The Tyrant King Is Obsessed With Me

Chapter 45: Chapter 45 - Last chance

Hours later, Lilith stood before a mirror, being dressed for her wedding.

"Have the nobles started to arrive?" Lilith asked, watching Mary’s reflection in the glass.

"A few have come already, though it is mostly the Mortimers. Perhaps the other nobles are running a little late," Mary said, trying to be positive.

"They haven’t shown up to make their position clear. They are against the marriage and against us taking the throne. So be it," Lilith said, prepared to go ahead without them. "I should have arranged for it to be only Cassian and me with the priest."

Mary looked up from Lilith’s dress. "Isn’t that what you arranged? For you and His Grace to be alone in the church with the priest, whilst the guests remain seated outside?" freewebnσvel.cøm

"It is, but now I would prefer no guests at all. No room for objections or drama, which I am not in the mood for. It is not too late," Lilith said, considering the thought.

Mary pouted, wanting Lilith to have the wedding she had worked so hard to plan. "Forgive me, but you put so much into making this beautiful. You should get to enjoy it."

Lilith tightened her fingers around the bouquet of lilies in her hands. "I can still have a beautiful wedding. It would only be without the guests. When you are done, go and find my future husband. There is still a chance he surprised me with another woman at the altar."

"Your Highness, I have a rather good idea for learning His Grace’s secrets," Mary said, a mischievous smile creeping across her face.

"Do entertain me, Mary," Lilith said, watching her in the mirror.

"Men talk quite freely. If I were to properly entertain one of his closest men, I could coax his secrets out in bed. I have seen how talkative men become when they are comfortable in the arms of a woman," said Mary.

"It is too dangerous, and I suspect Cassian would see through it. He always seems to be one step ahead. I want to know what happened to him in battle. What changed him?" Lilith said, still without answers.

"I want his secrets, but I won’t put you in harm’s way to get them. Besides, you are right that men let things slip in their more vulnerable moments. And you forget," Lilith said, a quiet smile settling on her lips. "That tonight is my wedding night. I shall get his secrets from him directly."

Mary smoothed a few last strands of Lilith’s hair into place, her hands gentle and careful. It didn’t sit well in her chest that Lilith would have to share a bed with His Grace.

"Your Highness, will any members of the court be present to witness the consummation?" Mary asked, her voice low with the worry of it.

"No. Cassian promised they would not be, but even if he hadn’t, I would not have permitted those old men anywhere near this chamber. You don’t need to worry about me, Mary. I will keep myself protected tonight," Lilith said firmly.

"But there will be no one inside the chamber with you. No one will protect you if he-"

"Mary, I understand the concern, but you are spoiling the moment before it has even come. Go and see how the nobles and the Mortimers are getting on, then find my husband. If he is behaving suspiciously, come back to me at once," Lilith ordered.

Mary curtsied and took one long last look at Lilith before slipping out of the door.

Lilith watched her go, and when the room fell quiet, she sighed.

She looked down at the white cat moving across the chamber floor, entirely unbothered by what its owner was about to face.

"I am about to become his wife," Lilith said softly, as though the cat might understand. "And their queen."

A satisfied smile formed.

Lilith was only a few steps from everything she had always wanted, but she was careful not to let herself get too far ahead. There were people seated out in those gardens who disliked this union enough to say so aloud.

Lilith remained alone until Mary returned, and as the sun began to set over the kingdom, she was led down to the castle church with Cassian’s guards closing in around her. They replaced where Solomon once stood to protect her.

There was no turning back now.

Lilith gripped the bouquet tightly, wishing for a moment that there were thorns in the stems. The small sting of pain would have helped to settle her nerves.

She soon reached the gardens where the nobles who had chosen to attend, and all of Cassian’s invited relatives, were seated in rows. The evening air carried the faint scent of grass and candle wax drifting out from the church doors ahead.

Lilith kept her gaze fixed on the path in front of her, not acknowledging the faces watching from either side.

From where she sat, Diana watched Lilith approach and thought for the first time that the girl finally carried herself like a princess.

"This is wrong, Diana. You know it is. He should not be marrying a Beaufort," the man to her right said. He was the brother of her late husband.

Diana said nothing. Whatever she thought of the marriage, she would take it to no one but Cassian.

Her gaze moved from Lilith to Cassian standing at the doors of the church.

Cassian extended his hand to Lilith, and with that single gesture, the guards stepped back from around her.

Lilith looked at him for a moment before placing her hand in his. "Are you ready for this? There is no going back once we step inside."

Cassian leaned in until his lips were close to her ear. "I could be brought to this moment a thousand times and choose you each time, Lilith. You cannot escape this, and it has been well proven that neither can I."

"I hope you always remember that I gave you the chance to walk away," Lilith said, looking ahead at the priest awaiting them. "Now let us move before one of them rises to object."

"I have already instructed my soldiers that anyone who rises from their seat to object is to receive an arrow through the mouth," Cassian said, and stepped with her onto holy ground.

Lilith smiled, greatly amused by the plan. "Well, you do know how to offer a good gift. Perhaps this won’t be so dreadful after all."