Page 46 of Kill the Queens

Ace couldn't do anything but stand there with her mouth agape. Maybe she should have sat down. How was she supposed to be processing this? Less than an hour ago she had been riding toward the wall with Shelby and now she was here…with the orange eyed man…with the Fae.

“Who are you to deny the gods?” She laughed. “I don’t know but I sure as hell am willing to do so. I don’t want to be queen. I don’t want any throne.”

We told you you were destined for the crown,Greshta said more gently than the last time she'd spoken.

Sylik tried to shush her.Don't you think she's a little bit too busy for you to be trying to give her a lecture about that right now?

Why not add to the madness?Ramdon said in his darkvoice. A tremble chased from Ace's shoulders all the way down to her feet as he spoke. Normally she loved when Ramdon wanted to do something that made life a little…chaotic. Not right now though. Not when her head was pounding.

“This can’t be serious.” Ace walked around the chair and lowered into the seat.

King Osiris's expression didn't change. "Then we will take the throne. The deal is, kill the queens, you may have access to whatever forces you may need—"

"No.”

Muscles along the king’s jaw were chording.

She didn’t want to rule but she wanted the Fae to rule even less, and to take troops into Pasia…to parade them through the cities…Ace could only imagine the carnage. “We can't parade Fae through Pasia. I want to avoid innocent lives being taken at all costs." Ace rubbed at her temples.

"You may have access to whatever forces you may need," Osiris repeated, the sentence laced with irritation. "Then you will rule under me or my people and I will return to Pasia. What is the saying?"

"Kill two birds with one stone," Rehan was all too excited to add.

"You two ruling will make the humans feel safe," the king amended. “I will do my best to leave the interference to a minimum.”

"And what about the warlocks?" Ace asked. She was chewing on the inside of her cheek now, digging her teeth in as a way to lower her nerves. It wasn't working.

"In Pasia you are free to do with them as you please but when they pass on to surrounding lands they will follow our rules."

"You mean they will work for you."

"They'll help us with things we otherwise cannot do."Osiris dipped his chin.

Ace looked at Rehan who watched her with open curiosity and amusement. "The warlocks will be free in Pasia. I made a promise to a friend."

"So you are agreeing?" Rehan smiled.

She sucked her lip into her mouth and clamped down, closing her eyes as she thought. They hadn’t left her much of a choice. Neither had the gods. "Do I have more time to consider the offer?"

"No. Not really." King Osiris grinned. He was so enjoying this. Fae were absolutely demented.

"Would you like a more romantic proposal? To agree is to also accept my hand in marriage," Rehan said more quietly. He stayed in his seat but he twisted to face Ace better. His eyes shone with a gentleness that Ace wasn't used to seeing.

"I haven't even known you for an hour," Ace stuttered.

"It's probably been close to an hour." He sounded hopeful.

"And you're willing to marry me?"

"For the good of Pasia, yes. Not only that but the gods were so certain when they brought me back that we would be good for each other. They acted as if we were soulmates. I’ve waited all this time for you."

Ace snorted; it was unladylike and not cute at all but Rehan smiled at her anyway. "Soulmates don't exist."

I would beg to differ, Mina said.

Rehan's smile grew at the sound of her voice. Ace groaned. Him hearing the gods didn't feel like it was a good thing.

"Let me ask you this." King Osiris tapped a long-pointed nail on the table. "Do you know what you are?"

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