Page 46 of Faeling (Monstrous World #4)

Ravenna woke to the sound of trumpets. At first, she couldn’t quite believe the day was here—nor that she’d fallen asleep at all. Such a feat felt impossible last night, no matter how many orgasms her azai was determined to give her with his fingers and tongue.

She let out a long exhale, not quite sure if she was ready for it to be the day. Planning was one thing. Sewing a gown was one thing. Standing before hundreds of orc-kin claiming to be their queen was another.

Vallek’s big body stretched behind her, and the arm he had flung over her waist flexed, tucking her neatly to his front.

“Good morning, my queen,” he rumbled sleepily. “Are you ready for today?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“I’m ready enough for the both of us.” Pushing up onto his elbow, he pressed tender kisses to her cheek and temple.

Ravenna tried to let his warmth and affection soak into her skin, but her nerves were strung too tightly.

“Will I really be queen,” she murmured, “just because you say it’s so?”

“Yes. That’s one of the perks of being king, love.”

She huffed a solitary laugh, despite herself. Another kiss was pressed into her cheek, and against her skin, he whispered, “Until you can believe in yourself, believe in me. Today will be a triumph.”

Triumph sounded a little too grand. Ravenna just hoped for not a disaster .

Reaching back to caress his face, she told him softly, “I do believe in you, azai. ” She’d witnessed his reign for too long to undercut everything he was capable of. If he wanted her as queen, then so it would be.

He purred happily. “Then there’s nothing to fear.”

There absolutely was, but she kept that to herself. It was a daunting bargain she’d struck, and now that it was time to uphold her end, her fears and doubts lay with them in their bed. It wasn’t him but she herself Ravenna worried about.

An obnoxiously loud knock sounded at the front door to his quarters, and a moment later, Asta’s voice boomed down the hall. “Wake up! It’s time!”

Vallek’s purr turned into a growl, and he buried his face in her hair. “Unfortunately, there’s but one thing more powerful than even a king, and it’s the schedule he must keep.”

Soon, there was hardly any time or space for her worries. Asta, Eydis, Hilde, and Brynhíl arrived with the force of a summer thunderstorm, dividing and conquering to help ready Ravenna and Vallek.

Asta and Bryn got to work dressing Vallek in his ceremonial regalia while Hilde recruited Eydis to help Ravenna into her gown and all the finery they had chosen. Ravenna suspected she’d need to avoid direct sunlight to keep from blinding any observers, so intensely did she gleam and glitter.

It took over an hour, but by the end of it, she was dripping in gold and jewels. Gold leaf was even applied to her fingernails, and Hilde delighted in applying a thin cream infused with crushed pearls and gold. The resulting effect made Ravenna’s skin shimmer almost like a full-fae woman.

As Hilde brushed her hair, though, a question Ravenna had been dreading did come up.

“What about these wings I keep hearing about?” Hilde asked.

“I say have them out,” said Eydis. “It will leave an even stronger impression.”

“I hear fae wings are iridescent—they’ll shine beautifully in the light of the basilica.”

“Wings stay hidden,” Ravenna insisted. When she saw Hilde beginning to pout in the mirror, she said more firmly, “They stay hidden. They’re only for mates and family to see.”

Hilde winked. “Well, then, I expect to see them very soon. I’ll need to find fabrics to complement their color.”

Eydis and Ravenna shared a grin. “She’s incorrigible,” said Eydis.

Once her hair was brushed to a high shine, Hilde helped her turn to face the long mirror. Ravenna hardly recognized herself.

The gown flowed down her body like liquid flame, glittering gold catching the light.

The whole effect made her look alight, a fire sparking to life.

The stiff bodice gleamed with gold thread, the intersections of the diamond pattern interspersed with fire opals.

With their embroidery and beadwork, the skirts weren’t any lighter, patterns of stars, birds, and roses cascading down the length and gathering along the hems.

Rings glinted on almost all of her fingers, thin, delicate chains of gold were looped around her neck, and rubies the size of grapes dangled from her ears.

Eydis added little braids to her hair, as well as pins studded with garnets, while Hilde applied rouge to her lips and a little more of the pearlescent cream to her cheeks and browbones.

It was overwhelming, and Ravenna could easily have been lost under all the finery.

Except…the choice of the sparkles helped make her own skin shine as brightly as the gold and jewels.

With a dollop of hair oil, her tresses shone, tamed into soft waves the likes of which she’d never managed on her own.

Ravenna looked at herself in the mirror and…smiled.

“There she is,” murmured Hilde.

Her smile grew even wider. Looking between Hilde and Eydis, hearing Asta and Bryn’s chatter with Vallek in the other room, Ravenna’s heart was full. Too full for so many worries to live.

For the first time, Ravenna had friends. Well, two-legged friends, anyway.

“Thank you for this.” She didn’t know what else to say, how else to convey her gratitude. How could she be terrified under all her finery? It would protect her, like armor.

Eydis grinned. “You’ll make us proud, tristah .”

Hilde and Eydis looked up at movement, and Ravenna turned to behold Vallek. He strode from the bedchamber, somehow looming larger in his regalia.

Ravenna’s breath caught in her throat. He was magnificent.

Adorned in a ruby tunic with golden thread, Vallek wore a gorget studded with rubies just below his throat, etched with the symbols of Balmirra.

Ceremonial robes draped from his shoulders, denoting his rank as chieftain, gathered at his wrists by gold bands.

Fine leather trou and boots polished to a high shine clad his legs.

A belt spanned his thick waist, the elaborate steel buckle so bright it nearly shone like silver.

Everywhere little details gleamed in the morning light—gold-threaded embroidering on his collar, iron epaulets at his shoulder, gold hoops in his ears, and rubies in his hair.

He looked for all the world a king, and most importantly, he wore the regalia with all the confidence as though he’d been born to it. That confidence buoyed her spirits.

Such a man wasn’t to be defied. Such a man commanded kingdoms with an iron will.

A lascivious smile spread between his tusks, also capped in gold. “Look at you, love. My queen.” He offered his hand to help her carefully step down from the low table.

Her steps made no sound in the cushioned, pearl-studded slippers as she was pulled into the curve of his body. Vallek dipped down to nuzzle her—

“Don’t you dare smudge or wrinkle anything!” Hilde screeched.

Vallek’s sigh buffeted Ravenna’s cheek instead of his kiss. He chuckled before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“You are a woman who deserves the world placed at her feet. Today, I intend to do it.”

“I don’t want the world. Just you.”

Eyes glittering, Vallek raised her hand to his lips to kiss her palm. “Come, then, my queen. Let me show the people my good fortune.”

Vallek offered his arm, and together, they strode down the hall to the doors, the orcesses chattering behind them. The doors opened, the guards on either side bowing low, and then down the stairs they went, headed for Ninevar’s Basilica.

Ravenna was quickly breathless, and not just from their steady pace and her heavy regalia.

This is it. It’s happening. She wasn’t sure how her parents would feel about all this, but at least they’d sought to prepare her as best they could.

Stealing a glance at the handsome profile of her azai, Ravenna smiled to herself. They would’ve liked Vallek. And not just because he meant to bend an entire kingdom to his will for her.

A familiar nudge pressed against her mind as they walked, Oberon seeking a word.

Good luck today, Crow. I know you will make us proud.

Thank you, Obi. For everything.

Anything for my favorite foal. Oh, and mother says to bite anyone who looks at you too long. To assert dominance.

Vallek stood alone before his throne, staring down the hundreds, if not thousands of kin packed within the high walls of the basilica.

Horns trumpeted the beginning of the event, and bodies pressed forward, the central aisle of open space collapsing as kin stepped forward, all wanting the best view of whatever it was to be announced.

Looking out at all the curious faces, Vallek ensured every guard was in position. From her place to his left, Asta winked beneath the brim of her helm. On his right, Eydis nodded from her usual place to the side of the dais.

Excitement prowled inside him, barely caged within his ribs. Perhaps another chieftain, one more careful, might dread what was about to happen, but Vallek could hardly wait.

Just wait until they see.

She would be a secret no longer.

Although orc-kin were jealous over their mates, he would have to share her with the people. At least a little. It seemed a small price to pay. Soon, in mere moments, they too would see what he saw, know what he knew.

Together, he and his faeling were destined for greatness.

Raising his open hand above his head, the horns blew a final time, bringing forth a buzzing silence. Every orc-kin within the basilica leaned forward, eager to hear the news.

Vallek Far-Sight wasn’t one to stand on ceremony, even for official duties. But here he stood, every inch of him clad in the regalia of his forebearers.

This announcement was important.

Indeed, he didn’t want to look like he didn’t belong beside his magnificent new queen.

“My good people!” he proclaimed, voice booming across the basilica.

As one, the court took a breath and held it.