ELIA

Her heart swelled at the conviction in her mate. The amphitheater had gone silent and Elia held her breath, praying they were being swayed.

"As King, by the terms of the Rite, I was forced to choose—either to take Lucine as mate and kill Elia—my true heart's call. Or to take Elia, and leave Lucine alive, to carry my regret.

"I do not deny that the wolf-daughter was harmed by the events of that night. And I do not deny that I grieved putting her through them. But there was no fulfilled vow to be broken. There was no choice taken out of the Creator's hand. There was only the Rite coming together in ways no one anticipated, by the hand of the Creator. And my choice. I made it. I stand by it. And you accepted her.

" He turned then and flashed her a smile before he went back to the crowd.

"Two nights ago my mate stood before you, and you acknowledged her, Anima. You recognized the strength in her, though it may look different than ours. I ask you to do the same tonight. Do not strip this people of the strength and character she brings. Do not shun my heart's true mate. My soul's… my soul's call. Please.

"

There was silence for a full breath. No one spoke, no one moved. Then Brant turned from Reth to the people. But before he could speak, a voice called from somewhere near the back.

"But you took the wolf first. Whether she fulfilled the Rite or not, you took her and told her she would become Queen. You accepted her. Was that not a vow? Did you not first choose the wolf, then the human after?

"

"No,

" Reth growled.

"She… Lucine did not accurately describe the conversation to you. There was no agreement. Only a mutual belief—an assumption about the future. There were no vows exchanged. And no agreements.

"

Then Lucine, who had remained silent throughout, leaped forward and yelled to the crowd.

"He lies to keep his human mate! He chooses human over Anima! This isn't about the Rite. It's about him preferring her to us!

"

Reth froze.

All the joy and hope Elia had felt crashed to the floor of the stage as the people began to talk again, and one by one, their voices rose.

"She gave herself and was accepted as Queen!

"

"The wolf did not fulfill the Rite—she forfeited her claim!

"

"Can a human ever be chosen over Anima?

"

"He promised himself—and took her!

"

"We already acknowledged our Queen!

"

On and on, the voices rose higher, wolf against lion, equine against serpent. The people spit and beginning to argue. Groups forming, pointing at each other, or at Reth, or Lucine—a few at Elia as well.

Elia covered her mouth and shook her head. They couldn't let it come to this.

"Brant!

" she called.

"May I speak?

"

Brant turned and looked at her, his brows pinched as if he was going to deny her, but then he looked at the people and turned back to her.

"You can try.

"

Squeezing Aymora's hand, she hurried across the stage to Brant's other side, only letting her eyes catch Reth's for a bare second before she called,

"Anima! Listen! Please!

" Some of the voices settled, but much of the murmuring and arguing continued. But knowing that she had to act fast, Elia merely raised her voice and plowed on.

"When Reth told me of Lucine, he grieved. He understood that he had hurt her. But he spoke of no vow. He did not fear that my throne was at risk—not from her. He truly believed the Rite fulfilled, that the Creator had passed the Rite to his choice.

"

"Then why didn't he tell us?!

" Someone yelled back.

"Why did he take you to the Smoke and Flames without making amends to Lucine?

" The arguing increased, and more questions and accusations were shouted, but so many that none could be heard.

Elia looked at Reth, but he'd dropped his chin and shaken his head as voices rose in a clamor across the amphitheater that drowned everything else out. Watching him begin to lose hope, her heart thudded, her pulse racing.

No. It couldn't end this way. They could not be taken from each other!

Then Reth looked at her and must have seen the fear in her. His jaw tightened. He turned to Lucine and snarled,

"You leave me no choice!

" then, before the woman could respond, he turned back to the people, roaring,

"QUIET!

"

The noise dropped to a hush, but the faces before them were tense and angry—or fearful.

"You shame me, Anima,

" Reth growled.

"You truly believe I would simply ignore a vow, or even an agreement? You believe I would discard a female simply because something else came along? You shame me, Anima!

"

There was muttering and dark looks, but no one shouted him down. Elia barely breathed.

"When I stood before you, I asked for any testimony—even a single witness—who believed they could prove I had ever used my power or position for personal gain. And not a single one of you spoke. Yet you believe I would take your daughters and use them?

" He shook his head.

"I thought I had proven myself to you—proven my heart. But it is plain that you prefer to consider the possibility of ill-gotten gains, or suspicion over my years of a life lived among you with peace and justice.

" He paced to the other end of the stage, eyeing the people. When he turned, his eyes found Elia first and filled with sorrow, but then he looked past her to Lucine.

"Wolf-daughter, there are words I must speak, and I would speak them here, though they belong to you, so that everyone might hear, and know my words, and scent me for truth.

"

Lucine's mouth dropped open, but Reth just stalked towards her.

"Call your witness, and I will call mine. We will end this tonight. Who can stand for you?

"

Lucine closed her mouth, looking at Brant, but the older man only nodded. She swallowed.

"My brother, Lerrin.

"

Reth turned to the crowd.

"Lerrin? Will you join us?

"

The crowd parted from the left side of the amphitheater to let the large wolf-man through. Before he'd reached the stairs, Reth turned and called Behryn over.

"My second will stand for me. Both will hear my words. They will scent me true, and testify—do you agree?

"

Lucine's eyes darted left and right, but to Elia's delight she found no way out.

"I… I do,

" she said finally.

Lerrin made it up the stairs and trotted over to them, his face a thundercloud. Behryn's wasn't much better.

"Hear me, Anima!

" Reth called, his eyes never leaving Lucine.

"You will hear truth. You will scent it in me. And we will end this charade!

"