We all fell silent.
She’d said this a few times, and while it might be possible, I feared the outcome of that decision.
Zakkai broke the silence by returning his fork to his plate again and inquiring, “Why do you want to undo it?”
“Because it’s wrong.” She uttered the words as though they were obvious. “I’m an Earth Fae, not a Midnight Fae.”
“Yes, you’ve said that, but you’re mated to four Midnight Fae. And as you’ve witnessed, our magic bleeds into our mates when we bond.” He lifted his finger and whispered a spell that created a smoky cerulean structure in the middle of the table. As it grew, I realized he’d crafted a tree of sorts, the magical strands flickering bright with multicolored branches.
Aflora admired it with a hint of smile.
“I see this inside you,” Zakkai murmured. “You crafted a joint source of magic, marrying your Earth Fae heritage to the Midnight Fae blood running through your veins.” He looked pointedly at the black inky lines writhing beneath her skin.
“I did that to survive the ascension.”
“You did that to become queen,” he corrected. “Zenaida’s right about certain things—we need reformation. And I believe you are the key to that reformation.”
“A millennium of male led authority,” Zeph mused. “Driven out by a woman.”
“And an abomination at that,” Zakkai added. “You have the power to prove to all fae kind that abominations can be good, Aflora. That they don’t need to be feared.”
“Constantine Nacht is the reason fae hunt and kill abominations.” Zeph glanced at me and then at Aflora. “It would be entirely fitting for you to dismantle his throne of power by proving him wrong.”
“It would,” I admitted. Constantine Nacht might be my grandfather and blood, but that hadn’t stopped him from trying to destroy me. And I fully intended to repay that favor.
“You all make this sound so easy,” Aflora muttered. “But what if I become the abomination they all fear? Elana—”
“Isn’t you,” Zeph interrupted, not allowing her to even finish that thought.
“All you think about are others and what’s right for your kingdom,” I said quietly. “It’s what makes you a suitable queen, Aflora. It’s why my soul called for yours from the very beginning, why I’ve considered you a suitable mate all along. You’re everything a royal should be, and more.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“What if I don’t want this?” Aflora asked in a low whisper. “What if I don’t want to be the Midnight Fae Queen?”
“You don’t,” I replied, my voice just as soft. “Which is what makes you perfect for the task. You’re going to accept the role because it’s what’s right, not because you desire it. But because you know you’re the best one for the job.” I reached over to cup her face, my thumb tracing over her cheekbone. “You were born to be a queen, Aflora. You’re strong. You’re smart. You’re a survivor. You’re going to make history and change us all.”
“And we’re going to help you every step of the way,” Zeph vowed, taking her hand.
The tree on the table began to throb, a heart pulsing at the center of the trunk. “Trust us to guide and teach you,” Zakkai said. “We’re your heart for a reason, little star.”
“And I didn’t go through seven lifetimes just to fail now,” Shade added. “We’re in this for eternity, Aflora. Not just now. Not just yesterday. But for forever.”
“We won’t let you down,” I whispered, drawing her in for a kiss. “To us, you’re already our queen.”
She shivered and melted against me. “You guys are going to kill me.”
“Only in the bedroom,” Zeph drawled.
Aflora huffed a laugh and shook her head, tears glistening in her blue eyes. “Thanks for believing in me.”
“We’ll be the belief you need when you doubt yourself,” I promised her. “But you’re wrong about one thing.”
She stilled. “About what?”
“It absolutely won’t be easy,” I said seriously. “We might make it sound that way, but we know what’s coming.”
“Which is why we need to begin training immediately,” Zeph replied.