ELRETH

Sucking in a breath, eyes wide, Elreth yanked her hands off her father’s throat, and sat back, gaping at him. He’d broken the eye contact. He’d submitted.

She’d won.

“Dad, are you okay?” she breathed.

Without turning his head, he looked at her. His eyes were bloodshot and tight with pain, but glowing too. Alight with… pride?

“Reth?” her mother sobbed, her voice broken and jagged as she scrambled across the dirt towards them.

Her father groaned as Elreth pushed off of his chest. Then he rolled onto his side, his back to her as she continued to stare, her jaw dropped.

There was a moment of quiet as her mother slid to the dirt next to her father, pulling his head into her lap, and whispering comfort to him, Elreth stared. Her father raised a hand to her mother’s face. He didn’t speak, but something passed between them and her mother sobbed, bending over him, holding him as he patted her shoulder weakly.

She’d done it. She’d actually done it. She’d challenged her father and won. And… she was pretty certain he hadn’t let her, either.

She’d won.

She’d actually won.

Holy shit.

Without thought she turned, looking for Aaryn, needing to see in his eyes if this was real. And she found him, his mouth open, still over the by the stage, beaming at her.

She signed quickly, ‘I won.’

He nodded, smiling so wide he showed his teeth.

‘What have I done?’ she signed.

And then he made the sign they’d always used to warn each other when her father was angry and not to be trifled with. The sign for dominance and control.

All hail the King.

Except… except instead of the upper hand being flat and, face down, to indicate the King, he flipped it palm up to mean…

Elreth’s breath caught.

All hail the Queen.