"Rise, Your Grace," Aspen said formally, before whispering, "Did I get that right?"
"You did it perfectly," Torian assured her.
But in that moment, an idea hit me, and hard. Before I could thinkabout it - or stop myself - I moved to Rain. Oh, I'd read the words. I also knew what this would mean, but with Ms. Rhodes' offer sitting out there, I had to. It was the only way I could be true to both myself and my friends.
"Rain?" I asked, holding out my hand in a request for hers.
"What are you doing, Keir?" she asked, but she still gave me her hand.
So I knelt before her. "Lorraine le Fae, champion of the Wild Crown, as chosen by the Prince of Crows, I humbly offer you my service, my loyalty, and even my life to stand at your side as we serve the balance of power and the whims of Wild magic together. If you will take me?"
"The words," Wilder offered her, "are 'yes,' and 'Rise, Sir Delaney.'"
Rain's eyes flicked to Aspen, then she smiled and nodded. "Yes. Please rise, Sir Delaney, Defender of the Morrigan."
"Nice touch," Hawke murmured.
Something inside me shifted. Like an internal shove, I felt it, but my body didn't move. For a moment, I stayed there, on my knee, trying to figure out what had just happened. But on Rain's shoulder, Jack was looking down at me, his golden eyes piercing in the darkness out here. Slowly, he turned his head, twisting it to inspect me.
"Knight!" Jack cawed, not even struggling with the word.
What? A knight? A fucking knight! That was an actual position - and one she could give. No wonder they'd joked about it back on New Year's Eve! But before I could start to gloat, Torian had to ruin it.
"What the fuck are you doing, Keir?" he demanded. "You're Summer!"
"Fuck Summer," I shot back, as I stood. "And Winter too. Fuck crowns, and monarchies, and stupid fae politics from a world we will never see. Fuck the shit that Aspen is going to get for something she never wanted, and most of all, fuck the Wild Hunt." I lifted my brows pointedly, daring him to deny any of it. "Is that what you meant, Torian?"
"That's Hawke's place!" Torian snapped. "He's the wildling. When Rain revealed her power, I knew that was where he belonged. Not you! I would've given you a title, but you took his?"
"What?" Rain asked.
Aspen just waved her off, but I shoved into Torian's face. "Yeah, and I'm smart enough to realize that your sister's crown means you're working for one too, hm? The Summer Prince? Well, that means you have no say over Rain's authority. You have no place to tell her who she can rely on, and I've made it clear I stand with her. And Aspen. And you, Torian, but I will not choose."
"You just did."
"I chose the one place where I can be loyal to all of you." I gestured to Wilder. "My friend." Then Hawke. "Another." And finally to Rain. "My girlfriend."
"And Aspen is going to need our help!" Torian shot back. "Don't you get that? They want me to overthrow her, but I willnot!I'm here to support her, and I thought you might help me with that! You were supposed to be the final piece - that's why I agreed to let you into the court!"
So I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him closer, shoving my mouth against his. We hit hard, and he tensed, but just as I braced for the punch he should throw, Torian caught the side of my neck and pulled me into him.
This time,Ikissedhim,but he definitely kissed back. Sadly, it didn't last long because I kept trying to laugh, breaking the contact of our lips. Still, when I pulled away, he stood before me proudly, looking like the whole thing had been his idea.
And from behind me, Wilder began to clap slowly. "Keir, I think that's a winning move."
"It was supposed to break his stubbornness," I said, but I was holding Torian's eyes, letting him know that was meant for him.
Torian just shrugged. "It didn't." Then he sighed. "But you're right."
"Of course he's right!" Aspen said. "Fuck, Tor, Keir's not Summer. The guy has Earth magic, or haven't you figured that out yet?"
"What?" Rain asked. "There'sEarthmagic too?"
"Hasn't been," Hawke told her. "But Wilder and I think that's the only explanation for it. Keir refuses to even consider a season, he's loyal to here - Earth - and he is drawn to the Morrigan - and I'm not sure it's only because of your great legs, Rain."
"Her legs are pretty great," I agreed. "And I'll take Earth magic. It explains why my power isn't that great."
"What?!" Torian huffed. "Are you stupid, Keir? All semester my own magic has been cracking. Mine! The heir toboththrones, raised and trained by the Mad Queen herself, with more power than any fae has seen before. Designed to be a weapon for my mother, and you? You are theonlyone who can stop me, and you do iteasily."
