I gulped as I watched the thrones towering in front of me. They sat ominously as we made our way down the long aisle in the Throne Room.

I remembered the last time I was here.

I paused before the small steps that led up to the raised platform where they sat. Damien noticed and stopped half-way up the small platform. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head and watched the floor before the platform transfixed. "The last time I was here - it was a dream, Robyn made me believed I married him and I was," I swallowed hard, "Queen. I'd watched one of the Guards kill a man asking for food for his family. Right here." I was still staring at the same spot the man had begged.

He walked down towards me. "Then I guess it's a good thing you're here with me and not him." He extended his hand. "Do you want me to take you back to your room instead? You don't have to be here while I talk to Oren and carry out Leah's sentence."

I looked at his hand and swallowed. "Now? You're going to do this right now?"

He nodded. "I don't want traitors around my friends and my people and least of all around you. I will talk to Oren first then call her in and carry out her sentence."

I tried to make a joke but it came out as a frightened squeak instead. "No jury of her peers?"

"No." He was firm. "Not to the woman that tried to kill you, Emylin. I won't be kind."

My eyes moved from his hand to his violet eyes.

He was King. He couldn't take the chances of something like this happening again. He had to protect his realm and its people. He had to be firm and give out her sentence soon. He had to kill the snake in the grass before it could do any further harm.

It wasn't like she was innocent either.

I nodded and took his hand. "I'll stay."

He gave a crooked smile and gently helped me up the steps. "Oren should be here in a couple of minutes, the guards outside should be able to track him down soon."

I nodded, remembering that he had murmured something to one of the guards outside of the Throne Room before coming in.

He sat down on the large throne in the middle of the room, the one that he had once mentioned was meant for the queen.

He saw my look of confusion. "Now that we aren't going to be married the throne goes back to me."

I only nodded as I approached it. Like the trees before, the throne seemed to be breathing and brimming with magic. "What is it made of?"

I caught his smirk in the corner of my eye as I watched the ebony throne. "The throne is just as old as the kingdom itself. It was forged from the stone found under the bed of the Ylee."

I remembered the Ylee he'd mentioned. "The sacred river?"

He nodded. "The life force of our magic, yes. Maybe you should have history lessons while you're here."

I gave a small smile. "That'd be nice."

He continued to watch me as I looked at the scripture and carvings etched in the stone. It was humming loudly.

"How do you not get distracted by it? It's so loud."

"Practice, lots and lots of practice." He smiled. "I can show you."

I smiled then laughed. The laughter erupting from my lips was genuine.

"What's so funny?"

"If you would have asked me a year ago what my life would be like, this would never have made the list." I laughed again like someone was tickling my middle. "I'm in the Throne Room of the Underworld talking to my best friend, the King, about controlling my powers so I don't hear the chair singing."

He smiled as I laughed.

I was genuinely laughing, finding the impossibility of the situation incredibly funny.

"I didn't think I'd see you laugh again."

I couldn't stop smiling as I watched him. I took the hair in my face and tucked it behind my ear. The new silver color practically shining in the light of the room. "I didn't think I would either." I sighed and looked away, my smile fading. "He broke me, Damien. I - I was resigned to stay quiet the rest of my life if it meant I didn't have to see you or my parents die in my arms again. If it meant you would be safe."

"He was a Dreamwalker," Damien said with bite. "A Silvertongued Dreamwalker it's how he was able to extinguish the light faeries and have everyone do what he wanted without question."

I looked away. "It's terrible what he did." I took a deep breath, trying to rid my eyes of the tears threatening to spill.

He stood and walked to me, capturing me in a hug. "I'm sorry, Em. I'm sorry for what he did to you."

I placed my head against his chest, reveling in the warmth. "I don't know how many times I lost you but it made me realize how I feel about you. How I really feel."

I could feel him shake his head. "Em, you don't have to-"

I raised my head and met my eyes with his. I didn't waver, I didn't shy away. "I think I'm in love with you."

His face was stoic, free of expression. He said nothing.

I continued. "I'm sorry I didn't see it before, I think I suppressed it?" I looked away and shrugged. "I-I don't know."

Before another word was said Oren appeared in the room in front of us on one knee.

I was the first to pull away but Damien kept a tight hold on my hand.

"Oren," Damien said with a hint of tease in his voice. "You have always had such impeccable timing."

He lifted his head and looked at the two of us. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No," I answered as Damien responded, "Yes."

Oren smiled as he looked at me. "I'm happy to see you again, my Lady. You're looking better."

I smiled. "Thank you. It's nice to see you too."

He turned to Damien. "Alteazor, you wished to see me?"

Damien nodded then placed a hand on the small of my back. I didn't shy away from his touch. "Yes. There seems to be a traitor in Blackdown Keep."

Oren frowned. "Who is it?"

Damien turned to me and nodded.

After a breath, I spoke. "Leah tried to kill me."

Oren's brow furrowed, I could have sworn I saw a muscle jump in his jaw. He showed more fury at the news than I expected. "How?"

I looked at Damien again who gave me a reassuring nod.

"Robyn told me. He said that the potion that unbound me was given to me by Leah the night of the party. She thought it was faerie wine. She thought she was going to poison me. She didn't know the Magister had really given her the potion to unbind m-me." It was still hard to believe.

I'd never seen him so mad. "Are you sure, my lady?" I could see that it wasn't that he didn't believe me, he needed confirmation of what I was saying.

I nodded, firm. "Yes. There was no reason for him to lie."

Damien crossed his arms. "The fact that he mentioned her to Emylin gives me suspicion enough that she was working with him."

Oren's fist tightened over his sword. I could see the tension starting to rise around him. "I will bring her before you for justice, Alteazor."

Damien nodded. "Bring both the Magister and Leah before me. I will find the truth."

Oren chuckled. "You won't need the Chair on the Magister." His eyes turned to me as if he were unsure of his next words. He then turned to Damien. "He's broken enough, he's telling us everything we need."

Damien shook his head. "I'm not taking any chances." I watched him square his gaze at his General. "Oberyn, Oren of the Highest Command, Head of the Royal Guard, I command that you arrest and bring Leah Porter and Drewyn Abernath before me for trial and sentencing. Use the Guard at your discretion." His fists clenched. "Bring them to me."

Oren smirked and bowed. "It will be my immense pleasure, Alteazor." He looked at me and bowed as well. "My Lady." He disappeared a moment later.

After a couple of minutes of silence, I finally spoke. I looked at the spot he disappeared from. "He's mad."

Damien chuckled. "Actually, he was holding himself back because he was around you. He's watched over you since we were children. He's furious someone tried to take your life." He turned to me. "Are you sure you want to stay for this? You don't have to."

I held his gaze as he towered over me and nodded. "I want to be here."

He sighed and placed his arms at his side. He shifted in his stance, he looked somewhat unsure. "Remember what I've always told you. I've never been the exception - I have to be a certain way to keep my crown."

I met his eyes, my gaze unwavering. "I know who you really are, Damien. You can't hide that from me."

A smile quirked but quickly faded as the doors burst open.

"What is the meaning of this?"

I recognized the screech as it echoed through the room.

I watched Leah as she was pushed and shoved down the aisle of the room toward us. She was in a beautiful purple dress with pink highlights throughout - the gold embroidery of her dress glinted in the small light of the room as she stumbled forward. Her hair was up with dark tendrils framing her delicate features.

Her blue eyes scanned the room. They looked to Damien as he took his seat on the large throne next to him then to me as I stood beside him.

"What is going on?" She hissed.

Damien gave a cold smile. "Hello, dear."