"So it's true," Gideon said, looking at Ursula. "I am Evangeline's child."
Chapter 35
The Anamii palace was, indeed, underwater, and as Ursula had discovered, these people had the ability to transform their fish-like tails into legs and back again as they needed. They also could breathe both air and water, although because Everett's grandfather had been a "landwalker," Gideon didn't share any of these abilities.
The Prince sat near the wall of glass but he wasn't paying attention to the wonders just on the other side, nor were Ursula or Harriet. They were all too engrossed in the story King Stormwater told.
"Everett's grandfather, my son, Waves of Evening, fell in love with the daughter of a fisherman," the King said. "It was a great scandal to our people, and out of anger, I banished him to life on the land. He and I were both so stubborn that neither one was willing to approach the other for reconciliation.
"Unfortunately, both he and my wife died thinking I had stopped loving him, which is a regret I will live with for the rest of my days. I believe the Elements are punishing me by allowing me this long life filled with the sorrow of knowing my own actions caused so much pain."
"Father." Pearl of the Dawn took his hand. "You did what you could to atone for it, though."
Stormwater took a deep breath, then turned to Gideon. "When your mother was killed in the fire, Princess Delthyn saved and hid you. Knowing who your father's family was, she reached out to me, hoping I would be able to bring you here and raise you as an Anamii."
"But he can't live here," Ursula said. "He's not one of you."
"He is in all things but the physical," the King said, reaching out to take Gideon's hand. "Would that I could change things so you could live as one of us, but I fear it would be too dangerous. We discovered that when Delthyn and Thomas brought you here."
"They were here?" Harriet asked.
"You, my child, were born in my palace. Your mother and father brought Gideon here, but when we realized he couldn't live here forever, I offered them sanctuary for as long as they desired. When Princess Delthyn discovered she was pregnant, she and her husband decided to wait until you were born. Later, they returned to the Sapphire Palace, telling everyone she'd given birth to twins." He looked at Gideon. "It was the only way to keep you safe."
"It was Veronica," Gideon said. "She hired those men to kill me. I doubt she expected Evangeline to be killed, but even then she was doing whatever she had to to ensure that her son would be King one day."
Harriet shook her head. "Gideon, Josiah's probably going to be crowned any day now. With them thinking Ursula's dead, there's nothing stopping the coronation from taking place."
"We'll have a bit of a buffer for mourning the deaths of the King's Widow and us, but you're right. We have to hurry." Gideon stood. "Thank you, King Stormwater, for helping us. Not just today, but twenty-seven, no, I guess I mean twenty-eight years ago."
Gideon grinned and said to Harriet, "I'm twenty-eight and older than you are."
She shook her head. "I know. It's strange."
He turned back to the King. "It has been an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."
King Stormwater stood. "Grandson, from what I gather, when you return to the Sapphire Palace, you will be the rightful heir to the throne. I ask you not forget that the Anamii are your people as well. We would like there to be peace between us and the Landwalkers."
Gideon bowed. "I am humbled and honored to call you Grandfather. I will do what I can to see that our peoples become allies."
The King snapped his fingers, and three men came into the room. "I will send my best guards to escort you home. They will stand ready should you need help verifying your claim to the throne."
Ursula was surprised to discover the Anamii were able to provide them with a carriage and extra horses.
"Because we have the ability to dwell on land as well as in the sea," Pearl of the Dawn explained when asked, "some of our people prefer to live on the land. They raise horses and other livestock as well as food we are unable to grow beneath the sea, even in our domes."
"And they live here, side by side with Heyton citizens?" Gideon asked. He peered around at the farm they'd been taken to via an underground tunnel that led from the sea to a cave beneath the house. From the cave, they climbed a ladder that took them to a trap door under the farmer's kitchen table.
Now, all evidence of how they'd gotten here had been covered or resealed.
"No one would be able to tell this was not a normal Heyton farm," he said.
Pearl of the Dawn bowed to the farmer, who'd identified himself as Wave of Stone, although to his Heyton neighbors and friends, he called himself Magnus.
"It is not my intention to hide who I truly am," he said. "I am not ashamed to be Anamii, but for the safety of my wife and children, I prefer some things about me remain private."
"Of course," Ursula said. "Your wife is not Anamii?"
"My wife's mother is Anamii," Wave of Stone said, "but her father is not. He fell in love with the woman of the sea he met one night when he thought to take his life by drowning. His crops had failed, and the crown took his land."
Gideon sighed and looked at Ursula. "These things happen in every kingdom, I'm afraid."
She thought about George Evan and how a similar situation had driven him to take an apprenticeship across the ocean. A smile crossed her lips when she realized that, while there was still pain at how she and George Evan had parted, she didn't regret that her feelings toward him had changed.
Her heart belonged to Gideon now, and she whispered a prayer to the Elements, especially to Fauna, that George Evan, too, would be able to move on and find real love someday.
"It worked out for the best," Pearl of the Dawn said. "Joachim was rescued by Laughing in the Stream, who loved him so much she agreed to live on the land with him all her days. They had a happy life and seven children. Three of them were able to live on both the land and in the sea."
"My Isla does not have that ability," Wave of Stone said, "but she loves the sea. As a child, she came to the edge of the water every night to watch her brothers and sister swim. That is how I met her."
"And you loved her enough to give up the water for her." Ursula sighed. "It's a beautiful story."
At that moment, Isla, a tall stunning woman with teal eyes and white and light green hair, came into the kitchen, carrying a bowl which was nearly identical to the one Gideon used to communicate through the water.
"You honor us with your presence, Your Highness," Isla said bowing to Gideon. "I remember when you were born, and your mother brought you to the edge of the water to present you to your grandfather."
Then she tilted her head toward Harriet. "You have a bit of Anamii in you, as well."
"I don't believe so."
The Anamii woman laughed, which sounded like the dripping of an icicle as it melted. "Your father, Thomas, would never have told you his own great-grandfather was one of us. Many of those in the Sapphire Palace believe the Anamii are monsters to be feared."
"Duke Thomas is descended from the Anamii?" Ursula asked. "Does Princess Delthyn know this?"
"I don't believe Thomas knows," Magnus said. "His great-grandfather was hurt when his daughter chose to live on the land. There are bigots among our people, too, who feel living on the land is against the natural order and those who do so are traitors to our heritage. When Thomas's grandmother left the sea, she rejected her people and never told her children who they were."
"That would explain Father's Water Sensitivity," Gideon said.
Isla took his hand. "He is one of the fortunate ones. The magic doesn't always manifest in Sea People like it does on land. I saw you would have the power of Water Speaking, so, although it was a terrible breach of royal protocol on both sides of the surface, I spoke up at your presentation and gave you a bowl like this one. Do you still have it?"
"I had two bowls like this." He reached out until his fingertips brushed the rim. "Unfortunately,
one of them is missing. My mother said the King of the Anamii gave them to me because of my Water Sensitivity."
"And in a sense, he did," Isla said. "By not punishing me for interrupting the ceremony, he acknowledged the gift. King Stormwater knows about my ability to read the signs in the sea and on the land. I knew one day, you would do great things for both of my peoples, Landwalkers and those who dwell in the sea."
"This must have been the bowl we contacted that day," Ursula said, putting her hand on Gideon's arm. "If we're going to get back and confront Veronica about all this, we need to get going."
"Gideon," Harriet said, "this isn't about confronting Veronica. It's about putting the rightful King on the throne. That's you."
He shook his head. "I don't want to be King, and the people of Heyton don't want me. I'm fine with Josiah taking the throne, but we can't let Veronica get away with killing Uncle Killian and Evangel...my mother, and any of the others she poisoned."
"But what about the birthmark? What about the rightful heir?"
He whirled on his sister. "It doesn't mean anything. I can't be King. Don't you get that? I'm lame. I'm a cripple. I'm not whole. Veronica tried to kill me when I was a baby, and she left me like this. No one would ever take me seriously as King of Heyton. Kings are supposed to be great warriors." He swallowed. "I'm not that, and I never will be."
Harriet opened her mouth as though she wanted to respond to him, but no words came out. Gideon must have taken that for her acquiescence because he nodded once and left the house.
"Things will work out for the best," Isla said, patting Harriet's arm. "Trust in the Elements."
Harriet turned to Ursula. "You know he would be a great King."
"I do know that, but we can't force him to take the throne if he truly feels he can't. If we love him, we want him to be happy."
"What about our duty to our people?"
Ursula couldn't help smiling that Harriet thought her people were Ursula's people, too.
"Gideon understands duty, but he also understands that Josiah has been trained his whole life to be King. Perhaps he would be a good one."
"Not with his mother pulling his strings."
"We're going to take care of that," Ursula said. "We won't let the woman who murdered her own brother and sister stand in the place of the Queen Mother."
Everything she'd ever wanted was within reach.
Veronica gazed at herself in the mirror and couldn't resist a giggle that bubbled up inside her. By the time the sun went down tonight, she would be sitting in her rightful place at Josiah's side as Queen Mother.
The only thing that would make this day better is if the Elemental Priest could put the Sovereign's Crown on her head.
Decades old resentment threatened to flare up but she pushed it aside. It served no purpose to dwell on that today.
Chandra had insisted the Grand Princess wear a dark blue mourning bodice over the ceremonial silver and white skirt for the coronation. The tragic drowning death of the Queen and Prince Gideon, as well as the sudden disappearance of his twin sister, Harriet, had the whole kingdom in a state of fear and near panic.
The Council of Ministers had needed little coaxing to be convinced that the coronation should take place as soon as possible to give Heyton's people a sense of stability and continuity.
Veronica examined her hair one last time, and, assured the Queen Mother's crown would encircle the up-do nicely, she left her vanity table and went to the window of her dressing room.
Crowds were gathering outside the Royal Elemental Chapel. Of course, the people would not be allowed inside. Only nobles and family could witness such a momentous event.
Few representatives from nearby kingdoms had been able to come, which wasn't surprising, given how little notice they'd had. Unfortunately, that man, Traren, was still here from Valborough, and Veronica had had the Element's own time avoiding his questions about how the Queen and Gideon could have drowned with both of them being strong Water Sensitives.
However, that was not something she needed to worry about today. Instead, she need only bask in the adulation of the people and enjoy the power that would soon be hers.
As she moved away from the window, her eyes fell on the green and blue sapphire bowl. In that moment, it came to symbolize everything she'd fought against to get where she was now.
Gideon/Carsten's birth and his refusal to be dead.
Evangeline's accidental death because she wouldn't let her son perish in a fire that should never have happened in the first place.
Killian's pride and ego that made him want to marry a woman younger than his daughter, and his plan to get her with child.
Oriana marrying that man and wanting to have her own son, which would push Josiah so far down the line of succession that he'd barely be able to see the throne, let alone ever sit on it.
All of those things, and the deaths that had resulted from people trying to thwart Veronica's plans, were represented by that bowl, which wouldn't even give her the magic she craved.
The Grand Princess lifted the marbled half-sphere over her head and smashed it to the floor.
Never again would anything having to do with the Anamii interfere with the way things in Heyton were done. She'd see to it herself.
Chapter 36
The coronation was in full swing by the time Ursula and Gideon arrived at the head of a company of Anamii soldiers.
The Elemental Chapel that served the Royal Family stood outside the main walls of the palace, allowing anyone, not only the royalty, to visit and worship as they needed.
As their party approached, the crowd of people who stood outside, hoping to get a view of the proceedings, opened to allow the Queen they believed dead to walk through.
More than one person reached out to touch Ursula's garments, which were a mixture of Heyton and Anamii ceremonial robes.
Gideon wore King Stormwater's own armor that had been refashioned for the smaller man. Made from immense clam shells and blue lined chitin, it could protect him from weapons, but the King of the Anamii had stressed that this set was for ceremonies and rituals only.
Should Veronica order her guards to kill him, Gideon wouldn't be able to rely on the shells, and this worried Ursula more than her own safety. Given everything the Grand Princess had done, killing her nephew in front of the entire kingdom when she was this close to her goal didn't seem out of the question.
"Your Majesty," one of the guards outside the chapel said. "We thought you were dead."
"As you can see, I'm not," Ursula said, holding onto her most Queenly bearing. "I believe my presence inside is needed."
"But the Queen Mother...I mean, the Grand Princess said once the coronation rituals had begun, no one was allowed to enter the chapel."
"And you believe this extends to the King's Widow?" Harriet asked from Ursula's side. She was dressed as a Heyton royal except for the crown fashioned from sapphires carved into the shapes of sea creatures on her head.
"I...um..."
"I'm going inside to name the rightful heir to the throne of Heyton," Ursula said, pushing past the guards.
When she stepped foot inside the chapel, the Elemental Priest, who had been speaking about the responsibilities of the King, saw her and his voice trailed off.
Josiah was not yet seated in the ceremonial throne in the center of the sanctuary, so they weren't too late.
"I believe this coronation can't continue without my say," Ursula said, loud enough that all could hear. She hoped they couldn't hear the tremor in her voice or the beating of her heart. She was terrified but refused to back down in the face of Veronica's treachery.
The woman in question rose from her seat on the platform located to Josiah's right.
"Your Majesty," the Grand Princess cried, clasping her hands to her heart. "You're alive. We have been so worried for your safety."
"Worried enough to send a search party?" Gideon asked. "Worried enough to postpone the coronation until the King's Widow coul
d be found?"
"Well, naturally, we wanted to find her, but the kingdom needs its King." Veronica glared at Gideon, and Ursula noted she didn't show the same relief that he was not dead.
"The kingdom needs its rightful King," Ursula said, moving up the aisle toward the priest. "That is one thing we agree on, Your Highness."
The captain of the Anamii company followed her with two of his best warriors right behind.
When they reached the steps leading to the sanctuary, the priest stopped them.
"I cannot allow weapons in the holiest of places."
"I understand, your eminence," Ursula said, tilting her head in his directions, "and my personal guards will be content to stand at the base of the stairs while I take my place as King's Widow."
"Personal guards?" Veronica said. "Why do you need those? And why are these...creatures here? They are not Heyton citizens and have no business in this chapel or this ceremony."
"On the contrary," Ursula said. "They have every right, as decreed by the rightful heir to the throne of Heyton."
"I'm the rightful heir," Josiah said, standing. "I have no knowledge of who these people are or why they are here."
Veronica started toward Ursula, but Harriet had moved to her side and held her arm. "You might want to stay where you are, Aunt Veronica. I believe the Queen has some questions for you."
"Let go of me," the Grand Princess snarled. "You can't restrain me."
"Let her go, Harriet," Ursula said. "Streams of Fire, will you please stand with the Grand Princess and ensure she doesn't cause any more disruptions."
One of the Anamii soldiers saluted her. "Of course, Your Majesty." He did as Ursula asked.
"This is an outrage," Veronica cried, but Ursula ignored her. Instead, she turned to the priest.
"As the King's Widow, it is my right to declare the rightful heir to the throne, is it not?"
"It is."
"Then indulge me for a moment. As is well known, I am not the mother of any of King Killian's children, so I believe I have the right to ask a few questions before I name the heir. Is this allowed?"
Questionable Queen Page 34