CHAPTER THIRTY

after

In the days that followed, I didn’t have the luxury of doing any of the things I said I would. My heart was too heavy, and so was that of the people. Leo had been right in his speculation. The Magi were not to blame. How could they be? There were barely any left, and those that were still in the country were in hiding. Reports indicated that it was actually the chief of police who had started the whole thing. He’d been so stressed about keeping the Magi out that he’d shot a small girl who was wearing a purple dress. She wasn’t even a Mage, just a normal kid, but he’d shot her anyway in a panic. The terror had spread outwards like a disease, consuming everyone in a nearby radius. People began to flee, causing more hysteria. The police were overwhelmed and began to shoot other people such as those attempting to escape the crush by scaling the palace walls. From then on, it only got worse. Ten thousand plus people had all crammed into the surrounding streets of the palace, and there just wasn’t enough room to accommodate them all. Many were trampled to death; too many were shot. It turned out a group of anti-magi had started the fires, proof, if I needed any, that I needed to stamp out the hate that my father and the local police had bred.

My father had been shot by one of his own policemen. It hurt, but in a way, I felt like justice had been done. Karma had reaped his soul. Xavier hadn’t fared any better. His body was found days later in the clean-up. He’d been trampled to death like so many others. All in all, the final tally of dead was over three hundred although there were thousands injured. Jenny managed to escape by hiding in a broom cupboard for twelve hours, but she was one of the lucky ones. Many of the palace staff were either killed or injured. Sadie also lost her life although she didn’t go down without a fight. Ever the professional, she carried on broadcasting, showing the people watching on their TV’s the mess we had made of the kingdom. She even managed to get her own death on tape, carrying on presenting as she was trampled. The last I heard, she’d been posthumously awarded the broadcaster of the year. I thought she would have liked that.

The only good thing to come out of the whole mess was the fact that a thorough search of the palace had been done and no bomb had been found. It was just another of Xavier’s lies—a way to manipulate me.

Once again, the Kingdom was in a state of official mourning, but this time I didn’t object to the black dresses Xavi laid out on my bed every morning. She never asked for me to go down to the dressing room for which I was grateful, but one day I’d have to. Someday soon, I’d have to plan my coronation to officially take the title of queen from my mother. There would be no king and no prince regent or prince consort. I was going to do it alone. Well, not quite alone, Leo, Daniel, Luca, and Dean had moved into the palace and vowed to stay there as long as I needed them, and need them I did. I don’t know how I would have gotten through those dark days without them. They took charge of everything from the cleanup to opening up the grounds to care for those injured.

About three weeks after the wedding when the dead had been buried, including my father, I found myself alone in the garden with Luca. October had arrived, and winter was closing in fast. I was wearing black trousers, and no one seemed to mind.

We walked the pathways silently holding hands. He’d not left my side in the past three weeks and had helped me keep my head above water at a time I felt like I was drowning. He’d become as good a friend as I could hope for.

He was there for me, even when I stumbled upon Grace’s diary that I’d hastily hidden when Elise entered my room. It had fallen down the side of my bed, and I’d forgotten about it. When I read it, I found out that my father had told Grace she had to marry Xavier. Grace had refused, and there had been a huge argument. The date she’d written about it was the day before she died. I had no proof, but it seemed extremely convenient that it happened that day. I ordered the police – or what was left of them to exhume her body, but before they got the chance, Pascal, the head chef came forward and admitted adding poison to her cocoa on the orders of the king. My own father had murdered his eldest daughter to get his own way. I was pretty sure Xavier had something to do with it too, but I’d never know for sure.

Throughout it all, Luca stayed with me, holding my hand all the way.

He took over on days when I couldn’t even find a way to get out of bed, and came to me every evening to keep me company. It was he that organized a criminal trial with regards to my father, and it was he that kept the whole sordid thing out of the papers. The monarchy was as unpopular as they had ever been. We didn’t need to add murderer to the list of crimes my father had committed. One day, I’d tell the people the truth and beg for their forgiveness, and I knew that Luca would be holding my hand as I did so.

We carried on with walking our path through what was left of the gardens. The flowers had all been trampled, and as it was coming up to winter, I’d not asked the gardeners to plant more. I’d never seen the gardens look so sorry. The palace had been cleared of debris, but there was months of renovation work to be done. Daniel and Dean had taken on that particular project although Dean had to do most of the work while Daniel’s leg healed.

I felt Luca stop and squeeze my hand.

“I wanted to ask you something that day when we were in the safe room, but we got cut off. I’ve not found a good time to ask again, and truth be told, I’m not sure there will ever be a right time, but I have to ask you, or I’ll hate myself.”

“Ask me.”

“When I came here, I wanted to rule a country. For the longest time, it was all I ever thought of, but then I met you. I’ve watched as you have been dealt a world of problems and heartache and I’ve watched you deal with it all like a queen. You know I love you. I’m honored to say that I know you and I’m excited by your presence. Whatever your answer is, I promise I’ll stay here and help you through the next few months while you find your feet and I’ll speak to my parents about becoming an ally with Silverwood. Even if you say no, I’ll understand, but with my deepest part of my soul, I hope you don’t. Charmaine Elizabeth Mary Annesley, will you marry me?”

There was no ring and no getting down on one knee, but I saw love and truth in his eyes. My mind flashed to Cynder, the boy who had stolen my heart all those months ago, but it had been so long since I’d last seen him. I felt the charms he’d given me, resting upon my wrist and I wondered if it was time to take them off, to shed my childish crush and finally grow up. I had a kingdom to run and who better to run it with than a man who was already a prince? With Luca by my side, one day, we’d make sure that Cynder was a free man. All of the Magi would have equal rights and live freely among the rest of us. No more would they be slaves or second-class citizens. They would be free. This was the only way I knew how to save him.

I looked into Luca’s eyes. I liked him a great deal, and he’d proven his loyalty and love to me in so many ways. One day I’d learn to love him too. I kissed him slowly and felt myself melt into him as I always did when we kissed. One day soon, I was going to be the queen, and I needed my own king by my side.

“Yes,” I murmured, “Yes, I will.”

The End