Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 69119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“What about her?” I demanded. If he dared utter an insult, he wouldn’t be walking from this room. He’d be crawling.
“Her temper is worse than yours,” Hugo huffed, and nods abounded. “Yet, you defer to her advice anytime it contradicts ours.”
A compliment. Unexpected. “What can I say? My sister gives good advice.” I flicked my finger with more force than necessary, a command to continue.
Roland obeyed. “Let’s pretend you and your siblings are no longer afflicted with a family love curse. You alone are bound to a pair of shackles. A vulnerability to us all, for the weakness of a leader is a weakness of the people.”
I worked my jaw. “I’m aware of this.” I’d learned the lesson well as I served under my father, and he racked up our list of enemies to include mortals across the ages and every berserker faction.
“Someone is stealing from our treasury and armory,” he added. “Your father would have ended the threat by now.”
I tasted blood.
Time had softened the councilman’s memory. Best to remind him. “Clearly, we recall King Cedric differently. I haven’t forgotten the tyrant who slaughtered his own people when they dared to utter the barest hint of a complaint. I still remember the savagery of his methods with friends and foes alike. The endless wars he ignited and the endless procession of realms he destroyed.”
Roland bowed out his chest, defensive. “I’ve lived with the consequences of Cedric’s actions.” The chords of his neck worked as he swallowed. “His betrayal hurt us all. But now we have two threats. His return in addition to Lorik. We can’t have uncertainty in the kingdom. The only way to truly unite us is to…”
“Let me guess,” I snapped, fire licking my veins. “Marry.”
“A husband will fight at your side. Help you carry the burden of responsibility for our people and double the strength of the crown.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And who do you propose I marry, hmm?”
“Our strongest soldier, of course.” Roland straightened in his seat, squaring his shoulders. “Wed Commander Hoffmann.”
“Your son.” I choked down a sigh. “We’ve been over this. Nein, I will not join my life to his.” Though I did admire the commander. He was strong, smart and steady. Reliable and capable. But he wasn’t mine.
“Then take my son,” Hugo piped up. “He’s not a commander, but he is an expert entrepreneur. Very wealthy. Very handsome. Desired by many.”
“Or my brother. He is—”
“We’re veering off track,” I said and sighed. “I’m not wedding any of your sons, brothers, uncles, neighbors or friends.”
“You must pick someone,” Ansel insisted.
“Nein, I mustn’t,” I pointed out as calmly and coolly as I could manage. I wouldn’t be with a man who wasn’t my firebrand, so I wouldn’t be with a man, period. The risk of disaster was too great.
Bauer raised sad eyes. “You are losing our elite soldiers, one after the other, Olyssa, and not a soul understands how or why.”
I barely hid my wince. Now wasn’t the time to mention the death of Matthias. As for the other missing, I knew who to blame. If Locke had snuck into my realm, stole my things and challenged my men, of course he’d abducted soldiers, too.
“We aren’t questioning you, my queen,” Roland said, his voice tight. “We are questioning how long the realm can endure the growing uncertainty.”
“I see.” I weighed my options. The Council couldn’t be relieved of duty by a royal. I could kill them, as previously considered, but citizens might revolt. An inconvenience I couldn’t afford at this time.
So what to do, what to do?
The throbbing in my neck flared anew, and my thoughts immediately returned to Taron. Longing stirred, and I swallowed a groan, running my fingers along the healed wound. Heat radiated as if the dagger cut had left some kind of invisible seal.
Guess I wasn’t free of the bond after all.
“Your Majesty?” Bauer prompted, snapping me back into focus. Every member of the council eyed me with interest. Even my sister had stopped doomscrolling on her phone. “Do you have a solution, if not marriage?”
“Ashmorra might not survive another crisis. I cannot sit and do nothing. Not again.” Roland never met my eyes.
Grr. Here I was wanting to stoke my anger with him, and he had to go and put our realm first.
Miracle of miracles, I rallied my strength and stayed put, glaring at the people seated at my table. “I do have a solution. I advise you to stop betting against me,” I stated with enough frost to freeze the room. “Even when my defeat looks sure, I always come out on top. Just ask my father, the former king.”
They shifted in their seats, suddenly uneasy.
Good. I wasn’t done. “Here’s what is going to happen. You will leave and do your jobs. What the people voted for you to do. Search our annals for prophecy, strategy and means of destroying someone who refuses to stay dead—someone who isn’t our phoenix. And a word of warning to anyone thinking of betraying me,” I said, standing. “You will find yourself imprisoned with my father.” Head high, I exited with Adelaide at my back.