Sleep comes easy when I'm with Chris. Having him close wraps me up in a cocoon of safety and muffles the noise around me.

He insisted I sleep on the way back to the palace so I was well rested when we got there. Our trip may have been short but not only do I feel well-rested and recharged, I can see the change in Chris.

The palace was wearing him down. He wasn't sleeping well and each day he seemed to worry about me more and more. The greenhouse was the final straw, I don't know what he would have done had we not spent the night at the cabin.

Passing the mountain ranges that protect the valley the palace lies in feels different this time. The ancient forest still hums with old energy but it feels slightly cleaner or brighter.

Looking around, the landscape has changed drastically since we left. The hold out leaves hanging on the trees with their brilliant fall colours have finally fallen and there is a dusting of snow barely enough to cover the ground.

Chris pulls up to the front door but having slept most of the way here, Ethan is wide awake this time and eager to see his friends. My eyes immediately go to Jace, Barron, and Percival as they come outside the front door.

'So much for a warm welcome,' Ember growls, still bitter about the old man's outburst.

Jace has bags under his grey eyes and his golden brown hair is long past playboy tousled and straight into unkempt, making me question if he has even slept since we left. Both Barron and Percival stand stoic and stiff as usual and wait for us to exit.

"There's my elf!" Jace greets, summoning energy he didn't look like he possessed. In the blink of an eye, he wraps me up for a quick hug before clapping Chris on the shoulder and whispering, "Thank god!"

"Highness', welcome back," Barron greets, gesturing for us to come in. I'm only too happy to make my way in, out of the cold.

"No need to be so formal," Chris reminds him. Titles don't phase him but he knows they make me uneasy.

I follow Jace in and freeze just inside the doorway, seeing several people waiting that I didn't know or had only seen in passing. Their anxious energy and intent gaze makes my heart beat pick up and leaves me stepping back towards Chris, who absentmindedly tucks me into his side and wraps a protective arm around me.

"I trust your trip was good?" Barron asks, oblivious to my reaction.

"Very," Chris replies, tensing up slightly. "I see everything is good here?" His statement is phrased more like a question as he scrutinizes the people gathered.

"Of course. Everything is falling into place nicely, in fact, we are right on schedule for your coronation. Your Beta is full of surprises," he mumbles more to himself.

"He's yet to disappoint," Chris replies, matter-of-factly, meeting Barron's gaze.

"You'll have to forgive them your- Jess," Barron catches himself, gesturing to the gathered people. "Border guards put out the word that you guys were back and they wanted to make sure you got a warm welcome."

'Warm?!' Ember scoffs.

"Thank you," I reply with a far more confident tone than I expected, complete with a smile.

"Of course, Your Highness," a man replies, stepping forward. He's well into his forties, maybe older with thinning brown hair and eyes. Immediately, I pick up on his lackluster energy, feeling the slightest taint. "We are all looking forward to the festivities, if there is anything we can do to help, you need only mention it."

"Thank you Jeremiah," Barron cuts in, his tone measured and on the edge of irritation. "The King and Queen have had a long trip, we really must be moving on," Barron says, once again gesturing ahead. "I'm sure if they have need they will call upon you."

Chris keeps me tucked safely against his side as we follow Jace down the hallway and away from the masses. As we walk Barron and Chris talk status and go over everything that happened in our absence, which apparently is nothing.

"I actually have security briefings to go over as well as final accommodations and scheduling with you," Barron mentions before turning to me. "We've taken care of pretty much everything just fine details now, speaking of... Rebecca, Leah, Jenna, Mira, and the Guardian... the one that swears a lot? They're waiting for you in the private dining room."

'Do I have to?' I groan to Chris.

'No, not at all,' he chuckles. 'But don't be surprised when you wear zebra print.'

'You're evil,' I chide, slipping away from his side.

"I guess that's my cue," I chirp, giving Chris a quick kiss before stepping away.

"Wait for me!" Chloe calls, rushing down the hall towards us and leaving Jude in the dust. As she closes in, hooking her arm with mine, I catch a flash of determination in her eyes as she jerks me back into motion.

"You are far too excited for this," I scoff, giving her a sideways glance. Her longer legs force my short ones to really work to keep up.

"Something about that woman irritates the fuck out of me," she replies, not missing a beat. " I can't have Mira toasting her without being there to witness."

"You do know that they are trying to provoke her so that they can play the victim right?" I chide, pulling her to a stop. Chloe sighs then scowls, knowing I'm right. "As her friends, we need to keep her propensity towards flambé underwraps."

"You were more fun at Conference," she grumbles, rolling her eyes. "Seriously though, I don't know how you keep your temper in check... I was ready to put your cousin and aunt down where they belong... Talking to anyone, let alone a Queen, like that!" Chloe practically stomps down the hall like a petulant child.

"I've had a lot of practice," I scoff, catching up to her.

"I'm serious, how do you keep your temper in check!?" she complains, tucking her brown locks behind her ear. "Doc says it's normal, hell, I know it's normal and to be expected and yet, god everything is irritating me!"

"I avoid people and I've had too much practice," I laugh. "I think that part calms down some... I'm not as hot as I once was but now it's just the everyday noise... I used to be able to tune out the energy around me fairly easily but now it's like there's no off button."

Chloe instantly sobers, reeling her energy back down. She knows all too well the medication I'm on to help me manage my history of debilitating migraines. I had always wondered what it would be like when Jude found his mate, if his position with me would cause strain or be awkward. Instead of being a problem, I feel like I gained a second Gamma with Chloe, she's equally as intuitive and understanding as Jude is.

"Having met your family, I don't doubt the practice, but I doubt you'll be able to avoid people so well anymore," she replies with a sympathetic look.

"Meh, it is what it is," I say with a shrug. "As for people, well baby steps, I just need to get through the coronation and then things will calm down for a bit."

"Right..." Chloe says, opening the door to hide the doubt in her eyes.

"-The fuck does it matter?!" Mira growls. "For the millionth time, it's not your fricken coronation!"

With the doors pushed wide, we enter an old west standoff. Mira and Quinn are on their feet on one side of the table, with Rebecca and Leah on the opposite side glaring while Jenna and the party planner Anna sit in the middle watching the feuding women.

"Thank God you're back!" Mira groans dramatically, running her hands through her curly red hair. "Maybe if you tell them they will get it through their thick skulls-"

"Our thick skulls?!" Rebecca snaps, lifting her chin in disgust. "You're the stubborn, feral-"

"Enough!" I cut in, feeling the tension mount. "Can we not just talk about this like civil grown ups?"

"Fat chance." Quinn chuckles.

'You're not helping,' I grumble directly to her.

'Are the bitches on fire yet? You're welcome, because they've really been asking for it!' Quinn counters with a knowing look.

"What is the problem?" I ask, palming my forehead.

"The problem is that the moment you left they tried to take over and change everything," Mira states, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Don't be so dramatic, choices needed to be made, so we made them but no matter what we chose, SHE chose the opposite... Some people are team players and others belong-"

"Don't finish that," I warn Rebecca with a hard look, leaving no room for dispute.

"Anna has all of the final options, she can show you," Mira adds with a triumphant look.

"We really are running low on time," Anne pipes up. "If I could just get a yes or no on these choices I can get everything else taken care of."

"Sure, let's see," Chloe says, reaching for the list.

My eyes go impossibly wide at the lengthy list that is several pages long and covers everything from napkins and tablecloths to the flowers around. A quick scan shows she's right, neither party agreed on anything.

"Why don't we do the big picture first?" I prompt, not knowing where to start.

"Of course H-jess," Anna replies, grabbing a big binder and opening it to large glossy mock up drawings and pictures. "Feel free to stop me at any moment. So I took our last conversation and ran with it, making a fresh pallet."

"The green, black, and silver one?" I ask, earning a giant smile from the woman. She nods so enthusiastically that her strawberry blond bob makes her look like a bobble head.

"That's the one, now there were a few places that Rebecca thought might look better in gold accent..." Anne trails off with a slight cringe that shows clearly she disagreed.

"Isn't it normally consistent across the board?"

"Well yes," Anne agrees.

"I'm not one to make waves," I reply.

"That makes it easier than," she agrees, making Rebecca scowl. "Now table settings, hall decor, oh, which centerpieces and flowers did you like? Claire was such a help but even she wasn't sure your tastes on those."

I flip through the options and am drawn to these airy white flowers with dark green ferns and white puffy flowers making it look like fireworks or something. "White's not usually my thing but these look nice with the dark, right?"

"They would! Jenna thought so too," Anna says with a nod, quickly jotting down my choice and flipping onto the next point.

"My father used to bring my mom those flowers for any special occasions, Celeste's tears she called them," Jenna explains, her voice gaining confidence as she continues. "She said they were for luck and I've always liked how they look like stardust."

"Lord knows we could always use some luck," I laugh, flashing her a smile.

After four hours, we finally have every detail nailed down. Mira was right, Rebecca and Leah were trying to change things back to their original vision and Rebecca was right, sometimes Mira disagreed just to be contrary. She chose blocky silverware just to be petty but I can't blame her, by the end their whining was grating on my last nerve.

"I'll have the dresses here for you tomorrow to go over, and we can decide hair and makeup and of course pick which crown you'll be wearing," Anna says as she packs up the last of her stuff.

"Like there's more than one?" I ask, furrowing my brows. Anna laughs like I've made a joke before catching herself.

"There are several choices, we can go over them all tomorrow though."

"Sure thing, thanks Anna," I mumble, sighing loudly after the door shuts behind her.

"The crown jewels are the envy of the supernatural world you know," Rebecca drawls, knowing full well I have no idea. "People have gone to extraordinary lengths to get their hands on them."

"Whatever crown you pick will be a statement, you just need to make sure you make the right one," Leah adds. The two of them feel like serpents the way they work together and nudge conversations and events.

"Steeped in history and protocol?" I murmur, playing their game. Both women nod enthusiastically thinking I took their bait. "Looks like I'll be spending some quality time with Percival!"

I need every ounce of restraint to not burst out laughing at their comical expressions. They sit there, slack jawed and bug eyed and yet still somehow pull off a scowl.

"Thank you everyone for your attention to these matters while we were away, but I'm afraid I need to go see Eli," I announce, standing up while giving Chloe and Mira a subtle look to come with me. Neither stunned woman says anything as we stride confidently out with a chuckling Quinn in tow.

Once we're far enough to be sure they won't suddenly come after us Mira grabs my arm to stop me in my tracks. "Great exit strategy, but we're not really going up to see that old coote are we?" she asks, a pleading look in her blue green eyes.

"You don't have to," I laugh, pulling the folded out report from my pocket. "But I need to drop this off, it's the police report from when I became an orphan." Miras lips pull into a perfect 'O' shape as she catches on before resuming our course.

"That's rough," she mumbles, cutting the silence mid way.

"I feel guilty," I admit, for the first time out loud. "I harbored this resentment for a woman I couldn't remember, thinking that she just left me all those years ago... How shitty is that to assume?"

"Given what you were told, it's only logical," Chloe adds, trying to alleviate my conscience.

"I should have given her the benefit of the doubt," I whisper, walking through the Hall of Kings and beelining for Eli's desk. The man is in a new level of manic work, sitting hunched over his desk, messy hair with stacks of work on both sides of him making it look like a fort.

"High- Jess!" he exclaims, jumping straight up and lighting up. "I have some exciting news, I think I have some very promising leads!"

My heart skips a beat and breathing gets shallow as my chest tightens. I grab the paper once more and thrust it at him, afraid if he doesn't take it this moment then I'll chicken out and never give it to him.

"What's this?" he asks, his murky eyes dancing with excitement, and he gingerly takes the folded document from me.

"The police report... My mother was killed in a car accident...A drunk driver hit us," I choke out, each point harder to get out than the last.

"This is..." Eli trails off, cradling the paper like it's a priceless artifact. With the utmost care, he carefully opens it, lays it down on his desk, and begins to read it.

"Lyana... I've seen that name before!"