“Just breathe.” He said down at me and gave my arm a squeeze before walking me forward into the parted ocean of people. There seemed to be thousands of masked faces all looking at us as we walked down the centre of the great crowd. I looked frantically behind me to see Vincent first and then Sophia with Zagan behind her. I wish I could say the wink Vincent gave me helped or the thumbs up Sophia thought I needed.
“Breathe again, Keira.” Draven said and I hadn’t even realised until that moment that I had been holding my breath. I looked down at the red carpet we walked down not being able to look at all those faceless masks and studying eyes staring at me.
“Eyes up.” I heard from next to me just as we walked past a group of people dressed as demonic goats with horns on their masks.
“I can’t look at them.”
“Then let’s rectify that should we and give you something else to look at.” He said confidently and just before I was about to ask. He held up his hand and stopped, which effectively stopped the procession behind us, one I only just now realised was most of the people I remembered from the VIP.
“Draven what are you…” I started to whisper but was cut short when I was suddenly swooped up into his arms making me cry out.
“Draven!” My startled shout was drowned out by the great wave of shocked gasps from the endless crowd. However Draven didn’t seem to notice or he did but he just didn’t care.
“Now eyes on me, my love.” He commanded and I gladly did what I was told.
“I don’t think I have ever seen a brighter blush on you.” He said laughing at my obvious outrage.
“This hasn’t helped in making them stare less.” I said frowning at his huge grin.
“But that wasn’t my goal.” He replied as he strode purposely to the other side of the square where I could now see an awaiting thrown had been set up.
“So what was exactly?”
“Well for one you’re breathing again.” I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of his smile.
“And the other?” I braved asking as we came to the end of the red carpet. I expected him to put me down before answering but he didn’t. No, instead he mounted the steps up to the higher platform. One that was covered in what looked like black wired petals sewn together in a pattern of the same symbol we both wore. The he let my legs go till I was standing.
“To make a long overdue statement to my world.” He said and before I had chance to fully process what he meant to do next, he lifted my arm up, faced me to the crowd and boomed out the words that floored me…
“I give you all your Queen!”
Chapter 32
It’s All about the Masks
I didn’t really have much time to react to this grand gesture before I was spun round, bent over his arm and kissed in front of Draven’s kingdom. Deafening cheers erupted from the vast crowd and Draven let me go only to smile down at me.
“You are in so much trouble for this.” I warned unconvincingly. I knew this thanks to the wink and bad boy grin he gave me before lifting me so I was once again upright and facing Draven’s people.
“Che la festa cominci!” Draven shouted which I gathered meant to get the party started in Italian because the crowd went crazy. I watched Vincent walk up the steps and smirk at me before taking a seat next to his brother’s centre chair. Next was Sophia who rolled her eyes at Draven’s brazen behaviour but her smile was easy to read. She walked over to the other side of Draven’s thrown and bowed her head gracefully to the crowd before sitting in her own grand chair.
“Should I just…” I nodded my head to the side where there were more chairs which were being filled up with the rest of his Council.
“Oh don’t worry sweetheart, I have just the place for you.” He said walking me backwards until I had no other option than for my legs to fold into his seat. Then he came down leaning into me with his hands on the arms of the chair until coming to my face level.
“Now be a good girl and stay right here, I will be back in a moment.” He finished this by kissing my forehead and then pushing off the arms. I watched him walked over to the side to speak to a man wearing an elaborate violin mask and a tux. I decided not to look like I was being nosy so I turned my head away and tried not to focus on the massive supernatural crowd. Of course I was also trying not to be the most obvious human in St Mark’s Square but sat up here it wasn’t exactly as if I could blend in.
Maybe if I was wearing more of a hidden costume like the sea of colour in front of me. It was an incredible sight and there was so much to take in, it was hard not to openly stare. The masks were like sculptured pieces of art that were being worn and with the costumes added they each told a story. There were horned gods and mythological creatures like the Centaurs. One woman’s mask was combined with a wig and even had snakes all entwined in the shape of a 16th century wig that looked like Medusa on a night out.