After a whispered conversation between Lily and Jon that I didn’t attempt to catch, Jon broke away from us. However, he had joined us in the throne room within minutes of our own arrival, with someone else in tow. Lily had already explained that they had stashed the terrified official in a dusty sitting room, and that Jon had gone to fetch him.
“If he was official enough for a wedding ceremony,” she said, “we’re hoping he’s official enough for a coronation oath, too.”
The man seemed extremely nervous to be confronted with Prince Dominic, but he made no protest to our request. I expected that performing the ceremony in such a fashion would feel rushed and irreverent, just the four of us gathered around the official. But Dominic stood tall, and his strong voice spoke the words of the ancient vow with such meaning, that the moment achieved a solemnity I had not expected.
And when he finished, cheers broke out all around us. I had been so transfixed, I hadn’t even noticed the hall behind us filling with the guards and other inhabitants of the city who had made their way up to the palace to find out who had broken the curse.
For a long time after that, Dominic was busy talking with important citizens and the occasional noble who had remained in the capital. The guards, members of the single company he had ordered to remain in the capital when the others had been dispersed, were ordered to round up any of Cole’s men who still remained free and return to their barracks.
Several of the people who had arrived identified themselves as palace servants who had been living in the city while the palace stood unoccupied. I received the strong impression that no one in the city had stepped foot in the palace since the curse. That they had, in fact, feared the place. Since they had initially fled at the return of King Nicolas from his massacre, none of them could have known the curse’s true nature.
But if they had been afraid before, they now seemed happy to have returned. They quickly put themselves to work cleaning out the kitchen and several of the bedchambers.
“You’ll have to hold a proper coronation ceremony, with the actual crown, at some point,” I said to Dominic. “But I suppose you’ll have to wait for the nobles to gather first. How in the kingdoms have you been ruling them all this time if you couldn’t hear anything they said?”
His eyes looked sad as he answered me. “My father’s was a harsh rule. He had trained his subjects to immediate and unquestioning obedience. With the mirror at his disposal, the nobles dared not break his commands even on the privacy of their own estates. The godmother allowed me a week to make my way to my castle, and I used the time to issue my orders. I knew the kingdom needed to go into sustainment mode.”
He frowned. “Since I couldn’t hear them, I had no choice but to find each noble and issue my orders without conversation or discussion. I must have looked terrifying to them, too. I can only suppose they thought I meant to rule as my father had done. They did not know of the protection they had been given, or that I would be confined to my castle. I have watched them through the mirror, understanding as much as I could from observation alone, and sent further orders as seemed necessary.”
“Did you bring the mirror with you?” I wondered if it could be helpful now as we tried to bring the kingdom back together.
“No,” he said. “I’m afraid I didn’t squeeze it into a saddlebag when I leaped on Spitfire’s back and charged off to rescue you.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Men. They never think of the practical things.”
Dominic stiffened, offended, until we both burst into peals of laughter, and he relaxed.
“I think having the two of you together is going to take some getting used to.”
“Well, get used to it,” said Lily, slipping her arm around my waist. “Because I intend to be around for a while.”
Jon slapped Dominic on the back. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. Mostly. Just don’t be surprised if she starts breaking off mid-sentence or staring into space for protracted periods in the middle of a conversation because she’s been distracted by a voice in her head.
Lily shook her head at him, but fixed her eyes on Dominic and me. “Speaking of the practical things.” She put her hands on her hips. “I hope you weren’t serious about that getting married in the morning thing. Because I cannot possibly put together a royal wedding overnight. And just think of our family. Mother and Alyssa would be heartbroken if they missed your wedding. I’ve already sent them word to come—so they could save you and attend my wedding—but it will take them weeks to arrive.”
“Ha!” I grinned at my twin. “You don’t fool me, Lil. There’s the real reason—you don’t want me getting married before you.”
“Well, I am the older twin,” she said with dignity, although her eyes laughed back at me.
“And I’ve already been waiting patiently for several months,” said Jon, slipping his arms around her waist from behind and pressing his face briefly into her hair.
I glanced back at Dominic. “The curse doesn’t require we be married in the morning, does it?”
He pulled me close and leaned down to whisper in my ear. The sound of his familiar voice speaking aloud, the growl still lurking behind his words, thrilled me. “Would you believe me if I said it does? I don’t like this talk of months.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “You’ve waited for years, you can wait a little longer.” I looked over at Lily. “I don’t think Dominic could possibly leave Palinar right now. Do you think the people of Marin would stand for their heir being married here?”
Lily’s eyes lit up. “A double wedding! As soon as Mother and the rest arrive.” She turned to Jon. “Oh, Jon. Can we?”
He laughed. “If it means finally setting a date, I will use all of my persuasive powers. We can have some sort of ceremonial event when we return to Marin to commemorate it.” He tried to suppress a smile. “I know you’re a little sick of balls after the Tourney, but…”
Lily groaned. “I said my birthday ball was the only one I would attend this year.” She bit her lip, but I could see excitement in her eyes. “But if it will convince your parents, I suppose I might be persuaded to dance…”
“Dance?” asked a familiar voice behind us. “But you dance so beautifully, Princess Sophie.”
“Oh, no…” said Lily, as I swung around to confront the girl.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, looking wide eyed between the two of us. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…You must be Princess Lily. My apologies.”
“Tara!” The short girl looked close enough to my imaginings that I suspected I might have recognized her even without her voice. I rushed forward to embrace her, and she squeaked in surprise. “Sorry!” I stepped back. “But I had no idea you were here in the capital, and I’m just so excited to be able to see you.”
I glanced reproachfully at Dominic. Why hadn’t he told me he had brought my friends with him? But he was regarding Tara with a raised eyebrow and an expression of resignation. “Tell me,” he said. “How many of my servants have gone rogue and defected to the capital in my absence?”