Page 22 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

The whispered comments and worried titters from the councilmen and advisors follow me through the palace grounds as I make my way to the throne room. Ignoring them all, I force myself to look around obliviously, smiling as we pass those who live in the palace compound like I do not have a care in the world.

I called an emergency meeting as soon as I awoke, not giving them time to try and change my plans. I did not manage to get any sleep last night. My mind continued to turn over all my concerns and fears about what we are doing. Have I made a mistake in trusting the assassin? No. My instincts tell me that I’m right about her and that this is going to work. The most dangerous thing about this whole plan is the tiny spark of hope that blooms in my heart.

It has been a long time since I allowed myself to feel hope or anything akin to it.

Thanks to the last-minute nature of this mandatory meeting, I only have a handful of my normal entourage of advisors and scholars. My guards are all present as usual, with the ever-faithful Orion leading us all.

Wearing my formal, highly decorated purple cloak, I cannot help but feel amused by my councilmen’s confusion. Usually, the king’s cloak is only worn for ceremonial purposes, which has everyone even more confused about the reason for this meeting, yet no one has questioned me directly about what is happening. That will not last for long, I am sure, but in the meantime, I am going to enjoy this moment of peace before the interrogation begins.

“Do you know anything about why this meeting has been called?” one of my scholars asks quietly behind me, concern making his voice warble more than usual.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Advisor Ruik chimes in snidely. He is one of my most vocal advisors and is coincidentally from the Queen Mother’s family. If there was a way for me to dismiss him, I would, but unfortunately, that is out of my hands.

“This is the king, after all,” Ruik continues, chuckling slightly. “He probably just wants to tell us he’s decided to ban porridge from the kitchen or something equally ridiculous and mundane.”

The others chuckle in agreement, placated for the time being.

With how often I hear them speak about me this way, you would think that I would be used to it by now. However, shame and anger burn inside me. Once upon a time, they used to at least do it behind closed doors, but now they barely even bother to lower their voices. I am their king, yet they treat me like a clown.

The only thing that’s keeping me from simply rampaging at their obvious disdain is Alyx. She’s going to change everything around here. My smile turns genuine as I imagine the horror and shock of my council when I announce my betrothal.

It’s my turn to make decisions.

It’s my move, and I just pressed my advantage.

I just made a queen.

“Your Majesty, I really do feel it’s imperative that you tell us what you plan to announce to your people,” my advisor scolds, once again treating me like a disobedient child rather than his king. “We cannot help you if we do not know what’s happening.”

Settling myself in my throne, I sit back and let my lords-in-waiting run forward to adjust my cloak as I peer out at the bustling building that houses the throne room. The throne room, placed right in the centre of the palace grounds, is massive in an effort to intimidate and remind everyone of my station, even if it has become a laughingstock as of late, but the kings who sat before me used it to their advantage, just as I will today. Like most of the rest of the palace, it’s a one-story building with a high, decorative roof. My throne, whilst terribly uncomfortable, is carved from marble and has intricate patterns that must have taken the artist months to create, and it sits atop a raised dais, allowing me to look down at my people—another reminder they are below me, or should be.

The room itself is relatively devoid of furniture, allowing for many to stand before the king. Windows line the walls, spaced evenly throughout the halls like arched sentinels providing light. Lanterns hang from the walls where the light from the windows doesn’t reach, their golden casings gleaming thanks to the huge team of cleaners who keep the place spotless. Tapestries of my family’s long history are draped upon the walls as well. Two of the largest are fixed to the back wall behind my throne, the image depicting the triumphant win of the first king of this land. It’s as beautiful as it is brutal and completely impossible to ignore.

My people are filing into the room, both the nobles who live within the palace compound and those who are from the upper part of the city who could make it in time. Scanning the room, I notice how almost everyone is wearing the same confused expression, splitting into small groups as they discuss their theories on why they have all been called together.

They are not permitted to kneel on the pillows to rest unless I allow it, so they mingle as they stand before the throne.

I do not reply immediately, needing time to cool my temper so I do not shout at the weaselly man beside me and ruin everything. Orion is standing on my other side and slightly behind the throne. He’s silent, but I can feel his anger radiating from him. There is another reason I do not speak, though that has nothing to do with my frustration. Staring off into the distance, I pretend that I do not feel his eyes boring into me, even as I grow more and more annoyed with each passing second.

When it becomes apparent that I am not about to answer anytime soon, my advisor eventually loses patience and clears his throat. Blinking and whipping my head around as though snapped out of a daydream, I laugh, but it is devoid of any true mirth as I meet his stare boldly.

“Oh, sorry, Advisor Ruik, I forgot you were there for a moment.” Smiling, I roll my eyes at myself and chuckle once more. “Thank you for your concern, Advisor Ruik, but you will know about the nature of the meeting soon enough. I have this all in hand.”

Outrage flashes across his face before he quickly masks it, and I turn back to watch everyone file through the doors. The hall is packed, and almost everyone must be here now. Most of those waiting are males, with only a handful of females attending, and I would hazard a guess that is only because they live in the palace grounds.

We have had queens for generations, yet rules and restrictions on women still apply. It’s foolish, if you ask me. My smile turns genuine then as I remember my future queen. Alyx will not conform to them.

I almost delight in the chaos she will cause amongst those gathered. It’s enough to lift my spirits despite the whispered insults that reach my ears.

“Sir,” the advisor squawks beside me, outraged at my dismissal.

He’s cut off by the presence of another making their way to my side, and I’ve never been more grateful for the interruption—that is, until I realise exactly who it is. Ruik would only back down to one person.

Queen Mother.

I am sure the weather darkened with her arrival, or maybe that is just my mood.

“Your Majesty,” Queen Mother greets demurely, her voice grating on me. However, when I turn in my throne to look at her, I smile widely.

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