Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Wedding

I watch him get dressed. He looks devastatingly good in his outfit. He will be the guest of honor, the man who made this day happen, and I swear I drool a little bit at how the clothes cling to his muscles.

He glances at me and smirks. “Are you not satisfied?” he asks as if he knows what I’m thinking, and I realize he can probably see the desire in my eyes.

“I am more than satisfied,” I reply. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you,” I say before I can stop myself, and his eyes darken before he blinks and tries to get some semblance of control.

“There isn’t time,” he says.

“I know,” I say. “I can wait. I’ll be here right where you left me.”

He smiles and walks up to kiss me before opening the door. I follow him out and the maid is there, waiting.

She looks on edge, embarrassed. She must be more than aware of what the king and I are now, but she keeps her face as neutral as she can.

“She will remain the entire time I am gone,” he says.

I knew he wouldn’t leave me alone. My gut told me he wouldn’t. Just in case. And admittedly I’m pleased he chose the maid to sit with me and not his guards.

At least this way I can feel comfortable on my suicide watch rather than feel like I’m in danger.

The maid and I sit in silence for a bit, and then we play some cards. She teaches me a game popular in this city that I’ve never even heard of, and thankfully, she plays nice and lets me win.

After what feels like hours, I hear footsteps. Helos is coming back.

But it’s barely dusk. The ceremony must be over and so must the feast, but there’s no way the entire celebrations are.

He opens the door and smiles when he sees us sitting with the cards laid out between us both.

“What are you playing?” he asks.

The maid replies, “Jack of Nine, your Highness.”

He nods. “You can go now. Take the rest of the evening off.”

“Yes, your Highness,” she says, getting up and curtseying.

“Thank you,” I say as she leaves and she smiles at me.

Helos takes my hand, pulling me from the seat.

“How was it?” I ask.

“Amera was beautiful. She seems very happy.”

I smile. I wish I could see her in her dress, but I was there at the fittings, and though her hair and makeup weren’t done then, she looked incredible.

“Come,” he says, pulling me toward the door.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“On an adventure.”

“Now?” I say. It hardly seems the right time to disappear.

He smiles but doesn’t reply.

I let him lead me down through the castle, and I realize we don’t even have cloaks to hide ourselves. My hair is hanging loosely down my back, but I’m not hidden, concealed at all.

Anyone that is around and not at the wedding will see their king walking hand in hand beside the siren.

When we turn the corner, I realize where he is taking me.

“No,” I say quietly.

“Kera,” he murmurs.

“Please. It’s her day. I don’t want to take away from it.”

“And you won’t,” he states. “But you’re her oldest friend. Her only friend from her old life. She deserves to have you there with her. To see you. And you deserve to be there.”

I gulp, looking down the hall to where the bright lights and noise are coming from. Can I do this? Walk into the Great Hall surrounded by people, by danger?

“Everyone will stare,” I mutter, looking down at my feet.

“Most of them will be too drunk to notice, and if a few do, who cares? Do not let them dictate your life,” he says.

I know what he is saying is true, but it feels so hard to go against something I have spent my life telling myself.

“Come,” he says, leading me by the hand.

And I step forward, letting him.

We walk into the hall, and it’s true. Barely anyone looks.

Ahead I can see Amera with Brandar. They’re laughing as they dance, and my heart swells at the sight of her. Helos was right; she looks so beautiful.

The dress clings to her body, highlighting her curves, and her hair is half braided with curls cascading down her back, and tiny flowers are placed among them.

The crown on her head is bigger than the one she usually wears, and I can see the multicolored jewels glinting as she moves.

She looks like a queen. And more importantly, she looks happy too.

Helos follows my gaze. “Was it worth it to see her?” he asks and I nod.

“Thank you,” I say.

He squeezes my hand. “Don’t thank me yet,” he says, pulling me further into the room, toward the dancing.

“Helos, no,” I say, pulling back.

“What would be the good of teaching you to dance if you won’t now?” he asks.

“I can’t. Not with you. Not with everyone looking,” I state.

“Kera, if you truly want us to be together, then the world has to know. I won’t hide you away. I won’t lock you away.”

“I don’t want to be paraded either,” I say.

“And I won’t do that. I want to dance with you as I would with any woman I am with,” he says seriously.

I sigh. “Fine,” I mutter. “But no spinning me around.”

He laughs. “Not a chance,” he says, pulling me into his arms and turning us both in time to the music.

I know people are looking. I know people are talking too. I can feel their eyes staring into the pair of us as he holds me to him.

A part of me feels nervous.

A part of me feels afraid too.

But this man is so confident, so strong, that it overrides my emotions and I trust what he’s doing.

When we finish, I can see some of the Council studying us. The warlords watch me closest and the kings watch Helos. It’s as if they are sizing him up, trying to suss out his weak points.

“They can’t do anything,” Helos murmurs.

“You’re sure?” I ask.

“I’m too strong. I’m the strongest on the Council. That’s why I lead it.”

“And Lord Issar?” I say before I can stop myself, hearing my voice catch on his name.

“I will deal with him. I promise you, Kera.”

I nod. I don’t want to have this conversation now. Not here. And certainly not when half the Council is watching us.

“Kera,” Amera gasps, running up to me. She hugs me tightly.

“Amera, you look so beautiful,” I say.

“I can’t believe you came. I hoped you would,” she gasps.

“King Helos persuaded me,” I reply.

Amera looks up at the king and then at me, and her eyes widen slightly.

Helos wraps his arm around my waist, as if to confirm the silent question, and she gasps, covering her mouth, and then looks from him to me.

“How long?” she says.

“Not long,” he states before I can reply, and I shake my head slightly.

Amera laughs as if his words are funny, and then she grabs my hand, staring at the small patch of scales.

“Are those…”

“Yeah,” I say, wincing slightly.

I’m not sure I am ready for anyone else to see them yet, but now it’s too late.

“They’re beautiful,” Amera says.

I smile back. “It seems all my secrets are being revealed tonight,” I murmur.

“Only the good ones,” Helos says.

“King Helos,” Brandar says, coming up beside Amera and bowing to him before looking curiously at me.

He’s grown, I realize, now that he is a king. His body is reflecting it, his new power for the world to see.

“I wasn’t sure we’d see you here,” he says.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to show up,” I say.

“I persuaded her. It is another gift from me,” Helos states.

“Well, I am very grateful you did,” Amera says, hugging me.

“We should speak to the other kings,” Brandar states and Amera sighs.

“Do you mind?” she asks me.

“Not at all. I only wanted to see you and now I have,” I say, smiling.

She smiles back, hugging me again.

“Come, wife,” he says, and she blushes at the word as he leads her away.

“I hope they’ll be happy,” I say, watching them as they approach the very men who’d been watching Helos and me only minutes earlier.

“I think they will be,” Helos says, looking from them to me.

I smile at him, but I’m only too aware of the stares now of the people watching me, watching us. I want to shrink away, hide away, return to the shadows, and disappear again.

“Do you want to go?” he asks.

“I’ve seen the only person I wanted to see,” I reply.

“That’s a good enough answer for me,” he states, taking my hand, leading me back out of the hall.

And I know half his court and half the Council are watching as King Helos disappears with the siren into the night.