Page 123 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

Orion stirs beside me, pulling my chin up and pressing a kiss against my lips. “That is something we can arrange.” Without saying another word, he pulls me against his chest and stands, cradling me against him. I laugh in surprise, but I do not struggle, because I know he would never drop me.

He carries me to the bathroom, and over my shoulder, I watch as Joha stands and sheds the rest of his clothing, following us with a grin.

Chapter

Sixty-Six

ALYX

Now washed and fully dressed once more—though we did have to rewash since they got handsy—I am ready to tackle the day. The space between my legs aches in the most pleasant way, reminding me of how I spent my morning. Joha and Orion devoted our shower time to making sure I was clean and not feeling any discomfort after our session in my bedroom. I was very happy to allow them to fawn over me.

However, there are other important jobs that need our attention today, like what we found out, and that thought sours my good mood.

Surrounded by guards, Joha and I walk through the palace grounds. We take the long way around so we can be seen together. It is important to show a united front after everything that happened. Support for the king has been stronger than we thought, the treachery of Queen Mother making others realise that they have all been fed lies about him over the years in her bid to take over.

Orion leads the way, looking out for any threats and giving me a great view of his ass at the same time. With the three of us together, there is only one person missing.

“Where is Crux?” I ask Joha quietly, making sure we are not overheard by anyone. Orion handpicked these guards and promises they are loyal, but it is better to be overly cautious.

“I am sure he will turn up. He is always lurking around somewhere.” Although Joha’s reply is said dryly, when I glance at him, I see a smile playing on his lips. The three of them might not be best friends, but they all seem to respect each other’s decision to be with me.

He’s right. Crux is probably tracking our movements at the moment, or at least has eyes on us reporting back to him at all times. For this next job, we are going to need him and his particular skill set.

After passing a set of long, low buildings, we pause as we reach the entrance to the prison block.

Turning from his position, Orion looks at Joha. “Are you ready for this?”

We’re about to question the former Queen Mother. She’s been interrogated by the guards, Crux being one of those involved, and now it is our turn to see what truth we can get out of her before deciding her punishment. She has committed treason of the highest order, so there will be no court case here. Joha’s decision is law.

My eyes roam over his face, and I look past the controlled mask he’s wearing and take in the turbulent emotions beneath. Although the former Queen Mother was working against him, she has been a part of his life for a long time, and it is only recently that he suspected she was involved in his father’s death. It was a huge blow for him to learn that someone who was supposed to be supporting him and a part of his family did something so heinous. This is the final face-off, and I can only imagine the mess of feelings he must be experiencing.

My own emotions are all over the place. Queen Mother is finally getting what she deserves, and that fills me with a grim sense of satisfaction. I will not shed a tear when she is finally gone, and I would be happy to do the honours of taking her life. While I may be dressed in finery and draped in jewels, I am an assassin underneath it all. I never proclaimed to be a good person.

I’m also filled with nervous excitement. This is my chance to find out about my family.

I am sure she is behind the orders to kill my family in that fire. I want to hear her say it though. I want those words to pass her lips as I stare her in the eye and tell her who I really am.

I need to know the truth about what happened, not just guesses and rumours.

I cannot have closure until then.

Squeezing Joha’s hand, I wait for his answer. Whatever he decides, we shall honour.

I lower my voice so only he can hear me. If anyone were watching, they would assume I was whispering sweet nothings into his ear. “If you need more time?—”

Shaking his head, he cuts me off. “No. I am ready. Justice needs to be served.”

Orion nods, and with a simple hand gesture, the guards around us break formation, two of them entering the prison before us to ensure the way is clear. They are quick and thorough, and we walk into the dark building, guards ahead and behind us.

A narrow walkway through the length of the building is bracketed by cells on either side, with guards stationed on either end. Most of the cells are empty, with only one other actually occupied, and from the smell of the man within, I would guess he got too drunk and needed a place to sober up. The pathway is too thin for Joha and me to walk side by side, so I step back to let him lead the way.

Stopping outside one of the final cells, I look inside to find the former Queen Mother huddled in one corner of the dingy room. She has a ratty blanket wrapped around her and appears to be asleep. All of her jewels have been stripped away, and she’s in nothing more than her stained dress, her unbound hair falling around her in a knotty mess. She looks so much younger and weaker, but I know that is just an act. A viper lives inside this woman.

Joha kicks one of the bars with his boot, a metallic clang filling the air.

“Constance.” He barks the name as an order, and I realise this is her name. I never thought to ask it before, though it makes sense, since she has no longer has a title.

She jerks awake, looking around with confusion, as though she cannot remember where she is. I see the exact moment she remembers, her eyes hardening. I would feel pity for her, since her life has drastically changed, but no, I could never feel pity for her. She deserves everything she gets.

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