The Heir Apparent - a historical why choose, rh, poly, MMF, spicy romance ✅

Chapter Twenty-Six

Casimir

She was a beautiful bride.

Her white dress hugged her from bodice to hip before flowing toward a trailing creamy skirt and train.

No one but the four of us knew that, underneath that dress, she wore a garment made of each of our favorite colors. Or that the ring she was about to slip onto her finger also had matching stones for all the men who were swearing to love and protect her.

The wedding itself was a large affair taking place nearly a year after Anevay had come to court, had become the ruler of our land.

It was a public ceremony at the large cathedral that three kings had worked to build during their reigns.

The pews were full of the more important townspeople, close friends to the throne, and dignitaries from other lands.

The regular townsfolk were gathered on the street outside, ready to throw flower petals and rice at the newly married couple.

The queen and her husband.

He would not be called king.

Not unless Anevay passed before him. In which case the new succession order that had been drafted up and put into law said he would rule only until the eldest child of the throne was old enough to take over the role.

The news of that new law had not been released publicly yet. They wanted to slip the information in between the news of the wedding, so it did not cause any sort of uproar amongst those who would have been closer to the throne before it.

"I pronounce you husband and wife," the priest declared. "You may kiss your bride," he added with a sort of intensity that said he had no clue that Anevay had been kissed. And often. By all her husbands. Or that we would all be consummating the wedding that very night.

Tolliver reached for Anevay, framing her face with his hands, and pulling her in.

Tolliver was not a performative man, though, so the kiss was short.

The second his lips pulled from hers, there was an eruption in the room, whistles and clapping and cheers from the onlookers.

It was not long before everyone started to jump out of their seats, ready to congratulate the happy couple.

Riven and I seemed the only ones to stay in place, watching the chaos from the front pew.

As such, we were in the perfect position to watch it happen.

It was like the world slowed down.

I saw him approach.

I saw the glint of something just a second before I saw bright red blood spread across Anevay's gorgeous white gown.

Her mouth opened in a scream a second before she started to fall, getting caught by Tolliver's arms on her way down.

Then there was chaos.

People screamed and ran.

Away.

They ran away.

Riven and I were the only ones who ran forward.

"Move. Move," I barked at Tolliver and the priest who were kneeling beside Anevay who was holding her side, her eyes huge and pained. "We need to get her back to the castle. Now!" I barked, panic gripping my system, knowing she was losing far too much blood.

Riven reached for Anevay, taking her into his arms as he shouted for the guards to clear a path both before and behind us as we ran.

"Keep your hands pressed on the wound," I demanded of Anevay. "Harder," I demanded, barely even aware of the crowds as we rushed out of the cathedral.