The King's Queen | ✔

Chapter 73

"Too much for my own good." He grinned, and slipped the ring on my finger, before his lips drifted across my fingertips. As he rose, his lips found my neck, my cheeks, and then met my lips in a passionate kiss of love and devotion.

A kiss that tasted like starlight and promises.

***

"The Damaris family sent us a message," Luca announced the next morning.

We all gathered around him in the sitting room, waiting anxiously to hear what they had to say.

The Damaris stayed perfectly neutral throughout the war, like the other Origin families. But the war was intensifying, and they couldn't watch from the sidelines for much longer. But whose side would they join?

Rosaline, an influential family member, had supported Malekh, although after what happened in the Spade Kingdom, I wasn't sure where her loyalties lie anymore.

My eyes drifted to the corner of the room where Ren stood beside Jun. I hadn't seen Ren since I woke up, and I wasn't sure where his loyalties lie either. Prinarch Cole trusted him the most out of all the Sepia X members. Would he betray the man to whom he'd sworn allegiance since childhood?

Jun leveled an angry gaze at his brother, ready to attack or defend at the slightest provocation. He still didn't trust him after he almost killed Kiyoshi.

"What did my family say?" Cyrena prodded after a few seconds of tense silence passed.

"The Damaris will stand with us." Luca was visibly relieved at that. After all, the Damaris were the second most powerful Origin family, but since the Angeles family was rather small now, their decisions could drastically shift the tide of the war.

Luca continued. "And they've disowned Rosaline. They hope we can forgive their family for what happened in the Spade Kingdom."

The entire room let out a collective sigh of relief, and Ashton gave my hand a supportive squeeze. That was the best news we'd had in a long time.

While some Origins had sided with the Origens, some Origens had been submitting their kingdoms to the Origins. I suspected that Prince Jaxon from the Cilan kingdom didn't simply go missing. Someone must have betrayed him and handed him over. Which kingdom would be the next to fall?

"I will free the captive Origins at the Reedawn Origen Association," Luca spoke again. "They can be a great asset in our fight against Crysauralia."

"Crysauralia is on your side," Ashton assured him.

"It isn't. Not while the kingdom is under the control of your grandfather."

"It won't be that way for long. I'll dethrone Prinarch Cole. The kingdom of Meryllia has offered their allegiance for the crimes committed by Princess Hailey."

"The Fujihara might support you, too," Jun added, "but only if we return there. Ren is the rightful heir of the family. I'm sure with some persuasion, we can get them on our side."

The persuasion he spoke of sounded more like a threat if they refused to comply.

"I'm not the heir anymore," Ren spat. "That woman made you the new Ren. The family is yours. I want nothing to do with them."