11

And I decided to bring receipts.

Lots of them.

Namely, Ancient Simimar’s journals that we had secured after his arrest. And journals from other ancients—light and dark.

I spent the next week with two trusted teams scouring everything for what I was looking for. I trained, went to class, ate, cleansed, and worked on this.

So I was more than ready for the interview that was being broadcast live all over Faerie.

“Why do this?” Essie, the journalist from the Faerie network, asked me to start. “You’ve been an advocate for moving forward and not looking back, so many of us wonder why you are doing this?”

“Because it’s fair,” I answered honestly. “I felt petty harping on this or embarrassing families because they had corrupt people in them when it involved my family and Neldor’s. But when the shoe was on the other foot and my grandmother did something horrible—assuming that man really was my uncle—I was transparent about it.

“I was ready to shame her and out her evil deed because it was fair, but I wasn’t going to shame others to defend her and the reasons that led to what she did. People constantly think my mother should have done more and I agreed with them, but now learning how Faerie screwed her, I think she’s insane to have given her life for so many who hurt her.”

“That’s quite a statement to make, Your Highness,” she whispered, not able to hide her shock well.

I snorted and opened the journal of the villain I was most focused on and read a passage. “‘Teaching her her place as I have the other heirs and queens was just as enjoyable but even more so because Meira is so much more beautiful than her mother. Watching her stand there and have to disrobe in front of me was perfection.

“‘She came to me pure and had to stare into my eyes the whole time I spoke, taking off another layer when I ordered her to. She was cold and shivering, but I knew she felt my heat. She saw I was hard for her, and it made her understand she would always be prey—my prey. Her demigod mate can only protect her as much as I allow it.

“‘And someday I will taste her as I have many in her bloodline. There is nothing more thrilling than having a queen and showing them they have no power but the power I allow. She stood there wet, and I spoke so slowly to make her suffer more for invading my dreams. I mapped and memorized her every curve that I will have some day and we both know it.

“‘She knows I’ll win and taste her. She knows that if she dares to talk against any of the ancients, the people of the light realm will willingly toss her to me for their peace or selfish desires. They never respect the queens. They’re a tool they don’t take care of. But I will. I will take care of her and the heir she births from the demigod.

“‘Meira’s biggest mistake was mating a non-fairy. Her daughter will be mine. From the moment that child is born, I will make sure she is trained and her power will be mine to wield as I finally control the royal family completely. I bet she will be even more beautiful than Meira with the power of a demigod racing through her.

“‘I will bed her before any have a chance, and that way none of this idea of finding mates will save any more heirs from me. I will bed her and train her to be obedient, and if Meira tries to intervene, I will have the light realm sacrifice her as they have her ancestors to appease the gods and continue their perfect ignorant judgmental lives. Poor fools killing the ones who could save them.’”

“I feel ill,” Essie admitted.

I snorted. “It gets so, so much worse.” I nodded when she seemed green. “The whole coronation is set up to tenderize an heir and humiliate her, demean and sexualize her—abuse her before predators. While they all know that and laugh at her. And then they steal power from the new queen over the next few weeks.

“My mother wrote about how she came out of her ‘communing with the gods’ time-out to find the ancients had completely redone her new government. They had enacted laws in her name and made changes. And she couldn’t go against them or what? What would have happened if the new queen argued against the ancients? You were alive then. Tell me.”

Essie swallowed loudly. “They would have put her in seclusion until she saw reason or the power didn’t drive her to madness. Someone would have taken over as regent until she birthed an heir or something. It was once proposed for our queen after her coronation when she objected to something the ancients did.”

I reached over and grabbed another journal. “Yes, they did. And they never forgave Elora for trying to take their power and actually doing her job. Luckily, she was smart and figured out how to show they went off the path of the original agreed-upon idea. The ancients didn’t just abuse the heirs and queens, but traumatized them at every turn.

“The government was set before either of them became queen. It’s part of how the heirs are deemed ready to become queen. It’s why so much of my government has been outlined before my coronation. Except it’s not normally this transparent because the ancients would give the heirs false hope and then snatch it all away and screw the queens over after.”

“It’s so sadistic,” she rasped as she took the journal from me. “I’m glad you are sharing all of this with us, but—you want to change the coronation.”

“Not for me,” I clarified. “I can’t legally even. But the moment I become queen, you bet that I will. No more heirs will ever be treated this way, and Faerie will start having to fight to protect their shield and take better care of their tool instead of always fighting each other.

“So for everyone who will rail against me changing tradition and complain that I would dare change such a sacred ritual—it wasn’t sacred. It was grotesque and meant to abuse the one person who swore to protect all of you. Except none of you did your job to support them and protect her back as you should have. I won’t allow that to continue.”

We talked for another two hours and I read more passages, promising copies of all of it for people to be able to access and read for themselves. People needed to truly understand how bad it all really had been or there was the risk it could happen again.

And I wasn’t going to allow that to be the future for my descendants. So as much as I wanted to defend our mothers, I was mostly doing this for our daughters and granddaughters.

No more abusing the women of Faerie no matter where they ranked.

The craziest miracle that I didn’t see coming happened. I was cleansing when portals started opening all around me and snapped me out of my trance. I blinked out at people and locked gazes with Talila of all of them.

“People are protesting all over Faerie, Your Highness,” she told me.

“Why? Protesting what?” I gasped, rubbing my hand over my chest and trying to shake off the magic of cleansing.

“Your coronation,” Shael answered.

“But she won the vote of confidence,” Hudson chuffed. “Why are they changing their minds now?”

“No, you misunderstand, Prince Hudson,” she clarified. “They don’t want the princess to go through the current tradition. They want a new one so she doesn’t have to suffer as her ancestors did. They want a new tradition for the Queen of Faerie.”

I couldn’t even make my mouth work as my head practically exploded.

“We felt the same when we heard,” Iolas chuckled before picking me up in a hug. “They’re all on your side, Tamsin. They don’t want you to suffer. They want you to be happy and to flourish as Faerie should. It’s everything your mother always dreamed of for you.”

“What are they saying they want?” I asked once it seemed to really sink in.

“A bunch of different things,” Talila admitted. “Some are saying to go back to the original coronation of the queen when there was only one, but we don’t really know what that was. It’s mostly ancient passages of how the gods originally blessed your family—whichever family or original queen.”

“Others are saying that water should be used as that’s a needed element of baptizing an heir to become queen but having you undress and not wearing undergarments is just obscene,” Shael added. “Most of Faerie had no idea that was part of it. I never saw that part given where my seat was for your mother’s coronation and I wasn’t part of the planning.”

“I’m sure that was just a coincidence,” Onas drawled. “You would have objected just as I had—”

I was only half listening because something odd happened when he moved closer to her. There was a bit of a flash and weird coloring from each of them like it was almost trying to reach for each other. “Are you two together?”

“I beg your pardon?” Shael asked, her eyes going wide. “How in the world did you—”

“Smooth,” Onas chuckled, covering his face. “Really smooth, Shael.”

“What do you see, Daughter?” Lageos asked from behind me.

I groaned as I looked at him over my shoulder. “No, I don’t want that fucking power. Seriously. Visions and your bullshit too? On top of telepathy and teleporting? You guys hate me for real.”

“Yes, we engineered it,” he drawled. “Now tell me what you saw.”

I sighed. “I thought I saw something weird with Sean and Avril, but just now it was like almost how I’ve seen auras because of Julian, but it was only one color kinda, and when Onas moved towards her, it flared on Shael and reached for him.”

“Yes, you’re seeing a mating bond trying to form,” he told me with a heavy sigh. “They’re not fated mates, but that’s—they could be a match if they keep on the path they’re on.”

“We’ve not even had sex, so I think that incredibly premature,” Shael argued. “He’s a complete butthead and—”

“You sound like how the princess calls the warlock a stupid warlock right now,” Talila teased her.

Shael became completely flustered for the first time I’d ever really seen, and her shirt ripped as her wings popped out. She couldn’t seem to recover and gave me a quick head dip before flying off.

“Okay, I owe her a really big apology,” I grumbled before looking at my dad. “So something to work on. Got it. Let’s focus on the—I don’t want people to waste time protesting. They’re too busy for that.”

“Of course that’s what you worry about most,” Onas chuckled. “Gods, I was such an idiot to ever think you were going to be a horrible leader.”

“You weren’t the only one,” Talila whispered, blinking at me in shock. “Do you want to hold another vote to ask people if we should change it? I think—legally you cannot, but if Faerie all votes for it—who will arrest you or call it not a legal coronation?”

“That’s true,” Onas agreed. “You should unfreeze your mother before your coronation and lay her to rest, but everyone agreed to change that tradition given the circumstances. I think this the same. You can write it into law later.”

“I hadn’t really thought to try to change it. It didn’t seem worth it when the ancients are all dead now. I mean the evil ones,” I mumbled.

“Your people love you too much to even allow you to go through a ceremony meant to demean you, Daughter,” Lageos said with tears in his voice. He hugged me tightly and kissed my hair. “They finally deserve you.”

Maybe they really did.

I cried a bit with him, finally feeling like I wasn’t the sacrifice story anymore that I had once repeated over and over to fairies. I finally felt… Appreciated? Accepted? Valued?

All of the above?

Either way, Onas immediately made a statement that I heard my people and would change the coronation if they wanted but to please not spend their valuable time protesting. He even snitched that it was my first concern that they were working so hard for Faerie and had to be tired and needed breaks instead of on their feet for me.

To which they sat down instead. Many came to the town squares and outlined what they wanted changed. It was pretty simple.

They wanted me in real clothes and to not be sexualized since I wasn’t a whore but their beloved heir… And yes, “beloved” was in several of the petitions. They wanted the ceremony to be shortened and the focus where it should be, words mattering instead of torturing me. And they wanted the water but at a normal temperature without humiliating me.

Soooo pretty damn simple and reasonable.

Every area and city had its own petition, and the number of signatures was overwhelming. It just kept growing.

So we changed it. We did it in a big meeting and live for all of Faerie to see and be involved in. We had the whole ceremony on the information boards that people could read and see how crazy it was.

I said I would show the actual coronation dress and all of the layers so people saw what it really was. Neldor flipped out and said he’d rather wear it and let people see how it was basically lingerie that then got wet for dirty old bastards to fantasize about me in… And didn’t realize he was on camera live.

Seriously though, he threw a fit. He said he’d strip down to his boxers and put on the damn slip and get wet to show everyone just how dirty the ancients had been. And he didn’t want people seeing me like that and it really better change because if anyone saw his daughter like that—he was shocked Lageos hadn’t threatened to kill anyone yet.

“First, again , we’re doing this live ,” I reminded him and pointed to the camera. “Second, the demigod doesn’t care about nudity. Even mine. It’s when people get dirty with me.”

“Yeah, Tams, everyone is gonna when they see you wet in that damn lingerie slip thing,” he drawled. “Have a normal—one of those dresses that’s longer over a shorter one. That way you can kneel in the pool and be blessed, but with a fucking bra and…” He threw his hands up and stormed out of the room mumbling that he couldn’t focus.

“You’re blushing, Your Highness,” Taeral teased me.

“You’re lucky we’re live and I won’t flick you off on camera, Commander,” I purred.

“She gonna flatten you later though,” someone teased, and they weren’t wrong.

“He’s right though and that’s smart,” Stefanie cut back in. “Have a mid-thigh sleeveless dress—”

“Black,” I whispered. I smiled as I looked over what was in front of me. “A black dress for the dark realm. It should be black to represent the dark realm when it’s a light fairy who is queen. A white dress if it’s a dark fairy. The coat can be white for me—a mix of all of it. Yin and yang as the gods wanted instead of at odds.”

“I think that perfect, Your Highness,” Talila agreed. “Yes. And given Stefanie is the oldest of us and a noble—she should be the one to bless you for that part. A dark fairy blessing a light fairy to lead and shield us all.”

I smiled at her. “Yeah, I like that.”

We worked for hours and hours, all live, but in the end, we had something that made everyone in the room pretty happy. It had the essence of the intention but without all of the unnecessary rambling.

“Post it,” I told them when we were done. “Let every fairy and hobgoblin sign their name to it if they agree. Give them an option to write in something if they think it’s missing and we’ll try and read all the ideas, but I think it’s all pretty well covered.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” they all said sounding as tired as I felt.

I sighed when I was outside and looked at Ara. “I have the weirdest idea ever, but honestly I’ve been pacing all around and standing for hours and I don’t want to stand much more.”

“And you missed your day for cleansing,” she surmised. “Can I push you around in a stroller or something?”

“I was thinking more a cart and not a stroller like I was a baby, you smartass, but yeah.”

So that was what we did. I lay in the back of a golf cart and focused on cleansing while she slowly drove around. I was handed food, but I mostly rested my eyes and just enjoyed how it all made me feel.

“People agree,” Iolas told me as he brought food at one point. “People have come out in droves to magically sign the agreement, and many watched at least part of the live changing. The overwhelming majority feel the intent is what the gods wanted and even more so now that the realms will be combined. Well done, Tamsin.”

“Well done on them for finally thinking for themselves and not just doing what they’re told or accepting the way things were,” I muttered as I took the tacos.

“That’s a bit harsh.” He sighed when I snorted. “Yeah, but not unfair.” He leaned in and kissed my hair. “I’m sorry you have a new power from your stupid dad, but maybe next year we could spend some time looking for my mate?” He cleared his throat when I almost dropped the container. “I was holding onto the past too long as well. I want to move forward and be happy one day too.”

“That sounds great,” I whispered. “Maybe start with just dating, Iolas. You got stuck in a lot from being childhood sweethearts and then watching her move on. Even Katrina said you were always fair and warned people you were in love, so it was just flings, but you set yourself up to fail. Just go date.”

“I have no idea how to even start to think of doing that,” he mumbled.

“None of us do. It just happens. And no one said you had to do it today. Just heal and stop setting yourself up to fail.”

“I guess I have to listen to you if you have five relationships I would love to have,” he teased, kissing my hair again before getting out of range.

I was exhausted and still hungry after all the cleansing. I went home and was about to just plop down on my bed… Only to realize all of my stuff was gone.

I swore under my breath and went back downstairs.

“You forgot it was moving day, right?” Izzy checked as she brought in food.

“There’s been a lot going on.”

“There always is. What would you like me to tell your security to bring you to your new suite where your mates are probably waiting?”

“Think they’ll be mad that I forgot and I’m too exhausted to be excited?” I worried.

“No, I think they’ll just be thrilled it’s happening and they can help and Faerie is finally being good to you as they really, really should,” she said gently. “Food?”

I snickered. Yeah, what she brought in for them wouldn’t be enough to include me, and since I was supposed to be at the castle, that wasn’t my food. “I think I’m too tired to decide. It’s like I can’t think of what food options are even options.”

“What did you have today?” she asked, chuckling when I listed what I remembered. “Chinese?”

“Yes, please,” I groaned. Yeah, that sounded perfect for sure.

I headed back to Faerie and did the portal dance, actually walking through the castle to see how it all looked now to come up to our suite.

“I got you, shorty,” Hudson whispered, and I was suddenly in his arms. He frowned when I stared up at him. “You were dozing off while walking and almost fell over. Give yourself a healing rune, Tams. You’re exhausted and stressed out.”

“Right, yeah, good idea.” I did it but still zonked out before we even reached the suite.

I really, really sucked sometimes, definitely as a partner for sure.

I woke a bit later when my stomach was growling and I was sprawled on my guys or they were lying on me. Huh?

“You demanded a puppy pile for the first time you slept in your new bed and room,” Darby mumbled, clearly having been sleeping as well. He took in a sharp breath and rubbed his eyes, leaning down and kissing my temple. “It was pretty fucking adorable even if my neck hurts now.”

Because my head was on his chest, but he was laying at a weird angle so six adults could fit on one bed even if it was a custom-ordered oversized one. Crap.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“I’m not,” Julian chuckled. “I never napped so soundly while being turned on and snuggled up to your breast like a perv.”

And he was. Lucca on the other side with my right breast looking like it was almost smothering him.

“You’re both pervs,” I drawled.

“Yeah, well, I get extra points because I’m still lying on your hip even after you tooted,” Neldor grumbled. “I’m hungry.”

“I did not!” I gasped. I sat up and glanced down at him in horror before looking at Julian since he was the lightest sleeper. “Did I?”

He shrugged. “I’m sure you did.” He chuckled at whatever was on my face. “We all do , my sweet mate. Who cares?”

“Everyone poops, everyone toots, and that’s okay,” Lucca mumbled. “How you guys get up for second or third dinner—I’m not good at it.”

Hudson snorted from behind Lucca. “You’re a bear. You basically mini-hibernate when you sleep. Aliens could invade and you’d sleep through it.”

“Unkind but not untrue,” he accepted. He did a double take when he glanced at me. “Tams, Neldor is just fucking with you to be a shit. It’s his default setting. Besides, you are not the worst tooter here. I take that trophy, thank you very much.”

I chuckled, chilling out a bit and wiping the sleep out of my eyes before my stomach growled obnoxiously loudly. Was tooting in my sleep really any worse than that?

Probably not.

I felt better that I hadn’t done it… Until I saw Hudson cuff Neldor upside the head.

So clearly, I had and they were fibbing. Oh fuck, I was embarrassed and laughing at the same time. But then again, they’d all done it too and I’d always ignored it.

Fine, Lucca was right. Everyone pooped and everyone tooted and it was okay.

I would punish Neldor in the morning for picking on me.