Seven Black Diamonds (Seven Black Diamonds #1)(91)

Creed lifted a letter from the package and held it out so they could both read it.

LilyDark,

There will be need of something official in the coming weeks. Until such time, your crown can be worn as a necklace to protect your privacy. Do not remove it until it is required for ceremony and revelation. You’ll know when. Until such time, you should wear it as a sign to any fae-blood or fae that to mean ill to you is tantamount to treason.

Endellion & Leith

The thought of “something official” filled her with terror, but a cease-fire was apparently the sort of thing one announced.

“I really need to talk to Daidí before this ‘official thing’ actually happens.” She held her crown, not wanting to ever wear it, not wanting to do anything that made the world know that she was the heir to the Hidden Throne.

Being fae-blood was still illegal, and she was fairly sure that the laws didn’t vanish simply because her blood happened to be the same as the blood of the Queen of Blood and Rage. If anything, being the queen’s granddaughter was more likely to get her arrested.

And if Lily was arrested, the cease-fire would end. That wouldn’t undo her vow to her grandparents . . . but it would give them a new reason to attack.

“Do you want me to come with you to see your father?” Creed offered. He was rubbing his hands up and down her arms soothingly. “I can. We all can if you want.”

Lily nodded. As much as she didn’t want them there when she asked questions of her father, questions about her mother and about him, she did want them with her. They were a part of her life now, and until her life ended, they would be.

Creed took the crown from her hands and stepped behind her. Once it became pliant and lengthened, he lowered it over her head. The weight of it felt heavier than it should.

As Lily reached up to touch it, she wondered how she was to walk around with such grossly expensive jewelry on her every day. There had to be a way to hide it. Her fingers traced the stone and metal, and whatever it was wrought of seemed to be sinking into her skin. Within a fraction of a moment, it was nothing more than skin under her fingers.

“You have a tattoo,” Creed said, staring at her throat. “Can you undo it?”

Cautiously, she traced her fingertips over the warm skin where she knew the crown was hidden, thinking that she wanted to see it, and it became solid in the instant the thought was finished. Just as quickly, she returned it to ink on her flesh.

“Well then.” Creed kissed her tattoo. “That’s certainly easier than the way I got mine.”

They were snuggled up in one chair, her nestled in his arms, when the door burst open, and three of the five other Black Diamonds trouped into the suite.

“The boys are studying for some test or something,” Violet announced with a huff as she dropped onto the sofa.

At Lily’s questioning look, Zephyr added, “They kicked her out.”

“Ah.”

“It isn’t as if it matters,” Violet said with the sort of petulant grace that made all of them bite back smiles. “This whole school thing doesn’t matter.”

“I dare you to say that to Will,” Creed teased.

Lily was so amused by Violet’s dedicated pouting that she startled when Alkamy asked, “What is that?”

Every eye turned to Lily.

“Crown? Necklace? Tattoo? It sort of depends.” Lily ran her fingers over the hollow of her throat. “My grandparents sent it. I guess there will be some sort of ‘great reveal’ about the end of the war, and I’ll need a crown for it.”

“So they’re outing you?” Alkamy all but breathed the question. “As not just fae, but the fae heir?”

“Looks like it,” Lily said in a voice not nearly as casual as she would’ve liked.

Creed wrapped both arms around her. “You won’t be alone. If you’re out, so am I.”

“Ditto,” Violet said.

“If they tell us to do so, we will.” Zephyr had his I’m-in-charge voice. “I’m sure the queen has a plan, and until then—”

A loud knock on the door interrupted him.

“Lily?” The knock resumed. “I’m looking for Lilywhite Abernathy.”

It felt like both parts of her world were colliding as Lily stood and walked to the door. None of the others spoke, although Creed stood. She glanced back at him and said, “I’m sorry, but I need to . . . just wait . . . let me talk to him.”

Then she opened the door and said, “Erik?”

“Lily.”

She stepped aside, and Erik walked into the sitting room of her suite.

The only person there whom Erik had met before was Creed, but that didn’t matter. Erik was as confident here as he was anywhere. He might not have his guards nearby. He might even not be carrying a weapon. The lines of his suit were clean enough that if he did have a gun, it was under his arm in a concealed holster.

He surveyed them briefly, and she recognized the wary way he responded when he realized that even armed, he might be out-powered here. “Is there somewhere we can speak, querida?”

“Here.” She gestured at the rest of the group. “They are my friends, Erik. We can speak freely.”

He surveyed them, gaze lingering a touch longer on both Creed and Zephyr. He shook his head. “It would be best—”