Aurelia seemed pleased by that response and gave him a friendly pat on the arm. “Just promise me you’ll leave a bruise, and we can call a truce.”
“Promise,” Killian said with an assuring smile. The entire exchange raised another laugh out of me, and the pair suddenly remembered I was bearing witness to the entire exchange. “Oh Nixie, I came to get you. Everyone has seemed to calm down a bit, but they have a few questions for you. Are you feeling up to it?” He joined me and enveloped his warm hand around mine, his eyes gripping me with consideration.
I smiled softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “Yes, I’m ready.” I stood from my rocky bench and followed the prince back into the belly of the cave.
As we entered, I noticed it was far quieter than it had been before our rushed departure. Per usual, endless eyes followed me as I strode bravely to the front of the crowd. Killian remained beside me the entire way, keeping my hand safely tucked in his and a protective arm against my back. When we reached the front of the cavern, it was Sir Baggio who stepped forward first.
The older man bowed his head low. “Nixie Greene, I would like to be the first to apologize for our mistreatment of you. I swear on my kingdom’s name that I was only trying to do what was best for my people.” A multitude of heads bowed behind him, following his lead.
It felt strange to be bowed to, especially after clarifying that I wasn’t a royal, but I couldn’t deny that it felt good to receive a proper apology. “All is forgiven.” I smiled sweetly. “I don’t know what happened to the true Princess Estelle, but I fear that she perished on the same night as her beloved parents. I may not be your princess, but I hope we can all honor the memory of our last rulers by learning from their legacy instead of trying to refortify it upon gambles and lies.”
Sir Baggio raised his face to meet mine and the rest of his rebels followed suit. “You are far too kind. It is truly a disappointment that you weren’t born to be our ruler. I fear now that we will never be able to restore our beautiful kingdom to its former glory without the protection of a new monarchy. Ashbourne still continues to plunder our resources and recruit our citizens for war. Without your support, is there nothing we can do to stop them?”
A new pang of doubt crept into my thoughts.I’m not the princess so I can’t help free the kingdom from Ashbourne. What hope do our people have if Princess Estelle is truly gone?It was a relief to know that I no longer bore the weight of a fallen kingdom, yet I couldn’t help but feel partially responsible for the state the kingdom was left in. I turned to Killian with uncertainty. He seemed to understand what I was portraying because he instantly gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and turned to the crowd.
“Of course there’s something you can do. Do you really need a king and queen to take back your kingdom?” Killian stated in a raised voice. “You are the mighty Sybettians, who have survived in a desolated kingdom for decades without a proper rule. Why do you need a monarch now?”
“We can’t protect ourselves without a king!” a tall woman projected from the back.
“Yeah! Ashbourne will only continue to stomp us if we can’t fight back!” another man added.
“Then fight back!” I shouted passionately. Killian’s fire spread through me, churning up the strength that lay dormant inside me. “You’re rebels, are you not? Let’s take back our kingdom the way Sybettians know how—by being resourceful, making use of our meager advantages, and stealing from under their noses. Ashbourne has military encampments all over the west. With a little training, we could infiltrate them and start supplying ourselves with tools for a proper rebellion.” I turned to Killian once more, fueling myself on his empowered gaze. “I’m not a princess, so I don’t know how to take back a country under the eyes of a kingdom, but I do know how to take what I want beneath the shadows. I’m no solider in fact, I’m nothing more than a lowly thief, but I’m the thief who nearly stole the crown of a kingdom that was never mine. If you give me a chance, I’d be glad to share what I’ve learned and perhaps lead us into a new era of the rebellion.”
Varied reactions dotted the crowd, some eager and other apprehensive. Killian stepped forward, still gripping my hand. “I can help,” he said in support. “I helped design nearly every tool, weapon, and vehicle the Ashbourne military utilizes. With my guidance, we should be able to detect every potential weakness and utilize them to our advantage. As of today, with you all as witness, I hereby reject my claim to the Ashbourne throne and swear my allegiance to the people of Sybettal. I may not ever be able to atone for the crimes my kingdom has committed against yours, but I’m willing to devote everything I am into trying.”
Dozens of stunned faces stared blankly at the ex-prince. No one seemed capable of reacting in any way toward his bold declaration until Sir Baggio joined Killian by his side. “I stand with Prince Killian and Nixie Greene. They may not be the leaders we had expected, but I, for one, believe they’re right. We have played by Ashbourne’s rules for too long, and now, the time has come for us to make our own. Who’s with me?!”
An eruption of harmonious cheers of allegiance roared from the cave. The excessive ringing didn’t pain my ears for once, but instead, filled me with the joyous hope of a cavern filled with freed people. Killian tugged on my hand once more, and I turned to face him, his storm gray eyes light and airy, filled with a wonder that had been restricted until now. The screams and chants persisted around us, but I could only hear the soft voice of the man I loved throughout it all.
“You always seemed like the rebel type to me. You were always too honest to be a princess,” he said with a cheeky grin, pulling me close in an embrace.
I smiled back, allowing his strong arms to envelope me without the fear of ever being torn away again. His warm arms cradled me, causing my body to relax and energize at the same time. “You’re right; I am honest.” I leaned forward, placing my lips a breath away from his ear. “Which is why I can admit that I love you, Killian.”
I pulled away slowly, watching his eyes widen with excitement. He pressed his hand to my cheek and brushed one of the stray curls away before leaning in close. “I love you too, Nix.” And then, he kissed me.
epilogue
“Send in Prince Conan and Prince Miron.”
King Darius glared out the stained-glass windows of his office, his eyes glued to the bustling servants below. He calmly paced across the lavish rugs, occasionally stopping to peer at the maps sprawled out across his table as he impatiently waited for his sons’ arrival. When the knock on his door finally came, he signaled for the footman to let them in. The king moved smoothly across the room to his leather upholstered desk chair, situating himself comfortably behind the expansive desk as his sons trailed inside.
Prince Miron stepped soundlessly into the room, his face blank, but the king could still make out the faintest trace of a smug smile tugging at the man’s lips. His elder brother followed only a step behind him, his emotions far more concealed than his younger brother’s. The princes both gave a proper bow upon entering, holding their faces level to the reflective obsidian floor.
“Leave us,” the king commanded sternly with a single wave. The footman retreated hastily with a quiet bow, then sealed the door shut, leaving the family alone in the elaborate office.
King Darius observed the princes with a steely gaze as they rose from their humble bows. “I’m sure you have already been made aware of the recent events in Sybettal. Your feeble-minded brother has abandoned his claim to the throne and declared himself a traitor to our kingdom.” The king narrowed his eyes onto his youngest son as a slight smirk twitched at the prince’s mouth. “Do you find this humorous, Miron?”
“Indeed, Father,” Miron stated boldly, now allowing a full devilish smile to span his face. “Killian has always been a fool. I cannot help but find humor in his ridiculous choice of allegiance. Siding with Sybettal is as useless as riding a pig into battle. Forgive me for laughing at the imagery.”
Miron gave another slight bow, and the king turned his eyes to his stoic eldest. “What do you make of this blunder, Conan?”
“I agree with Miron,” Conan replied starkly. “Our brother has never been one to make reasonable choices. I feared from the beginning that he would be unfit for this task, and now he has only proven my doubts to be true.” The elder prince’s face darkened. “The imbecile couldn’t even kill one silly little girl. No kingdom should ever be ruled by anyone so spineless.”
Miron chuckled softly. “If I had been instructed with the task, the little princess would have been dead before I even crossed the border. Killian failed because he was too cocky, and now the girl is leading a series of heists across our encampments. Such a fool.”
King Darius tilted his chin, surveying both of his sons intently. “Killian may have betrayed us, but he was successful in one area. He was correct to spare the girl; she never had any relation to the Sybettian throne to begin with. I had my spies spread the rumors of the girl’s heritage as a test for Killian. Had he not abandoned his kingdom, he would have passed.”
Both princes stared at their father in astonishment until Miron broke the silence. “Father... are you saying that the girl was merely a civilian? How has she managed to rally the rebels into acting against Ashbourne without a title? If she was simply a pawn in your test, what happened to the real Princess Estelle?”