Page 97 of The Throne Seeker

“See?” she pointed out, a smile of her own creeping onto her lips. “I told you I’d see you smile.”

Zareb looked away back down the hall. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

Her light-hearted laugh echoed through the corridor.

As they continued to walk, Rose’s smile faded. She hadn’t heard herself laugh in… she couldn’t remember. She hardly recognized the sound. She supposed she hadn’t had a lot tolaugh about lately. She’d been so focused on getting through the challenges, she hadn’t had time to think of anything else.

Her gaze dropped to her feet, her heels tapping against the stones as her dress flowed with her long strides. Coming to the castle used to ease her soul, comfort her—give her a reason to keep going. Now? Now she didn’t know what to feel.

“Can I ask you something?” She tilted her head toward Zareb. “If you were me, would you want to be queen?”

She half expected him to dismiss her question, but he surprised her with candor. “You will make a great queen, Rose, and one I’ll be proud to serve. But I’m sorry, I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you. I know you love Tristan, it’s only—I want you to have a life filled with goodness and happiness. And here…” He glanced at the castle walls surrounding them. “Here is just plagued with ambitious men and infinite struggle.”

The invisible weight on her shoulders grew heavier, daring her to ask herself a question she had been avoiding.

Is this truly what I want?

She bit the inside of her cheek, shoving aside any doubt. She had never let herself think of an alternative because if she did—even for a moment—the world she’d worked so hard to build would come crashing down.

Their footsteps stopped in front of her bedroom door, the torch flames flickering in his brown eyes as they rested on her.

She put a hand on the latch. “Promise me you’ll get some sleep tonight. And don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. There are two guards posted just down the hall.”

“Rose—”

“You can’t protect me if you faint from exhaustion,” she said, giving him a pointed look.

Zareb gave a defeated nod, caving. “Alright… I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

“Perhaps we could train?” she said with a smile, knowing it’d rile him.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head, not even entertaining her ridiculous notion. “Good night, Rose.”

CHAPTER 41

The following evening, no matter how many deep breaths Rose took, she couldn’t slow her racing heart. This was it—the moment they’d all been waiting for, the night they’d reveal the winner of the succession. The night that would determine her fate.

The throne room buzzed with murmuring voices, the air thick with a nervous energy as the court gathered, waiting for the deliberations. Whispers trailed after her wherever she went. She did her best to ignore them, focusing on trying to drink from her glass despite her aching wrists.

The sunset’s rays poured through the three giant windows facing the sea, casting a crimson haze over the large room and onto the throne’s gleaming sun spikes.

“It seems as though your ride on the sea beast has given you quite the reputation,” her mother noted, listening to the gossip. “You’ll go down in history for it, mark my words.”

Rose didn’t respond, her gaze fixated on the royal pair at the front of the room near the throne. Satin had strategically placed herself next to Tristan, and to Rose’s annoyance, they were talking. The foreign princess didn’t bother hiding her attraction to him—gawking at him with those wide brown eyes underneathher leafed crown. Her body turned towards him as she hung on his every word. Tristan remained disinterested, but still—something ugly stirred beneath her skin as she watched the girl with narrowed eyes.

Her mother followed her eyeline. “Don’t worry, my dear, she’s nowherenearyour playing field.”

Rose refrained from rolling her eyes. If only that were true.

At last, King Henrik and the high councilmen came to end her agony. She strained her neck to peek over the crowd to see the king’s face, trying to read his expression, but he expertly masked any signs of emotion. It was equally likely to be good or bad news.

The king stood before his majestic bronzed throne. “I want to thank all of you for being patient during the deliberation and the voting. And I also want to thank each of you who have come to support this succession period.”

Applause filled the hall.

“And I also want to thank each candidate for giving everything they had to this cause. But only one can be the victor. This successor showed all the traits Vallor treasures—strength, resiliency, bravery, loyalty, and all the honor that a leader can possess. It was a close vote, but the hard work is done, and the high council and I have reached a decision…” The king paused, lowering his gaze with—was it disappointment?

Rose hadn’t realized that she had stopped breathing or that her heart was no longer beating. It felt like even the blood swimming in her veins stopped as she squeezed the fabric of her dress, her white knuckles standing stark against the teal fabric. She ignored everything else and focused on the words about to escape his lips.