Series: Lords of Rathe Series by Meagan Brandy
Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 98580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I smirk. “There she is.” I was beginning to be disappointed in her lack of fight. Even at death’s doorstep, she challenges me.
“I killed the King.”
Another gasp from thousands of people, and no doubt all of those who are at home, watching on their projectors. She squares her shoulders and raises a brow.
“The King was weak—”
She casts a simple look at London, before coming back to us. “But no matter how I felt about the King, I know that my sons will lead stronger.” Her next words are for us and us only as she lowers her tone. “You think that because you have the throne, you’ve won.” She takes a moment on each of us, before resting back on London. “But you’re wrong. Kill me as you will. Death will be painless, and I’ll be sure to come back in the next lifetime to punish you all over and over again until each of you are cursed. Just remember.... I was not alone through all of this. But I think you know that, don’t you? At least one of my spawn was loyal.”
Her mouth snaps closed as her head tilts back, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. She begins whispering in a foreign language that none of us recognize as she slowly swings her body around in circles. The flames that line the base of the colosseum explode higher into the sky, and the people who are seated closest to them duck from the raging fire.
“Knight...” Legend warns from beside us. “What the fuck is she doing?”
London curves her hands over each other before forcing a ball of ice around Mother’s body. The flames diminish and with a flash of bright light, whatever London just created explodes. The dust settles around us and Mother is gone.
“You killed her?” I ask London.
“She will wish that she was...”
The people roar loudly, clapping and whistling. The heavy chants of Queen London, may she reign, start shaking the ground so hard dust drifts up from around our feet.
Odin steps up the stairs that lead to us, a dark cloak covering his head as five black pillows float around him, holding the crowns. On their own, each of them float to the front of us and I feel the surge of magic vibrate through the Royal line.
Odin bows to his feet in front of both London and me. “The King and Queen of Rathe!”
We all take the crowns in our hands and slowly lift them to our head. Gold and black twist around mine and I drop my arms to the side once it’s secured. The people all bow as I take London’s hand with mine, bringing it up to my lips and kissing the top. She looks up at me through dark lashes, a smile touching the side of her mouth, her crown following the same style as her throne. Rathe has never been better.
Thirty-One
London
I’d spent all of my life not belonging. Feeling like a kind of outcast around my own people. Little did I know, I was just that. Surrounded by the wrong kind.
Looking out to the people of Rathe, a smile touches my mouth and a sense of pride whistles through my blood. Finally, I feel home. A sense of belonging, with my family.
Ben is included in that, as he’s always been and was always meant to be.
Everything that has happened in my life, happened for a reason, and it was the same for Ben. He had no one in life, but a wonderful woman who taught him how to be a good man, and when she left the Earth she was born to, all that was left in his world was me. He never cared to fall in love and now I know why. Because he wasn’t meant for Earth either.
Rathe was always supposed to be his home. Even though we ended up in Rathe before the King had intended us to come home, me and my protector, even though Temperance played her games trying to get us here on her timeline, it didn’t matter. We were always meant to end up right here, right now.
My eyes catch someone seated in front of the crowd, and I gasp. “Kaia!”
Kaia’s wide smile beams back at me. She brings two fingers to her lips and kisses them, blowing it straight to me before joining in with clapping.
Knight takes my hand with his, looking down the line to me and his brothers, the other Kings of Rathe, because this is what they are. Rightfully so.
They are the heirs to the kingdom and their loyalty to one another knows no bounds. They will reign together, and Rathe will be stronger because of it.
I may be Queen, and I will be a fucking fantastic one, but we are a Kingdom of Kings.
Until they find their mates anyway.