#Chapter 217

Violet’s POV I sat on the end of our bed in our assigned room in the royal palace. Theo sat next to me patiently. He didn’t look at me, didn’t touch me, didn’t ask me questions. He didn’t leave my side. I looked around the opulently appointed room, each of my breaths loud in my head. I realized this was my last night in this room. And the first of many in the royal palace. “How close was it?” I finally asked. For better or for worse, voting had been by hand, meaning it wasn’t anonymous. Everyone knew who voted for Marissa and who voted for me. Their new queen. “You carried at least three quarters of the votes,” Theo told me. He watched me intently. I could feel him trying to figure out how best to support me. “Hold me,” I whispered, more of a plea than a direction. Theo immediately scooted back on the bed, then enveloped me from behind, his legs around my waist and his arms around my shoulders. He nuzzled his face into my neck where he kissed lightly. “Always.