We spent the night discussing every little detail of his plan and learned a new scheme.

Apparently, his initial idea of marriage before meeting me was to find a bride who could help shoulder the bulk of the leading duties given his plan to take over the throne.

Now why he wanted the throne was another story.

Terrence suspected that his brother was planning to entirely cut ties with our coven. Prince Vance had been convincing subtly King Wardon for years now to narrow trade paths between both lands.

To him, potions were useless given Ravendale had the strength of their blue blood. It was a waste of money for people to buy healing salves from witches who, according to Prince Vance, were scheming, ugly, beneath-the-shoes dirt. And so, he saw no reason for us to continue doing business with Ravendale.

But the mere prospect was terrifying for Terrence. He had been using these potions in his herbal experiments and cross-breeding to grow hybrid crops and healer plants. If the trade stopped then he'd have to make constant travel to our coven which would be unnecessarily expensive and not to mention a hassle for him since he'd have to delay his research when stocks would end. And who knew, if Prince Vance became the king he might even restrict any kind of potion exchange between the kingdoms forever.

Terrence couldn't have taken the chance. The only way to stop his brother was to either convince him otherwise, which had turned out fruitless according to him, or take over the throne and secure the trade between the Eastern Coven and Ravendale, and save his research. And Terrence had to choose the latter.

And this was why I had maids buzzing around me right now, preparing for the coronation since morning.

They puffed my cheeks, tinted my lips pink, drew kohl on my eyes. Their hands pulled and twisted my hair into an intricate coif, leaving long stray caramel waves to frame my face, allowing them to delicately kiss the tip of my collarbone. Some of them were busy with my bell-sleeved navy blue velvet gown and glittery dark crystal heels.

I felt like an expensive doll as my eyes darted back to the heaping pile of unfinished crochet scarves lying limp on the cream loveseat.

But that wasn't the only mess in my bed chamber. There were puffs of clothes scattered around I had to try since I woke up and bathed and had a sorry excuse of apple salad for breakfast.

Lucinda rejected every option maids produced from the royal tailor's closet for this occasion and only this blue piece just because it made me look regal, tastefully accentuating my curves.

I had no idea what she had meant, neither did I care. My only concern was to finish multiplying those scarves and attend a successful coronation. That was it. If only I could just get a few minutes or twenty alone...

"We're done, Your Highness." Grace, my blonde hand-maiden below my feet, stood up and bowed.

The rest of them stepped back and followed her as I sprang up.

"Thank you for your assistance," I said, trying not to let my impatience slip through my lips.

"Do you require anything else, Your Highness?" Grace asked.

"No, thank you. You may leave."

They bowed once again and finally left my chamber, leaving me in a blissful silence.

I rushed to the scarves and forced a deep breath, calming my nerves. My arms stretched forward as my eyes closed.

A low thrum rushed through my veins and coiled around my palms as I summoned my strength from my blood. I felt the raw crackling power slip out through the pores of my palms upward. The color of the essence was green, I knew.

Next, I shifted my focus onto the scarves and had a vision of them doubling the amount, piling one upon another in a heap.

I felt the flow of my green strength rush forward and swirl around the scarves, clearly multiplying them as I imagined.

I willed that amount to double and multiply, again and again.

It took almost an hour to reach the twenty-thousand milestone, according to my count.

The moment I opened my eyes, a gasp tore through my lips.

"Oh, goodie..."

There were scarves scattered on every existing surface in the room - on the bed, on the floor, on the seats, cushion areas, even some out onto the balcony.

This was a hot mess.

I glanced back at the door to ensure no one was coming and thrust a green stream toward the heaping piles around.

The stream consumed them in a greenish bubble and swirled them upward in a mini tornado of clothes. In the next minutes, the scarves folded themselves in a neat roll and plopped down on the seats one by one.

By the time an inevitable knock came on the door, I was wiping sweat off my face and breathed permission to enter.

Lucinda's golden ringlets tumbled through the doors.

"Your Highness, your presence is required- oh."

Yeah, oh.

I followed her frozen gaze toward the tower of rolled crochet scarves, dominating one-third of the space in the room.

"These are presents for servants. A small gift for welcoming me into the palace. I told you."

Lucinda blinked twice and cleared her throat. "That is... thoughtful of you, Your Highness. But I thought you'd make a few and-" She sighed. "Don't you suppose this is a little..."

"Extreme?" I smiled. "I understand. However, I just wish to make them feel appreciated."

She nodded. "That is nice. Though, I think it would have been better if you included influential delegates of the palace in your list. They are the ones you must impress the most with your witch blood."

And that was precisely why I didn't make my scarves for the noble community of the court.

"I didn't make these to impress but to show my gratitude and who are better worthy than those who do the most to run this huge place?"

Lucinda frowned, clearly disapproving of my thoughts, but her brows smoothed faster.

"I suppose, that makes sense. Very well, I shall have them delivered soon, Your Highness."

I nodded. "Make sure to wait for Lady Sienna as well. She is supposed to deliver her kerchiefs to add to this collection."

Lucinda's face was a blank facade at the news. "I shall make certain of that, Your Highness. Now, if you'd please, we must leave for your breakfast. You haven't eaten yet and His Majesty wishes you to join with him and the princes before coronation.

***

The breakfast was as mundane as best with grave silence settling amongst the royals, unless one counted the tinkers of knives and spoons on platters.

Prince Vance did not raise his head from his kebab and naans. King Wardon was busy with his fruit salad and milk. Terrence had his hands on bread and butter. Me? I was fiddling with my plain bread and honey, unable to eat anything else given the queasiness settling in my stomach since I sat down.

I finished chewing another dreary morsel when King's fork dropped.

"Today is your coronation."

I looked up to see his eyes settled on my husband beside me.

Terrence put down his half-empty glass and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Yes, Father."

"From now, Ravendale shall be under your reign."

"I'm aware."

"And you had only a month to prepare yourself."

Terrence sat straighter. "Yes."

"Your brother had years to prepare himself. He is a better candidate for this crown if you ask me."

Silence hung heavy in the room.

King continued. "But it is not me who decides the fate of Ravendale. It's the law ensued by our ancestors. Flawed or otherwise, we are bound to respect them. And I hope you shall do the same. However, we also must ensure that there is no exploitation of any kind of the said laws in the future as well. So, I have decided something."

King Wardon watched us with a blank face, eyeing me for seconds longer.

"As the final act as the King of Ravendale, I added an immediate clause to the law which entails that there shall be no acceptance of marriage out of elopement in the royal family henceforth. Those who shall engage in such shallow acts to ensure inheritance must never be considered as heirs to the crown. In severe cases, they are to be banished from kingdoms, out to the No Man's Land."

My breath hitched and I looked up at Terrence.

He was looking down at his white knuckles. His shoulders were stiff. His breathing was shallow. The only sign of what he was feeling was beating inside me. Hard and fast.

"However," the King said, disregarding our distress, "The only exception of this law secures you and your bride, and no one else of your future offspring. So, I suggest you stop looking as though it's the end of your world and go prepare for your coronation."

Terrence gulped hard and spoke in a strained voice, "Yes, Father."

"And remember, do not make me regret this."

Terrence looked up and met his father's gaze with a rare strength and conviction.

"Yes, Father. We will not disappoint you."

My fingers found his beneath the table and he grasped them with a trembling might, our hearts resonating in rhythm.