Chapter 68

Emily runs her hand through my hair and sighs. “I made a beautiful braid for you today, Elena. It is finally your Luna Queen Ceremony!”

“I am terrified!” I manage between my chattering teeth. My clammy hands light at the idea of the ceremony, but my stomach hits the floor when I glance outside. Every single king, wife and beta are waiting outside the castle in golden seats for me.

“You can do it! I have seen you cover your husband in a red orb three times!”

“Only last night!” I shut my lips tight to not throw up. My stomach lurches back and forth like a ship lost at sea.

Sighing into my shaking hands, I wish I could be anywhere else.

Suddenly, warm arms hug me from behind and keep me steady. King Harvey rests his head on my shoulder and says nothing.

In the body-length mirror in front of me, I ignore my ugly face and the rest of my flaws. Instead, I stare at King Harvey. His impeccable brown hair is combed to the side, as if we are headed to church, and the morning sun drips down his masculine cheekbones like honey, only highlighting the gold in his brown eyes.

“Elena, please, I will not leave your side.”

“I am terrified!!!” I almost scream as I turn to shove my face in his chest and heave, tears flowing down my face.

“Elena.” King Harvey holds me to his chest sternly, running his hand down my back. “If it were up to me, you would not need this ceremony. Take it like this, you will be accepted fully formally and safe. An equal with the other lunas. You will fit in, walking in their footsteps.”

“King Harvey, I am human!”

“Yes, you are! But you have done everything asked of you!” King Harvey pulls away from me to kneel at my level and place his hands on my shoulders. “I know you can do it!”

“With YOU! There are so many kings and queens….” Sniffling, I try to stop my sobs, but I melt down, sobbing into my hand.

King Harvey’s eyes automatically soften as he pulls me into his arms again and rocks me. He says nothing for a moment, as if letting the moment settle in. When my sobs calm and his hand on my back stops moving, he stares deeply into my eyes.

“I will not leave your side; I will be right with you. I am going to hold your hand the whole time.”

“They’ll think I am weak!”

King Harvey visibly swallows. “They do not. They accept you. This is just the cherry on the top.”

“Do all the husbands hold their wives’ hands?”

King Harvey smiles. “I have never been to a luna ceremony. This is your ceremony, Elena. You can do what you like, if you pass.”

“You have never been to one?” I exhale. “How come?”

King Harvey cracks his neck. “I was in war, Elena. It is time to go.”

King Harvey puts his cloak on his back and gently wipes the tears off my face with it, making me smile and laugh when he tickles my nose.

“I am so scared, King Harvey.”

“You are capable, Elena. I believe in you, please believe in yourself too.”

I do my best to swallow my fears. “Thank you…”

Compassionately, King Harvey wraps his arm around my waist and holds my left hand as he walks me out of the castle down the aisle to the people waiting for us. I notice that we are walking on a red velvet carpet, and the kings and wives stand as we walk. The betas bow.

“Elena, you will do this. You will be fine. I am not going to let go of your hand, and by chance you mess up… I have a sword to fight for your honor.” King Harvey pauses at the entrance of the stage and to my surprise bows to me. With a passionate kiss, he guides me up the marble stairs and I am thankful when I don’t trip.

My throat closes. “Thank you.”

King Harvey keeps to his word and holds my hand in a fierce grip. “This is the beginning of the Luna Ceremony. The only woman in my land worthy of being my mate and wife is Elena. Are there any objections?”

No one breathes at King Harvey’s announcement, rather they all bow and sit in their chairs.

My heart rattles violently in my chest and tries to jump up my throat. Swallowing it down, I hope to kill my nerves quickly.

King Harvey and I stand in front of a simple white table. My shield is at the left of it, then my dagger and finally a small marble orb. King Harvey picks up the shield with both hands and shows it to the crowd.

“Firstly, Elena will create a shockwave that covers her shield.” King Harvey hands me my shield with a smile.

I look out to the crowd and see Emily and Beta Tom right in my line of sight, and Emily gives me a thumbs up.

Tears fill my eyes and I blink them away. King Harvey believes in me and so does Emily. I know I am accepted by the others, but this is terrifying.

Weighing my shield in my hands, I am grateful when I don’t drop it. I hold it by the strap in my right hand and King Harvey moves to my left to hold my free hand. When he squeezes my hand, I picture a small red orb at the back center of my shield.

With a look at Emily, a red flame burns across my shield and covers it entirely.

“Get bigger.” I whisper to myself and the red energy flame.

The red energy flame burns twice then blinks and expands, becoming double the size of my shield. The crowd gasps and Emily claps proudly.

Now the tears in my eyes are joy.

“Excellent, excellent!!” King Harvey celebrates in my left ear.

He takes my shield and returns with my dagger.

“Extend your dagger, Elena.” King Harvey says to the crowd and me with a smile.

Taking the dagger from his hands, unsheathing it, I run my hand over the blade. A small flame from my palm covers the blade and extends it a few inches.

“I don’t like that.” I whisper, holding onto the grip and squeezing. The dagger extends now two more inches.

King Harvey takes my dagger from me and measures it with his palm. “Ten inches!”

“Ten?”

King Harvey smiles at me but doesn’t reply because the crowd gasps once more. He places my dagger on the table and puts the small marble orb in my hand.

“Finally, for the last aspect of this test, Elena shall create an orb. She has decided to create an orb that covers me, rather than herself. This highlights her loving and protective nature. Any objections?”

Silence.

King Harvey takes both my hand and squeezes, holding them outstretched. “Go ahead, Elena.”

“Like this? They won’t think we are transferring power?” I question as my fears begin to build.

“You can do it!” Emily says loudly from the audience, slamming my throat shut.

Swallowing my tears, I squeeze both of King Harvey’s hands and feel the orb in our shared right hand.

“No, they will see a red flame from my hand. I will not be activating my powers, you are. Go ahead, Elena.” King Harvey urges caringly.

I focus on the feeling of the orb and covering King Harvey in full to keep him safe. In my fear, I keep my eyes shut until I hear King Harvey chuckle clear as day. Opening my eyes slowly, I see a red glass like an orb covering King Harvey entirely.

King Harvey looks down at his hands and shows me that I even covered myself as well. I am in an orb of my own.

“She did two orbs!” Beta Tom exclaims. “That has never been done before!”

“She did it, she passed!” Emily yells.

With a simple nod, King Harvey steps out of his orb and I follow, glad when it falls at my feet.

“Welcome, Luna Queen, Elena.” King Harvey greets with a prideful smile.