I took the stone from Dominic's hand and stared at it. The jewel's soft glow felt heavy in my palm, but what weighed on me more was the sudden understanding of what it meant.
Luke had told us about these stones, and that they only appeared when I had truly bonded with one of my consorts.
They only formed from mutual love.
I looked up into Dominic's gray eyes, which were dancing now with ecstatic realization. He too knew what the stone meant.
I wondered when it happened. I'd always thought I had only loved Luis but...
The stone proved me wrong.
"Why did this appear now, Dom? I thought we had to do the ceremony first."
"I have no idea, Matt." He put his finger on the stone in my hand, then closed my fingers over it and kissed my knuckles. "It's pretty, at least." He winked at me. "I feel like I've given you something of myself, which makes me even more deliriously happy."
Dominic's words sent a wave of warmth through me, but it was quickly chased by a flurry of confusion by the timing. Something about me was making things happen out of turn if Luke's instructions were of any indication.
I opened my mouth to respond, but the air around us suddenly grew colder. The firepits at the ends of the balcony snuffed out, and a layer of frost crept across the floor like tendrils of ice. I instinctively stepped back, bumping into Dominic's chest, and his arms circled around me protectively.
Then, a familiar voice cut through the freezing air. "So, this is where you've been hiding."
I turned sharply, my breath catching in my throat as I saw Emerlee blocking the doorway, her orange, slit-pupil eyes fixed on us. The scales around her eyes gleamed in the fading light, and her smile revealed sharp fangs. My stomach dropped, and I instinctively moved closer to Dominic, tucking the stone into my pocket.
"I thought I might have a private word with you, Madeline." Her eyes flicked disdainfully toward Dominic. "But I see you've dragged along one of your little pets."
Dominic tried to push me behind him again, but I held my ground. My birds, Klick and Klack, fluttered onto my shoulders, their wings ruffling as if sensing the tension in the air.
"What do you want, Emerlee?" My voice came out steady, but my heart was racing. There was no mistaking her intentions now.
"I'm here to congratulate you since the priestess has refused my claim. I wonder what you said to her." With a hiss, she took one step forward.
I looked beyond her, wondering how she managed to get so close to me. Luke had said he'd keep any eye on Emerlee, but it seemed something happened.
"Look, Emerlee," I said, folding my arms to keep from shivering, whether from the cold or fear, I wasn't sure. "I get that you're angry, but take it up with someone else. I didn't ask for this."
She curled her lips into a sneer and re-hinged her jaw so she could speak. "You must have seduced my Luke somehow; that is why he broke our engagement. I mean to expose you for the harlot you are!"
"Harlot? How old are you, Emerlee? Like.. seventy?"
"Matt, where's your filter?" Dominic mumbled. "Mortal danger here!"
I smacked his leg in outrage. "No filter needed for a B--"
I must have finally broken the last straw because this was the point where she spat at me. A section of the balcony floor melted away from her spit I climbed up Dominic's body with a yelp to avoid the hole left behind.
Then, before I could stop them, my birds darted towards her.
"Klick! Klack! No!"
She swiped her hand at them, and Klack smacked into the guardrail of the balcony. It fell into a crumpled heap of pom-poms on the floor. "Klack!" I screamed.
Dominic shoved me behind him as another round of venom was about to be hurled our way, but this time, something unexpected happened. He raised his hand, and a shimmering blue shield of light burst from his palm, covering both of us. The venom splattered harmlessly against it, neutralized instantly.
Emerlee let out a screech of disbelief. "Impossible!"
Her rage filled the air, but before she could strike again, a silver net was suddenly thrown over her, and she collapsed to the ground, thrashing and cursing. Guards rushed onto the balcony, restraining her as Luke appeared behind them, his face pale.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he glanced at Emerlee.
I barely registered his words. My heart was pounding in my chest as I knelt beside Klack, who had been knocked against the balcony rail in the commotion. Klick was pulling on its pom-pom wing to rouse it, but the little bird remained still. I scooped up my injured pet and hugged it to my chest. "Oh, Klack!"
Dominic crouched beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Can you fix it?"
I swallowed hard, blinking back tears as I inspected the damage. "I... I don't know."
Luke stepped closer, reaching out to comfort me, but I pulled away, clutching Klack to my chest. I couldn't look at him. Maybe it wasn't fair, but I blamed him for Emerlee being here, for allowing this to happen.
Dominic wrapped his arm around me, his touch warm and steady, grounding me. "I'm sorry, Matt," he murmured, his voice filled with sincerity.
I nodded but couldn't find the strength to speak. Without a word, I turned and walked past Luke, ignoring his outstretched hand.
Luis met us near the door, his face dark with anger. "What happened?"
"Emerlee," Dominic answered simply, his voice tight.
"She was invited," I added bitterly, my voice low.
Luis growled, his hands clenched into fists. "That snake tried to kill you. Why is she even here?"
Before I could respond, Valenia's voice rang out from the dais. "Elect Madeline and her court! Please assemble for the ritual!"
I looked over at her, then at the other Elect, already lined up, with Regina sneering in my direction. She seemed too pleased that Emerlee's attack had failed to knock me out of the competition.
Dominic squeezed my shoulder. "Are we still doing this?" Adrian asked, his voice softer now, a hint of encouragement there.
I looked at my court, my friends. They were ready to stand by me, no matter what. Even Ciaran, with that knowing smile of his, seemed oddly calm.
With a deep breath, I nodded. "Yeah. We're doing this."
Finally, the six of us assembled at the back of the line to wait for our turn to "Become."
As we took our place at the back of the line, the tension between us and the other Elect hung thick in the air. Regina strutted forward, her smug smile widening as she glanced back at me.
"How awful there was an attempt on your life, Madeline," Regina said, feigning concern. "Are you sure you're well enough to continue?"
I raised an eyebrow, suppressing the urge to snap at her. "I'm uninjured."
Her fingers fluttered to her lips, as if surprised by my response, but I could see the glint of satisfaction in her eyes. "How fortunate for you," she said with false sympathy. "But still, such a tragedy to endure right before your big moment. How dreadful."
The tight smile on my face didn't reach my eyes. "I appreciate your concern, Regina. Really, I do."
Her smile faltered that she wasn't getting the rise out of me she expected, and she gave a small, mocking curtsy before turning to join the rest of her court. She moved with the elegance of someone who thought they'd already won. As she passed Marisol, her friend whispered something in her ear, and they both laughed softly.
I clenched my fists at my sides, but Dominic placed a calming hand on my arm, grounding me. "Ignore them. They're just trying to get under your skin."
"Yeah, well, it's working," I muttered, but I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Up ahead, Valenia stood tall on the dais, her eyes scanning the crowd. Torches lit with vibrant purple and green flames surrounded her, casting an eerie glow over the scene. She raised her hands to the sky, commanding everyone's attention.
"Great Mother of the Garden, Mother Oak, Mistress of all, we beseech you!" Her voice echoed out over the crowd, each word filled with reverence and authority.
Chimes rang out as she lit the first torch, its flame roaring to life in deep purple. "These Elect are here to show their worthiness to be your avatar and rule the land in purity as the Brigid, the Principi, the Queen of Summer, and all that is good. Each shall try to prove her worth with the knife, the cup, and the devotion of her court."
Her gaze swept over us, lingering on me for a moment before she turned back to the crowd. She lit the second torch, its green flame twisting upwards like vines. "The Elect shall try to avail against the trials of the physical, mental, and spiritual. At the last trial, she shall place the stones of her worth into the holy crown, stones that she will receive from her court and reign for one thousand years."
I felt the weight of Dominic's stone in my pocket, the significance of it pressing on me now more than ever. One down, I thought, but there were more to goâmore trials to endure. Could I endure getting the rest when I wasn't even sure if I liked two of my soon-to-be husbands?
Finally, Valenia lit the last torch, its golden flame burning brighter than the others. "Holy Mother, appear before us!"
The air around us seemed to shimmer, and then, as if summoned from the very fabric of the universe, three figures materialized on the thrones behind the altar.
The first was a man with dark purple hair, wearing a crown of lavender berries. His features were delicate, almost feminine, and his eyes glowed faintly behind gold half-moon glasses. His shirtless form exuded power, and though he was beautiful, there was something unsettling about him.
The second figure was a man crowned with Hawthorn blooms. His light green hair was tied back, his magenta eyes piercing as they scanned the crowd. He was dressed impeccably in a double-breasted canary yellow suit, the golden cane in his hand adding an air of regal dominance. He looked like someone who could command armies with a single word.
But it was the third figure that froze me in place. A tiny, frail woman sat on the last throne, dressed in a red velour sweatsuit that seemed so out of place it was almost absurd. Her gray hair was wild, her dark eyes small and sharp beneath a beetled brow. She was knitting something that looked suspiciously like a sweater with flaming reindeer on it.
I blinked. It couldn't be.
"Aisa?" I whispered.