She stared earnestly at her uncle’s face. The heat from the fire pit warmed her, and she felt her cheeks flush. Dylan stepped forward and handed her bracelet to the leader.
Leeman placed it around her wrist and tied the thongs. “This is a symbol of your status in the clan. My little princess, I have waited for you to join us for too long. We welcome you as the daughter of my beloved brother, Roman. Princess Aspen, take your rightful place as royalty in our clan.”
The crowd erupted into cheers again, and Leeman hugged his niece tightly.
Aspen buried her face against his shirt. What had he said? She was a princess!
The sounds of flute music and drums filled the air and the crowd dispersed, but the noise level escalated. People laughed and squealed with joy, dogs barked, and Goldilocks quacked above the racket.
“Come. Let us eat,” Leeman’s voice boomed.
Dylan had been standing behind Aspen during the ceremony, but now he walked around and bowed deeply in front of her. When he stood back up and held out his hand, she laughed nervously and took it.
“Don’t bow to me. That’s not necessary.”
“I’m showing you respect and my eternal allegiance, my princess. Of course that’s necessary,” he said solemnly.
Aspen swatted his arm. “Don’t be silly. It’s still me, you know.”
Dylan smiled and rubbed the soft skin on her hand with his thumb, causing a zing of current to trail up her arm. His gaze didn’t drop from hers. “I know it’s you.”
Her stomach flip-flopped again.
After leading her to the food tables, he lined up behind a row of people and she breathed deeply. They stepped aside for her to join the line, and her plate was heaped within a few minutes. Leeman motioned for her to join him at one of the tables.
Aspen sat down next to her uncle and placed her plate on the cloth. There wasn’t an empty seat for Dylan, and he seemed reluctant to join them, so she picked at the juicy pork with a knife and fork and watched him leave.
“What did your mother tell you about us?” Leeman asked, and licked pork grease from his huge fingers.
“She didn’t tell me a thing,” she replied.
Leeman slammed his fist down on the table. The utensils and plates rattled loudly. “Didn’t she tell you anything?”
Aspen dropped her head. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you—this—existed until a few nights ago.” She pointed around her as she spoke.
Music drifted sweetly through the air as Leeman took in a deep breath, obviously trying to control his temper. “I’m sorry, little princess. I didn’t know. I thought that she’d realize that Roman wasn’t joking.”
“What do you mean?”
Leeman sighed and adjusted the belt on his robe. A young girl placed a wooden pitcher full of juice on their table and turned to tend to the other guests. Leeman lifted the pitcher and filled his glass and Aspen’s before continuing.
“Your father was the king of this clan for many years. He earned that right when he was sixteen years old, after our father had been killed by the Lord Chancellor.” His huge hand clutched at the glass.
“When he was younger, he ventured to the other side—your side. He met a beautiful woman and fell in love with her. Humans cannot enter our world, and he couldn’t bring her to live here.” Leeman sat back while he spoke.
Aspen stopped chewing, mesmerized by his tale.
“He struggled with the thought of leaving this world, but then he found out that his beloved was pregnant and that he would be a father. He came to me and offered up his crown to be with his sweetheart and child.”
“That was me,” she said flatly.
“Yes, that was you. Roman gave up Lanta in order to be with you and your mother.”
Aspen’s throat constricted and she took a sip of juice. The sweetness burned and she choked for a second.
“How did my father die?” she asked after her throat had calmed down.
“Roman was a powerful king,” Leeman continued. “He was feared by Chancellors everywhere. Once he’d moved to the human world, he took off his dream catcher to protect you and your mother. The Chancellors would be drawn to its power, but couldn’t kill him while he wore it. If your dream catcher is around your neck, it protects you from physical harm. Your body may be hurt, but it will recover. Unfortunately, it’s a magnet for Chancellors when worn.”
He popped another piece of pork into his mouth and chewed. After swallowing, he took a sip of juice and spoke again. “He could only protect himself, not the two of you. That’s why he kept it locked away where it wouldn’t be a beacon to the Chancellors. They would kill the two of you if they found him with you.”
“But they found him anyway?” she whispered.
“Yes, they found him during a storm when he was at work. They didn’t know about you at all.”
Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She glanced up and saw Dylan watching her intently from a tent nearby. He tilted his head slightly, almost as if he wanted to know if she were okay.
After nodding silently at him, she put her knife and fork down. Her appetite had disappeared completely.