he can spend more time with us.”
“But what will he do?” Jessica asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think he has a plan past not being the Erlking.”
“So you won’t have the castle or the guards or the cooks or maids or any of this?” Jessica asked, and I nodded.
“Wow. Like, seriously, that is crazy.” After the initial shock wore off, she started to look thoughtful. “But you know what, it’s sort of sweet he’s willing to give all this up. He’s a keeper.”
I laughed. “I like to think so. I really have to get back. Thank you guys.”
I headed over to Cheney’s office where he was waiting by himself. “Where’s Sebastian?” I asked.
“He’s running the assembly. He’ll send someone for us when it’s time.”
I took his hand. “You know, it’s not too late to back out. You haven’t even told the council yet.”
He looked at me with solid, unwavering eyes. “I don’t want to back out. Do you?”
I sort of did, but I also wanted to support Cheney. If this was what he wanted, then I would stand by him. “I don’t want you to regret this later.”
“I’ll never regret choosing you. Not ever.”
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. His arms were wrapping around my waist, tugging me closer to him and deepening the kiss when there was a knock on the door before it opened.
“It’s time, Erlking,” said the guard.
Cheney nodded, and we walked out hand in hand. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. The assembly hall was packed wall to wall with elves. Sebastian stood at the podium in the front of the room. He nodded stiffly to us as we joined him on stage. A hush spread through the room like a fire in a drought.
Cheney released my hand and shook Sebastian’s before he took the spot at the podium.
“Thank you all for coming this morning. I will keep this short.” He looked out across the room and for a split second doubt crossed his face. I glanced over at Sebastian, whose face suddenly looked hopeful—he saw it, too. I held my breath, waiting for Cheney to continue. “I was fortunate enough to have been born and raised in this house. I have loved and lost in these walls. Learned and explored in the protection of this castle my whole life. It’s a part of who I am and I will forever be grateful for it. Now that Selene and I are starting our own family, there is a part of me that would like nothing more than to raise children here as my father and my grandfather did before, but that isn’t the path laid out before me.” He took a deep breath and glanced over to me. I did my best to keep my face passive yet supportive.
“It was my privilege to live here for so much of my life, but not my right as those who came before me believed. I know that now. Many of you are unhappy with my choice to take Selene as my queen, but my heart knows there will never be another for me to share my life with. Selene and I discussed what we should do. We could campaign to win you all over and prove we do have our people’s—all of our people’s—best interest at heart. Or we can step aside and allow the fae something that perhaps should have been done long ago. We can allow you to choose the direction you would like to see our people move in the future. Will we stay as we are and allow the world to move on and the other races to break away, or will we unite as one strong force and secure the future of all of our people?”
No one so much as twitched an eyelid as the audience waited with bated breath.
“We’ve decided to step aside so that you may choose your own ruler. I leave the future of this great kingdom in your hands.”
He stepped back from the podium and stood next to me. The silence in the room swelled into a murmur. Sebastian stepped back up to the podium and held up a hand, waiting for them to quiet.
“The Erlking will stay in his position until a new official can be elected. The floor for nominations will be open for one week and the election will be held in six months’
“But what will he do?” Jessica asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think he has a plan past not being the Erlking.”
“So you won’t have the castle or the guards or the cooks or maids or any of this?” Jessica asked, and I nodded.
“Wow. Like, seriously, that is crazy.” After the initial shock wore off, she started to look thoughtful. “But you know what, it’s sort of sweet he’s willing to give all this up. He’s a keeper.”
I laughed. “I like to think so. I really have to get back. Thank you guys.”
I headed over to Cheney’s office where he was waiting by himself. “Where’s Sebastian?” I asked.
“He’s running the assembly. He’ll send someone for us when it’s time.”
I took his hand. “You know, it’s not too late to back out. You haven’t even told the council yet.”
He looked at me with solid, unwavering eyes. “I don’t want to back out. Do you?”
I sort of did, but I also wanted to support Cheney. If this was what he wanted, then I would stand by him. “I don’t want you to regret this later.”
“I’ll never regret choosing you. Not ever.”
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. His arms were wrapping around my waist, tugging me closer to him and deepening the kiss when there was a knock on the door before it opened.
“It’s time, Erlking,” said the guard.
Cheney nodded, and we walked out hand in hand. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. The assembly hall was packed wall to wall with elves. Sebastian stood at the podium in the front of the room. He nodded stiffly to us as we joined him on stage. A hush spread through the room like a fire in a drought.
Cheney released my hand and shook Sebastian’s before he took the spot at the podium.
“Thank you all for coming this morning. I will keep this short.” He looked out across the room and for a split second doubt crossed his face. I glanced over at Sebastian, whose face suddenly looked hopeful—he saw it, too. I held my breath, waiting for Cheney to continue. “I was fortunate enough to have been born and raised in this house. I have loved and lost in these walls. Learned and explored in the protection of this castle my whole life. It’s a part of who I am and I will forever be grateful for it. Now that Selene and I are starting our own family, there is a part of me that would like nothing more than to raise children here as my father and my grandfather did before, but that isn’t the path laid out before me.” He took a deep breath and glanced over to me. I did my best to keep my face passive yet supportive.
“It was my privilege to live here for so much of my life, but not my right as those who came before me believed. I know that now. Many of you are unhappy with my choice to take Selene as my queen, but my heart knows there will never be another for me to share my life with. Selene and I discussed what we should do. We could campaign to win you all over and prove we do have our people’s—all of our people’s—best interest at heart. Or we can step aside and allow the fae something that perhaps should have been done long ago. We can allow you to choose the direction you would like to see our people move in the future. Will we stay as we are and allow the world to move on and the other races to break away, or will we unite as one strong force and secure the future of all of our people?”
No one so much as twitched an eyelid as the audience waited with bated breath.
“We’ve decided to step aside so that you may choose your own ruler. I leave the future of this great kingdom in your hands.”
He stepped back from the podium and stood next to me. The silence in the room swelled into a murmur. Sebastian stepped back up to the podium and held up a hand, waiting for them to quiet.
“The Erlking will stay in his position until a new official can be elected. The floor for nominations will be open for one week and the election will be held in six months’
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