I felt the butterflies moving in my stomach and held my head high as we took our places to enter the enormous throne room.
“Synthia, Princess to the Blood Kingdom. Also carrying the Heir to the Horde Kingdom,” a short red cap announced in a booming voice. He continued as we started in, announcing everyone who was with us. The entire crowd erupted at my name, and with what followed.
“Adam, Heir and reigning Prince of the Dark Kingdom.”
“Vlad the Third, Prince of Wallachia, cousin to the Horde King.”
I almost stopped, but Ristan’s hand on mine kept me moving.
“Ristan, third son of Alazander, Prince of the Horde Kingdom.”
My head snapped to attention and twisted until I was staring with my mouth open, looking at Ristan.
“Aodhan, eighth son of Alazander, Prince of the Horde Kingdom.”
He continued, ticking off each of Ryder’s men. Z was Alazander’s second son, and I was getting whiplash from my head turning to each name that was ticked off. Ryder’s Elite Guard was made up entirely with his brothers. Why hadn’t I put that together before? Vlad was his cousin?
“Seriously!” I asked, staring at Ristan.
“Yes, Flower, seriously. Our father liked to fuck, a lot. He fucked anyone he thought would bring him strong sons and daughters.”
“Ciara, Daughter of Alazander, and Princess of the Horde.”
“You have sisters?” I gaped at him.
“Only one, a half-sister, but she’s enough.” He grimaced, but managed to smile.
Ciara was beautiful. She had raven hair that fell to her hips, and eyes of violet and turquoise. She wore a white dress styled much like the one I wore, and hers was trimmed with gold. I looked around the room as all of the Elite Guard took note of her entrance.
I’d hate to be the guy she dated. Ryder said Dristan was his brother, and that he was the youngest. She had Horde brands, so obviously she’d made it through Transition—I was curious to see if those who had helped bring her through had lived, considering who her brothers were, and how many of them were here. Dristan was announced as being Alazander’s one hundred and twenty eighth of his sons. Which meant either there were always a ton of brothers, or male relations, that protected her.
“You guys could have told me,” I hissed.
“And missed seeing your reaction? Not a chance in hell, Flower.”
Drums sounded from all around us, as if an entire marching band was descending on the assembly. Those who had been talking stopped, as people pushed and fought to see above the crowd.
“Abiageal, daughter of the high noble Cornelius, and fiancée to the Horde King.”
“And the Horde King, Ryder, first born son of Alazander. He is Danu’s chosen Heir, born of Alazander of the Horde, and Kiara, the Dark Princess, sister to Kier, the reigning Dark King.”
The entire assembly went insane. Howls erupted, as screams of pride and happiness from the Horde extended and drowned out any other noise from those unhappy with Ryder being king.
I exhaled slowly as the beautiful female beside him bowed low at the waist and demurely placed her hand out for Ryder. She had platinum hair much like Claire’s, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Instead of the two shades of brown that Claire had, Abiageal had a line of brown and another of lilac in her eyes. She was thin and delicate, and everything a Fae woman should have looked like. I swallowed past the pain that hammered against me, even as my chest beat violently in my chest.
“It is okay, Synthia. Breathe,” Ristan encouraged me as he patted my hand resting on his wrist.
I closed my eyes as Ryder accepted her hand and focused on just getting air into my lungs. I wasn’t upset. Quite the opposite; I wanted to jump on the dais, smash her head in, and claim my king. It just seemed like the wrong time to do so.
I opened my eyes to find Ryder standing in front of me. “Come, Princess, you sit with me for the feast,” he said with a crooked smile on his beautiful face.
He walked us to the second hall, which was right off from the great hall and held many tables. It was a huge room, decorated in a pale shade of grey with black trim. Huge chandeliers were lit above the tables, which were hand-crafted from oak and polished to a high shine. It was a beautiful room, and the chair Ryder pulled out for me was comfortable.
Abiageal and her father, who looked no more than thirty, sat on his right, as I was seated to Ryder’s left with Ristan on my other side. Adam was beside him, and the others sat around us protectively. Adam’s father and mother sat a little way down the table from us, and Kier acknowledged my arrival with a small smile and a nod of his head.
An entire boar rested on a platter on the table in front of us with an apple shoved in his mouth. I felt my stomach flutter and pitch at the sight of it. Ryder noticed. “Synthia?”
“It’s the pig,” I said from beneath my hand, which I’d placed over my mouth and nose. “It smell’s horrible.”