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Tatiana waved cheerily at Varin, dangling the crown from her fingertip. “Looking for this?”

And then she wobbled. Hiccuped. And dropped the crown, which bounced on the carpet and rolled across the floor towards Varin.

I stared, torn between relief and horror. Was my sister drunk ?

“Seize them,” Varin snapped. “And get that crown!”

I just had time to see Marya grab my sister by the waist and shove Tatiana safely behind her. Then Varin’s guards were closing around me, reaching for my arms. I moved faster. I ducked out of their grasp and ran for Aric and Catalina, drawing the dagger from my sleeve as I went.

“Charge!” Marya roared, with a fervor that suggested she was enjoying herself. Aric’s personal guards rushed forward. In an instant I was in the midst of a melee. Sabers flashed, halberds thrust. I couldn’t help but sense that Varin’s soldiers were not terribly enthusiastic about performing their duties.

Two guards remained watching my husband and Catalina, gripping their halberds uncertainly. I brandished my dagger at them.

“Beware the wrath of House Liliana!” I shouted in Damarian, stabbing at the air for good measure.

The guards exchanged a glance, and then sidled out of my way.

They weren’t exactly vanquished, but it felt like an acceptable compromise. I slipped behind Catalina and sliced through her bonds. She was on her feet immediately, snatching up a fallen halberd and turning to cover my back. I turned to Aric and cut him free, the ropes falling to the floor. A bright slash of blood welled along his thumb where I hadn’t been careful enough. Guilt coiled in my chest, constricting my breath. I would apologize later. For that, and for so much more.

But right now, we didn’t have time. Light was spilling red through the chamber’s high windows, at an angle that painted the roof’s arches in blood. The sun pushed at the horizon like a bubble ready to pop.

I gripped my husband’s elbow. “Quickly! We have to get the crown.”

Aric stumbled to his feet, bracing himself on my shoulder. He cast a glance out the window, his face pale. “There’s no time to break the curse now. It’s almost sunrise.”

“You’re still human. That means there’s time. Hurry. ”

I seized his wrist and pulled him after me: weaving around clusters of dueling guards, brandishing my dagger at anyone who looked like they were considering stopping us. Catalina followed, covering our backs. I caught a glimpse of Marya as we ran past—she was in the thick of it, happily stabbing and hacking. She didn’t seem to have actually run anyone through yet, but Varin’s guards lay crumpled on the floor around her like discarded garments, groaning and clutching assorted body parts.

I pulled Aric past them, scanning the floor. Where was the crown?

“Little bee! Here!”

A flash of rose-colored skirts caught my eye. Tatiana. She had circled around the melee and was running towards me, the crown clutched in both her hands. It was a wobbly run, more stumble than sprint, but she was closing the distance. I sheathed my dagger, reaching to meet her.

A blur of motion to my right. Varin had evaded the dueling guards and was racing towards Tatiana, hands outstretched for the crown. She veered away from him, skirts flaring. He tackled her from behind and they both went sprawling on the floor, grappling for the crown.

“Tatiana!” I skidded to a halt, reaching for my knife again.

“Get off me, you usurping frog of a man!” Tatiana shrieked. She scrabbled in her sleeve and flung something small, shiny, and suspiciously button-shaped at Varin.

A burst of light exploded from the contraption. Varin flopped onto his back, clutching his throat and looking like he’d been punched in the gut. A half dozen guards closed in around them.

Tatiana sat up, her hair wild, her dress hanging off one shoulder. “Bianca! Catch! ”

She hurled the crown in my direction. It spun through the air, a blur like a golden arrow—

I dropped Aric’s wrist, lunged, and caught the crown in both hands. It was heavy, a mass of golden bands twisted together to look like vines. A shock of power ran up my arm—the enchantment was eager to come to life. I gripped the crown in one hand and seized Aric with the other. We ran towards Tatiana, Catalina guarding our backs—only to stop short again as Varin’s guards dragged my sister away from us, her heels kicking on the deep green carpet as she spat and twisted in their grip.

I wavered, the crown biting into my palm.

The sun reached the sky.

A burst of white light shook the courtroom like a thunderclap, and Aric’s hand was suddenly no longer in mine.

I turned, though I already knew what I would see.

A white stallion stood beside me, dark eyes wide and wild.

The sun had risen, and we had failed to break the curse.

Around us, the fighting had stopped. Everyone was staring at Aric, weapons loose in shocked hands.

“Did the heir apparent just turn into a horse?” someone whispered. A second person hastily hushed the speaker.

Varin sat up, looking dazed. He took in the startled guards, the stallion standing in the midst of it all, me beside Aric with the crown now useless in my hand. With admittedly admirable composure, Varin rose, holding his hand out imperiously.

“Give me the—” He stopped, looking puzzled, and put a hand to his throat. Coughed and tried again. “Give me the cr —crrrrrkkk. ”

Behind him, held between two guards, Tatiana giggled.

Varin scowled, opened his mouth, and released a loud and distinctive croak. He turned on my sister, his eyes wide with horror. “What did you— crroooak —do to— crrriiiick —”

“I said you were a horrible frog of a man,” Tatiana smirked, and waggled her fingers suggestively.

Varin’s face purpled with rage. He rushed at Tatiana, only for Marya to block his way. She raised her saber, resting its tip on Varin’s nose.

“Touch her,” she said, “and I’ll happily run you through.” She nodded at the guards holding my sister. “And you two sorry excuses for soldiers. Let her go or I’ll make your thumbs into earrings.”

Tatiana beamed at Marya. “Ooh, please do. I would wear them every day.” She wrinkled her nose. “Until they started to smell, at least.”

-Bianca.-

I turned back to Aric, my heart sinking towards my feet. He was watching me, his gaze heavy with regret.

-It’s too late. Varin should take the crown.-

My entire body rebelled against the idea. “But you’re the king. You’re my husband. ”

His sorrow dragged on me like an ebbing tide. - I’m only the heir apparent. I haven’t been crowned. And I won’t be your husband much longer.-

“Aric, no. ” The words came out as a sob. I was done with hiding. Done with pretending I didn’t care. “I don’t want to divorce you, and I certainly don’t want to marry Varin instead. I never have. I agreed to those terms to save you, not because I wanted you gone.”

I stepped closer to him. Put my arms around his neck and pressed my face into his shoulder, not caring that everyone could see my vulnerability.

“I love you, Aric,” I said. “I didn’t come back because of duty. I came back for you. Because I choose you. Exactly as you are.”

Aric’s pulse beat against my ear. - But we might never break the curse now.-

“Do you think I care?” I cried. My hand tightened on the crown. “Of course I want you as a man. Of course I want the curse broken. But I know how it feels to have a part of yourself that you can’t control. If that doesn’t stop you from loving me, why should it lessen my love for you?”

I felt Aric’s love wash through me, filling my heart. Bright and certain as the sun breaking from night to dawn. As if in response, the crown warmed in my hand. A pulse of magic rolled through me, lifting the hairs on the back of my neck.

Behind me, Marya cleared her throat. “Your Majesty. The sun is almost above the horizon.”

Wait. I lifted my head from Aric’s neck, and hope flickered bright and devastating in my chest.

Marya was right. The courtroom afforded an unbroken view of the eastern horizon. Beyond the walls of Arnhelm, below the cloud line, a thin golden sliver of sun still gleamed against the mountains. Just on the verge of lifting free of their peaks.

Which meant, even though Aric had already transformed, that sunrise wasn’t over. Not quite yet.

Thoughts began to tumble through my mind, an avalanche set into motion.

A spell of equal power…

Keyed to the royal family’s blood…

I seal these vows with my blood…

The crown pulsed in my hand, glowing with latent power. A drop of blood in a chalice. A drop of blood on a fingertip. Through our marriage, I shared Aric’s blood—blood I’d already used once to alter a spell. I might not be an Adept, but my marriage linked me to a different sort of magic. And the curse hadn’t been Tatiana’s alone. It was also mine.

I drew the knife from my wrist sheath. In a sharp motion, I slashed it across my palm, parting the golden lines from our wedding night. Blood flowered immediately, spattering onto the floor. I ran my hand along the crown, painting it red, and lifted it high.

“By the royal blood I share through our marriage vows, I crown you king of Gildenheim!”

I brought the crown down on Aric’s head.

The entire courtroom froze, as if the castle were holding its breath.

Then the world exploded into blazing white light.

A gust of wind nearly bowled me over. Someone screamed. I narrowed my eyes against the brightness, shielding my face with one hand. The light pulsed once, then faded.

The shape of a horse was imprinted on my vision. I blinked away the afterimage, and in its place was a man. A man with gold-bright hair, a bloody crown crooked on his head, and a tenuous smile forming on his lips.

“ Aric, ” I breathed. I flung myself at him and crushed my mouth to his.

His arms went around me, holding me so tight I could barely breathe. His hands were on my back, my hips, my hair, his mouth covering mine, kissing me with desperate relief until we broke away gasping for air. I dragged in a breath and kissed him again, my hands in his hair, holding him against me as if I could subsume him. As if I could imprint the feel of him onto my skin and never lose him again.

Behind me, someone cleared their throat. We broke apart, breathless and dizzy.

“I hate to interrupt,” Marya said pointedly, “but the advisors are clamoring at the door and your Majesty isn’t wearing any clothes.”

Tatiana whispered something I didn’t catch. A muffled laugh ran through the guards, Aric’s and Varin’s alike. All of them were staring, though most were making a valiant effort to keep a straight face.

Aric’s cheeks turned red as dawn. He held me closer, one arm wrapped around my waist, using me as both shield and support.

“As my first order as king,” he said to the room at large, “I command someone to bring me a set of clothes. Something suitable for a coronation, please.”

“And shoes,” I added.

“And shoes. And while I’m waiting—”

Aric turned back to me and cupped my face in his hands. His fingers traced my mouth, following the curve of my lips as if they were more precious than any crown.

“While I’m waiting,” Aric whispered, for my ears alone, “I’m going to kiss my wife.”

And, certain as a vow, he did just that.