AARYN

She stared at him, wide-eyed, like she was afraid. But she smelled… thrilled? And sad? Her scent confused him, so he crossed the space between them very slowly. Her eyes were fixed near where he’d stood and it wasn’t until he said her name that she came back to life.

“Elreth, are you okay?”

She grabbed for his hand, squeezing so hard he almost yelped.

Then they looked at each other and her eyes went even wider as someone in the crowd cried, “Queen Elreth! Bow to the new Alpha, Queen Elreth!”

His chest swelled with pride for her as the people, who had pressed back to the higher levels of the amphitheater began cheering her name, raising their cries and calls.

Startled, she looked back and forth between them and him. He squeezed her fingers, then raised his howl of triumph for her.

“You did it, Elreth,” he murmured, knowing she was close enough to hear him despite the noise. Her eyes, wide and blue like her mothers, such a rare color for the Leonine, latched on him.

He would have continued, would have shouted her victory to the borders of WildWood, but even as the people continued to cheer and call, acknowledging their new Queen, Elreth’s attention turned to her parents.

Her father was sitting up, but curled over his own knees, obviously still in pain. Her mother knelt next to him, checking him for injuries. Their attention was fully on each other, but when her mother said something, her father shook his head and raised a finger to push back her mother’s hair—a tender gesture he’d had for her every day Aaryn could remember—but his fingers trembled.

Elreth must have seen it too. She blinked and, to his horror, she took a stumbling step towards them.

“El, you can’t!” he grabbed her elbow.

She turned to face him. “He’s my father and… I think I hurt him.”

Aaryn switched to signing. ‘He’ll heal. You know that. You can’t show weakness. You can’t bow to him now. Elreth, they’re all watching. Turn back around. Look at your people.’

She sucked in a breath and turned.

*****

ELRETH

Her people? Her people?

Holding her breath, Elreth turned, and realized everyone was there, all watching her, staring, talking about what she’d just done. While many still celebrated, some were filing out, clearly upset. But most now just stood there watching. Waiting. For her.

Waiting for her to lead.

And there, on the ground, in front of them… her parents. Only her mother faced her. But her mother—face pale and tight because she never liked violence—caught her eye and nodded once.

Elreth swallowed hard.

Aaryn stepped up beside her, so close his broad chest warmed that side of her back. “You are Queen, Elreth. You have to own it. Deal with your father later. This is about them,” he murmured, nodding at the still-shocked people. “If you aren’t confident, they won’t be. Show them. Now. Show them you can do this!”

He was right. She knew he was right.

Swallowing hard she gave a quick nod and, clenching her hands at her sides, took one step forward. “Thank you for your acknowledgment.” She let her voice ring out and it grew in strength the longer she spoke. “This was… unexpected, but do not let that concern you. The Disformed will not be removed from the Tree City. At all. Once Anima, always Anima.

“Tomorrow will be a feast day and at the evening meal, I will name my Cohorts. We will find a peaceful solution to our current conflicts.” She swallowed hard and felt Aaryn’s hand at her back, hidden from the people. She sucked in a breath.

“To aid me in ruling wisely, today will be a day for rest and contemplation. I will use the time to seek the Creator’s guidance and select my Cohorts. And you… you will consider the consequence of your actions and attitudes. We must come together for the future of all. This is not a time for stubbornness, for any of us, including me.”

Behind her, Aaryn gave the smallest snort and she almost made the rudest finger gesture they’d created behind her back, but it seemed… unwise. Clearing her throat, she went on, meeting eyes with as many of the people as she could. “I know you did not expect me. But I will not let you down. Let us all come together tomorrow to celebrate, and to seek the Creator’s wisdom for the best way forward. For all of us. Until then, nothing will change. Do not fear.”

Then she turned on her heel, and walked out, using the back path, behind the stage so that she wouldn’t run into any of the people who were still milling around on the higher levels of the amphitheater.

As soon as the trees closed in around her, she took one shaky look behind her to make sure Aaryn was following, then she leaped into beast form and started to run.