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I straighten my dress and take a seat on the king’s throne. A part of me feels it’s wrong to be sitting here, but I need people to see me as their queen. I have to get used to it.

A number of guards usher a young man into the hall. Cirrus and several other members of court follow them in. I’d been alone only moments before, but now the Great Hall is filled with people. I have an audience.

The messenger seems nervous and drops to one knee in front of me. “Princess Taelyn.”

“Rise,” I tell him. “Explain why you are here.”

He gets to his feet. “I’m a messenger from KingRobertus of Imnor. He heard of your plight and wishes to offer his help.”

I smile and nod at the messenger. “I’m touched that word has traveled so far so quickly, and someone from another kingdom has reached out. How does he wish to help?”

“He heard that your family is dead and knows you have been left alone. He wishes to offer his hand.”

I pretend I haven’t heard correctly. “I’m sorry? He’s offered his hand to whom?”

“His hand in marriage. To you, of course, Princess Taelyn.”

Though Cirrus has prepared me that this might have been coming, I still find my stomach churning.

“He expects me to leave Askos and travel to him to marry?”

The messenger ducks his head. “Yes, Princess.”

“And who would be left to rule Askos?”

The messenger suddenly realized his offer hasn’t gone down the way he’d intended. “Well, Askos is being taken by the rot, Princess, so I believe he’s not expecting for there to be any need for anyone to rule Askos in the future.”

I close my eyes briefly. “I see.”

He clears his throat. “In return for your hand, the king offers safe passage to ten thousand of your people to Imnor where they will be allowed to start new lives for themselves.”

I say nothing else, and the silence reverberates around the Great Hall. People become uneasy, shifting from foot to foot and sending awkward glances at one another, waiting for my response.

“Thank King Robertus for his kind and generous offer, but please return to Imnor and inform him that Askos is not over yet and will still require a ruler for many years to come.”

The young male Fae appears uncertain what he’s supposed to do next. Perhaps he’s wondering if he should try to convince me rather than go back to his king and tell him I refused the offer. Instead, he ducks his head, spins on his heel, and leaves the Great Hall.

The people standing in front of me turn to each other, murmuring their thoughts. I can sense the disapproval in the air, and my stomach flips. Am I not wanted here? I’ve been noticing the way people have been whispering behind their hands about me. Do they think I won’t make a good ruler for Askos and that I’m better marrying myself off to some king in a far-off land? Maybe I’ve made mistakes, but it hurts that the people would want rid of me so easily.

Members of the court gradually filter from the room, leaving me with Cirrus Planetree.

He approaches the throne. “May I speak freely, Princess?”

“Of course.”

“I hate to have to say it, but I fear you are making a grave mistake, Princess Taelyn.”

I tense, my hackles immediately going up. “By not abandoning my people?”

“But youareabandoning them. That offer of safety for ten thousand people—almost half the city’s population—isn’t something that can just be tossed away like it’s nothing.”

I’m aware I’m being defensive, but I can’t help it. “I’m not tossing it away.”

“Really? Because that’s exactly what it sounded like to me and to everyone else in court.”

His accusation steals my breath. I blink back tears. He’s right. All I thought about was ruling the kingdom and not wanting to leave Askos…not wanting to leave Ruarok either.

“There are some people I want you to meet,” Cirrus says.