Page 148 of Reign
“It would make you king,” Elizebeth corrected him, giving his shoulder a firm pat.
Fitzroy turned his gaze toward me—his eyes searching my face. “Do you truly believe I can lead an army of magical and mortal beings, challenge both the King of Lyonesse and the Queen of Annwn, and emerge victorious?”
“You have no other choice,” I replied truthfully.
He took my hand in his firm grip. “Excuse me for a moment,” he told the others, then guided me to a quiet corner of the chamber.
Softly, almost hesitantly, he murmured, “Do you think I’d make a good king?”
“You’ll be a better ruler than Regina or your father,” I reassured him, and I meant it.
Fitzroy sighed, his gaze dropping for a moment.
“If you promise to stand by my side, I’ll do it.”
When he looked up, he locked eyes with me—flecked with gold and desperation, his strong brow pinched with doubt.
My heart swelled at the thought of him needing me. And if I was ever to live freely, as both a witch and a blacksmith, I needed him to rule.
Gently, I cupped his cheeks, letting my thumb graze his stubble. “From now on, whenever you look to your right, you’ll see me there.”
His hand settled on my waist, sending a tingling warmth through me as the tension between us mounted. Leaning in, his lips met mine in a gentle kiss—an unspoken confirmation of our alliance.
After a moment, he pulled away, shifting his focus back to the others.
“Queen Mabina,” he began, addressing her with the regal title that Regina had stolen. Mabina’s eyes shimmered with renewed hope. “Rally the fae in Wistaman’s Woodland. Share our plan to restore harmony, and promise them that under our rule, the clipping of fairy wings will be a crime punishable by death.”
Mabina nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“You must keep your army appearing loyal to Regina until you reach Cambas. Once she trusts you, strike back and defeat,” Fitzroy instructed.
“How can we be sure she hasn’t foreseen this?” Elizebeth asked, concern etching her features.
Fitzroy shrugged lightly. “Regina doesn’t see everything that the future holds—otherwise, she would’ve prevented Wolver’s death.”
Elizebeth nodded, her worry slipping from her brow. “Regina’s lost her commander—I have no doubt she will draw me into her plotting,” she said. “I’ll pen her plans to parchment and have Slaugh deliver them to you in Cambas.”
“Is Slaugh trustworthy?” Fitzroy asked.
Elizebeth shook her head. “He’s a demon—loyal to no one. But he owes me a favor.”
Bronwyn raised her arm, waving her little hand to grab Fitzroy’s attention.
He gave her a kind smile. “Speak,” he commanded.
“The goblin soldiers will remain faithful to Regina,” she whispered. “They fear what she might do to their families in Goblin Combe if rebellion is suspected.”
“We can handle the goblins. It’s her dragon that truly terrifies me,” Elizebeth replied with a grimace. “That beast can singe ships filled with soldiers in mere seconds.”
Fitzroy exhaled heavily. “We can only hope we have the favor of the gods.”
A creak interrupted the tense conversation.
My gaze darted to the slightly ajar door—a flicker of red dashed past the crack in the frame. Fitzroy was already moving, prying it open to peer into the hallway.
“Come here,” he snarled, bolting toward the eavesdropper.
I chased after him, my pulse pounding as I spotted Billy hobbling away. Given his small stature and poor eyesight, he didn’t get far. Fitzroy dove, tackling Billy to the ground as the goblin screamed and scratched. While Fitzroy secured his upper half, I wrestled with his flailing legs.
