Queen of Fire

by K. V. Adair

  “I showed him the library and then sneaked away while he orgasmed over it.”

  Eoin raised an eyebrow.

  “Not literally.”

  He blinked, like he couldn’t comprehend what I was saying. Then without another word, grabbed my arm and pulled me into a room. I recognized it as Bryna’s room.

  Bryna. I hadn’t seen her in the crowd. Not all that surprising.

  With the door shut behind us, Eoin let go, his body facing me. His anger was still visible, still palpable. And I knew at least some of it, maybe even most of it, was directed at me.

  “You don’t have to say it. I fucked up,” I said.

  He blinked again and I started to question his intelligence. “You seem well composed, all things considered.”

  “Would you prefer me hysterical?”

  “I don’t know. I’d at least understand it.”

  I shrugged. “What good would that do? You already made a scene outside. No need to add to it.”

  “I…never mind. We have a problem.” He paused. “Other than the obvious.”

  “Other than the several dead bodies in the hall?”

  “Well, no. That is the problem. I meant…fuck, Morgan. Your calm is freaking me out.”

  I shrugged again. “It’s over. It’s no longer a problem.”

  His mouth dropped slightly and the anger vanished entirely. “I knew it’d been bad before, but I had no idea it’d been this bad.”

  My stomach clenched. “What are you talking about?”

  It was a stupid question. We both knew what he meant, but I needed to know for sure.

  He closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes, he reached a hand out but then hesitated before touching me. “I don’t know what to do here, Morgan. I can’t help you if you don’t let me in.”

  “I don’t need help, not any you could provide. I need to move forward. What’s our next step?”

  He ran his fingers through his thick, curly hair. “King Tiergan is going to want answers. And blood.”

  “Aidan’s.”

  “Likely.”

  “That’s not an option.”

  “I didn’t say it was. I need you to promise me you’ll let me handle it. Please.”

  I frowned. “Appearing weak is what got me into this mess. Continuing to do so—”

  He reached out again and this time clasped both of my upper arms with his hands. I feared he was about to shake me. “How do I get it through your head that you are weak? Didn’t this teach you anything?”

  His words were a slap to my face. The facade slipped—my facade. My impenetrable wall began to crack. I was two steps from falling into an abyss of despair and madness and he continued to push me closer to it.

  He must have realized because guilt and shame crossed his features almost immediately. “I underestimate you. You’re better at this than I thought.”

  I raised an eyebrow, struggling to take a few metaphysical steps back. “Weakness of body can be overcome. I am not weak.”

  His face softened as his grip did. He raised his left hand and pressed it against my cheek. A faint, sad smile graced his lips.

  “Sometimes our best defense is illusion, my queen. Perhaps you are looking at this the wrong way.”

  “Oh?”

  “If I underestimated you, so will the others. Honestly, they already have. Use that to your advantage.”

  “It makes me a target. I don’t want to be a target.” I gestured toward the door. “Any one of those Fae out there could hurt me if they wished.”

  His eyes went dark. “I wouldn’t let them.”

  “Calm down, hero. That isn’t my point. I’m vulnerable and every single one of them saw that. And it’ll spread. I can’t hide behind your skirts. Or behind Feoras sword. Or behind Aidan’s magic. Because some day there will be nothing to hide behind. And then what?”

  “That’s why you need to stay in your room where you are safe, where you can be protected, until you can handle yourself.”

  I scoffed. “Yeah, like my brother was safe? Are you telling me he couldn’t have protected himself? Safety is an illusion. While you think me safe and protected, my enemies can sneak behind me and attack. All while you look in the other direction.”

  He sighed. “What do you want me to do, then? No matter what I do, you’re in danger.”

  I thought about it. There were no easy solutions. Hell, I wasn’t sure there was any solution at all. But we needed a way forward.

  “Back me up,” I said. “I do need you, even if I hate it. There is so much I don’t know or understand here.”

  “I’m trying to teach you, but it’s not a quick subject to learn. Liam learned how to rule starting when he was a toddler. He had a couple of centuries to practice. And even he fucked it up occasionally.”

  “And he didn’t do it alone,” I said, smiling softly.

  He smiled back.

  Guilt churned in my gut. Everyone had a weakness. Once found, it was easily exploited. Eoin’s weakness was my brother. I had no doubts about that.

  He bowed deeply. “What do you command, my queen?”

  “Be by my side when I address the nobles about this. Show your support. And be the whisper in my ear, the protection at my back. Those looking to use me themselves will still see me as your puppet willingly now, and you’ll be the target instead of me.”

  He laughed. “Thanks for volunteering me.”

  “And those who are looking for a leader, for a queen, will see I have this shit under control. Or at least we do. Nothing worse than a mutiny, right?”

  “It won’t be as simple as that.”

  “Nothing is simple. Or easy. Do you have a better plan?”

  He shook his head. “Not at this moment.”

  I was glad he’d dropped the whole lock me up and throw away the key.

  “We need to discuss Feoras,” he said. “What he did—”

  “You mean respect my wishes? Treat me like an actual queen and not something he can manipulate? He was right outside the door when I went in, but not when I left.” I tried not to think about what had been outside. “Where was he? Was he hurt? Did you even ask?”

  “I thought you sneaked away taking advantage of his stupidity?”

  I gave him my most puppy dog eye look. “Can’t it be both?”

  He wasn’t buying it. “He should be punished even if it’s only lightly. A fortnight in the dungeon—”

  “We have a dungeon?” I waved my hand. “Never mind. No. He won’t be punished. I need all the allies I can get. Especially right now.”

  “You trust he’ll be one?”

  “I trust no one, but I’m not going to piss on an opportunity.”

  “You’re so vulgar.”

  I turned and went toward the door. I stopped and looked over my shoulder. “Have one of yours gather the nobles in the throne room. And as we wait, tell me everything I need to know about Tiergan.”

  He raised an eyebrow but looked impressed.

  “Knowledge is power,” I said.

  He smiled, this time not so nicely. “It’s also a powerful weapon.”

  I smiled back sweetly. “And you think I’m weak?”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  It didn’t take long to gather the nobles together in the throne room.

  Which meant I hadn’t had a lot of time to prepare. My eyes roamed over the crowd. Some of the faces were beginning to be familiar. Many had been here when my brother had announced me. And many had been here after his death.

  Now they stared at me, hunger in their eyes. I had no doubt truth, or a version of it, had already spread among them.

  I kept my chin up. They wanted to see me break. Too bad for them.

  Eoin stood at my side. We appeared as equals, at least for now. I wasn’t sure if our little facade would work. I was even less sure if it was a facade.

  I didn’t trust Eoin, but I knew what motivated him, and I believed I knew what he wanted.

  He held up a hand a
nd the nobles silenced, eyes on him. He turned his gaze to me, nodded his head slightly and took a step back.

  A dance we’d already rehearsed, but dress rehearsal was over.

  “No doubt the news of what transpired not long ago has reached—”

  “I demand the heads of those who slaughtered my kin,” Tiergan yelled, interrupting me.

  I’d expected it. Eoin had warned me, but it still galled.

  Play your part so we can get this over with.

  “You will be given no heads, Tiergan, so just set—”

  “I demand justice! And I point my finger at you, false queen. Your brother promised safety within his walls, and yet we—”

  I laughed. Loudly. It was enough to stop his words and redden his face.

  “How dare you—” he spit out.

  “Enough, little king,” I said.

  Gasps could be heard around the room. More than a few Fae snickered. Tiergan wasn’t well liked.

  “Shut your mouth. You will address me as my due, as is proper,” he sputtered.

  I tilted my head to the side, keeping my composure. “Eoin? When a member of a royal family commits treason is the head of the family held responsible?”

  Tiergan snarled out a few choice obscenities I didn’t understand.

  “Yes.”

  I smiled. “Good to know.”

  “Treason? You wouldn’t dare, child. Do you have no idea of consequences? Are you interested in war?”

  “From you?”

  “From us all. We are not to be cowed by an outsider. You may sit upon the throne, but your power rests on us. And with nothing to truly offer in return, you sit quite precariously.”

  My gaze swept across the room. “You are all in agreement with that?”

  Most faces hardened, defiant. I felt a quiver of fear and doubt. This could go so horribly wrong. And we weren’t getting off to a great start.

  “I demand the names of those responsible. We have murderers roaming these halls. None of us are safe.” He addressed his peers rather than me, sensing a way to gain the advantage.

  “I will provide no name, little king. Or anything else. Test me on this, and you’ll be lucky if it’s just your title you lose.”

  Other than the little king bit—which I’d added—my words were Eoin’s. I could almost feel his hand up my ass as I spoke.

  Before he could speak, someone I didn’t know did. “It was Aidan.”

  “You make a grave accusation,” I said, more of Eoin’s words slipping out. We’d prepared for this, too. “What proof do you have?”

  “I saw it myself.”

  “What exactly did you see?”

  They hesitated. “I saw…I was coming out of my room and saw Prince Aidan use his magic to slash his brothers into pieces.”

  Prince? Brothers? What the everliving hell? No one had prepared me for that revelation. I threw a glare over my shoulder at Eoin, but he remained stoic.

  We would have words later.

  “You saw nothing else?” I asked. “That is rather convenient.”

  They narrowed their eyes. “As I said, I was leaving my room and—”

  “Why were you leaving?”

  They blinked, and then threw a quick glance at Tiergan.

  I hadn’t been the only one rehearsing.

  “I heard shouting. Screaming. I went to check.”

  I shivered. I hoped they meant they’d heard the others screaming. I didn’t remember doing so, and the thought that I had made me cold inside.

  “Anyone else peek out their door and see this?”

  No one spoke or came forward. I had a hard time believing no one else checked, but the crowd seemed to be cowards.

  “I demand my son Aidan be brought forward to pay for his crime. Kinslaying is particularly vile.”

  Someone snorted from behind. I recognized it immediately.

  “You would know dear old dad, wouldn’t you?” Aidan strode forward toward the dais and me. “Besides,” he continued as he climbed the steps to stand next to me. “You disowned me many years ago. They, and you, are no longer kin.”

  “I should have done more than disown you, bastard. I should have drowned you at birth.”

  Aidan laughed, looking unfazed. I didn’t think I could have been so cool under the venom of my parent’s words.

  “See? Kinslaying comes naturally to you.”

  “You admit to your crime?” Tiergan asked. “Or will you deny it?”

  “There is no crime to admit to.”

  “Lies! There are witnesses.”

  “A single witness,” I reminded. “And one of your own.”

  He ignored me. I was used to it.

  “You can not hide behind the false queen’s skirts, Aidan.”

  “I’m not. I did kill my brothers and cousins. I have no trouble admitting to it. But it wasn’t a crime. I was defending our dear queen from assault.”

  Tiergan narrowed his eyes, but the corner of his lip lifted slightly. “Your proof of this claim?”

  “Considering it happened to me, I’d say I’m plenty of proof,” I said.

  “And we are to believe the words of an outsider? One that has plenty of reason to lie for her lover?”

  Lover? I wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

  “Plenty have seen the state she was in after. Are they also lying?” Aidan asked.

  I wasn’t too happy with him pointing that out, but I said nothing. The play had shifted from what Eoin and I had expected. This was unrehearsed territory.

  “You mean the state of undress? I know my sons. They would never touch a female who didn’t beg for it.”

  My stomach twisted and no words came to mind to defend myself. Or even to deny. Looking out at the crowd and seeing the slight nods, the belief in their eyes, killed me. Did it matter if I did deny?

  People want to believe what they want to believe. It’s human nature. And apparently Fae nature as well.

  Aidan took a step forward, hands fisted at his sides. His back shook. I reached up and touched him on the back, hoping it would soothe him.

  Another death would not be wise at this point.

  Since no one spoke against him, Tiergan continued, and with each word, the bile rose higher in my throat.

  “Did anyone hear her scream for help? There are no marks on her body, no bruises, no torn clothing. Did she not fight back if she truly didn’t wish to be mount—”

  Before he could finish the word, a deep slash appeared on his cheek like an invisible knife had flown through the air.

  And it was deep. The scar it would leave would never heal. His face would be permanently marred.

  He snarled, pressing his hand against the wound. Thick blood seeped through the fingers.

  Seeing the cut, seeing the obvious pain, didn’t make my heart stop twisting or my stomach stop lurching or the anxiety gripping me tight fade.

  Inflicting pain in response to pain didn’t calm the soul. The damage was already done. Healing required something else entirely.

  The room had fallen silent. Not even Tiergan audibly breathed.

  “Aidan is telling the truth,” a small voice said from the back.

  As one the room turned to the speaker. Bryna, her face streaked with tears, stood trembling in sight.

  “I was there. Hogan…he tried to…he said father ordered them to…to…”

  “To do what? What did King Tiergan order them to do?” Eoin asked.

  “Impregnant her. For the crown. They forced themselves on her. I saw. I was scared. I ran and told Aidan.” Her face scrunched up in distress. “I couldn’t do anything. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  She turned and fled from the room. Eoin nodded toward a pair of ben síde, and they followed her out the door.

  I turned to Eoin. “What are you doing? She’s helping me.”

  He bent to whisper in my ear. “Precisely. Do you think her father will let that betrayal go? She’ll be protected. I assumed that is what you would want.”

/>   I nodded and turned back to the crowd. It was no longer silent. Nobles whispered, their defiance turning to fear.

  I stood frozen, my lips unable to move. I looked over to where Aidan had been standing, and it was only an empty space.

  Gone. Again.

  “Do you deny the claim that you ordered your kin to rape the queen?” Eoin asked.

  Tiergan raised his chin, still defiant even in the face of the accusation. I wondered how he’d twist this.

  They always twist shit.

  “No, I do not deny it. We are vulnerable to the Unseelie. An heir is necessary, and the false queen will not preform her duty. So, yes. I took it upon myself to ensure an heir would come to pass. I did it for our people.”

  Uaine scoffed. “Our people? Please enlighten me on how ensuring the next heir has Zephyr blood is helping us as a whole. At least admit you were taking advantage.”

  Tiergan smirked at him. “Would you have done differently if the opportunity arose?”

  Uaine titled his head. “Yes. Of course.”

  Tiergan let out a short laugh. “Words are easy to say, but actions show real character.”

  Uaine nodded. “No truer words have ever passed your lips. Which I know isn’t saying much. But opportunity has arose. My son Feoras has spent much time alone with our lovely queen. He has managed not to rape anyone.”

  My throat closed. It was getting harder to breath. I needed to leave. Just for a moment. One moment of respite was all I needed, and then I could face everything again.

  But there were no opportunities for respite. Not when my fate was on the line.

  “While I find the idea reprehensible,” Niamh said. “Tiergan does not have the wrong idea. An heir is necessary. The queen is vulnerable after both the assassin attack and the assault. If she dies before an heir is born, the bloodline ceases. We can not allow that.”

  Everyone turned to look at her. Her words were cold, cruel, and lashed me worse than any I’d heard before.

  Which was saying something.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Niamh’s face told a different story. One of regret and sadness and fear. Considering what she’d just said, I didn’t feel all that bad for whatever inner conflict she was going through.