Serpent's Claim (Serpent's Touch 2)

“That’s terrible,” I whispered, then straightened my back and plastered a smile on my face to greet the High Lord and his family. “Welcome to Ufaris.”

The High Lord of Osim was one of those who had requested a meeting with me before the ceremony. I had spent most of yesterday receiving some of the High Lords one on one and answering their questions in an attempt to assuage their doubts about me as their ruler.

Now, I held my breath to see what he would do.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” The High Lord lowered his knee onto a silk cushion placed on the steps of my dais for him.

Bowing his head, he recited the words of the vow of fealty. A gentle sweep of magic rushed over the platform, sealing his promise.

I exhaled in relief.

Many avenues were still available to the High Lord of Osim to betray me if he so wished. For one, his son and heir remained unbound by any vows to me. However, the lord’s willingness to come here and publicly declare his loyalty to the human queen was a sign of goodwill already.

After the High Lord of Osim, the other High Lords arrived, one after another. Boats delivered them to the platform. I greeted them and their families. They stared at me in wonder, curiosity, and appraisal, then congratulated me on my coronation, or expressed their condolences on the loss of my royal husband, or both. The High Lords then took a knee to recite the vow before moving on to mingle with the courtiers around the tables laden with food and drinks.

“The High Lord of Ellohi,” the next announcement came.

My heart made a loud thud at the name of Kyllen’s home.

I suspected Udren might not travel all the way here in his condition. With Bherlon dead, he’d probably just send a courtier in his stead to represent his lands. In which case, the vow of loyalty would have to be obtained later, from whoever would become the High Lord after Udren’s death.

My guess proved correct. The man who jumped from the boat onto the platform had the agility Lord Udren had long lost to old age. The delegate looked like he’d just arrived in Ufaris. He still had his travel hood on.

He approached my dais and kneeled. “May the Great Serpent watch over the glorious Queen of Lorsan.”

That voice!

With that very familiar teasing note in it.

My heart pumped faster. Blood rushed through my veins, echoing with a swishing sound in my ears. The noise of the crowd fell away. I gripped the armrests of my throne, afraid I would pass out.

He lifted his head and slid the hood off. The bronze and green senties spread wide. The face I’d only seen in my dreams for so many nights was right in front of me now.

“As the High Lord of Ellohi, I pledge my loyalty to you for as long as you remain the Queen of Lorsan,” he recited the words of the vow. “That is my promise to you, and may I perish in the Garden of the Cursed if I break it.”

His golden eyes remained pensive as he studied my face, his expression anxiously expectant.

He flicked his gaze from my eyes, to my mouth, to my hands, down my legs, as if he wanted to take all of me in at once. Then, his searching stare came up again, pausing on his dragonfly barrette in my braid over my shoulder.

His eyes returned to mine, and a wide grin spread on his face, so achingly familiar, with the cheeky bit of a fang sticking out.

I hadn’t dared hoping to ever see this smile again.

Everything inside me melted.

“Kyllen…”

* * *

Councilor Delahon gripped my hand.

“Your Majesty? Are you well?” he whispered, leaning closer.

With a polite bow, Kyllen had slipped away into the crowd.

But I couldn’t let him go.

“Wait…” I rose to my feet.