Magnar held up his hand and the audience went quiet.
“My omega will be the one to give Erik this gift. Not only do I trust him with my city, but I trust in him as an alpha to be granted the right to be near my mate,” he declared.
I’d expected this, so I moved closer and took the golden crown into my fingers. I lifted it and placed it on top of the blond curls of Erik’s head as I stood behind him. He didn’t look back to face me and I didn’t care to study him any further. I was far more interested in Neegan.
The crowd started to roar with excitement.
Neegan closed the crate and passed it to me, before he gestured to me to get rid of it.
I took it and moved to go where I was bidden, but I had to know if his hand was scarred too. Purposefully, I caught the toe of my sandal just beneath his leather boot, tripping just as he had done. With a growl, he rushed to grab my wrist with his right hand.
The cuff of his sleeve flipped up, revealing exactly what I had wanted to see.
The scar. It was there on his right hand.
I sucked in a breath before I remembered myself.
“Thank you, Neegan,” I whispered.
He pressed a small vial into my palm, leaning close enough to brush his lips against my ear as he lifted me back up to my feet. I swallowed a shudder of revulsion.
“You passed the test. Use this to do what needs to be done. Do it tonight when he takes you to his bed,” he whispered.
“I pleased the people you answer to,” I breathed quietly. The roaring sound of the audience drowned out every word I said, but he heard me anyway.
“You did. Now take care of him and earn your freedom,” he snarled.
“I will,” I smirked, and his brown eyes flashed.
Fucking bastard. He had no clue what I was about to do.
“Good,” he declared before his hand disappeared from mine. His fingers felt like a brand on my wrist and I took a fraction of a second to gather myself before I walked off. Magnar needed to know what I knew. I moved closer to him, watching his wineglass and seeing that he had drunk a good deal of it. The servants came and took the empty wooden crate then and I reached for the pitcher of wine once more.
I topped off my alpha’s glass, making a show of the pour and I leaned down so that my lips were close enough that he could hear me whisper a single word.
“Neegan.”
He stiffened and he pushed back against the table, standing up once more.
He knew what needed to be done now.
We both did.
He cleared his throat and looked on expectantly, waiting for the crowd’s roar to die down to a manageable level so that he could speak.
“This union came together today because of the people here seated here with me,” he started, and a hush fell over the room.
“Beside me is a group of men that have advised and guided me into this alliance, but there is one man in particular that helped to secure Kingsworth’s new position in this tumultuous time,” he continued.
I looked out into the audience, seeing a multitude of curious faces.
“I want you all to give a round of applause for the hand of the king. Neegan has been a loyal advisor for me for a great number of years and I want him to receive the recognition that he so richly deserves,” he added, and I almost choked.
Those in the Great Hall started to cheer, just like their king had asked for. Magnar held up his hand and beckoned for Neegan to join him. The crowd quieted down once more as they waited for what would come next.
“I have a gift for you as well, my friend,” Magnar exclaimed and he untied the leather satchel from his belt. Carefully, he opened the bag and reached inside to grasp the golden goblet. I noticed that his fingers had carefully avoided the red jewel.
I smiled politely.