You were a mortal, yes, but tonight, that fact felt irrelevant. You had been forced to work alongside your former nemesis — or maybe he was still your nemesis, you weren’t entirely sure anymore. Either way, your target was clear: the youngest prince of Faerie, Cardan. And your plan was precise. Every move had been calculated to ensure that Cardan’s dangerously unhinged brother, Balekin, would never sit on the throne.

Now, the moment had arrived.

Cardan knelt on the polished floor of the throne room, his posture regal yet tense, hands resting lightly on his thighs. Before him stood your younger brother, Oak — not by blood, but loyal, obedient, and utterly devoted to following your guidance. Oak held the crown with steady hands, eyes flicking between the crown and Cardan as he awaited your instructions.

“Do it,” you whispered, voice low and commanding.

Oak placed the crown gently upon Cardan’s head, muttering the ceremonial words with a reverence that made your chest tighten. The room seemed to hold its breath, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows along the walls.

Cardan’s gaze snapped to you the instant the crown settled. His eyes burned with fury, sharp and unyielding, and for a moment, the weight of the crown seemed nothing compared to the storm in his stare. He wasn’t just angry — he was incandescent with it, and yet, somewhere beneath that glare, there was something else: recognition, challenge, a flicker of unwilling respect.

You held his gaze, unflinching. He had been a prince of Faerie, a figure of untamed power, and now, by your direction, he was king. And yet, the tension between you was palpable, raw. Every inch of the room seemed charged with the knowledge that this was no ordinary crowning — this was a victory orchestrated by you, and Cardan would remember that.

His lips pressed into a tight line, jaw tightening as he swallowed, and still he didn’t look away.

For a mortal, you’d pulled off something almost unimaginable. But you knew, just as clearly, that this wasn’t the end. Not by a long shot.