydian. In all the chaos, no one is paying us any attention. It is like we are finally alone.

His amber eyes are wide. Full of surprise, and a deep pride.

"You are a wonder, Consort," he says.

I squirm in delight and beam at him. Consort. I love the sound of that.

His smile falters a little. "Your boon won't solve everything. The life of a rhocyn will still be hard."

"I know," I agree easily. "But it is a step in the right direction."

He nods his agreement.

"You know, human weddings are not complete without a kiss." I tell him.

One elegant eyebrow rises. "Is that so?"

I nod, as if I am the most innocent person in the world.

Rhydian leans forward. His soft, warm lips claim mine and I melt into our kiss.

Five months ago, Earth was invaded. Now I'm married to one of the new rulers. I think this is extremely fair.