Page 121 of Mistress of Lies

The door to the Council Chamber flung open, startling Belrose out of her speech. She flung her hand over her chest as the entire assembly turned to see who dared to interrupt the session, only to find the Eternal King staring down at them all.

Shan sucked in a harsh breath. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He was their king, yes, but the House of Lords was theirs—theirs to run, theirs to use. A way to propose bills and laws and temper the power of the King. It was sacred, and he was not supposed to interfere.

And in all the history of Aeravin, Shan had never heard of him doing so.

But he was here now, his expression as unmovable as if it were carved from stone. Though the weight of every member’s gaze was on him, he walked down the stairs as if he belonged, his steps echoing on the marble as he approached Lady Belrose.

With nothing else to do, Lady Belrose dropped into a formal curtsy, her head bowed low in supplication. “Your Majesty.”

He only sneered at her. “Rise.”

When she did, he thrust a thin package of papers at her, and she took it wordlessly.

“I have declared a state of emergency,” the King said, his voice soft but still echoing in the chamber. “And with that come several new laws.”

Gasps rose across the chamber—the King did not propose new laws. That was the entire purpose of the House of Lords. Certainly he had a hand in things, working with his Royal Councillors to prepare motions. But something as brazen as this?

It was unprecedented.

“These are quite… thorough,” Belrose said, flipping through the packet.

The King didn’t even look at her. “But they are necessary. Lady Belrose, if you would be so kind?”

Her mouth drew into a hard line, but she nodded. “First amongst these, a curfew is to be enacted for all Unblooded Citizens of Aeravin,” she began, and Shan leaned forward in her seat, her claws digging into her skin as the list grew worse and worse.

As the Unblooded were banned from gathering in groups of four or more.

As the writing and distribution of literature deemed seditious was made a crime.

As the Guard were given the right to search the properties of the Unblooded under the mere suspicion of a crime.

As the quarterly Blood Taxes rose from a single pint of blood to two.

As the few rights and protections of the Unblooded were stripped away to nothing at all.

At last, Belrose came to a stop, lowering the pages. Her voice was harsh and rasping. “I suppose we should begin the vote.”

“You misunderstand,” the King said, turning on her. “This is not for a vote. This is a courtesy. These are the new laws of Aeravin, and I trust that you all will help enforce them.”

“But that’s not—” Belrose’s protest died on her lips as the King turned to her. “I see. Anything else?”

“Yes.” He turned his back on Belrose, as if she meant nothing. “Aeravin is in chaos, but this state of emergency is temporary. Until it has been lifted, though, I am suspending the House of Lords.”

The questioning murmurs turned to shouts, but the Eternal King just stood there, turning his claws against himself as he trailed it down his own arm, cutting through the fabric of his sleeve to reveal the scarred skin beneath. He didn’t need to say a word, the sheer force of his magic rising, building, the same power she had felt before slowly spreading through the chamber.

Silence fell as his aura grew stronger, to the point where Shan feared that she would choke on it.

“As I said, this is only temporary,” the Eternal King said, tapping the blunt tip of his claw against the vein in his wrist. “There is important work to be done containing the problem, and after it has been contained you can revisit these laws. Am I understood?”

No one responded, not until Lady Belrose stepped forward. “As you will, Your Majesty.”

“Good.” He lowered his arms. “Now, there is work to be done. For those of you with estates and vassals, see to it that the new laws are spread and enforced, even outside of Dameral. For those of you idle nobles—”

Shan swore his eyes found hers.

“—I am sure you can find other ways to be useful.” The King tilted his chin up. “The Unblooded think they can force change upon us? They are wrong.”

He swept past Belrose, ascending the stairs and disappearing through the doors.

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