Page 114 of Fae Champion

“And that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

He laughed. “By killing her?”

Rush pressed his lips into a tight line and said nothing beyond flicking a now nervous glance at the queen.

The king chortled darkly. “I should have known. You’ve been under Talisa’s thumb for years. Why should I have ever expected anything more of you?”

Again, he remained silent, but Rush winced at that jab.

The king tipped up his chin and took in his wife and again said, “You can’t do this to me. You can’t kill my daughter, the only thing that’s left of Odelia.”

The queen frowned. “Again, none of this is about you. It’s not about me either. Our rule has never been about you or me, about what either of us wants. Our job as the royals of Embermere is to govern in the best way possible. It’s always only ever been about the needs of Embermere and how to best meet them. What’s best for my kingdom, forourkingdom, is for our subjects to see us strong and united. For us to be steady and unopposed. Not to be defied at every turn, to be labeledliars.”

She closed the short distance between them and held his stare. “For the good of Embermere, nay, for its very survival, Elowyn must die, and she must dietoday.”

An entire minute ticked by slowly as the two staredat each other.

I dared not look away from them, not even to meet Rush’s waiting eyes. I could somehow sense, like a rotting fragrance on the air, my fate being decided.

The queen’s cheeks softened as her lips tipped up tentatively. “Maybe you and I can … sire another child together?”

“I thought my ‘manhood’ was insufficient.” The king’s voice had no intonation, a vacuous accusation.

“You know me, Oren. Sometimes … well, I didn’t mean what I said. But you know that, don’t you?”

“Do I?”

She stepped an inch closer. “I’d hope you would, after all the … private time you and I’ve shared over the years. You know what I’m really like, what I really mean.”

Once more, she trailed a fingertip across his torso and leaned into him. “We’ll have fun creating a new heir, won’t we?”

He looked down at her, but his expression didn’t reveal whether or not he saw her obvious ploy for what it was. “What of the Fae Heir Trials? What of Rush? You’ve told him he’s to be the next heir, haven’t you?”

“I have.” She drew idle circles across his chest, scraping at his tunic. “And given our new agreement he’ll be a good one. But it can’t hurt to have a backup. One never knows how things might unfold … and who might accidentally die along the way. At least we’ll have fun making the backup”—she shrugged—“so it’s really a win-win scenario.”

“And the magic of the trials?”

“Once Elowyn’s gone, the magic will adjust to the one winner of the Gladius Probatio. The trials will proceed as they should have all along, and Rush will prevail, at least for now.” She glanced at him. “Perhaps permanently depending on how well he fills the role … intended for him.”

She peered up at her husband. “All right, darling? It’s all settled. Rush will step in as agreed, and we’ll have our fun working on a reserve, just in case.”

“And there’s no way Elowyn can be a part of this?”

“None, not after her behavior. You heard that guard riling up our subjects, suggesting she should be my replacement.” She snorted. “As if. But he wasn’t the only ingrate in that crowd. You must have heard them.”

He nodded.

“We can’t allow that kind of discontent to fester or it will be the end of all we’ve done to keep this kingdom together, all we’ve worked so hard to ensure.”

The king glanced at Dashiell, then Braque and Ivar, and finally the queen again without so much as looking at the “girl” whose fate they were discussing.

“All right,” he said.

The queen’s smile was brilliant, like she was celebrating the beauty of spring with all its colorful flowers and perfumes. “Excellent, darling. I knew you’d come around.”

She drew a final circle on his chest before facing Rush with that broad smile still brightening her face.

“It’s time, Rush. Hold to your end of the bargain,and I’ll hold to mine.” All but admitting that she’d suggested to the king that they have another child just to sway him, and that whatever true plans she had still remained her own alone.

---