by James Tate
Silence reigned.
Niklaus was the first to recover, clearing his throat and giving me a small frown. "Yes, we always suspected she was, but... are we to draw from this that you've located her?"
I gave a jerky nod, thinking how she’d found me, really. "Yes. And she has been made aware of her heritage."
Lady Zanathia shook her head with a scowl. "How can you be sure it's really her? She could be some imposter, playing at being a royal for someone else's gain."
Her accusation was so close to the truth of how Zarina had come into my life that it made me smile, but I gave Zanathia a reassuring nod.
"She's the real deal. Barmzig herself presented her with Queen Ophelia's crown."
Lady Thora sucked in a gasp, and Griffin's eyes widened.
"The Crown of Veren?" the burly man whispered. "It wasn't destroyed after all?"
"I doubt anything could destroy it," I replied, thinking of the crown Zarina had hidden within our sanctuary. The crown her mother had worn and her mother before her and so on for eons.
Legend was that the red jewels within the crown were made from the blood of the gods—from veren. That was what gave it such unparalleled power and why my father was so blindly furious when it was nowhere to be found after Ophelia's death.
My cousin watched me with a much shrewder expression. "Are we to assume you support her ascension to the throne of Teich, then? What of your own plans to dethrone dear old uncle Titus?"
I shook my head. "None of that matters now. Not when the true queen of Teich is alive and well. She needs to take her place on the throne before the magic of our world can destabilize any further."
Griffin huffed a noise. "I think we are in agreement on that. But what of the deals we’ve made, Alexander? How do you mean to deliver if you're not the ruling monarch?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but Zanathia—sharp as ever in matters of the heart—saw the truth before I could deny it.
"Because he's in love with her," she commented, a curious smile curving her wrinkled lips. "His Highness can deliver on everything he has promised, as her consort."
I ground my teeth together, angry at myself for being so damn transparent but unable to refute her summation.
"How interesting," Marcelle murmured, watching me with clear blue eyes. They were suddenly at least four shades lighter than I'd thought they were, and a flicker of concern for his health crossed my mind. "What of your brothers? Will they support your goal to become our young queen's consort?"
I hesitated before responding. Aside from my brothers and Sagen, the people in this room were the only ones I trusted. It made me loath to lie to them.
"Oh dear," Lady Zanathia murmured, seeing through me once again. "Don't tell us you've got competition for her affections."
I glowered at the old woman, and her smirk back was plain evil. "We're sorting it out," I muttered, "but that's a moot point. Zarina only wants what's best for the seven kingdoms and the deals we've all made support that."
"If I might," Marcelle spoke up, "offer a suggestion?"
I indicated for him to continue, curious as to what his suggestion could be. Surely no crazier that the prospect of breaking tradition and proposing our high queen take three consorts. Although I had a feeling that's what Ty and Lee were hoping might happen.
"Her Highness Princess Cara always had a soft place in her heart for Prince Louis, did she not?" Marcelle directed this question to Zanathia, whose eyes lit up with excitement. Damn woman was constantly matchmaking.
"She has indeed," Zanathia agreed, practically purring with the implied idea. "And she has rejected all of the suitors her mother has recently put before her."
Marcelle's brows rose over his pale blue eyes. "How fortunate. Duke Griffin, isn't your niece also entertaining suitors at the moment?"
Griffin shifted in his seat, sitting forward and stroking his beard. "That she is. And a skilled warrior like Thibault would enjoy life in Isenmedin."
I said nothing. What could I say?
"Well, then." Marcelle turned his blue-eyed gaze back to me with a small smile playing at his lips. "It sounds like your problem could be solved rather easily, Your Highness."
I narrowed my eyes at the elderly Verratan man. "By marrying off my younger brothers?"
Marcelle just spread his hands wide, saying nothing and everything.
No one else in the room spoke, seemingly waiting to see what I'd have to say on the matter.
"It does sort of clear the path for you, Highness." Ashton spoke up for the first time since following me into the room. "Those would be good marriages for your brothers and seal some valuable alliances."
He was right. Of course he was. Being tied to the Schon Islands and Isenmedin in such a personal way would only strengthen Teich’s position as the ultimate power in the seven kingdoms, and if my brothers were married to other women, surely Zarina would be free to choose me.
The memory of her heart-shattering pain as I turned my back on her in Ironforge slammed front in my mind, and I cringed, rubbing my chest where she'd marked me with her magic.
I was being selfish, so utterly consumed with my fear of losing her to one of my brothers that I had actually for a moment considered what Marcelle was suggesting.
"No," I said finally, shaking my head. "I'm sorry, but I won't make marriage contracts for my brothers without their consent. If Cara or Delphine wish to make their interest known, they're more than welcome to. But I won't sign away my brothers’ futures to secure my own."
Griffin just shrugged, like it didn't bother him either way. It probably didn't, too. His niece, Princess Delphine, was a stunning beauty and would have no troubles finding her own husband without her uncle’s interference.
Zanathia looked less than accepting, but I could already see the gears working in her mind to set Cara and Lee up for marriage. Just because I wouldn't sign the contract behind my brother's back didn't mean the match was off the table, simply that Cara would need to pursue it herself.
Marcelle just looked... entertained?
"A respectable decision, Your Highness," he commented, the lines around his eyes deepening as he smiled at me. "One of the things I like the most about you is that you don't ever take the easy way out."
It was an odd thing for him to say, or perhaps it was just an odd way that he looked at me, but for whatever reason, I felt the need to reach out with my magic and brush his mind.
Before I had the chance, though, a sharp knock sounded on the doors just seconds before they were thrown open and my mother, Queen Filamina, strolled in with her jewel-laden head held high.
"My dear son," she cooed with false kindness, "when I heard you were entertaining our most dignified guests, I just had to come down and greet them myself."
Her words were polite, but her smile was pure ice and cruelty. Everyone blamed my father for the hardships of the lower class, when it was really my mother's casual distain for anyone born without a title.
I bit back a venomous reply, pasting on a politely neutral smile. "Mother. I wish I could stay; I was just on my way to another meeting."
I stood up to make a quick exit, and Griffin hurried to excuse himself and Lady Thora as well.
Laughing silently to myself, I hurried out of the greeting room and heard Niklaus calling out after me—clearly having made his own excuses and leaving poor Zanathia to endure my mother alone.
"Cousin, wait up," he called out, and I slowed my step with Ashton close on my heels. "Are you really going to meet the Asintischian general, or was that crap to keep the questions about you-know-who to a minimum?" His eyes darted around us conspiratorially.
I stifled a laugh. "I am," I replied. Niklaus made a noise, and I eyed him with suspicion. "Why?"
Klaus shook his head. "Nothing. I've just heard a whole bunch of rumors about him is all. He's supposed to be the best bladesman since Itsuki the Feared."
I nodded. "I heard that too. He's also Sage's ex."
Klaus cringe
d. "And Sage is competing to become the next queen of Teich right now. Yikes. I don't envy you that meeting, cousin. Let's catch up after all this madness is over."
He clapped me on the shoulder, and I returned the gesture. There was no need for my friends to all declare they would stand with me when the time was right. They'd be there because we all had one common goal.
The future.
Chapter 14
ZARINA
The familiar scent of algae and mold filled my nostrils, and my stomach twisted. It'd been just over two weeks since I left the Pond—not long at all, really—but it felt like a whole lifetime. So much had happened it was hard to wrap my brain around the naïve pickpocket I'd been before the Royal Trials.
"I feel like a fucking idiot," I muttered, pulling my wide hood lower over my face with one hand and holding the cloak shut over my chest with the other.
"Why? You look stunning," Zan replied, quirking a brow at me from under his own hood.
I glared back at him, grinding my teeth. "Because we are way overdressed for this part of town. Even with cloaks on, we may as well wave a giant sign that reads, 'Please steal from us; we're dumb shits who wandered out of our lane.'"
It was just the three of us, but even so we were drawing too much attention.
"Relax," Sagen drawled, throwing a bored look over her shoulder at me. "We're not actually going into the Pond. Given the visit your old boss paid to your fake maid last night, that'd just be stupid as shit."
"In the Pond, beside the Pond—it's all the same to Bloodeye and his crew," I huffed, quickening my pace. "Let's just get there as fast as possible."
"We're here," Sagen announced, stopping outside an unassuming building about two streets back from the Pond. She knocked several times on the door, only to have it open a scant inch and someone demand a password.
The Asintischian princess responded with a word in her native tongue, and the door opened immediately to allow us inside.
"Your Highness." The soldier who held the door greeted Sagen as we passed, dipping his head in a small bow. "It's good to see you well. There have been rumors…" He trailed off, but closed the door behind Zan and I, shooting several deadbolts home before indicating that we follow him.
"Rumors about girls in the Trials being murdered?" Sagen asked, her tone as dry as dust. The soldier—who I realized wore no kingdom crests at all—nodded his head, and Sagen pursed her lips. "Not rumors, my friend. Last I counted there were only five girls left."
The man gasped, looking at her in shock. "But those girls belonged to important families. Titus is practically begging for a civil war."
"That's why we're here," she replied. We'd stopped outside a closed door. "He's expecting us?"
The soldier jerked his head, yes, then halted Sagen before she could open the door. "I wasn't supposed to tell you, but he's not alone." This last was delivered in a hushed whisper, and I noticed Sagen's mouth tighten and nostrils flare.
"Got it," she said, her voice clipped and tense. "Thanks, Takami."
The soldier nodded again, his face full of sympathy before leaving us to return to his post at the front door.
"What was that about?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.
Sagen screwed up her face, looking like she'd just stepped in horseshit. "You'll see. Just keep your game face on, Queen Zarina. I'll answer your annoying questions when we're safely out of here."
"Done deal," I replied with a small smirk. Whoever was in the next room Sagen really didn't want to see. Maybe something to do with why she didn't want to return to Asintisch?
She paused a moment longer, glaring at me like she expected a smartass comment, but when I kept my mouth shut, she heaved a sigh and rapped her knuckles on the wooden door.
"Enter!" Someone called from inside, and I could practically see Sagen steel her spine before turning the handle and pushing the door open.
Inside, a broad-shouldered man who looked to be around Zan's age was seated behind a heavy desk. His raven dark hair was tousled, like he was used to it being short, and a dark shadow over his jaw only emphasized his strong features.
"Your Highness." He greeted Sagen with all the warmth of a frozen tundra. "To what do we owe such an honor?" His voice was so hard I would have bet good coin he and Sagen were far from friendly. It made me wonder why the shit she'd thought this meeting was a good idea at all.
"General Kaiten," Sagen responded in a clipped, formal tone, "congratulations on your promotion. Sorry I missed the celebration."
Such a polite statement seemed to almost enrage the Asintischian military general. He said nothing in response, though. He didn't need to when a second man appeared as though materializing from thin air.
"You're forgiven, of course, little sister," the newcomer sneered. "We imagine you were far too busy spreading your legs for the dogs of Teich. Oh look, you even brought one with you. Alexander, how nice to see you." The man—who I was assuming to be one of Sagen's brothers—curled his lip at Zan. His glare was pure venom, and I caught a small sigh under Zan's breath.
"Hero. I really hoped our last meeting would have been our last." Zan sounded bored and mean, his Prince Alexander persona firmly in place. "Don't you have more dragonflies to pull the wings off? The adults have important business to discuss."
Hero. My brain rifled through the sketchy information I had about the Asintischian royals and placed him as Heruko, firstborn son and heir to the throne of Asintisch. Also one of their strongest remaining magic users, if his little trick was anything to go by.
Whatever Zan had meant by his comment hit a nerve with the foreign prince, whose face twisted with fury and hand went to his waist where he no doubt had weapons strapped.
Right when I thought the two crown princes were about to come to blows in front of us, Sagen spoke softly.
"Kai," she murmured. "I came to speak to you."
The general, who had simply been staring at my prickly friend as though Zan and Hero weren't even in the room, sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly before breaking eye contact with Sagen.
"Hero, sit down," he said. His volume didn't rise at all, but the order was clear.
For a second, I thought the prince wouldn't listen, but a moment later his hand shifted away from his weapons belt and he sat down in a vacant armchair to the side of the room. His glare remained on Zan, though, and the threat was clear.
"Thank you, Kai," Sagen whispered, and the general flinched like she'd just slapped him.
His dark eyes speared her with anger. "Why don't you introduce us to your mysterious friend, Princess Sagen? She must be important for you to break your silence with us."
This seemed to snap Sagen out of whatever hectic, tense history she had with these two angry men, and she stepped aside to reveal me. Literally. It was this whole thing she had planned.
"General Kaiten, Prince Heruko, please meet Zarina." On her cue, I threw back my hood, revealing my face and the glittering golden crown studded with red jewels on my head. It was very dramatic. "The true queen of Teich."
For a second, her announcement had exactly the intended effect. Both Asintischian men stared at me with wide eyes and slack jaws, but then it was all ruined by Kaiten starting to laugh.
"I'm sorry," he spluttered out, after laughing for a few moments, "you almost had me for a second there. Wow, Sage. She even looks like the dead queen. Alright, I'll bite, what crazy scheme are you working on with this imposter?"
I cringed internally at his accusation that I was an imposter but remembered Sagen's advice to keep my game face on.
Sagen was fuming, though. Her fists balled at her sides and her jaw set in that stubborn, angry way she had. "Kai, don't be a fucking idiot. Do you seriously think I'd come to see you of all people with a fake queen?"
The general's smile dropped at her implied insult, and his eyes narrowed at her dangerously. Meanwhile, Prince Heruko had stood from his chair and stepped closer toward me, his eyes fixed on the crown.
When he came within touching distance and raised his hand, Zan produced a short blade and held it against the other royal’s throat faster than I could even blink.
Heruko froze, and his enraged glare flickered over Zan. "Ease up, Alex. I wasn't going to do anything."
"Zan, it's okay," I murmured, but he took his sweet ass time removing his knife from Heruko's throat and didn't put it away again.
To his credit, the foreign prince didn't look too disturbed by the incident. His slate-gray eyes focused on me, and he raised his onyx brows like he was asking permission for something.
Unsure what exactly he had planned, I gave a hesitant nod, and he extended his hand again. His fingers stopped just a few inches from my mother's crown, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
"Kai," he called out to the general, even as his eyes widened and he looked at me in shock. "Kai, that's the real deal."
"What?" The general snapped, standing up from behind his desk. "What do you mean?"
Heruko withdrew his hand, still staring at me in surprise. "I mean that is the Crown of Veren. The actual one. The power rolling off it is..." He let out a low whistle, even as he dropped into a small bow of deference. "Your Majesty."
"Seriously?" General Kaiten exclaimed, looking at the prince in stunned confusion. "That's not possible."
"And yet," Sagen replied with a smug smirk, indicating to her older brother's gesture of respect toward me. "This is the part where you bow to the rightful leader of all Seven Kingdoms, then apologize for doubting my word."
Kaiten shot Sagen a glare of poison but bowed his head to me in the same way as Heruko.
Zan and Sagen had briefly filled me in—seeing as my own education was lacking—that the other six kingdoms had refused to acknowledge Titus as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His inability to stabilize the magic was proof to them that he didn't have the gods’ blessing, so he'd never been able to claim that title.
Apparently that wasn't going to be an issue for me, despite the fact I questioned my own ability to do the same.
